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Congress members push for railroad sick leave

Several members of Congress are pushing President Joe Biden to act to guarantee sick days for railroad workers.  That’s the unresolved issue after Congress and Biden passed legislation forcing railroad unions and the railroad companies to keep working under a White House-brokered labor agreement.

As of now, the railroads cannot strike, meaning farm commodities and other goods are moving, but unions claim their members cannot miss work without consequences, even if they are too sick to perform their tasks.

More than 75 signers of a letter want Biden to use an executive order, agency rulemaking, and any other applicable authority to guarantee the sick days.

A separate bill creating seven sick days for the workers failed to pass Congress when they voted to keep the rail unions from striking.