not pro Biden but this is pretty much straight-up misinformation? this makes it seem like this is a setback for unions, when the opposite is true: unions are largely in favor of this action!
Note that nothing here actually tells you what Biden actually did. What he did was create a board of neutral arbitrators to resolve the dispute and reach an agreement (without striking) within 30 days. Further, if nothing works within 30 days after that, then, as far as I can tell, workers can strike again. This is a delay to allow the chance to resolve the dispute via arbitration, not a quashing of strike power. And the resolution proposed by the arbitrators is entirely voluntary, and can be rejected.
Moreover, it’s not something Biden “just did” with executive power. The provision to create this board is already outlined under the Railway Labor Act. He didn’t say “fuck it” and whip up an all-powerful executive order, because, oh, now he wanted to, as the original tweet seems to imply—everyone expected the executive branch to do this at this point, because him doing this is already part of the law (and has already been done in the past).
In any case, the chance for workers to get the contract they deserve and to get their arguments heard without striking is good, because the immediate effects of a strike in this industry would be terrible for everyone. If the corporations still won’t give them the contracts they deserve, then yes, strike = good. But any other way to get those same contracts is better.
Here’s a statement from TTD, a federation of transportation unions:
We commend President Biden for announcing a board of neutral arbitrators to investigate and report its findings and recommendations to help both parties work toward a resolution.
After nearly three years of bad faith negotiations by the railroads, it is sad but not surprising that we arrived at this point in the bargaining process governed by the Railway Labor Act.
Quite simply, the facts are on our side and we look forward to the forthcoming recommendations of the presidentially-appointed arbitrators.
(That link and quote contains some more context about how what they really want is a fair contract, and the companies essentially just haven’t been listening.)
Here’s a tweet retweeted by SMART:
Like, this is very much a “workers getting their day in court” deal, except instead of court it’s a panel of arbitrators appointed by a pro-union president, and if they don’t get the result they want, they don’t have to accept it.
