WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2022) The US Congress must impose the deal negotiated by President Joe Biden to avoid a nationwide railroad strike ahead of the holiday season, Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark said on Tuesday.
"In September President Biden, who is a champion of labor, struck a deal with the leadership of the 12 railroad unions and railroads to avert a national rail strike. But now four unions are going back on their word and threatening to be the grinch who stole Christmas by forcing a national rail strike. Congress must now impose the deal President Biden negotiated, and the railroads and union leadership agreed to," Clark said in a statement.
A rail strike would substantially exacerbate inflation and economic challenges faced by Americans, Clark said.
On Sunday, train and engine service members of SMART-TD, one of the two largest rail unions in the US, rejected the tentative agreement from September, while the yardmaster members supported it. The rejection increases the possibility of a strike starting December 9.
Members of the other major rail union, BLET, chose to ratify the deal. The two unions collectively comprise half of the unionized workforce on major freight railroads in the US.
However, BLET and other rail unions pledged to honor their picket lines if any of the major unions rejected proposed contracts with carriers.
The tentative five-year agreement would address rates of pay, health and welfare and other benefits for approximately 24,000 locomotive engineers and other rail workers. SMART-TD representatives will now return to the bargaining table with the National Carriers Conference Committee to negotiate new terms for its members.
The Biden administration is directly engaged with the parties in the negotiations, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.
