FV@W Decries the Senate Vote on Rail Paid Sick Days

(WASHINGTON, DC)––Family Values @ Work is a movement network of grassroots coalitions in more than two dozen states working to win paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe days, and affordable, high-quality childcare at the state and national levels. Today, FV@W released the following statement in reaction to the Senate vote on the paid sick days amendment for rail workers.

Family Values @ Work is appalled that the Senate voted to deny rail workers paid sick days. By not passing the paid sick days amendment like the House, the Senate has co-signed ongoing exploitation of rail workers’ labor.

We applaud the House for ultimately doing the right thing: narrowly taking the side of rail workers and their families, and moving to cement paid sick days for them. By doing so, they’ve shown their solidarity with the workers’ request for a measly seven sick days. We remain disgusted that President Biden urged Congress to intervene instead of respecting the will of the unions. Workers are not machines. We have families and caregiving responsibilities and need time to care.

The will of the rail workers should have been respected, and Congress should not have intervened in the first place. We know that paid sick days work for all families which is why our Network has passed this policy in 17 states and 24 cities, and will not rest until all workers nationwide can take the paid sick days they’ve earned.

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