Why is there a rail crisis?

Trade associations, including those for the grain and chemicals industries, say one underlying cause of the rail crisis is a lack of competition. The number of major freight railroads has shrunk over the years, and in some areas, customers are captive to a single line.



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What is the rail strike about? Rail union leaders and carriers agreed to a tentative deal in September that included pay raises for members. But many union workers voted against the deal, in part because they have been pushing for paid sick days, which they currently do not receive.

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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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Commuters will be hit by another round of strikes this week as the dispute between rail workers and train operating companies over pay, jobs and working conditions continues. Drivers are now set to walk out on two more dates, disrupting thousands of passengers travel plans on the affected days.

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It was tough for me but it was the right thing to do at the moment -- save jobs, to protect millions of working families from harm and disruption and to keep supply chains stable around the holidays, Biden said, adding the deal avoided an economic catastrophe.

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WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden signed legislation Friday to block a national U.S. railroad strike that could have devastated the American economy.

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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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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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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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It wouldn't take long for the effects of a rail strike to trickle through the economy. Many businesses have only a few days' worth of raw materials and space for finished goods. Makers of food, fuel, cars and chemicals would all feel the squeeze, as would their customers.

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President Wilson issued an order for nationalization on December 26, 1917.

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When was the last rail strike in the United States? The last industry strike took place in 1992, when railroad workers with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers walked off the job.

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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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When are the RMT strikes taking place? RMT members working across 14 train operating companies will take strike action on Thursday July 20, Saturday July 22 and Saturday July 29. 20,000 rail workers from 14 train companies will be taking part in the action.

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A separate strike by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) will take place on Friday 2 June 2023. The widespread disruption will see 20,000 railway workers in catering, train managers and station staff all take action as passengers face more travel chaos from three strikes in just four days.

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