One hundred thousand railroad workers in the United States resisted a concerted effort by unions, Congress and President Biden to block a nationwide strike. Workers are trying to reverse grueling conditions and years of declining wages. The ‘cooling off’ period agreed between the unions and the government ends at 12:01 am on Friday 15 September.

On the evening of Wednesday, September 13, 500 railroad workers attended a meeting sponsored by World Socialist Website and the International Workers’ Alliance of the Base Committee under the title, “Organize to prepare for a national strike!” While this is happening, the Biden administration and unions are working on a deal to be announced Thursday morning that the bureaucracy is now trying to coerce its members.

Speaking to WSWS, British rail workers, who have been involved in repeated national strikes over the past three months, offered a statement of solidarity with this critical struggle. Due to the company’s frequent victimization of those identified as militants, and the censorship of rank-and-file members’ comments, the workers remain anonymous.

In Bristol Board, a 7-year railroad veteran said, “We face the same problems as our brothers and sisters in the US. We are working during the pandemic to keep the rail system running. As a result, we saw many of our colleagues fall ill and, in some cases, even die. I remember going to work knowing that I could die. As key workers, we all know the risks we take. We put ourselves in danger to do a good job.”

“Our union leader was nowhere to be found during the pandemic. Railroad workers fell ill and were dying, but no strike was carried out. Instead, we receive the occasional text message sent from their home/office where they work comfortably and socially distanced.”

“They call us heroes for risking our lives. Now we are seen as the new ‘inner enemy’ because they only want to defend our right to a decent salary, good pension and good contract conditions.

“The rewards for our loyalty during the pandemic have been threats of mass layoffs, the removal of current contracts and re-hiring under lower working conditions, and the looting of our pension funds. The government oversees the destruction of these jobs and disqualifies workers in favor of private operators and at the expense of taxpayers. Control of the railway will only be returned to the private operators when they are satisfied that the desired level of profit will be achieved.”

“Our union had been calling for a strike for several days, but from the first moment it had tried to minimize it, manipulating negotiations to sell us off. This week, in honor of the queen’s death, a two-day strike was called off. Our union believes that the class struggle must give way to our new king.”

“The only way the working class can defend itself against the ruling class is to castrate the union leadership from their power. Only through the formation of an independent alliance of workers’ committees can we do this. I fully support you in your struggle to achieve your political independence.”