--- title: Major railway union rejects deal, raising a potential December strike description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Tom Buffenbarger joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/Imported_Blog_Media/awf-blog-featured-image-2.jpg --- 1 min read Season 3, Episode 229 # Major railway union rejects deal, raising a potential December strike [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) November 22, 2022 [Labor Issues](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/labor-issues) [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [Jobs](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/jobs) ![Featured-Image_LISTEN-HERE-AWF-1](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/Imported_Blog_Media/Featured-Image_LISTEN-HERE-AWF-1.jpg?width=2500&height=1313&name=Featured-Image_LISTEN-HERE-AWF-1.jpg)   Guest Name: --- Tom Buffenbarger Guest Website: --- Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-buffenbarger-38409511/) Supportive Documents: --- Tom Buffenbarger, an independent labor voice, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the possibility of a nationwide railway strike after [SMART-TD](https://smart-union.org/), one of the largest railroad labor unions, [voted down a tentative agreement with rail management this week](https://smart-union.org/split-decision-unions-for-engineers-and-conductors-take-different-routes-in-freight-rail-contract-ratification-vote/). The [Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen](https://ble-t.org/), another large railroad labor union, voted to ratify the deal. But like other railroad unions which have approved the deal, they have agreed to honor the picket line if SMART-TD decides to strike. Buffenbarger speculated about what action Congress will take, including possibly legislating a settlement – an action more likely once the U.S. House is in Republican control in January. Republicans have indicated they will seek a concessionary agreement, which would put workers who haven’t ratified the CBA at risk, he explained. Lastly, Buffenbarger talked about a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was ratified by Weyerhaeuser employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District W24, ending a 46-day strike. Buffenbarger is the former president of IAMAW. Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics: --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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