Congress is tasked with settling the dispute on the railway
2022.11.22 14:36
Congress is tasked with settling the dispute on the railway
Budrigannews.com – On Tuesday, the leader of the largest business lobbying group in the United States appealed to Congress to intervene in the ongoing labor dispute between railroad workers. This dispute threatens to delay shipments of food and fuel and will cost billions of dollars to the national economy, which is already struggling.
One day after members of the nation’s largest railroad union rejected a tentative agreement that was mediated by a board appointed by President Joe Biden, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Suzanne Clark urged federal lawmakers to intervene.
Clark stated, “Congress must now impose the deal that President Biden negotiated and the railroads and union leadership agreed to.”
In August, the framework for the tentative agreement between major carriers like Union Pacific (NYSE:) was released by Biden’s Presidential Emergency Board.and a dozen labor unions that represent 115,000 employees.
Four unions have since rejected that agreement, angry that the railroads offered them one paid personal day instead of 15 paid sick days for keeping essential supplies flowing during the pandemic.
These unions and their employers have until the beginning of December to come to an agreement.Unless Congress intervenes, workers may go on strike and railroads may lock out employees.
She stated, “A rail strike would significantly exacerbate inflation and the economic challenges Americans are facing today if Congress fails to do so.”
