Biden says his administration is engaged in talks to avert railroad strike By Reuters

By Nandita Bose

NANTUCKET, Mass. (Reuters) -President Joe Biden mentioned on Thursday that his administration was concerned in negotiations to avert a looming U.S. railroad strike that might shut down provide chains throughout the nation however added that he has circuitously engaged on the matter but.

Chatting with reporters exterior a hearth station on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, throughout a Thanksgiving vacation go to, Biden declined to offer particulars on how the talks have been going as a result of it was “the center of negotiations.”

“My crew has been in contact with all of the events, and in (a) room with the events and I’ve circuitously engaged but as a result of they’re nonetheless speaking,” Biden mentioned.

Greater than 300 teams, together with the Nationwide Retail Federation and the Nationwide Affiliation of Producers, urged Biden final month to become involved to assist keep away from a strike that might idle shipments of meals and gas whereas inflicting billions of {dollars} of harm to an already struggling nationwide economic system.

Earlier this week, a number of of those teams renewed requires Biden and Congress to swiftly intervene to forestall a strike or employer lockout forward of the vacation season.

A rail site visitors stoppage might freeze virtually 30% of U.S. cargo shipments by weight, stoke inflation and value the American economic system as a lot as $2 billion per day by unleashing a cascade of transport woes affecting U.S. vitality, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and retail sectors.

On Monday, staff on the largest U.S. rail union voted towards a tentative contract deal reached in September, elevating the potential for a year-end strike.

Labor unions have criticized the railroads’ sick depart and attendance insurance policies and the shortage of paid sick days for short-term sickness. There aren’t any paid sick days underneath the tentative deal. Unions requested for 15 paid sick days and the railroads settled on one private day.

The Biden administration helped avert a service cutoff by internet hosting last-minute contract talks in September that led to the tentative contract deal.