Money only one reason workers in US planning strikes

The US is staring at an impending nationwide rail strike this coming week—the first such walkout in three decades. And pay or benefits have little to do with it.

A presidential panel attempting to ward off the strike has already offered an immediate 14% raise, backpay from 2020, and a 24% pay increase over the course of the contract.

Work rules
But the railway unions that represent more than 90,000 workers, including those who make up the two-person crews on freight trains, say the problem is the work rules that require them to be on call, and ready to report to work through most of the year, per a CNN report.

Changing these work rules, including the on-call requirement, is their main demand.

“The word has gotten out these are not attractive jobs the way they treat workers. Employees have said, ‘I’ve had enough,’” said Dennis Pierce, president of the union representing engineers, adding that thousands of employees had quit of late due to the unforgiving working conditions.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) estimates that the US economy would lose $2 billion each day the trains don’t move. A strike would mean more expensive food and disruption in the transport of manufactured goods. Even courier services use trains as it is the most cost-effective way to move mail long distances.

Other professions too
It isn’t just railroad workers who are uniting against the establishment in the country.

More than 2,000 mental health professionals are on strike against integrated healthcare consortium Kaiser Permanente due to “inadequate staffing.”

And some 15,000 nurses are set to stage a three-day strike against 16 major hospitals in Minnesota starting at 7 am Monday. The strike over pay increase is touted to be the largest nursing strike in US history.

The nurses are demanding a 30% pay hike over the next three years as against the 12% increase the hospitals have offered.