House passes two bills to prevent railroad strike
President Biden urges the Senate to continue the process so that the rules can take effect before December 9, the start date of the shutdowns.
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The House of Representatives passed two bills to prevent a pre-Christmas railroad strike. President Joe Biden called on lawmakers to take "immediate" action in order to stop strikes that would be "catastrophic" for the country's economy. Now, it is up to the Senate to move forward with the process, considering that it is a matter of urgency.
The partisan nature of the initiatives was particularly evident in the approval of the second initiative. The bill passed with 221 votes in favor (three of them Republican), the number of representatives that the Democratic Party has after the death of Donald McEachin. The regulatory imposition on railroad companies and workers won the support of members of Congress from both parties (290). Previously, the representatives warned that they would not approve of any bill that did not compensate the workers who refused to sign in September.
Losses of $2 billion per day
Negotiations began in 2020, but the parties’ stances have always been far off. When the threat of a strike began on December 9, a Presidential Emergency Board was created to mediate and reach an agreement. In September, the Administration's proposal was accepted by all except four unions, which announced that the threat of a work strike remained in place. The reason for the dispute was the lack of measures for workers in the event of a sick leave.
With the date fast approaching, the Christmas season at stake, and unbearable costs to the U.S. economy ($2 billion a day, according to the National Retail Federation), Biden himself called on Congress to come up with an immediate regulatory solution. Following the approval, the President stated that "the Senate must act quickly and send a bill to my desk for immediate signature."
The rush is not exaggerated. As long as the legislative process is not concluded, the opposing unions can move forward with their plans. In fact, it is feared that rail transport activity will begin to be reduced before the new rules go into effect in preparation for the strike.
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