The United States Senate voted today to adopt a resolution that prevents a crippling railroad strike, but refused to require large, profitable railroad companies like BNSF or Union Pacific to provide sick leave to their workers (as the House of Representatives had voted to do yesterday) in a second, related resolution.
The Senate’s action, coming one day after the House votes, answers a request made by President Joe Biden several days ago.
Senate Republicans used the chamber’s undemocratic sixty vote threshold to nix the amendment to require paid sick leave for railroad workers. Democratic and independent senators voted for it (with the notable, frustrating, and predictable exception of Joe Manchin), but most Republicans withheld their votes.
The amendment actually received majority support (52–43), but that wasn’t good enough for it to pass because of the Senate’s utterly ridiculous rules.
The PNW roll call on the sick leave amendment was as follows:
Voting Yea for Paid Sick Leave for Railroad Workers: Democratic Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (WA), Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (OR), Jon Tester (MT)
Voting Nay Against the Railroad Workers: Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (ID), Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (AK), Steve Daines (MT)
Three Democratic senators missed the vote: Cory Booker, Chris Murphy, and Raphael Warnock. Their presence and affirmative votes would have raised the yea total to 55. Republicans Richard Burr and Cindy Hyde-Smith also missed the vote.
Three ultra MAGA Republicans — Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — broke with their party to back the amendment. Our team cannot remember a vote in which Hawley, Cruz, and Graham voted with the Democrats while Murkowski, Romney, and Collins didn’t.
The underlying resolution then passed 80–15. The PNW roll call was as follows:
Voting Yea to Prevent a Railroad Strike: Democratic Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (WA), Ron Wyden (OR), Jon Tester (MT); Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (ID), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Steve Daines (MT)
Voting Nay Against the Resolution: Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley (OR); Republican Senator Dan Sullivan (AK)
Sullivan was one of a handful of Republicans who voted nay on both the amendment and the underlying resolution (they don’t want railroad workers to have paid sick leave and don’t want to avert a strike). Marco Rubio of Florida was another, as were the two Scotts: Rick of Florida and Tim of South of Carolina.
Susan Collins was also bemusingly a nay on both motions.
Democrats voting against the underlying resolution besides Merkley included Elizabeth Warren, John Hickenloooper, and Kristin Gillibrand. They were joined by Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
Passage of H.J.Res. 100 drew applause from the White House.
“On Tuesday, I met with Congressional leaders from both parties and told them that Congress needed to move quickly to avert a rail shutdown and economic catastrophe for our nation,” said President Biden in a statement.
“Now, I want to thank Congressional leadership who supported the bill and the overwhelming majority of Senators and Representatives in both parties who voted to avert a rail shutdown. Congress’ decisive action ensures that we will avoid the impending, devastating economic consequences for workers, families, and communities across the country.”
“Communities will maintain access to clean drinking water. Farmers and ranchers will continue to be able to bring food to market and feed their livestock. And hundreds of thousands of Americans in a number of industries will keep their jobs. I will sign the bill into law as soon as Congress sends it to my desk.”
“Working together, we have spared this country a Christmas catastrophe in our grocery stores, in our workplaces, and in our communities.
“I know that many in Congress shared my reluctance to override the union ratification procedures. But in this case, the consequences of a shutdown were just too great for working families all across the country.”
“And, the agreement will raise workers’ wages by 24%, increase health care benefits, and preserve two person crews.”
“I have long been a supporter of paid sick leave for workers in all industries – not just the rail industry – and my fight for that critical benefit continues.”
“This week’s bipartisan action pulls our economy back from the brink of a devastating shutdown that would have hurt millions of families and union workers in countless industries. Our economy is growing and inflation is moderating, and this rail agreement will continue our progress to build an economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
“This week, President Biden called on Congress to act to avoid a national rail shutdown, and adopt the tentative agreements reached earlier this year by the unions and railroads — and facilitated by our Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. These tentative agreements secure critical priorities for workers — including a 24 percent raise and $5,000 bonus — and have already been ratified by most of the rail unions,” said Washington’s senior U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
“While I am always reluctant to bypass the traditional negotiation and ratification process for any collective bargaining agreement, the harm a national rail shutdown would cause to working families and communities in Washington state and across the country is undeniable — and I voted to protect the livelihoods of countless Americans and local communities.”
“Every single worker in this country deserves paid sick days—and that absolutely includes rail workers. It’s really that simple. So I am disappointed that the majority of Senate Republicans would not vote with us to provide seven paid sick days for rail workers. I have been fighting for decades now to finally establish a nationwide sick day policy — and despite Republicans’ consistent opposition, I certainly won’t be stopping now. It’s time we finally pass my Healthy Families Act and guarantee paid sick days for all workers.”
