Chinanews.com, December 3rd reported comprehensively that U.S. President Biden signed legislation to prevent railroad workers from holding nationwide strikes on the 2nd local time.
It is the final step in resolving a long-running dispute between workers and a major freight railroad, and marks the first such intervention by the U.S. government in a railroad labor dispute in 30 years.
At the signing ceremony on the 2nd, Biden said: "I want to thank Congress - Democrats and Republicans - for acting so quickly. I know this is a difficult vote for members of both parties. Say yes. But it’s the right thing to do right now to save jobs, protect thousands of working families from harm and disruption, and keep supply chains afloat during the holiday season.”
Recently, the American railroad union and the railway management continue to negotiate on labor issues, because the four unions representing more than half of the railroad workers' union members are not satisfied with the agreement reached in September last year. paid sick leave benefits.
A catastrophic strike will ensue if negotiators fail to reach an agreement by the Dec. 9 deadline.
Biden has said he is unwilling to overturn the union's vote, but has stressed that the strikes would cause significant damage to the economy and called on Congress to step in.
He warned that supply chains would be severely disrupted by the strike, which could threaten the U.S. economy weeks before Christmas.
"If no action is taken this week, our automotive supply chain, our ability to get food to the table, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from refineries will all be disrupted," he said.
After Biden called, Congress quickly stepped in.
On November 30, a bill to avert a nationwide strike by railroad workers gained broad support in the House of Representatives.
The Senate moved quickly on Monday to pass the bill by a vote of 80 to 15, but rejected a measure introduced by the House that included seven days of paid sick leave for workers.
The bill was then handed over to Biden to be signed into law.
After Biden signs, the union will need to implement the labor contract reached through government mediation.
It is reported that if measured by the weight of goods and transportation distance, about 30% of the goods in the country are transported by rail.
As a result, strikes could cause widespread disruption to U.S. supply chains and the broader economy.
If the strike continues for an extended period, it could lead to widespread shortages and higher prices for goods including fuel and food.