Clout /klaʊt/ noun/ Definition: The power to influence people, steer decisions, or control situations.
In the past week, The Wall Street Journal editorialized twice regarding BLET’s growing clout and the defeat of corporate and anti-worker interests. On May 19, the newspaper’s notoriously anti-union editorial page accused BLET and union coalition members of “blackmail” and “extortion” for their three-day strike at the Long Island Rail Road, launching a diatribe against workers receiving overtime for extra hours and duties. And on May 25, the paper mentioned the Teamsters in an editorial condemning Republicans in Congress who voted in favor of advancing the Railway Safety Act and the Faster Labor Contracts Act.
The LIRR editorial in particular is loaded with misinformation and half-truths. But, both editorials, each in their own way, are an acknowledgement of growing BLET and Teamsters clout in passing legislation and bargaining contracts — sometimes requiring militant action.