美国国家公共电台 NPR--The stalemate between railroads and their unions could be coming to an end

The stalemate between railroads and their unions could be coming to an end

Transcript¹

President Biden is expected to sign a bill forcing the railroad unions to accept an agreement negotiated months ago — putting an end to a years-long bargaining process.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

The stalemate between railroads and their unions could be coming to an end. President Biden this morning is signing legislation that would force rail unions to accept an agreement negotiated in September. The House and Senate both passed the bill that leaves out the sick leave that was a major sticking point for workers. NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo has been following these negotiations³. So earlier this week, President Biden asked Congress to pass the bill, and it seems like the president got what he wanted.

XIMENA BUSTILLO, BYLINE⁴: Yeah, he definitely did. And Congress really acted fast on this one. The formal ask came down from the president on Monday, and by Thursday mid-afternoon, the bill had already passed the House and the Senate. And the president made it clear he wanted a bill by Saturday, so this really was fast. So the bill does do one thing, and it requires that all 12 railroad unions accept the tentative agreement. This was the agreement negotiated between Biden administration members, managers and union leaders back in September. And by requiring that the unions accept this, it makes any strike illegal. And workers were ready to strike as soon as Dec. 9 because four of the 12 unions had rejected that agreement.

Now, Labor⁵ Secretary Marty Walsh came to talk to Senate Democrats⁷ on Thursday. And when he came out, he told reporters that he didn't think more time for negotiations would be helpful and that any negotiations were now in the hands of the Senate. So lawmakers had to decide between letting union workers and managers further negotiate or step in now to avoid a potential economic crash if workers strike.

MART?NEZ: What kind of options did lawmakers look at to resolve this impasse⁸?

BUSTILLO: Sure. The biggest sticking point was that the contract only provides for one day of personal leave. And that's why House members wanted to add seven days of paid sick leave to the contract. Despite this passing the House and even having some GOP support, this measure also failed. So six Republicans voted in favor alongside 49 Democrats. One Democrat⁶, Senator Joe Manchin, voted against. And here he is explaining why he didn't want to make changes to the tentative agreement.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOE MANCHIN: Piece of legislation had already being negotiated by the secretary of labor and the labor unions and president. And I didn't think we should be interacting because if we do, it'd never stop.

BUSTILLO: And the next measure voted on did pass, and that was the 80-15 vote. Lawmakers approved the bill that forces unions to accept the contract as is.

MART?NEZ: I know Joe Biden considers himself a very pro²-labor president, and he's thought to have an administration favorable to unions. How does he feel about all this?

BUSTILLO: You're right. He definitely does. And Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is a card-carrying union leader. And Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who was also involved in talks, has previously⁹ visited John Deere workers while they were picketing¹⁰. So very pro pro-union here. But Biden's No. 1 priority this week was getting the contract approved as soon as possible. This is because a major economic collapse¹¹ was potentially around the corner, and his own advisers¹² were telling him that railroad managers and unions were not going to reach an agreement before the Dec. 9 strike deadline.

The president warned that a rail shutdown could cause a recession, and this is because rails carry the bulk of key items, like ethanol needed for gasoline and fertilizer needed for crops and food. Workers advocated that they should get sick leave in part because they work long hours and weeks during the pandemic when many got to work from home or even take time off. And they felt invisible during the pandemic, even though they helped keep our supply chains alive. So some Republicans voted against the agreement because they say the president could have negotiated a better deal to begin with. But Biden touts¹³ that he negotiated a contract that no one else could. And this is because the contract has been nearly five years in the making.

MART?NEZ: NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo. Thanks a lot.

BUSTILLO: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF TOMMY GUERRERO'S "IN MY HEAD")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 picketing   

[经] 罢工工人劝阻工人上班，工人纠察线

参考例句：

• mass picketing of the factory 罢工工人集体对工厂的封锁
• "And my chaps were also there to prevent picketing! “我的人也是防着女工们要拦厂！ 来自子夜部分

11 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

12 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

13 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网