Union Pacific and its labour unions sue each other over vaccine
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Union Pacific and its labour unions are suing each other to determine whether the railroad has the authority to require its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The unions argue that the Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad should have negotiated with them before announcing it would require all employees to get the shots. The railroad contends in its own lawsuit that it believes it has the authority to require the vaccine under its existing contracts because it can set standards for when employees are fit for duty.
Union Pacific announced this month that it would require all employees to be vaccinated by December 8 to comply with an executive order President Joe Biden issued requiring all federal contractors to have their employees vaccinated. The railroad is also offering its union employees a $300 bonus if they get the shots. Nonunion employees at the railroad are being offered a half-day of vacation if they get vaccinated.
On the same day the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, union filed its lawsuit against the railroad, Union Pacific filed its own lawsuit Friday against SMART-TD and two other unions that objected to the vaccination mandate to force the issue.
“This action is necessary to prevent any disruption of the national rail network and to avoid any impact on America’s supply chain, as it continues to recover from the pandemic,” Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South said in a statement.
Vaccine mandates from governments and other businesses have generated resistance in various workplaces.
The railroad told employees that they would be medically disqualified under their contracts rather than fired if they did not get the shots.
But the unions said Union Pacific was unfairly changing the conditions of their employment without bargaining over it as required.
“We also recognize the seriousness of the pandemic, but such does not permit the carrier to institute an arbitrary policy, which will have a sweeping effect on the current working conditions at Union Pacific Railroad,” SMART-TD officials said in a letter to railroad executives.
The other unions that objected to the mandate were the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way unit of the International Teamsters union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
The engineers’ union pointed out to the railroad that many people across the country have been reluctant to get vaccinated.
“The carrier certainly must be aware that there is a substantial divide in this country when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccination,” officials from the BLET union wrote to the railroad. “Moreover, it should come as no surprise that many of our members are opposed to being forced to get a vaccination, for a variety of reasons, while many have already been vaccinated.”
Union Pacific is one of the nation’s largest railroads. it operates 52,000 kilometres (32,400 miles) of track in 23 Western states.
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Alas Portia is unavailable and a pound of flesh is up for grabs. Just whose is the question for some unfortunate judge.
Seems weird that the unions are fighting against Democratic mandates so hard.
Could the Democratic Party's virtual stranglehold on unions be coming under fire?
Sounds like a lot of Democrats don't agree with mandates
Democrats? I 'thought' the working folk had fled into Donald's 'welcoming' arms ... or so I have been told countless times.
Small percentage of working folks are members of unions.
Yes, Democrats.
Union membership is largely Democratic, or so we keep getting told.
Some unions seem to be fighting the mandates.
The UP obviously doesn't know their employees. The offer is an insult. It would have to be $300 per shot- plus two days (four total day of shot; and day after for recovery) off for Union employees. The Union doesn't give a shit about the nonunion people- they get what they get.
I am sure that is what pissed the Union off most of all- the UP dictating terms and compensation to Union members. Every thing is open to negotiation with the Union- especially any compensation that might involve them.
Jesus fucking Christ people are idiots.
I have never seen people pitching a fit like this over something that could save their lives...
Common now, the Union see influence to be wielded and a buck to be made. Why should a little thing like the pandemic stop them?
Sad really, having to bribe people to take a vaccine...
All about the bargaining not so much the vaccine.