Rail union rejects Biden-brokered labor deal, raising prospect of a strike

Axios ^ | 10/10/2022 | Emily Peck

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Products shipped by rail. Pretty much the essentials. BUT - look to your local sources of foodstuffs if you're worried. The closer you can eat to 'home base' the better. (Local bakery, local butcher, local brewery, local Farmer's Market/CSA, etc.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

NautiNurse :" Seriously, what are the primary goods transported by train, as opposed to trucks?.."

That's a darned good and complex question ! Mostly bulk liquids, fuel, imported automobiles, and heavy products unsuitable for trucking transport
When the 1600 grain barges were stuck at Stack Island on the Mississippi due to shallow water a few days ago,
but the rail companies won few agriculture fans with the railroad "force majeure" in July 2022
which restricted transport of fertilizer, grain crops, and animal feed.

The unions have worked without a contract since July 1, 2019.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Some additional links. Yep. Pretty much everything your basic consumer needs/wants. :(

https://www.aar.org/article/freight-rail-food-products/#!

https://www.up.com/customers/track-record/tr181120_what_can_ship.htm

https://ifa-forwarding.net/blog/european-logistics-network/types-of-cargo-shipped-by-rail-freight-transport/

[nralife]

“I THINK that it was because of labor shortages. Or, because RR’s are operating “without a net” as a cost cutting measure, deliberately hiring as few people as possible with no allowances for absences. IDK.”

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I think you hit the spike on the head. Add to that, the fact that trains are much longer these days as a cost cutting measure. So, employees out sick put a crimp in the operation.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Prepper ping - Railroad Unions reject contract negotiations
The possibility of transportation strike looms while the administration attempts to 'kick the can down the road' past mid terms
Negotiations still continuing

Ping !

[DownInFlames]

Coal and grain are number 1.

[hanamizu]

“The rail industry is just one example...”

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I’m not disagreeing with your point, but it’s important to realize that the rail industry is a bit different than most others because it has a very long history, perhaps the longest in the U.S., of deep hostility between workers and management.

Railroad workers are quite aware of what you have written and I doubt if they’ll go ‘gentle into that good night’.

[logi_cal869]

Bluntly: Are you drunk, or simply ignorant?

Maybe you ought to read the details of their demands. This isn’t about sick days: That’s a left talking point.

I know retired rail workers: They do quite well, especially compared to me.

Those who follow will do INCREDIBLY WELL after their demands are granted.

Buckle up: Your budget is going to get even tighter and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it.

[srmanuel]

My plan B was to always have marketable skills, for the last 20 years I programmed, installed and supported Cisco Systems products, routers, switches, and voice related products.

I always kept up my certifications, adopted new technologies as they were introduced and most of all never took my hands off the keyboard to take a lead or managerial role, I never wanted to lose my edge in making the machines work.

[PLMerite]

“So why is the railroads so stingy on sick leave?”

How much sick leave do they get now?

[The Antiyuppie]

“I’ll take a little disruption in my life if it means better sick leave for the workers and a DECISIVE WIN for America on November 8th.”

Don’t get your hopes up. I think Biden can pull a 90 day cooling off period on a critical strike. If they go on strike after that gets invoked, it’s Club Fed for the union officers. That would get him past the election, which, of course, is all the Dems care about.

Whatever unions are stupid enough to side with the Dems will definitely not like his invoking this rule, of course.

[damper99]

Seriously, what are the primary goods transported by train, as opposed to trucks?

Lumber, coal, chemicals, oil, steel, grain, rock, and some others in massive quantities.

[NautiNurse]

Many thanks for your lists of products shipped by rail!