What makes you think that? My understanding is we're headed right now into the most logistically heavy part of the year when the retailers are all trying to get the goods from the ports to position them in time for the holidays. By mid November most of that traffic should have cooled down. Also some of the logistics blogs are showing ship traffic originating in China is falling fast meaning a slow down is coming. I think the Union's clearly did their friends the Democrats a favor but likely pushed this one off to a period where it may get far less attention.

You have a point. My point is that I think the Biden administration would be less likely to interfere with a strike after the midterms (either by Congress, assuming Sen. Sanders blocked Congress' blocking action by request of Biden, or some administrative action), and a work stoppage benefits the Brotherhoods, I don't think the companies have any way to keep those monster trains they have created moving with managers..

https://labornotes.org/2022/09/joe-bide ... il-workers

"According to internal SMART-TD polling data obtained by Labor Notes, 78 percent of members think the union should “reject the PEB (potential self-help/strike) and ultimately let Congress decide the National Rail Contract.”

Obviously, things have changed with the new deal. But the relatively minor nature of the additions and lack of specific contract language doesn’t bode well for the 40-point swing needed to ratify these agreements.

One thing that might weigh heavily is rail workers’ assessments of the role Congress might play in a redo. Some rail workers are dismayed that just one Senator, Independent Bernie Sanders, stepped in to halt the implementation of the PEB by Congressional action.

“I’m not willing to take a second run at Congress when literally every Democratic senator sat on their hands while Republicans sought to impose the PEB,” an anonymous BLET member told me. “I and many more feel like political pawns—we don’t want a second beating.”"

There is a kind of 'use it or lose it' window coming up, and I don't know to what extent the union management's "deals" are political theatre to facilitate it.

What I see happening is a strike promptly after the 29th, perhaps earlier if an official failure to ratify by any key union is realized. That gives over a month of 'strike effects' for Congress to have to deal with before the midterms -- and that's powerful leverage for the rank and file, for the price of very little foregone strike pay.

It's interesting to consider a situation in which 78% of the union members reject a deal achieved by their supposed representatives. What does that bode for current union officers?

To me it depends if the agreement is just listed as a pass through "This is what they offered us"; as opposed to we really think you should vote for this "@#$^@(^*&#$("

Brian

I think it was the PEB recommendations that the rank-and-file are rejecting (who was on the PEB BTW, they sure offered up a steaming pile to the workers), as far as the negotiated agreement I too think the devil is in the details.

Here's an update: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... picketing/