U.S. Senators debate resolution to avoid rail worker strike

Record ID: 1688957

  • Title: U.S. Senators debate resolution to avoid rail worker strike
  • Date: 14th September 2022
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 14, 2022) (SENATE TV) SENATE DAIS (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA, RICHARD BURR, SAYING: “If we don't do it, if we do not force this issue, at 12:01 tomorrow night the railroads will shut down and the economic impact on the American people is two billion dollars a day. Two billion.” WHITE FLASH (SO
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2022 22:51
  • Keywords: Railroads Richard Burr Roger Wicker Senate US rail shutdown
  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA001541514092022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Republican Senators submitted on Wednesday (September 14) a resolution to pass recommendations made by the Presidential Emergency Board to avert a potential rail shutdown in the United States.
    Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) defended the measure on the Senate floor while Independent Senator Bernie Sanders spoke against it.
    Sanders objected to the bid to unanimously approve legislation to prevent a rail strike, noting the profits the rail industry has made and saying rail worker unions are yet to fully vote on an agreement.
    Railroads including Union Pacific, Berkshire Hathaway's BNSF, and Norfolk Southern have until a minute after midnight on Friday to reach deals with three holdout unions representing about 60,000 workers before a work stoppage affecting freight and Amtrak could begin.
    Talks between labor unions and railroads were continuing late on Wednesday at the U.S. Labor Department overseen by Secretary Marty Walsh, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said it was urgent to reach a deal to avoid a shutdown.
    A union representing about 4,900 machinists, mechanics, and maintenance personnel said on Wednesday its members voted to reject its tentative deal.
    Railroads have offered significant pay increases. Three of 12 unions, representing about half of the 115,000 workers affected by the negotiations, are holding out for better working conditions. Two of those 12 unions, representing more than 11,000 workers, have ratified deals, the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC), which is bargaining on behalf of railroads, said on Wednesday.
    A shutdown could freeze almost 30% of U.S. cargo shipments by weight, stoke inflation, cost the U.S. economy as much as $2 billion per day, and unleash a cascade of transportation woes affecting the U.S. energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and retail sectors.
    (Production: Gerardo Gomez)
  • Copyright Holder: SENATE TV (USA)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register