US Railway Strike Threatening – Southeast AgNET | So Good News

Reports say a U.S. railroad strike is imminent after the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen union voted last week against ratifying the national tentative agreement reached on Sept. 15.

Just over 60% of their voting members voted not to approve. BRS negotiated this round of negotiations as a member of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) and later the United Rail Unions*, which eventually included all rail unions with members under national management. Together, the coalitions represented over 115,000 railway workers. BRS was one of the last three unions at the negotiating table.

BRS represents more than 6,000 members who are affected by the negotiations. Union president Michael Baldwin said in a statement that it was the first time he could recall BRS members voting not to ratify a national agreement, and with the highest turnout in BRS history.

Railroads have estimated that a strike could cost the economy as much as $2 billion per day. A strike can start as early as November 19.

Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s program here.

Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.

Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and public speaker specializing in agriculture. She is a native of California’s agricultural Central Valley.

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