White House reaches tentative agreement to avert national rail strike that threatened the economy
Negotiators had until Friday at 12:01 a.m. to reach a deal to avoid a major impact to the economy.
A Department of Labor official confirmed that a deal “that balances the needs of workers, businesses, and our nation’s economy” was reached early Thursday morning after 20 consecutive hours of negotiations between rail companies and union negotiators. “Secretary Walsh and the Biden administration applaud all parties for reaching this hard-fought, mutually beneficial deal,” a labor official said. “Our rail system is integral to our supply chain, and a disruption would have had catastrophic impacts on industries, travelers and families across the country.
Biden faced pressure in recent days to ensure the strike was avoided while not undercutting the union workers who he vowed to defend as president. White House aides had prepared contingency plans aimed at protecting the nation‘s drinking and energy systems in case of an emergency.