In East Palestine, Ohio, decades of corporate and government negligence have culminated in a horrifying and entirely avoidable environmental catastrophe, the consequences of which we have only just begun to see.

On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train hauling a massive payload of toxic chemicals derailed and exploded just outside the small town of East Palestine. For three days, the chemical-soaked wreckage burned, and then on February 6 the authorities ordered a so-called “controlled release” to avoid an even bigger explosion. As they detonated the remains, a column of noxious smoke jetted up into the sky, saturating the air and blanketing the landscape for dozens of miles in each direction with potent carcinogens and irritants.

Two days after the “controlled release”, the official evacuation order was lifted, and residents returned home with the assurance that it was safe. Despite this assurance, we are already seeing massive die-offs of fish in the Ohio River and nearby streams, as well as of chickens, cattle, pets, and birds as far as 100 miles from the crash site. Reports of children and adults who have become suddenly ill are also widespread.

The derailment is attributed to long-outdated brakes that the rail workers union had been trying to replace, until Biden stepped and sided with railroad companies against the workers – now, Biden’s corporate collusion has resulted in an environmental disaster.

A noteworthy detail that has escaped most mainstream coverage is that Norfolk Southern Railway is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and is alleged to be a significant financial contributor to the construction of Cop City. For one, this derailment makes clear the reasons why Norfolk Southern is invested in beefing up the nation’s police apparatus; after all, militant mass protests would hardly be an unforeseeable response to such disasters of corporate negligence as theirs. It is also worth asking the question: had Norfolk spent their money on fixing their trains’ brakes instead of building up the police state, would this have even happened?

Meanwhile, here in Minneapolis, the city is speedily advancing the demolition of the Roof Depot building in East Phillips, which would release significant amounts of arsenic into a densely populated, heavily Black and indigenous residential area. Much like in East Palestine, this calamity would be entirely avoidable if not for the rotten collaboration between our so-called progressive city government and their wealthy corporate allies. Unlike in Ohio, though, the calamity caused by this demolition could not be defended under the auspices of having been an “accident”– the city’s failure to listen to community members’ concerns for years on end is no accident, it is a testimony to their unbridled contempt for Black and indigenous people, for immigrants, and for the working class.

Now more than ever, from East Phillips to East Palestine, we must hold firmly to the idea that the people, plants, and animals that inhabit our earth are worth fighting for. Justice for East Palestine! Defend East Phillips!

#MinneapolisMN #EnvironmentalJustice #RailWorkers #EastPalestine

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, December 13, rail workers and labor supporters held rallies across the country calling for sick time and other improvement to conditions for rail workers. It was a cold, rainy afternoon when around 200 people gathered in Northeast Minneapolis near a large rail yard. Similar rallies were scheduled to be held in 11 other U.S. cities on the same day. The rallies were organized by members of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) union.

On December 2 President Joe Biden signed legislation breaking a rail strike that would have meant rail workers would have been off the job as of December 9. The strike was expected to deal as much as a $2 billion per day blow to the large rail companies.

One of the main issues that rail workers were preparing to strike over was paid sick days. The legislation that Biden signed imposed a contract on the workers that did not include sick days for the rail workers and shut down the workers’ legal avenue to strike.

Joel Mueller, a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers said, “We’re out here making the public aware of the issues railroad workers are facing. One third laid off during pandemic, employees are leaving the industry in droves.” Aiming his comments at the rail bosses, Mueller went on to say, “Give us some sick time, we need time off to take care of ourselves and our families.”

Members of the rail unions were at the rally along with around 12 other unions’ members who showed up in solidarity.

The SMART union represents 28,000 conductors, brakemen, yardmen and other job classes in the rail industry. SMART had voted to accept the contract before the strike-breaking legislation was passed, while four other rail unions representing about 60,000 workers rejected their contract offers, setting up a potential strike. While SMART had accepted the contract deal, they have contract language that would have meant that they honored the other unions picket lines, thus shutting down work by the members of their union as well.

The rail strike was expected to severely impact distribution of goods at a key moment with the holidays approaching. Biden and the U.S. Congress shut down the strike saying that this was a win for everybody because the strike was averted. However, the contract that was imposed contains no sick days for rail workers, which was one of their key demands. Additionally, the workers had voted to exercise their right to strike, which was effectively stripped from the workers by the strike-breaking legislation.

#MinneapolisMN #RailWorkers

The rallies come after an intense round of negotiations with the rail industry led to the majority of union-represented rail workers authorizing a strike which had been set to start as early as December 9. The strike was prevented when President Joe Biden, along with the U.S. House and Senate, passed union-busting legislation imposing the contract on the rail workers.

While the SMART union had already reached a contract agreement, they have language in their contract that would have allowed them to honor the picket lines of the four other rail unions which represent the majority of the rail workers. Those four unions had voted not to accept the contract offer and to strike instead. Had the strike happened it would have meant hundreds of thousands of rail workers on strike, which could have cost rail companies as much as $2 billion a day. One of the main issues the rail workers had decided to strike over was a demand for paid sick days, of which they currently get zero.

Rail workers will rally Tuesday in Denver CO, Galesburg IL, Des Moines IA, Royal Oaks MI, Minneapolis and Duluth MN, Sparks NV, Santa Fe NM, Columbus OH, Salt Lake City UT, Cheyenne WY, and on the U.S. capitol grounds in Washington DC.

SMART says that all union members and labor supporters are encouraged to attend, wear their union colors to show support, and stand in solidarity with the rail workers.