“I voted no,” said Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
“It is completely messed up that our rail workers are on continuous call, have no sick leave, and if they miss work due to illness – get fired. The railroads are making billions while treating their workers horrendously.”
Thursday, December 1st, 2022
U.S. Senate Republicans use chamber’s undemocratic sixty-vote threshold to deny railroad workers sick leave they need
The United States Senate voted today to adopt a resolution that prevents a crippling railroad strike, but refused to require large, profitable railroad companies like BNSF or Union Pacific to provide sick leave to their workers (as the House of Representatives had voted to do yesterday) in a second, related resolution.
The Senate’s action, coming one day after the House votes, answers a request made by President Joe Biden several days ago.
Senate Republicans used the chamber’s undemocratic sixty vote threshold to nix the amendment to require paid sick leave for railroad workers. Democratic and independent senators voted for it (with the notable, frustrating, and predictable exception of Joe Manchin), but most Republicans withheld their votes.
The amendment actually received majority support (52–43), but that wasn’t good enough for it to pass because of the Senate’s utterly ridiculous rules.
The PNW roll call on the sick leave amendment was as follows:
Three Democratic senators missed the vote: Cory Booker, Chris Murphy, and Raphael Warnock. Their presence and affirmative votes would have raised the yea total to 55. Republicans Richard Burr and Cindy Hyde-Smith also missed the vote.
Three ultra MAGA Republicans — Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — broke with their party to back the amendment. Our team cannot remember a vote in which Hawley, Cruz, and Graham voted with the Democrats while Murkowski, Romney, and Collins didn’t.
The underlying resolution then passed 80–15. The PNW roll call was as follows:
Sullivan was one of a handful of Republicans who voted nay on both the amendment and the underlying resolution (they don’t want railroad workers to have paid sick leave and don’t want to avert a strike). Marco Rubio of Florida was another, as were the two Scotts: Rick of Florida and Tim of South of Carolina.
Susan Collins was also bemusingly a nay on both motions.
Democrats voting against the underlying resolution besides Merkley included Elizabeth Warren, John Hickenloooper, and Kristin Gillibrand. They were joined by Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
Passage of H.J.Res. 100 drew applause from the White House.
“On Tuesday, I met with Congressional leaders from both parties and told them that Congress needed to move quickly to avert a rail shutdown and economic catastrophe for our nation,” said President Biden in a statement.
“Now, I want to thank Congressional leadership who supported the bill and the overwhelming majority of Senators and Representatives in both parties who voted to avert a rail shutdown. Congress’ decisive action ensures that we will avoid the impending, devastating economic consequences for workers, families, and communities across the country.”
“Communities will maintain access to clean drinking water. Farmers and ranchers will continue to be able to bring food to market and feed their livestock. And hundreds of thousands of Americans in a number of industries will keep their jobs. I will sign the bill into law as soon as Congress sends it to my desk.”
“Working together, we have spared this country a Christmas catastrophe in our grocery stores, in our workplaces, and in our communities.
“I know that many in Congress shared my reluctance to override the union ratification procedures. But in this case, the consequences of a shutdown were just too great for working families all across the country.”
“And, the agreement will raise workers’ wages by 24%, increase health care benefits, and preserve two person crews.”
“I have long been a supporter of paid sick leave for workers in all industries – not just the rail industry – and my fight for that critical benefit continues.”
“This week’s bipartisan action pulls our economy back from the brink of a devastating shutdown that would have hurt millions of families and union workers in countless industries. Our economy is growing and inflation is moderating, and this rail agreement will continue our progress to build an economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
“This week, President Biden called on Congress to act to avoid a national rail shutdown, and adopt the tentative agreements reached earlier this year by the unions and railroads — and facilitated by our Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. These tentative agreements secure critical priorities for workers — including a 24 percent raise and $5,000 bonus — and have already been ratified by most of the rail unions,” said Washington’s senior U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
“While I am always reluctant to bypass the traditional negotiation and ratification process for any collective bargaining agreement, the harm a national rail shutdown would cause to working families and communities in Washington state and across the country is undeniable — and I voted to protect the livelihoods of countless Americans and local communities.”
“Every single worker in this country deserves paid sick days—and that absolutely includes rail workers. It’s really that simple. So I am disappointed that the majority of Senate Republicans would not vote with us to provide seven paid sick days for rail workers. I have been fighting for decades now to finally establish a nationwide sick day policy — and despite Republicans’ consistent opposition, I certainly won’t be stopping now. It’s time we finally pass my Healthy Families Act and guarantee paid sick days for all workers.”
“I voted no,” said Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
“It is completely messed up that our rail workers are on continuous call, have no sick leave, and if they miss work due to illness – get fired. The railroads are making billions while treating their workers horrendously.”
# Written by Andrew Villeneuve :: 8:11 PM
Categories: Economic Security, Policy Topics
Tags: Fair Wages & Leave, U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes
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