On Monday, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) announced that the majority of its members rejected a tentative agreement with the nation’s freight carriers, putting the threat of a national railroad strike back on the table. But the union said the earliest a strike could happen would be November 19, a week and a half after the midterm elections on November 8.
With 23,000 members, BWME is the third largest major freight railroad union. The two largest unions are conducting their own rank-and-file vote by mail, while numerous smaller unions have already approved their tentative deals.
In a statement shared with Newsweek, the White House said the new timeline ensures that “our economy is under no immediate threat.” A strike could have far-reaching consequences, further straining supply chains, impacting more than 1 million jobs tied to railroads as well as adding to the economic concerns of everyday Americans—a key voting issue for both Democrats and Republicans this year.
“The union in question and the railroad employers have agreed to a cooling off period that extends well into November, giving them adequate time to continue their work and ensuring that our economy is under no immediate threat,” White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said.
“The President remains focused on avoiding a rail shutdown, and both sides have said they share that desire,” Patterson added. “We stand ready to support the parties in their efforts, and continue to urge both sides to finish their work and avoid even the threat of a shutdown in the future.”
Last month, Biden negotiated a deal between unions and freight rail companies following a 20-hour bargaining session in what was seen as a big political win for the Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.
The deal had offered an immediate 14 percent raise with back pay dating to 2020 and raises totaling 24 percent in the five years of the deal. But, union workers did not feel that the contracts addressed efforts to increase time off and sick leave, BMWED President Tony Cardwell said.
Railroad workers have faced staffing shortages that have required crew members to be on call seven days a week and ready to go into work at short notice
In Monday’s statement, Cardwell said union workers don’t feel valued by their employers.
“They resent the fact that management holds no regard for their quality of life, illustrated by their stubborn reluctance to provide a higher quantity of paid time off, especially for sickness,” he said.
