Rail unions refusing advance payments in favor of a new deal

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — All the major railroads now plan to offer their employees up to $600 a month in advance of raises they expect to pay once the current two-year-old national contract talks are eventually settled. But a coalition of unions that represents more than 105,000 railroad workers said Monday that they’ll refuse the payments partly because workers would be on the hook to repay some of the money if the eventual raises aren’t big enough to cover the payments. The unions want the National Carriers’ Conference Committee that represents more than 30 railroads to negotiate a contract instead. The railroads said they’ll keep their offer on the table because it would put money in workers’ pockets quickly while other issues are sorted out in bargaining.