One hundred thousand railroad workers in the United States resisted a concerted effort by unions, Congress and President Biden to block a nationwide strike. Workers are trying to reverse grueling conditions and years of declining wages. The ‘cooling off’ period agreed between the unions and the government ends at 12:01 am on Friday 15 September.
On the evening of Wednesday, September 13, 500 railroad workers attended a meeting sponsored by World Socialist Website and the International Workers’ Alliance of the Base Committee under the title, “Organize to prepare for a national strike!” While this is happening, the Biden administration and unions are working on a deal to be announced Thursday morning that the bureaucracy is now trying to coerce its members.
Speaking to WSWS, British rail workers, who have been involved in repeated national strikes over the past three months, offered a statement of solidarity with this critical struggle. Due to the company’s frequent victimization of those identified as militants, and the censorship of rank-and-file members’ comments, the workers remain anonymous.
In Bristol Board, a 7-year railroad veteran said, “We face the same problems as our brothers and sisters in the US. We are working during the pandemic to keep the rail system running. As a result, we saw many of our colleagues fall ill and, in some cases, even die. I remember going to work knowing that I could die. As key workers, we all know the risks we take. We put ourselves in danger to do a good job.”
“Our union leader was nowhere to be found during the pandemic. Railroad workers fell ill and were dying, but no strike was carried out. Instead, we receive the occasional text message sent from their home/office where they work comfortably and socially distanced.”
“They call us heroes for risking our lives. Now we are seen as the new ‘inner enemy’ because they only want to defend our right to a decent salary, good pension and good contract conditions.
“The rewards for our loyalty during the pandemic have been threats of mass layoffs, the removal of current contracts and re-hiring under lower working conditions, and the looting of our pension funds. The government oversees the destruction of these jobs and disqualifies workers in favor of private operators and at the expense of taxpayers. Control of the railway will only be returned to the private operators when they are satisfied that the desired level of profit will be achieved.”
“Our union had been calling for a strike for several days, but from the first moment it had tried to minimize it, manipulating negotiations to sell us off. This week, in honor of the queen’s death, a two-day strike was called off. Our union believes that the class struggle must give way to our new king.”
“The only way the working class can defend itself against the ruling class is to castrate the union leadership from their power. Only through the formation of an independent alliance of workers’ committees can we do this. I fully support you in your struggle to achieve your political independence.”
A South Western Railway worker at a train station in Bournemouth with several years of experience was surprised to learn about the working conditions of US railroad workers. He commented, “I fully support the US railroad strike. I can’t imagine workers having to work 80 hours a week and not have sick days. They have to face these terrible working conditions. No matter which country you live in, workers face the same situation. These railroad companies make huge profits at the expense of their workers.”
“Here in England, we struggle to maintain our salaries and working conditions. Many will lose their jobs with ticket office closures and other changes. It [Sindicato Ferroviario, Marítimo y de Transporte] RMT [que canceló dos días de huelga nacional por “respeto” a la reina] must immediately resume the strike. We must be in solidarity with other workers. I will put up your poster [que dice “Apoyo a los trabajadores ferroviarios estadounidenses”] in the dining room.”
One rig worker said, “I stand with the American workers. In the United States it sounds similar, as if it were here. For the last two years, companies here have been saying, ‘oh, we’re going to raise your wages and this and that.’ But now inflation is rising and they are not giving it to us, which is why we are on strike.”
“The company also said that they would close all the checkpoints, which would mean thousands of people would lose their jobs.”
A WSWS reporter explained that many railroad workers in the US work 80 hours a week and don’t even have time to see a doctor. The worker replied: “It was very bad and they had to go on strike. I would also say that the people who use the railroads in the US should also support them, because at the end of the day they are the workers themselves.”
At the train station Manchester Piccadilly a railroad worker said, “I support American workers who are going on strike. I used to be in the military and it’s become more like that in all workplaces.”
“Someone said that working conditions were like slavery, and I didn’t agree at the time, but it’s becoming more and more like that. You have rights outside the workplace, but not inside.”
After a WSWS reporter explained the brutal conditions workers face on American railways and that these were the kinds of conditions Network Rail and private rail companies in the UK wanted to implement, a guard said: “So that’s how I felt. About a year ago I said that at some point they would just say, ‘accept these conditions or find another job.’ People are getting fed up. The rich are getting richer and we are getting poorer. It’s almost like we’re going back to the dark ages.”
The reporter told the worker that three railroad workers had died within 10 days of the American network. The guard replied: “It happens in all kinds of businesses. It all has to do with keeping profits high. Look what they did to build a stadium in Qatar for the World Cup. It really was forced labor and the company’s attitude was ‘oh, he died building it, let’s find another worker.’”
Another railroad worker said: “I support railroad workers in the United States. I support workers everywhere and I don’t care who they are. This year there was a strike by cleaners, NHS workers [Servicio Nacional de Salud], teacher. Everyone deserves fair treatment and that all money is not given to the people above.
Another guard said: “I agree with railroad workers in America going on strike, and workers everywhere, in India, everywhere. Conditions on the rails must be safe across the board, full stops, worldwide.
A young Northern Rail train conductor based at the station Sheffield he said it was “good to see workers in America taking on a bureaucracy and a government that is only out for their own gain.”
“Workers from all countries must unite their strength and rise together.”
“We fight for safety, customer service and for our own work. They want to fire and rehire workers so they can pay them less. There needs to be human interaction to help passengers including the elderly, not all of them can be machines and robots. It’s all about profit.”
(Originally published in English on September 15, 2022)
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