The board of arbitrators will hold hearings with both sides to learn more about their positions before issuing their recommendations about a month from now. A railroad strike could jeopardize the health of the economy. They worry about what a strike or lockout would mean for the fragile supply chain because railroads deliver all kinds of raw materials, finished products and imported goods that businesses rely on. The group that represents Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads and the unions have expressed optimism that this new presidential board will be able to help them resolve the dispute that began more than two years ago.īusiness groups had urged Biden to take this step to ensure the railroads would continue operating. “It’s really in everybody’s best interests to avoid a strike,” Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said. “Throughout the bargaining round, the railroads have worked to thoughtfully address issues raised by both sides and have offered pay increases that are consistent with labor market benchmarks and reward rail employees for their essential work,” the committee said in a statement.Īny prolonged rail strike could cripple the supply chain that has been slowly recovering from the backlogs and delays that became common during the pandemic because of worker shortages at the ports, trucking companies and railroads as demand for imports surged. The National Carriers Conference Committee, which represents the nation’s freight railroads in national collective bargaining, cheered Biden’s move, noting that it “remains in the best interest of all parties - and the public - for the railroads and rail labor organizations to promptly settle the bargaining round on reasonable terms that provide employees with prompt and well-deserved pay increases and prevent rail service disruptions.” The United Rail Unions coalition said the labor unions are preparing to make their case to the board of arbitrators, and believe that current economic data shows the raises they are asking for “are more than warranted when compared to our memberships’ contribution to the record profits of the rail carriers.” If the railroads and their 12 unions can’t agree on a contract within the next 60 days, Congress would likely step in to prevent a strike by voting to impose terms or taking other action. The president wrote in an executive order naming the arbitrators that he’d “been notified by the National Mediation Board that in its judgment these disputes threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that would deprive a section of the country of essential transportation service.” A new round of negotiations is likely after those recommendations are issued. Biden had to act before Monday to prevent a possible strike. The widely expected move will keep 115,000 rail workers on the job while the arbitrators develop a set of contract recommendations for both sides to consider.
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