Economy saved, potential railroad strike averted

[srothstein]

I saw this morning's news that Biden made a phone call to the Sec. of Labor that helped save last minute negotiations and get an agreement with most of the unions to avoid a railroad strike. Biden and his administration are getting a lot of credit for this because of how the strike would have crippled our economy.

Very few of the major media are pointing out that this whole crisis was deliberately created by the Biden administration to play out now and, hopefully, affect the mid-term elections. There is a complicated process for railroads and unions to negotiate, regulated by federal law. If their initial negotiations on their own are not successful, they can ask the National Mediation Board to mediate the disputes. The NMB can mediate for as long as it wants to and only stops when an agreement is reached or when they say mediation is not going to work any further. If the NMB says mediation will not work, the contract stays as is while the president appoints an emergency board to review things and issue a report. The president has 30 days to appoint the board and they have 30 days to issue their report. If the union or the railroad does not accept the report, they have a 30 day cooling off period before a strike can begin.

The NMB released the parties from negotiation this time on June 17. The president created the PEB on July 15. They would have had to report by August 14. The cooling off period before a strike could start would have ended on Sep. 13. On Sep 13, one of the unions said no and voted to strike, but agreed to hold off on it until Sep 29 to allow other unions to negotiate.

Just the times involved makes it look planned. But when you add to it that the normally expected NMB meetings would have continued until Oct, making no strike possible until after the elections in November, it looks worse. And there is no explanation (and none required by law) of why the NMB ended its assistance earlier than expected.

A man made crisis just to boost Biden and the Democrats (and to help their friends - the unions) just in time for the election.

[C-dub]

The union won and now they get a guaranteed pay increase of 25% over 5 years and $1000 bonus each year among other stuff. Anyone of us getting guaranteed pay increases of 5% each year or any bonuses at all?

[RoyGBiv]

The union won and now they get a guaranteed pay increase of 25% over 5 years and $1000 bonus each year among other stuff. Anyone of us getting guaranteed pay increases of 5% each year or any bonuses at all?

I'm getting an 8% cut this year due to completely avoidable (had Trump won) inflation.

[Grayling813]

The union won and now they get a guaranteed pay increase of 25% over 5 years and $1000 bonus each year among other stuff. Anyone of us getting guaranteed pay increases of 5% each year or any bonuses at all?

I'm getting an 8% cut this year due to completely avoidable (had Trump won) inflation.

8% and rising cut....

[philip964]

In the old days inflation was 8% but you got 6% on your money.

Today inflation is 8% and you get .01% on your money.

And your 401k is down 15%, but you property taxes are up 10%.

[mayor]

In the old days inflation was 8% but you got 6% on your money.

Today inflation is 8% and you get .01% on your money.

And your 401k is down 15%, but you property taxes are up 10%.

we really need a "LIKE" button.

[philip964]

Stopping a strike that never happened. If it’s a good guy with a gun, it never makes the news.

Oh and there’s this:

[Rafe]

Stopping a strike that never happened. If it’s a good guy with a gun, it never makes the news.

Oh and there’s this:

Fox had a heyday with it, but it probably can't be mentioned enough. The day the new inflation numbers came out--as well as the fact that the supposed improvement in August employment numbers (though even then lower than expected) were almost entirely comprised of part-time jobs, that we actually had a small net loss of jobs if only full-time hires were considered--and just a day after the 21st anniversary of 9/11, Uncle Joe and cronies decided that was the best time in the world to hold a party on the White House lawn celebrating the passage of the "Inflation Reduction Act." Too boot, James Taylor was the entertainment guest, and he crooned his biggest hit, Fire and Rain...which is about heroin addiction, irrevocable despair, and suicide.

This is the most tone-deaf, willfully ignorant, purposefully deceptive, and blatantly duplicitous administration in history of our country.

[K.Mooneyham]

The union won and now they get a guaranteed pay increase of 25% over 5 years and $1000 bonus each year among other stuff. Anyone of us getting guaranteed pay increases of 5% each year or any bonuses at all?

I work for the USAF as a Civil Service aircraft mechanic and avionics systems technician. I make reasonable pay for the work I do, considering my experience and skillset. However, there is NOTHING that guarantees me any sort of bonus whatsoever. Any bonuses awarded are based on individual performance, but also on what sort of money is available in the budget for any given year. Additionally, some years we have gotten pay raises (cost of living adjustments), but some years, nothing, based on Federal budgets. Those railroad guys must have a helluva lot better union that we do...

[clarionite]

In the old days inflation was 8% but you got 6% on your money.

Today inflation is 8% and you get .01% on your money.

And your 401k is down 15%, but you property taxes are up 10%.

I've been blessed to work for a company that over the first 10 years or so working here I averaged 5% increases a year. The past 4 years, I've had one raise of 3%. This year my property taxes increased 50%. And food costs have definitely gone up more than 8%. Health insurance has shot up over the past 6 years or so. And fuel prices and the cost of vehicles... Well they're ridiculous lately.

My IRA did very well last year because of some very risky investments I had. But this year, not so much.

I'm still comfortable, but much more of this and I won't be. I can't afford another 6 years of this administration. I'm worried about 2 more years.

[Rafe]

Here's the official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index News Release from Tuesday, September 13, 2022: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.htm. The mind boggles that the Biden administration continues to try to spin things as "all's well on the western front."

The only reason inflation numbers overall aren't higher is because Biden has almost depleted the nation's strategic oil reserves to artificially increase the supply side. That reserve is supposed to be for emergencies, you know, like war and stuff...not trying to by votes for a political party. Plus, the increased gas prices have reduced demand because people are being more judicious about driving.

BTW, did you see that after the Sep 13th "Inflation Reduction Act celebration" at the White House, Biden climbed onto Air Force One to fly to Delaware? The initial news was that he had been at the WH Monday and Tuesday and was going back home for the remainder of the week. That got a lot social media sparks, so the crack White House press team tried to quell it by saying, "No, no. The President was simply going to his home state in order to vote. He will be back at the White House in a few hours." Er...excuse me all you anti-fossil-fuel evangelists. D.C. to the center of Delaware by car is only 90 miles. Are you telling me that Biden used the massive fuel-hog Air Force One to make that round trip just so that the prez could cast an early vote in the primaries? Something he could have done on his last trip home because early voting in Delaware had been open since September 1? Or even better, since Delaware offers it, that he could have done by mail?

Ahem. That BLS release breaks down all the components of consumer goods. The 8.3% CPI-U (Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers) doesn't even paint part of the picture that the average consumers face...meaning those who can't hop onto Air Force One for a flight that takes longer to take off and land than it spends in the air. If the midterms were in January rather than early November, the dems would be burnt toast. Why? Because in the northern states one of the most common energy sources to heat buildings comes from fuel oil. And that just happens to top the list for OMG! inflation increases. A few examples of unadjusted 12-month inflation ending August 2022:

• Food, Food at Home: 13.5%
• Energy, Fuel Oil (not seasonally adjusted): 68.8%
• Energy, Gasoline (all types): 27.1%
• Energy Services, Electricity: 15.8%
• Energy Services, Utility (piped) gas service: 33.0%
• New Vehicles: 10.1%
• Transportation Services: 11.3%