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US rail unions threaten strike, may prompt employer lockout
来源：shippingazette 编辑：编辑部 发布：2022/11/25 09:13:48
THE two big US rail unions representing conductors and drivers are split in ratification votes, and now threaten strike or prompt a lockout, reports Reuters.
A rail shutdown could freeze almost 30 per cent of US freight by weight and cost the American economy as much as US$2 billion per day.
The US Chamber of Commerce said Congress should intervene, warning it would be catastrophic for the economy. General Motors has said a halt would force it to stop production of some trucks within about a day.
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) voted to accept the deal while members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) voted to reject it.
The vote could put pressure on Congress to intervene to prevent a strike or lockout ahead of the holiday season.
"The ball is now in the railroads¡¯ court. Let¡¯s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table," said a union official. "This can all be settled through negotiations and without a strike."
If there is a strike by any of the unions that voted against the deal, BLET and other rail unions that have ratified agreements have pledged to lawfully honour picket lines.
Business groups warn vital shipments of food and fuel may be stranded. Seven of the 12 unions involved in the talks previously approved the deal, while three previously have voted against it but agreed to extend a strike deadline until early December.
Beginning on December 9, the SMART-TD union would be allowed to go on strike or the rail carriers would be permitted to lock out workers - unless Congress intervenes with back-to-work legislation.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last month "any shutdown would be completely unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the parties involved to resolve this issue."
A rail shutdown could freeze almost 30 per cent of US freight by weight and cost the American economy as much as US$2 billion per day.
The US Chamber of Commerce said Congress should intervene, warning it would be catastrophic for the economy. General Motors has said a halt would force it to stop production of some trucks within about a day.
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) voted to accept the deal while members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) voted to reject it.
The vote could put pressure on Congress to intervene to prevent a strike or lockout ahead of the holiday season.
"The ball is now in the railroads¡¯ court. Let¡¯s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table," said a union official. "This can all be settled through negotiations and without a strike."
If there is a strike by any of the unions that voted against the deal, BLET and other rail unions that have ratified agreements have pledged to lawfully honour picket lines.
Business groups warn vital shipments of food and fuel may be stranded. Seven of the 12 unions involved in the talks previously approved the deal, while three previously have voted against it but agreed to extend a strike deadline until early December.
Beginning on December 9, the SMART-TD union would be allowed to go on strike or the rail carriers would be permitted to lock out workers - unless Congress intervenes with back-to-work legislation.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last month "any shutdown would be completely unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the parties involved to resolve this issue."