Biden Administration Urges Paid Sick Leave for Rail Workers

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration called on three major freight railroads to guarantee paid sick leave for all workers, stating that 10,000 employees lack this benefit.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su wrote to the CEOs of CSX, Canadian National Railway, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, urging them to extend this coverage.

They highlighted that since the end of 2022, the percentage of U.S. rail workers guaranteed paid sick leave has risen from 5% to 90%.

“Sick leave for workers is not a luxury — it’s a necessity,” said Su.

In 2022, railroads faced criticism for not agreeing to paid sick leave during labor negotiations. In December of that year, President Joe Biden signed legislation to avert a national railroad strike that could have harmed the American economy after some unions opposed the deal due to inadequate sick leave.

Following these events, railroads began negotiations with unions to provide paid sick leave. By June 2023, reports indicated that 60% of rail workers had such benefits.

CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs indicated that two unions have not agreed to the same paid sick leave arrangements that others have accepted. “We have offered the same constructive paid sick leave agreements to these unions on multiple occasions,” Hinrichs stated. “We were the first and only railroad to work with the unions to breakthrough on these paid sick leave agreements.”

CPKC commented that it remains committed to negotiating sick leave with its U.S. unions and has sent formal offers to various unions, given it has 65 separate collective bargaining agreements.

CN did not immediately provide a comment.