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<blockquote data-quote="Whither" data-source="post: 5461797" data-attributes="member: 76643">Yes -- the politicians are accessories to corporate interests. However, from the outset Biden could have put the heat squarely on the RR companies for failing to negotiate in good faith and Congress could have followed suit. Neither Biden nor Congress as a whole has done so. All strikebreaking parties must be exposed and held accountable to furthest extent possible.Likewise, the unions have seemed more interested in courting the gov&#039;t (a foolish gambit) than organizing/preparing their ranks to refuse to accept a substandard contract. For example, Pelosi and Marty Walsh were invited to speak at the BLET convention. That&#039;s atrocious. Invite rank and file organizers/activists and show support for their efforts. Unions should know to expect very little from the gov&#039;t. I hope against hope for a wildcat. It is a long shot, at best.However ... One of the largest rail yards in the country is in my center&#039;s area. I&#039;ve been talking with a coworker who has several stops at that railyard and he said things are eerily quiet. There&#039;s been a lot of anger the past few months -- even though he&#039;s rarely if ever talking with conductors and engineers, who are the flashpoint of this fight. Rail workers who aren&#039;t getting the brunt of the abuse feel real solidarity for the conductors and engineers. He himself can&#039;t tell if it&#039;s &quot;the calm before the storm&quot; or if it&#039;s the sound of defeat. We will see.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Whither, post: 5461797, member: 76643"] Yes -- the politicians are accessories to corporate interests. However, from the outset Biden could have put the heat squarely on the RR companies for failing to negotiate in good faith and Congress could have followed suit. Neither Biden nor Congress as a whole has done so. All strikebreaking parties must be exposed and held accountable to furthest extent possible. Likewise, the unions have seemed more interested in courting the gov't (a foolish gambit) than organizing/preparing their ranks to refuse to accept a substandard contract. For example, Pelosi and Marty Walsh were invited to speak at the BLET convention. That's atrocious. Invite rank and file organizers/activists and show support for their efforts. Unions should know to expect very little from the gov't. I hope against hope for a wildcat. It is a long shot, at best. However ... One of the largest rail yards in the country is in my center's area. I've been talking with a coworker who has several stops at that railyard and he said things are eerily quiet. There's been a lot of anger the past few months -- even though he's rarely if ever talking with conductors and engineers, who are the flashpoint of this fight. Rail workers who aren't getting the brunt of the abuse feel real solidarity for the conductors and engineers. He himself can't tell if it's "the calm before the storm" or if it's the sound of defeat. We will see. [/QUOTE]

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