["Buffett could avert a rail strike today by giving workers what
they need: paid sick days," said Sen. Bernie Sanders staff director.
"Thats how you give thanks."]
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ONE DAY OF WARREN BUFFETT WEALTH GAINS COULD FUND 15 DAYS OF PAID
SICK LEAVE FOR RAIL WORKERS  
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Jake Johnson
November 25, 2022
Common Dreams
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_ "Buffett could avert a rail strike today by giving workers what
they need: paid sick days," said Sen. Bernie Sanders' staff director.
"That's how you give thanks." _

Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, rides in
a golf cart at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 07,
2021 in Sun Valley, Idaho. , Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

 

BILLIONAIRE WARREN BUFFETT, ONE of the wealthiest men in the world
and the CEO of BNSF Railway's parent company, saw his wealth jump by
nearly $1.4 billion in a single day earlier this week, a sum that
could easily fund 15 days of paid sick leave for every rail worker in
the United States.

BNSF is one of the major railroad giants refusing to budge in contract
negotiations with rail unions as they fight for 15 days of paid sick
leave. Under a White House-brokered contract that major rail unions
have recently voted
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reject, rail workers would not receive a single paid sick day.

"In one day, Mr. Buffett made twice as much money as it would cost to
guarantee 15 paid sick days a year to every rail worker in America."

A nationwide rail strike or lockout with major implications for the
U.S. economy could begin as soon as December 9 if rail companies and
unions don't reach a contract deal.

"In one day, Mr. Buffett made twice as much money as it would cost to
guarantee 15 paid sick days a year to every rail worker in America,"
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted
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"The greed of the rail industry must end."

Warren Gunnels, Sanders' staff director, reiterated that message
Thursday, writing
[[link removed]], "Can't
stop thinking about how Warren Buffett, the owner of BNSF Rail, made
more money in one day than it would cost to guarantee 15 paid sick
days to rail workers."

"Buffett could avert a rail strike today by giving workers what they
need: paid sick days," Gunnels added. "That's how you give thanks."

Rail companies have estimated
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it would cost roughly $688 million a year to provide 15 days of paid
sick leave to rail employees, who work long and erratic hours
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are often expected to be on call 24 hours a day
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To make matters worse, rail companies' attendance policies punish
workers for calling out sick or taking a day off to see the doctor.

"Buffett's BNSF, for example, has started using a convoluted system
called 'Hi-Viz' under which workers start with a point balance then
lose points if they're unavailable to work because they're sick, have
a family emergency, or other reasons," _Mother Jones_ reported
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September. "If their balance hits zero, they get a 10-day suspension,
and a 20-day suspension if it happens again. Reaching zero for the
third time in a two-year period means getting fired."

BNSF has urged
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to intervene and force rail workers to accept a contract with no paid
sick days, something Senate Republicans tried to do via the unanimous
consent process in mid-September. Sanders, the chair of the Senate
Budget Committee, blocked
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GOP legislation, allowing the collective bargaining process to
continue.

With the possibility of a nationwide strike growing after the largest
union of rail workers in the U.S. voted to reject
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White House-brokered contract deal earlier this week, Congress is once
again facing calls from the hugely profitable
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industry to get involved
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"Rail union leaders are increasingly grim that they'll be able to
reach a contract agreement with freight carriers before Congress has
to step in," _Politico_ reported
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this week. "Michael Baldwin, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad
Signalmen, said Tuesday there had been no progress 'whatsoever' at the
bargaining table since that union rejected its tentative agreement on
October 26. Union officials have been meeting daily with the railroads
over Zoom this week, but Baldwin said discussions typically last only
15 minutes and not much is accomplished."

Jeremy Ferguson, president of the Transportation Division of the
International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and
Transportation Workers, said
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a statement earlier this week that "the ball is now in the railroads'
court."

"They can settle this at the bargaining table," Ferguson added. "But,
the railroad executives who constantly complain about government
interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want
Congress to do the bargaining for them."

JAKE JOHNSON IS A STAFF WRITER FOR COMMON DREAMS.

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Can you chip in? WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. THANK YOU. DONATE ON THE
COMMON DREAMS WEBSITE. [[link removed]]

* RAIL WORKERS
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* Warren Buffet
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* strike
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* sick leave
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* Congress
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