DECEMBER 3, 2022:
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Most railroad workers weren’t surprised that Congress intervened this week to block a railroad strike, but they were disappointed because they say the deals lawmakers imposed didn’t do enough to address their quality of life concerns about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time. Railroad workers face difficult tradeoffs that sometimes force them to skip doctor’s appointments or miss family events. The railroads acknowledge that more needs to be done to address workers’ “work-life balance concerns,” but managers believe these new contracts should help create more predictable schedules. And the five-year deals include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.
DECEMBER 2, 2022:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed a bill to avert a freight rail strike that he said could have plunged the U.S. into recession. Biden signed the measure Friday after it was approved Thursday (Dec. 1, 2022) by the Senate and Wednesday by the House. It binds rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail companies and union leaders in September. Members in four of the 12 unions involved rejected the proposed contract, creating the risk of a strike beginning Dec. 9 that the government has likely staved off with the bill signing. The president has said that a strike would have sunk the U.S. economy.
DECEMBER 1, 2022:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is moving urgently to head off the looming U.S. rail strike. The House passed a bill Wednesday (Nov. 30, 2022) that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement reached in September that failed to gain the support of all 12 unions involved. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. It would impose a compromise labor agreement brokered by President Joe Biden’s administration. That agreement was ultimately voted down by four of the 12 unions representing more than 100,000 employees at large freight rail carriers. The unions have threatened to strike if an agreement can’t be reached before a Dec. 9, 2022, deadline.
NOVEMBER 30, 2022:
Agriculture groups welcome President Biden’s call on Congress to avert a potential rail worker strike.
Corey Rosenbusch of The Fertilizer Institute praised the action by Biden, adding, “Congress must act now to ensure that fertilizers and other critical materials and goods that U.S. consumers rely on every day get to where they are needed.” The Fertilizer Institute has been heavily engaged in efforts to avert a nationwide rail network shutdown and will continue to do so until the matter is resolved.
The call from Biden followed a meeting with cabinet members on the issue.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack adds, “in this case – where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt American agriculture and millions of other working people and families –Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal.” Vilsack joined President Biden in calling on Congress to quickly pass legislation adopting the Tentative Agreement between railroad workers and operators.
NOVEMBER 29, 2022:
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to pass legislation to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks. Biden said Monday (Nov. 28, 2022) that a tentative agreement approved in September provided a pay raise for workers, protected their health care benefits and improved their leave policy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers will take up legislation to impose those terms this week. If Congress acts, it will end the negotiations between four rail unions that rejected their deals and the railroads. Eight other rail unions have ratified their deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.
NOVEMBER 23, 2022:
The union representing railroad conductors rejected a White House-brokered deal and a strike could start as soon as Dec. 9, 2022. The latest rejection comes from the union representing 28,000 conductors, brakemen, and yardmen.
NPR says the total number of unions rejecting the agreement is four with a combined membership of close to 60,000 workers. Eight other unions ratified the deal but could get pulled back into the dispute. NPR says that’s because if one union decides to strike, all of the unions will honor the picket lines.
The National Grain and Feed Association, the Soy Transportation Coalition, the National Milk Producers Federation, and many other agricultural groups are asking Congress to step in and prevent a shutdown, which would be catastrophic for the U.S. economy.
The USDA says railroads carry 29 percent of the nation’s soybeans, 33 percent of the corn, and 60 percent of U.S. wheat to export terminals.
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