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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden urged railway officials and union leaders to be creative and flexible in finding a compromise to avoid a shutdown that disrupts the transportation of goods across the United States. could do
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“The president’s message – it was very clear – we must make a deal,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday. “He inspired them to once again recognize the pitfalls that would harm families, farmers, businesses, and entire communities when they closed. He told them to be creative, to be resilient, to meet others half as well, and they emphasized how significant the economic impact can be.”
In the talks that lasted for about 20 hours, the Biden administration including the President himself. With Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to reach a deal before Friday’s deadline.
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“You have to remember what we avoided here,” said Jean-Pierre. “It would have been disastrous for our economy, catastrophic for our supply chains.”
About 40% of the country’s long-distance trade is transferred by rail. If unions went on strike, more than 7,000 trains would be idle, costing an estimated $2 billion per day. The White House had been in talks with railroad workers’ unions and companies for several months, but negotiations stalled over the issue of unpaid sick time.
The potential agreements, which struck early Thursday morning, affected about 60,000 employees, collectively organized by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Trainmen Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division and the Brotherhood. represent. Rail Signalman’s.
