美国国家公共电台 NPR--Largest rail union rejects contract, stoking fears of a strike

Largest rail union rejects contract, stoking fears of a strike

Transcript¹

On the eve of the holiday season, workers at the heart of the supply chain are once again threatening to strike.

Four freight rail unions, with a combined membership of close to 60,000 rail workers, have voted down the five-year contract agreement brokered² by the Biden administration back in September. The latest rejection³ came Monday from the largest of the unions, representing some 28,000 conductors, brakemen, and yardmen.

Eight other unions have ratified⁴ the deal, but they too could be pulled back into this labor⁵ dispute. That's because if one union decides to strike, all of the unions, representing about 115,000 freight rail workers, will honor the picket⁶ lines.

Such a move would bring not just freight trains, but some Amtrak and commuter⁷ rail systems that operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads, to a halt.

Roughly 30% of freight moves by rail in the U.S. — everything from chlorine to corn to cars. The Association of American Railroads estimates that a nationwide rail shutdown could cost the country $2 billion a day in lost economic output.

The two largest rail unions split on contract vote

In September, the two largest rail unions, SMART Transportation Division and the Brotherhood⁸ of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, came to Washington to try to resolve their differences with the railroad companies.

A marathon negotiation⁹ session led by U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh yielded a deal that the union leaders thought their rank-and-file would accept.

The deal gave workers a 24% raise over five years, an additional personal day and caps on health care costs. It also includes some modifications¹⁰ to the railroads' strict attendance policies, allowing workers to attend to medical needs without facing penalties for missing work.

President Biden described it a win for all sides and the U.S. economy. The railroads called it the most generous contract in modern history and noted¹¹ that upon ratification¹², workers would see an average payout of $16,000 in back raises and bonuses.

But the workers still had to vote on the contract. On Monday, the ballots¹³ from the two largest unions were tallied¹⁴.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, representing roughly 23,000 workers, voted to ratify¹⁵ the deal with 53.5% of the vote.

But SMART Transportation Division, representing 28,000 conductors, brakemen, yardmen and others, rejected the agreement, with 50.87% voting no.

"SMART-TD members with their votes have spoken, it's now back to the bargaining table for our operating craft members," said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson in a statement. "This can all be settled through negotiations¹⁶ and without a strike. A settlement would be in the best interests of the workers, the railroads, shippers and the American people."

Deadline for an agreement is December 8th

SMART Transportation Division and three other unions who previously¹⁷ rejected the contract deal now return to the bargaining table. If no agreement is reached by December 8, two things could happen as early as 12:01 a.m. on December 9: The railroads could lock workers out, or workers could go on strike.

The Association of American Railroads says the rail companies stand ready to reach new deals based on the original framework presented by President Biden's emergency board, but warned that the window for coming up with an agreement was narrowing.

"Let's be clear, if the remaining unions do not accept an agreement, Congress should be prepared to act and avoid a disastrous¹⁸ $2 billion a day hit to our economy," said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies in a statement.

Congress has the power to intervene if workers strike

Should there be a strike, Congress would likely intervene within hours. The Railway Labor Act allows Congress to take any number of measures to get trains running again — including imposing¹⁹ some version of the contract or extending the status quo, kicking any decision to the next Congress.

At a series of town hall meetings over the last month, union leaders refrained from telling engineers and conductors how to vote but warned that if they rejected the contract in favor of a strike, the matter would be out of their hands.

"Make your own decisions," Dennis Pierce, national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said at a town hall in Independence, Ohio, on November 9. "But the idea that [Congress] will let us shut down the nation's economy for any length of time I don't think is likely."

Paid sick leave, attendance policies are still big sticking points

The unions acknowledge that the agreement sent to the rank-and-file to vote on fell short of what they'd hoped for. While the deal did include substantial raises that puts workers slightly ahead of inflation, it did not deliver any paid sick days, a major disappointment to workers after carrying the railroads through the pandemic.

The unions were able to secure some protections for workers from the strict attendance policies employed by a couple of the railroads. Under the deal, workers can miss work to attend to medical issues without being assessed disciplinary points, but there are limitations and the time off is unpaid²⁰.

Additionally, the agreement stipulates²¹ that unions can negotiate for more regular schedules for engineers and conductors who are essentially²² on call around the clock. The unions say this is a big win for workers and would constitute a major quality-of-life improvement.

Meanwhile, two unions that voted down the contract last month — the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen — are still holding out for paid sick leave. They've argued that railroad workers should receive the same amount that federal contractors²³ are mandated²⁴ to provide — 56 hours — but say they'll make a deal with less than that.

Unions are also exploring other paths to securing paid sick leave, including through executive order, SMART-TD president Ferguson told workers at a town hall earlier this month.

"We're not done," he assured them.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

3 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

4 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 picket   

n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫

参考例句：

• They marched to the factory and formed a picket.他们向工厂前进,并组成了纠察队。
• Some of the union members did not want to picket.工会的一些会员不想担任罢工纠察员。

7 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

8 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

9 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

10 modifications   

n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变

参考例句：

• The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

13 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 tallied   

v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• The girl tallied them with her eyes for a moment. 新娘用目光把这些化妆品清点了一下。 来自教父部分
• His account of the accident tallied with hers. 他对事故的陈述和她的相吻合。 来自辞典例句

15 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

16 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

17 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

18 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

19 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

20 unpaid   

adj.未付款的，无报酬的

参考例句：

• Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。
• He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。

21 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

22 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

23 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。