rail strike aversion, i am confused.

Yes.

 

it's been federal law for a long time

 

maybe you should look it up. 1926 Railway Labor Act,

 

Congress Moved to Avert a Rail Strike. Here’s How and Why.

Congress has the power under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to regulate interstate commerce, and the Supreme Court has ruled that that includes the authority to intervene in railway labor disputes that threaten trade across state lines.

The Railway Labor Act, enacted in 1926, allows the president to intervene in disputes that “threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree such as to deprive any section of the country of essential transportation service,” as Mr. Biden did in September. But since that statute was enacted, Congress has had to step in 18 times to avert a work stoppage.

That is what lawmakers did this week.

 

8 of 12 unions approved the plan. 4 were holdouts. I think they pushed it over the line. Did you know they landed a 24% pay raise?

 

But what happens if they get sick?

 

Call in. There’s a point system. If it’s a random Tuesday it’s 2 points. Super Bowl Sunday it’s 20 points or so. Get to 30 points you are suspended from working 10 days. There is an exception for emergencies. I am not that versed on it just repeating what I read.

 

They can use their PTO, just like the rest of us do.

 

it was all about them wanting more PTO masquerading as sick time

 

Not going to bother reading the applicable statute (the Railway Labor Act) in detail but the answer is yes if a strike could adversely affect national security specifically with respect to transportation. By the way the Act despite its name also applies to airlines.

 

A rail strike would be a disaster for our economy.

 

Zero.

Southern California’s Container Ship Backup Ends

 

Hard enough not to get fired and lose their federal pensions.

 

There is historic precedent for the government to use Gatling guns on sitting mining strikers.