On Saturday, March 16th, approximately 70 Union members, officers and spouses representing 9 Rail Labor Unions gathered outside the newly opened CPKC soccer stadium in Kansas City, MO. This was opening day for the KC Current women’s soccer team in their new 117-million-dollar stadium, for which the CPKC railroad purchased exclusive naming rights. A line of protestors representing rail labor extended for more than a quarter of a mile along the front drive of the new “CPKC Stadium.” Dedicated Union advocates gathered to protest and bring public awareness to the hypocrisy of a company that can easily afford to spend an obscene amount of money for naming rights of a professional sports stadium while portraying itself as unable to “afford” paid sick days for its hard-working employees. The number of millions required for a 10-year license to display your monogram, to the exclusion of all others, on all four sides of a professional sports arena is unknown. But one can be sure the cost of providing paid sick days like what we now have on other roads pales in comparison. To date, CPKC continues to cry poor where sick days are concerned and refuses to negotiate for the same. The public passers-by on Saturday offered overwhelming support of CPKC rail workers though enthusiastic honking of horns and vigorous hand waving from vehicles. Countless pedestrians stopped to shake hands with picket-line participants and express their support. As seen below, the BRS was well represented among the participants, including multiple Grand Lodge officers and officers from both the BNSF and Union Pacific General Committees.
