U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Department of Labor Acting Secretary Julie Su today sent letters to the CEOs of three Class I freight railroads – CPKC, CN, and CSX – calling on them to guarantee paid sick leave to all of their employees.
In their letter, Buttigieg and Su highlighted the progress that rail labor and the rail industry have made in expanding access to paid sick leave with three Class I freight railroads now guaranteeing it for all their employees.
Since the end of 2022, the number of Class I freight railroad employees who have access to paid sick days increased from 5% to 90%. However, they also noted that the remaining 10 percent of workers who do not have paid sick time – workers employed by the three recipients of the letter – are no more immune to illness than those with coverage.
The feds said paid sick days help prevent unnecessary safety risks and that rail workers have peace of mind knowing that they can take time off while sick, or to help a family member recover from illness without being penalized. They argue that paid sick leave also protects the public by ensuring healthy, focused railroad workers.
Buttigieg and Su called on the three Class I freight railroads without full coverage to reduce unnecessary safety risks by immediately working with their labor unions to provide paid sick days to all of their employees.
