Background

Railroad Workers United (RWU) has requested organizations including the Green Party of the United States to endorse its resolution calling for public ownership of US railroads. Public ownership of railroads, to be run for the public good, is a key demand of workers. United Electrical has for example issued a statement in support of this key demand.

RWU expects a nationwide campaign for public ownership to launch in the near future and has requested endorsement consideration as soon as possible within Green Party’s typical rules and procedures. The Steering Committee therefore supports consideration of this endorsement as an expedited proposal to the National Committee.

Proposal

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) endorses the Railroad Workers United (RWU) Resolution in Support of Public Ownership of the Rail Industry.

GPUS calls for social ownership of railroads as part of the Ecosocialist Green New Deal, the signature policy of the GPUS 2022 party platform. Greens recognize the importance of the rail industry and reconstructed rail infrastructure as both an important part of economic prosperity and a key component of a national and global effort against the serious emergency threats of climate change, as follows:

“Greens call for social ownership and democratic planning in order to make a rapid coordinated transition to 100% clean energy and zero-to-negative greenhouse gas emissions. This Green Economy Reconstruction Program will socialize key productive sectors, notably energy production, power distribution, broadband, railroads and automobiles, a greatly expanded public housing sector, and a domestic manufacturing sector to be rebuilt on an ecological basis of clean power and zero waste.”

The Ecosocialist Green New Deal specifically calls for a democratic worker-run, community-controlled public transportation system built around electrified passenger and freight rail, as follows:

“Socialize the railroad and automotive industries into a public transportation system to rapidly electrify transportation powered by clean energy sources. The public transportation system should be governed from the bottom up by a decentralized federation of elected local/regional public transportation districts that in turn elect state and federal boards for state and federal coordination. Intra-city mass transit and inter-city freight rails and high-speed passenger rails should move energy- and resource-inefficient personal vehicles and freight trucking on roads onto electrified passenger and freight rails. Urban planning should encourage walkable and bikeable neighborhoods through pedestrian and bike lanes on roads and rezoning single-family residence zones into mixed use zones.”
Resources

The Steering Committee shall work with Media Committee and staff to publish this statement on the main gp.org website as soon as possible after adoption of this proposal.

References

RWU Resolution in Support of Public Ownership of the Rail Industry

UE Statement Calling for Railroads To Be Placed Under Public Control

2022 Green Party of the United States Platform Amendment on the Ecosocialist Green New Deal

GPUS Steering Committee Support For Railroad Worker United Demands