Posts tagged Supply chain
Editorial: Why are some Republicans pushing price-hiking, pro-union bills in Congress?
June 15, 2026 // Democrats have long pushed pro-union measures sure to boost prices, even as they pretend to care about “affordability.” But why are Republicans now joining them? On Tuesday, a full 20 GOPers crossed the aisle to pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act, 230-193. The bill, lifted from Dems’ PRO Act, aims to boost unionization by forcing employers to agree to labor contracts within 90 days after a newly formed labor group calls for talks.
Goldwater Institute: Embracing the Future: Say No to Driver-in Mandates
June 4, 2026 // If an autonomous truck cannot operate safely, it should not be on the road. But if it can operate safely without a human driver, requiring one anyway does not improve safety. It simply raises costs, slows deployment, and forces consumers to pay more. The United States has never prospered by forcing new technology to imitate the old system it improves upon. Policymakers should allow autonomous vehicles and trucking to develop under clear, evidence-based safety rules. They should not revive the logic of railroad featherbedding for the age of artificial intelligence. Autonomous vehicles should be judged by their safety and performance, not by whether they preserve the labor arrangements of the past. The future of freight should be faster, safer, and less expensive. Policymakers should let it arrive.
‘Now we have the war’ | Nearly 1,000 UAW workers remain on strike in Three Rivers
June 3, 2026 // “The company wanted a fight, and now we have the war,” UAW 2093 Bargaining Chairman Josh Jager told 13 ON YOUR SIDE Tuesday. Workers walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Monday, launching round-the-clock picketing outside the facility that manufactures axles and driveline components used in major automaker supply chains. By Tuesday afternoon, union members were still stationed at entrances across the sprawling plant. “We're manning up picket sites 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Jager said. “They're out there holding that line. They're not going anywhere.”
Railway Safety Act in the balance
May 21, 2026 // Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee is marking up the BUILD America Act — the surface transportation reauthorization bill. Among the amendments under consideration is the Railway Safety Act (RSA), a pro-union measure that has consistently failed to advance as a standalone bill but has suddenly gained new life with President Trump’s endorsement. The RSA purports to be aimed at ensuring an accident like the East Palestine, Ohio disaster does not happen again. Indeed, that is the president’s stated rationale for supporting the measure. However, as so often happens after a disaster, on hearing a cry that “something must be done,” opportunistic forces advance a policy wish list saying, “this is something, so let’s do this.” That is certainly the case with the RSA, which advances a long-held rail union position that two-person crews are necessary for safety. This is untrue. Research has shown that modern trains can operate safely with one-person crews. As T&I Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) said opposing the amendment,
No Rail Strike This Time
March 23, 2026 // But there are other reasons as well for the clear tracks for this deal. The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC), which negotiates on behalf of the railroads with the 12 main rail worker unions, said that the latest bargaining round “has seen historic collaboration between freight rail carriers and unions.” “Historic” could be a small stretch, but it does appear that both union negotiators and management went into this round determined to strike a bargain that workers and railroads could live with. In addition to money, both unions and management have touted better benefits and more paid leave.
Largest rail union backs $85 billion Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger
March 19, 2026 // The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART-TD) sent a letter to lawmakers backing the deal. Union leaders said they evaluate railroad mergers based on how they impact workers’ jobs and long-term stability. “SMART-TD evaluates every merger based on how it will affect our members’ jobs, livelihoods, and long-term stability,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson wrote. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced the proposed merger last July. Supporters argue that the deal would create a freight rail network spanning from the East Coast to the West Coast, modernize freight transportation, and improve the country’s supply chain.
Biggest rail union joins others in endorsing Union Pacific merger but some still have reservations
September 23, 2025 // The SMART-TD union that represents conductors and other rail workers said Union Pacific put CEO Jim Vena’s promise not to lay off any of its workers as a result of the merger in writing and promised to protect their jobs throughout their careers. But the head of one of the next biggest unions said he doesn’t think this deal does nearly enough to protect rail jobs, so he’s not ready to support the merger that would create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. The union’s endorsement comes just days after President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he deal sounds good to him, but groups like the American Chemistry Council and the Rail Customer Coalition have said they worry that allowing two of the six largest railroads to merge will only hurt competition and lead to even higher shipping rates.
Op-ed: This Labor Day marks 10 years of chaos for franchisees, contractors
September 1, 2025 // Franchises and contractors live in fear of the next anti-small-business administration, which is all but certain to shift the joint employer standard once again. But Congress can act now. The Save Local Business Act would codify the sensible standard in federal law.
Op-ed: I had to leave California to save my business. Now there’s hope
August 12, 2025 // Running my truck as a small business allowed me to take long hauls across the country — sometimes bringing my children along — while keeping the flexibility and control that mattered most for my family’s well‑being. And I took pride in serving as a role model: showing that women can thrive behind the wheel, own their business and contribute to America’s supply chain. Thanks to leaders like Rep. Kiley, Washington is finally recognizing that independent contractors deserve the same respect and freedom as traditional employees. I hope the Senate moves quickly to pass this bill and send it to the president’s desk.
Workers to strike at Tyson beef plant in Amarillo
June 30, 2025 // Teamsters representing 3,100 slaughter and processing workers authorize strike for better wages and benefits at the nation’s largest beef processing plant.