What really happened with the giant railroad strike that wasn’t—and how Warren Buffett was involved
A strike was averted but the agreement is only tentative (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/15/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-tentative-railway-labor-agreement/)—and temporary.
Employee discontent goes back years with employees angry over cost-cutting measures that have led to record profits for rail companies and shareholders, but that have also wiped out thousands of jobs. AND it involves everyone from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to Warren Buffett (https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120211081), who through his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (https://fortune.com/company/berkshire-hathaway), owns one of the major railroad companies involved in the labor dispute.
In addition to cutting back on staff, railroad companies have, for years, resorted to cost-cutting measures such as making trains longer (https://www.progressiverailroading.com/bnsf_railway/article/Class-I-railroads-continue-the-longer-train-trend--55035), while also hiking prices (https://www.freightrailreform.com/new-report-finds-rail-customers-paying-a-steep-price-for-consolidation-and-dwindling-competition/) during the pandemic.
What the workers wanted:
Better:
:pushpin:schedules
:pushpin:sick leave
:pushpin:pay
Cost-cutting measures have made life harder for employees & have led to windfall profits for Buffett and other rail tycoons.
If it goes through, will see:
:pushpin:wages increase up to 24% over the 5 ears, including retroactive payments
:pushpin:loosened attendance requirements, allowing for more expansive sick leave
:pushpin:medical exemption policies.
How does Bernie Sanders play into it? He was urging Buffett to come to an agreement.
@dailyrealtimenews
https://fortune.com/2022/09/15/warren-buffett-rail-worker-strike-averted
The White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/15/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-tentative-railway-labor-agreement/)
Statement by President Joe Biden on Tentative Railway Labor Agreement
The tentative agreement reached tonight is an important win for our economy and the American people.
I want to know the thoughts of God. Everything else is just details.
A Miracle is when God makes His Reality our Experience
Subject: Train Cancellations 
Wed Sep 14, 2022 2:23 pm
