Engineers’ union president Dennis Piece said “quality of life issues” were the main sticking point in tense negotiations that ended just hours before a scheduled strike was to begin.
After marathon talks, which Labor Secretary Marty Walsh hosted, the two sides agreed on a pay increase, as well as worker-friendly scheduling issues and work rules. Union leaders were confident rank-and-file members would ratify the agreement, although it doesn’t fully embrace all their demands. “We got a little bit of paid time off, but we’ll live to fight another day. You know, that’s part of bargaining,” said Michael Baldwin, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. 
“You’ve reached an agreement that will keep our critical rail system working and avoid disruptions of our economy,” President Joe Biden remarked.”I’m grateful. This agreement is validation…of what I’ve always believed: Unions and management can work together…for the benefit of everyone.”
Railroad Workers and Occupational Diseases
Fatal railroad worker injuries went up by 20 percent in 2021, to the highest total since 2007. Trauma injuries, mostly falls, accounted for many of these incidents. Occupational disease, like the ones listed below, also kill or seriously injure many railroad workers.
Repetitive Stress
Many railroad workers do mostly the same thing mostly every day. Since trains vibrate so violently, they tighten the same bolts. SInce trains travel such long distances, workers bend over to examine the same components. You get the idea.
The resulting musculoskeletal damage to the back, hip, neck, shoulders, knees, and hands affects nerves, muscles, and tendons. Specific examples include:

Lateral Epicondylitis: Torn tendons in the upper arm cause inflammation in this area, resulting in a condition commonly known as “tennis elbow.” LE is a soft tissue injury that many X-rays and other diagnostic tests don’t detect.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: CTS is a serious problem for people who routinely do things like tighten bolts in high places or type with their wrists above their elbows. The carpal tunnel in the wrist collapses and pinches nerves. Unlike LE, various CTS tests are available. However, these tests are quite expensive.

Railroad owners have known about repetitive stress injury dangers since at least the 1950s. However, they’ve done little or nothing to address the problem.
Hearing Loss
This occupational disease is very rarely life threatening, However, it has wide-ranging physical and emotional effects. 
For most people, it’s easy to do things like follow conversations in noisy rooms or listen to lectures in large halls. For people with hearing loss, these things are difficult or impossible.
Now for the emotional effects. The aforementioned hearing problems often cause social withdrawal. People quit going to parties, lectures, and other things they enjoy.
When doctors intervene early, hearing loss is easy to treat. Today’s hearing aids are smaller and more sophisticated than ever. Unfortunately, many hearing loss victims don’t immediately see doctors at the first sign of trouble. Therefore, the problem gets worse. Very quickly, risky and invasive eardrum surgery is the only treatment option.
Lead Poisoning
Anything built before about 1980, including cargo trains, probably has lead paint. As mentioned, many railroad owners don’t care too much about worker safety. As a result, workers who maintain these trains often inhale lead particles with every breath.
These workers are at risk for chronic lead poisoning. Prolonged exposure to lead causes many different symptoms. It affects everyone differently, making it somewhat hard to diagnose. For example, you could have problems with your nervous system like headaches, slurred speech, and insomnia. Lead also disrupts the body’s gastrointestinal functions, resulting in abdominal pain and nausea.
Compensation Available
These injuries are not only expensive to treat. They also cause considerable emotional distress. A Lexington personal injury attorney can file a FELA claim and obtain compensation for these economic and noneconomic losses.
Under the Federal Employers Liability Act, railroads must pay this compensation if owner negligence contributed, in any way, to the injury. Failure to remove lead paint contributes to lead poisoning injuries. Failure to provide proper work equipment or hire enough workers contributes to repetitive stress injuries. You get the idea.
Most FELA claims, like most other injury claims, typically settle out of court. These resolutions don’t mean your lawyer is quitting or taking the easy way out. Instead, out-of-court settlements greatly benefit victim/plaintiffs. Since they end cases sooner, victims get their compensation sooner. Additionally, in a trial, a judge or jury dictates the outcome. Out-of-court settlements give the parties this power.
Injury victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Lexington, contact the Goode Law Office, PLLC. After-hours, virtual, home, and hospital visits are available. The post Last-Minute Compromise Averts Railroad Strike first appeared on Goode Law Office, PLLC.