Contract is no bargain

To the editor: 

Republicans differentiate from Democrats by taking a lot more from workers. But Democrats still take some away.

See The Chief article "Quality of life concerns weigh heavily on rail contract vote" by Josh Funk (Oct. 21). A special board of arbitrators appointed by President Joe Biden came up with the contract that railroad workers are now voting on. It proposes 24 percent raises over five years. Until recently, this would have been very good. But naturally, when an employer is offering an average raise of 4.8 percent a year, it will be at a time when inflation is bouncing around 7 and 8 percent.

Add this to the lack of paid sick leave and regularly scheduled weekends and it's clear that this contract is no bargain. But it does offer three unpaid days a year to tend to medical appointments if 30 days notice is given. So employees are supposed to know 30 days in advance when they are going to be sick?

I guess when they throw in a $5,000 cash bonus, there is likely to be some catches. Or as a fictitious employee in another line of transit would say, "I knew there had to be a 'By the way, Ralph' in there somewheres."

Richard Warren