railroad News Updates

A coalition of 322 organizations that relies on the nation’s Class I freight railroads wrote a letter to President Joe Biden Oct. 27, urging the White House and administration officials to continue to seek a settlement in the increasingly bitter contract dispute that could result in a nationwide rail strike in November or December and could cause extensive damage to the U.S. economy.

A second railroad union rejected its deal with the major U.S. freight railroads on Oct. 26, reflecting workers’ increasing frustration with the lack of paid sick time in the industry and adding to concerns about the possibility of a strike next month that could cripple the economy.

OMAHA, Neb. — The U.S.’s third-largest railroad union rejected a deal with employers Oct. 10, renewing the possibility of a strike that could cripple the economy. Both sides will return to the bargaining table before that happens.

The threat of a nationwide strike by railroad workers that could have shut down the nation’s freight trains exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain that could have proved devastating to the economy.

Major ports and rail facilities across the U.S. Southeast have halted operations as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the country advances as a tropical storm, causing disruptions along the way and resulting in another blow for already strained supply chains.

OMAHA, Neb. — A union that rejected its deal with the nation’s freight railroads earlier this month now has a new tentative agreement, but officials cautioned that the contract dispute won’t be fully settled until all 12 rail unions approve their agreements this fall.

OMAHA, Neb. — A last-minute deal prevented a railroad strike for now, but many rail workers remain unhappy with working conditions, including some who protested outside their workplaces Sept. 21 ahead of votes to approve the new contracts.

CHICAGO — White House Supply Chain Envoy Stephen Lyons said Sept. 20 he believes the recently negotiated tentative agreement between the five Class I railroads and unions — representing 150,000 railroad locomotive engineers, conductors and railroad workers — will be ratified.

The announcement of a tentative rail labor agreement was viewed as a positive sign by senior policymakers on Capitol Hill on Sept. 15.

The looming U.S. rail strike threatens to push inflation even higher across the country after prices jumped more than expected last month.