#MinneapolisMN #RailWorkers

Students for a Democratic Society stands in unconditional solidarity with the railroad workers of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED-IBT), SMART-TD, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen as they fight determinedly for a fair contract and livable conditions on and off the job. We stand with them in their rejection of the appalling deal crafted by the Biden Administration, and we stand with them in defending their right to strike against the anti-labor, union busting attacks of President Biden and the US Congress, who are attempting to force workers to accept this unfair contract in violation of their rights.

The conditions railroad workers have been forced to bear for years are nothing short of inhumane. Engineers and conductors don’t have shift schedules, but are instead on call 24/7, with no regards to their personal or family time, and are held to a strict attendance policy, where they are docked points for missing work for any reason. Mechanics, electricians and others are also forced into grueling conditions. Workers are provided no paid sick leave and getting paid leave in general is an incredibly burdensome effort. All this and more during a time where the biggest railroad corporations in the country have raked in more than $10 billion in revenue.

In the face of these conditions and the railroads' refusal to negotiate on any issue, several railroad unions, encompassing over 100,000 railroad workers, filed their intent to strike in August and September of this year. Soon after, the Biden administration scrambled to craft contract terms. While most of the rail unions ratified it by a small margin, BMWED, SMART-TD, IBB and BRS, representing a majority of railroaders, voted against it, and prepared to strike to fight back for their rights on the job, setting a tentative strike date of December 9th, while the other rail unions made clear that they would respect the picket line.

In violation of the right to strike and the rights of workers and their unions, President Biden set out to break the strike before it could happen and force the contract on workers. The house and senate were quick to follow, voting to force the deal onto the unions. While the House voted to add 7 paid sick days to it—barely half of what rail workers were demanding—the Senate voted against it, leaving the deal the same as it was when workers voted it down.

We demand that Biden and Congress respect the right to strike, and keep their hands off railroad workers and their unions. Students know all too well what it's like to have administrators and bosses who refuse to listen to us and meet our needs. While we fight for our rights and needs on our campuses, rail workers are fighting for their rights and needs on and off the job. Students have picked our side, we stand with the rail workers, and we’ll be with them until this battle’s won.

Respect the right to strike!

Hands off rail workers and their unions!

Paid sick days for rail workers now!

#UnitedStates #Labor #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #RailWorkers

On Monday, President Joe Biden publicly called on Congress to force union rail workers to accept the sub-par contract terms he helped craft. This is shameless union busting and pre-emptive strike breaking on behalf of the billionaire railroad bosses.

The members of four unions representing the majority of rail workers already voted down the contract terms negotiated by President Biden and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The Biden deal was widely criticized by the rank and file because it does not include any paid sick days – a basic right in most countries, and a sticking point for rail workers.

The votes to reject the contract set up the possibility of a national rail strike involving hundreds of thousands of workers as soon as December 9. If just one union strikes, the other rail unions are expected to honor the picket lines. But Biden’s intervention on behalf of billionaire railroad bosses like Warren Buffett is a threat to break the strike and force the employer’s sub-par terms on the workers, by force if necessary.

The railroads say a strike could cost the economy $2 billion a day. Even if some shipments and profits are delayed, a rail strike that wins better conditions for workers is in the interest of the entire working class. The railroads rake in billions in profits each year on the backs of the workers, and they should be required to provide paid sick days.

The U.S. is a dictatorship of the super-rich where the rules are stacked against working and oppressed people. Throughout history employers have tried to prevent strikes by law and by force. But when workers collectively withhold our labor and stop production we prove that we have the power to win better working conditions, and more.

Union democracy and the ability to strike are hard won rights that must be defended. We call on all working people and unions to support the rail workers in their righteous struggle for dignity and respect against the tyranny of the railroads.

We call on the president and Congress to keep their hands off the rail workers, and respect their right to strike.

Tell Congress and President Biden:

“Hands of rail workers and their right to strike!”

“Paid sick days now!”

#UnitedStates #strike #RailWorkers

On Monday, President Joe Biden publicly called on Congress to force union rail workers to accept the sub-par contract terms he helped craft. This is shameless union busting and pre-emptive strike breaking on behalf of the billionaire railroad bosses.

The members of four unions representing the majority of rail workers already voted down the contract terms negotiated by President Biden and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The Biden deal was widely criticized by the rank and file because it does not include any paid sick days – a basic right in most countries, and a sticking point for rail workers.

The votes to reject the contract set up the possibility of a national rail strike involving hundreds of thousands of workers as soon as December 9. If just one union strikes, the other rail unions are expected to honor the picket lines. But Biden’s intervention on behalf of billionaire railroad bosses like Warren Buffett is a threat to break the strike and force the employer’s sub-par terms on the workers, by force if necessary.

The railroads say a strike could cost the economy $2 billion a day. Even if some shipments and profits are delayed, a rail strike that wins better conditions for workers is in the interest of the entire working class. The railroads rake in billions in profits each year on the backs of the workers, and they should be required to provide paid sick days.

The U.S. is a dictatorship of the super-rich where the rules are stacked against working and oppressed people. Throughout history employers have tried to prevent strikes by law and by force. But when workers collectively withhold our labor and stop production we prove that we have the power to win better working conditions, and more.

Union democracy and the ability to strike are hard won rights that must be defended. We call on all working people and unions to support the rail workers in their righteous struggle for dignity and respect against the tyranny of the railroads.

We call on the president and Congress to keep their hands off the rail workers, and respect their right to strike.

Tell Congress and President Biden:

“Hands of rail workers and their right to strike!”

“Paid sick days now!”

#UnitedStates #strike #RailWorkers