Dems To Biden: Use Executive Order To Give Sick Leave To Rail Workers
More than 70 lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to take executive action to guarantee rail workers paid sick days. Via Reuters:
On Dec. 2, Biden signed legislation to block a national U.S. railroad strike that could have devastated the American economy after some unions voted against the deal over a lack of paid sick leave. The White House did not immediately comment on the lawmakers' letter, signed by 72 Democratic lawmakers and Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
Senate Banking Committee chair Sherrod Brown, Senate Finance chair Ron Wyden and Representative Donald Payne who chairs a railroad subcommittee also signed the letter that noted that then President Barack Obama signed a 2015 executive order establishing paid sick leave for federal contractors.
But Obama's order ultimately did not cover rail carriers "despite the fact that the Federal Government has hundreds of contracts with freight rail carriers. You can and you must expand this executive order," the lawmakers told Biden.