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ThisistheInfiniteIs t1_itx1co3 wrote

Just take all the rail infrastructure by eminent domain and nationalize it and these workers and give them all good benefits and wages. These greedy companies have already robbed our country of trillions of dollars by underpaying these workers and refusing to build out the infrastructure and maintain it.

Clearly these companies can't be trusted with something so important, a huge portion of our GDP depends on having a well functioning rail system and these companies are just sucking the "short money" out of it and destroying it.

Edit: for clarity

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acesarge t1_itx782k wrote

I can see that first part happening, not so much the second part...

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Mostest_Importantest t1_itx80w6 wrote

I'm feeling that even if that event were to take place, there's no way that even a socialized, publicly-owned railroad could entice new workers to take on work at these railroads. (I'd read that new hires rates are dropping drastically, just because working conditions and compensations are soooo bad.)

So even if the profits are shared, and the employees are state or federal workers, with compensation packages in line with other govt workers, the work is grueling enough that recruitments have been drastically reducing since before COVID.

This is all hearsay, of course, but I'd bet with cost of living going through the ceiling, if the railroads tried to adjust salaries accordingly, just to get new hires, it'd cause all kinds of havoc with the already-employed, as they've been gutted for years.

I don't see any good solution for RR mgmt or the govt from this situation, which means good news for American workers, even if there's some hardship in buying things.

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ThisistheInfiniteIs t1_itxa7fc wrote

These companies are seeing profit margins approaching 50%, billions in profits every year. It is one of the most profitable rackets in the country. These greedy companies are just refusing to maintain the system and comply with these demands out of pure greed.

We could easily afford to make improvements, do maintenance and give these workers everything they deserve and still have a ton of money left over. Also having a national rail system would be very good indeed for the economy and for the country.

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