What do the rail workers want?

Railroad workers first threatened to strike in July after more than three years of failed contract negotiations. The unions have generally pushed for a pay increase, better working conditions, relaxed attendance rules, and additional paid time off without fear of punishment.



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Railroad workers and unions are ramping up pressure on the US Congress and Joe Biden to address poor working conditions in the wake of the recent move to block a strike when Congress voted to impose a contract agreement.

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For years, freight rail workers weren't allowed to call in sick the morning of their shift. They could, however, get approval weeks in advance to take paid personal days. CSX was the first to grant paid sick days to several of its unions and has now granted sick days to 61% of its 17,089 unionized employees.

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Why are rail workers striking? Unions say they want a pay offer reflecting the rising cost of living. But the rail industry is under pressure to save money, after the pandemic left a hole in its finances. The industry says changes to ways of working need to be agreed in order for pay to go up.

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What are the railroad unions asking for? The railroad unions are asking freight and railway companies for a pay increase, as well as better working conditions, including paid time off and a more flexible schedule.

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As of Sep 26, 2023, the average hourly pay for a Train Driver in the United States is $17.76 an hour. While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $28.61 and as low as $8.65, the majority of Train Driver wages currently range between $14.18 (25th percentile) to $19.23 (75th percentile) across the United States.

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Train strikes July 2023: Full list of dates as commuters brace for more travel chaos. Tens of thousands of rail workers are striking in July as part of ongoing rail disputes. Drivers in the Aslef union have agreed to two overtime bans which will impact travel on 16 operators across 12 days.

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4 May 2023 A number of strikes on the national rail networks have been announced on dates in May and June 2023. Please keep an eye on the news and be aware that your travel may be disrupted. Rail workers are due to strike on Friday 12 May, Saturday 13 May, Wednesday 31 May and Saturday 3 June.

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Most importantly, know that it is possible to travel on strike days. Trains run on some routes, and your rights to compensation and help in the event of disruption aren't any different. If there's a train scheduled to run, go ahead and catch it!

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