Biden Administration To Continue High Level Talks To Avert Rail Strike

A White House official has confirmed that the White House will continue high-level negotiations with union leaders to avert a planned rail strike on Friday.

• President Biden personally spoke with union leaders yesterday in a bid to negotiate an end to the dispute which has the potential to further disrupt fragile supply chains.
• Rail accounts for approximately forty percent of long-distance freight, more than any other mode of transportation.
• A nationwide strike could be disastrous for the administration with less than a month until midterm elections.
• Politico: “The president has finally had a couple of big wins recently — the Inflation Reduction Act passed, gas prices are going down, infrastructure dollars are hitting the street — but all those gains could be eclipsed if the railroads shut down and the supply chain collapses.”
• Steven Portnoy at CBS: "A strike or lockout could affect passenger rail service (MARC, VRE) as well as freight rail, since so many commuter railroads run on freight rail lines. The trade association for railroads says a work stoppage could cost the US economy $2 billion/day."