Reminiscent of the Luddites. Labor has been opposing automation since the start of the Industrial Revolution so it’s a given that any proposed automation will be reflexively opposed.
Whether this makes rail transport safer or riskier remains to be determined. However, I don’t have great faith in unionized track inspectors.
I do. If they find something wrong that means it has to be fixed. That means more jobs fixing it. They do their job and that means more jobs created for those fixing it. I get the feeling it’s a win-win for both of them.