The supply of corn, fuel and even drinking water is at risk… President Joe Biden is trying to avoid a rail freight strike that, in addition to a personal political failure, could derail the American economy. “The president is directly involved.” In this case, his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, refusing, however, to give details about this relationship.
In a country where about 28% of goods are transported by rail, according to official statistics of 2019, there will be paralysis. “Unacceptable because of the impact on jobs, households, farms, businesses and communities across this country.”– he said, calling on the social partners to negotiate “in good faith”.
If the deal fails by Dec. 9 or even Dec. 5, according to various stakeholders’ timelines, the world’s largest economy could face a strike that is likely to shut down nearly 7,000 freight trains and cost more than $2 billion a day. American Railroad Association. The large-scale social movement will affect many sectors and even the drinking water supply, as the chemicals used to treat sewage, among other things, are mostly transported by train.
The freight strike will also affect passenger services as some passenger trains run on lines owned by freight companies. This threat of a strike has its origins in a complex negotiation process involving 12 unions and their employers, and in which Joe Biden has put all his political weight. The threat of major social conflict had actually existed for months, and the White House had narrowly avoided a strike in September.
An agreement in principle is expected
The American president even welcomed social partners to his famous Oval Office on September 15 to welcome the signing of the agreement in principle, after hours of heated discussions, which were particularly focused on the issue of sick leave. He had even spoken to A “Victory to America”. During the victory speech in the Rose Garden of the White House. Is Joe Biden very happy? This agreement in principle, for which he took part of the credit, had yet to be ratified by the members of the unions in question, but 4 of the 12 organizations concerned have so far refused to do so.
There are still two weeks to reach an agreement with the employers, despite everything. If this were not the case, and even if one union went on strike, the others would follow suit. For Joe Biden, the situation is very delicate. The American president, a great supporter of rail transportation, who commuted by train between Washington and his family back in Delaware (northeast) when he was a senator, never misses an opportunity to assert his support for unions in general.
But it can’t afford to, at a time when US inflation is already on the rise and there are serious supply problems ahead of the holiday season. As the 79-year-old Democrat considers a 2024 presidential bid, the rail strike could jeopardize the political momentum he regained after Nov. 8 legislative elections that failed to turn into the hoped-for victory for the Republican opposition. Another possibility, which the White House doesn’t want to hear about right now, however, would be congressional intervention, which a 1926 law allows to prevent a railroad strike.
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.