Demand Progress

Railway Workers Deserve Paid Sick Leave!

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    Railway Workers Deserve Paid Sick Leave!

    Petition to President Biden: Side with union workers! Issue an executive order that guarantees the rail workers the sick leave they deserve.

    The Senate just voted to deny over 100,000 rail workers critical paid sick days.1 By forcing workers to accept a contract that preserves cruel conditions, Congress is sending a clear message that the profits of railway barons like Warren Buffet are more important than the well-being of the workers.

    This is an affront to all workers everywhere.

    President Biden has enthusiastically labeled himself “the most union friendly president ever”2 but make no mistake, as the negotiations currently stand the President is fully complicit in the suppression of workers’ rights. But, it’s not too late for him to act. He can use his executive authority to ensure rail workers get the paid sick leave they deserve.3

    Sign the petition: President Biden, issue an executive order that guarantees the rail workers the sick leave they deserve!

    The details of these negotiations highlight the indignities the rail workers have been forced to accept. Right now, these workers are not entitled to any sick days off. The fact that their request for 7 days of sick leave was rejected is particularly disgusting given the record profits that have flooded the railroad industry as of late.

    In the last quarter alone the biggest railroad companies have pulled in over $7 billion in profits, $1.8 billion of which went to paying out dividends and another $200 million going straight to the pockets of CEO’s. How much would it have cost them to give the workers their 7 days of sick leave? $321 million.1

    It gets worse. The railroad CEO’s have justified these gross disparities by bragging that their profits were gained “without any contributions from labor.”4 As if 80-hour work weeks with no sick time off doesn’t count as “contributing.” The arrogance is disgusting and Congress and President Biden have thus far emboldened the injustice.

    It does not have to end this way. President Biden has the power to right these wrongs.

    Sign the petition: President Biden, issue an executive order that guarantees the rail workers the sick leave they deserve!

    Sources:
    1. Lever News, “Senators Help Donors Derail Paid Sick Days,” December 1, 2022.
    2. Miller Johnson, “President Biden: “The Most Pro-Union President You’ve Ever Seen”,” January 21, 2021.
    3. Boston Globe, “Biden can do more for rail worker,” December 5, 2022.
    4. Lever News, “Railroad CEOs Were Paid Over $200 Million As Workers Suffered,” September 16, 2022.