Speechless.

At first my jaw was open too. But it not what it reads like.

Not the union. So are you saying the R governor is on the union side? People here try to whitewash so many things.

This will force mediation. Striking is still a tool that can be used in the future.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/obama-intervenes-philadelphia-rail-strike-article-1.1830233

signed an order against the union?

You should have read the link.

created a presidential emergency board to mediate the contract dispute, which is a very common way for railroad labor disputes to be handled.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act

Thanks

Terry Gallagher, president and local chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said the presidential intervention was "what we were waiting for."

"We have been five years without an agreement, trying to get to this point and we're happy we're here now," he said. Gallagher said employees will be notified to report to their next scheduled shifts.

You really should have read the link.

to do what he did.

Read the article.

I ALWAYS register and vote in the (R) primaries. Of course I also ALWAYS come back home. So, in all, who am I to say that PBO isn't just pretending to be on the wrong side of the fence?

edit: sarcasm!!

The working poor depend on them to not strike. Otherwise the working poor become the unworking poor.

And it is VERY common for presidents to invoke this process, send the matters to arbitration after parties have been unable to resolve them.

The 2005 New York City transit strike, for example:

When our guy does it.

this is using a formal legal process to help the parties to a significant public dispute arrive at an agreement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act

I ride the Philly regional rail to work every day. Fortunately, right where I live there is alternative though slightly less convenient public transit that I could use, the Norristown High Speed Line with a transfer to the subway at 69th street (the NHSL and subways are a different union from the regional rail). It would be a nightmare because of the crowding from all of the extra people, but I could commute. I also have the option of working from home, although I don't think my employer would like me to do so for an extended period. (I could drive, but I don't want to even think of that nightmare with all of the 10s of thousands of extra people on the highway.)

I only say all that as a disclaimer, that I personally would be inconvenienced but that's all it would be for me and I could put up with it if necessary. However, there are other workers in other areas outside of the city that wouldn't have the NHSL as an alternative. Some of those could drive (adding to the congestion) but those that can't could be out of luck. And few of the lower wage workers have the option of working from home.

The point being that if we care about workers then... we should care about workers. Not just some, but all. Mediation is what's needed here.

but please go ahead with disinformation.

when it's not true.

Read the article.

All over again.

Read the whole article especially the part where the Union wanted this to go to mediation.

I've been an ardent supporter, even defending him against the NSA crowd of concern, but I'm a lifelong union member having retired under the UAW. I won't take a Reagan position on labor well.

I take a lot of namby pamby shit from democrats that I don't like, but I expect them to always be the party for organized labor. It's the least they can do.

Nobody better get fired or we'll send some goons around. (LOL)

This is mediation, not union busting.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/obama-intervenes-philadelphia-rail-strike-article-1.1830233

...I see that the company refused to negotiate. Sometimes a move like this will prompt them back to the table, or at least now they'll have to explain to the president why they think they don't have to. The local can return to work on the condition negotiations resume and still hold the walkout in reserve. It's important to the union that the company knows the workers are united and will walk together. That's a big chip at the bargaining table.

Nobody wants to strike, but it's an important arrow in the quiver, but actually, I enjoyed a great strike back in the eighties. We walked off on a Thursday night and the company inked a deal on Sunday. I got to get high and drink beer around a burn barrel that Saturday night with an inspiring feeling of brotherhood. I think it was a warm night in early September. (hahaha) I still have the sign on the side of the refrigerator

as it clearly explains the head of the union wanted the president to get involved.

"Terry Gallagher, president and local chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said the presidential intervention was "what we were waiting for."

"We have been five years without an agreement, trying to get to this point and we're happy we're here now," he said. Gallagher said employees will be notified to report to their next scheduled shifts."

You can read my contrite reply above after I read the piece.
At least I got to threaten the deployment of union goons. It's been years.

go against the norm and make sure its heard.

Last edited Sun Jun 15, 2014, 10:02 AM - Edit history (1)

after learning more about this. I hope it works out for the workers.

This is exactly what the Union wanted. Now it goes to mediation.
Please read the article before commenting next time.

with lawsuits and the other side appears to be winning. Kill worker's voices, corporations wins. First the corporations must divide which apparently they are doing.

Lets try and stand together. Go vote.

And Arne cheered the CA decision this week. An ed secretary that doesn't stand with public school teachers. Imagine that.

The usual bullshit from the usual suspects.

These unions have been working with federal mediators for the past 4 years and management has refused to budge and agree to binding arbitration. By striking, BLET & IBEU forced Septa's hand prompting Corbutt's begging for Presidential intervention, which will hopefully FINALLY lead to Septa management having no choice but to accept binding arbitration to settle.

The knee-jerk anti-Obama faux liberals on DU are tiresome, since they swarm around waiting to shoot first (without reading), leading to purported "criticism" that is nothing more than nonsensical verbal vomit.

shown their erudite commentary without reading the article.

and have been following this for some time, the out from left field nonsense about "PATCO" and "walking shoes" and God forbid, Arne Duncan, just underscores not only the lack of critical thinking, but the lack of any thinking at all in an attempt to continue to promote a ridiculous nefarious agenda.

As a on-topic side note - the fact that after decades, a Transportation funding bill was signed into law in PA that FINALLY provided Septa with dedicated funding from the state (supplementing the tens of millions provided by the city & any from the feds + the amount from fares), meant that the whole negotiating environment changed. Yet Septa management glossed over this. So this was the perfect strategic move to force the issue and underscore that "economic issues" could no longer be used as an excuse to screw the workers.

their posts should be scrutinized, and not given credence until then.

very least the history of labor managment.

This is exactly what the unions were asking for.

So of course it's all "OMG, Obama screwed the union!" Except that he didn't. This is what the union wanted because it forces mediation. Labor disputes under the RLA are not handled the same as the way as most other ones. There are specific procedural requirements, such as mediation, that have to be satisfied; the union can't strike unless mediation fails.

Read the article before jerking your knees, please.

Something is happening

The Federal Railroad Administration, The FRA is investigating the Chicago Metra transit line which is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad, the east west lines that go to the western suburbs are under investigation. The news the other day said it will be a forty five day investigation.

More, over what should be interesting is an OSHA investigation also at the same Chicago Service Unit is being charged in falsifying safety briefing documentation and allegations in ditching injury report.

The Harriman culture is alive and well, the famous Union Pacific railroad financier once funded the Nazi party the same time with Bush working for them, do a wiki, in the thirties. So it’s no surprise these railroad management teams run the crews like a Texas cattle drive.