Joe Biden calls on Congress to avoid a potential train strike
The US could experience a major rail freight strike in December that could cost more than $2 billion a day.
President Joe Biden, in a room of the White House, in Washington, on November 18, 2022.
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Joe Biden is asking US Congress to legislate “without delay” to avert a potential major rail freight strike, he said in a statement on Monday, as negotiations between social partners on a new sector deal are ongoing .
The president, who says he is “proudly a supporter of unions”, says he is “reluctant” to use a passage in legislative force, but believes that a rail transport strike “would cause damage to millions of people and families of the working class”.
“I want to be clear: a total closure of the railways would devastate our economy”, assures Joe Biden who wanted the application of a provisional agreement dating back to September concluded between the railway companies and the unions, but which the members of the latter had to ratify . However, several of the 12 organizations concerned do not want this agreement which has long stumbled over the issue of sick leave in particular.
$2 billion a day
Failure to implement by Dec. 9, or even Dec. 5 according to various stakeholders’ calendars, the world’s largest economy could suffer a strike that could shut down nearly 7,000 freight trains and cost more than $2 billion a day. according to the American Railroad Association. Because even if one union strikes, the others will follow.
Having to request Congressional intervention, the recently octogenarian president suffered a political setback that undermined his newfound momentum following the midterm elections, and as he plans to rerun for president in 2024. to a 1926 law that gave him the power to prevent a railroad strike, Congress could force the preliminary agreement, despite the refusal of some unions.
A “catastrophic” strike.
“We are reluctant to bypass the process of ratifying the interim agreement, but we must take action to prevent a catastrophic national train strike that would bring our economy to a standstill,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. Joe Biden also asked Congress not to make any changes to the preliminary agreement, either in favor of employees or companies.
“Despite good intentions, any change could lead to delays and a disabling arrest,” said the president, who says the deal was reached “in good faith” by the parties involved. In her statement, Nancy Pelosi announces that the agreement will be voted on in the House and sent to the Senate without changes.
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