As the deadline to avert a freight rail strike by Friday morning fast approaches, a tentative agreement has been reached according to the Labor Department. US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh posted this tweet. “After more than 20 straight hours of negotiations, railroad companies and union negotiators have reached a tentative agreement that balances the needs of workers, businesses and our nation’s economy.” During marathon negotiations early Thursday morning, talks were taking place with three remaining unions. Late Wednesday night, of the 12 unions involved, one rejected a tentative deal but agreed to delay the strike as talks with other unions continue. Two deals ratified by Hade and three others remained on the negotiating table just days before the strike deadline, threatening to intensify the outcry over the country’s supply chain that has helped drive up prices. RAIL UNION VOTE TO AUTHORIZE STRIKE THAT COULD BREAK THE ECONOMY A worker boards a locomotive at a BNSF rail yard Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Kansas City, Kan. Businesses and government officials are preparing for a possible nationwide railroad strike later this week as talks continue between major U.S. P.A. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel/AP Newsroom) Nine had agreed to tentative deals, two — the Transport Communications Union and the Carmen Railroad Brotherhood unions — voted to ratify their contracts Wednesday. There are 12 unions — each with two separate divisions — representing 115,000 workers. About 4,900 members of the International Union of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Area 19 voted to reject the tentative agreement negotiated by IAM leadership with the railroads, the union said Wednesday. But the IAM agreed to delay any strike action by its members until September 29 to allow more time for negotiations and allow other unions to vote. Unions are not allowed to strike before Friday under federal law governing contract talks for the railroads, which include BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern and Canadian National’s U.S. operations. Government officials and a host of industries are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike that could cripple shipments of everything from crude oil and clothing to cars. AUTOMOTIVE, ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE AMONG INDUSTRIES HARDEST BY RAIL STRIKE A strike would be a potential disaster for businesses that have struggled for more than two years due to supply chain disruptions related to COVID-19. Locomotive’s are attached to railroad cars at the Selkirk Train Yard in Selkirk, New York government officials and various businesses are preparing for the possibility of a nationwide railroad strike that will paralyze shipments of all types of crude and (AP Photo/Hans Pennink/AP Newsroom ) All of the tentative deals are closely based on the recommendations of a Presidential Emergency Council appointed by President Biden this summer, which called for 24 percent raises and $5,000 in bonuses in a five-year deal that is retroactive to 2020. Those recommendations also include a an extra day of paid leave per year and higher health insurance costs. The key unions representing conductors and train-driving engineers are holding out in the hope that the railroads will agree to go beyond those recommendations and address some of their concerns about unpredictable schedules and strict attendance policies that, like they say, they find it difficult to make time. away from. If the two sides can’t agree, Congress could step in to block a strike and impose conditions on railroads and unions, but it was unclear Wednesday how quickly they could or would act because Democrats and Republicans cannot easily to agree a solution. Amtrak Southwest Chief passenger train eastbound in Lamy, New Mexico. (iStock/iStock) AMTRAK CANCELS LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS, BUT SCHEDULES CHANGE AS RAILWAY STRIKE ANTICIPATED A freight rail strike would also disrupt passenger traffic because Amtrak and many commuter railroads operate on lines owned by the freight railroads. Amtrak has already canceled all long-distance trains on Thursday. The train service said it would contact affected customers. Amtrak declined to say how many customers would be affected by the cancellations. It said any changes to service for Friday would be announced on Thursday. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
