AOC votes to avoid railroad strike after telling workers to 'stay strong'
www.newsweek.com
President Joe Biden had warned a rail strike could spur a "crippling" national shutdown.

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among the majority of lawmakers who backed passing the legislation that notably did not include provisions for paid sick leave. A separate measure that also passed the House Wednesday, however, did include such provisions by giving rail workers seven paid days of sick leave each year.

"If Congress intervenes, it should be to have workers' backs and secure their demands in legislation," she tweeted. In another tweet responding to a union that thanked her for backing rail workers' pleas for paid sick leave provisions, Ocasio-Cortez wrote "Stay strong" and "we've got your back."

A lot of media outlets are wrongfully saying that AOC voted against the back to work bill, but if you check the House Clerk website it's clear that she voted "Yea".

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2022490

  • dead [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    There are 12 rail unions in total, 8 rail unions voted in favor of the September agreement, 4 rail unions voted against the September agreement. The 4 unions that voted against the September agreement are SMART-TD, BMWED, IBB, and BRS. SMART-TD is the largest, BRS is the smallest.

    SMART-TD supports the 7 day bill:
    "As for this moment, we ask these elected leaders to stand with our essential workers and urge the House and the Senate to vote in favor of guaranteeing seven days of paid sick leave to rail workers."
    https://smart-union.org/smart-td-statement-on-congressional-intervention-in-the-national-rail-negotiations/

    BMWED supports the 7 day bill and is asking people to call their congress representatives to support it.
    "The BMWED applauds the representatives in Congress and any Senators that will stand in support of Railroad Workers receiving paid sick leave. The additional legislation needs to pass so that Railroad Workers will have basic protections against illness, and protection from punishment from the railroads when Workers are most vulnerable."
    https://www.bmwe.org/secondary.aspx?id=723

    I do not see a statement from IBB.
    https://boilermakers.org/

    BRS is not happy with congress getting involved:
    https://www.brs.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=883627