President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month's deadline in the stalled contract talks, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers would take up legislation this week to impose the deal that unions agreed to in September.
Pelosi said the House would not change the terms of the September agreement, which would challenge the Senate to approve the House bill without changes. Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. If Congress acts, it will end talks between the railroads and four rail unions that rejected their deals Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.
Biden's remarks and Pelosi's statement came after a coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can't get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.
A similar group of businesses sent another letter to Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute."No one benefits from a rail work stoppage - not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy," said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. "Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions.
Thinking of Twilite Zone. Kick the Can.
But we're 'Building Back Better' - over a year in office and NOW they might strike... Doesn't sound like they are 'Better' than before.
Pre mid term elections.
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