They get 3-4 days sick leave but have to notify 30 days in advance.
There is no doubt that the number elected idiots have reached critical mass now.
Freight railroads operate today on precise schedules. If a locomotive engineer calls out sick, the train doesn't leave on type and the ripple effect through the whole system causes chaos. The only way around this would be to have the railroads schedule backup crews for every scheduled train -- which doubles the labor cost.
This is why the railroads have taken such a hard line against sick time in these negotiations.