Extension failure on “cooling off” period, House ready to act to avoid freight strike

The nation's freight railroads have not reached agreements with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the American Train Dispatchers Association to extend the current "cooling-off" period. The railroads' proposed extension, which a third union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, accepted, was contingent upon the acceptance by all three unions. In the absence of a settlement, the "cooling-off" period will expire at the end of the day December 5, after which the railroads may lock out employees represented by unions with unresolved disputes and those unions also would be free to strike. "The railroads have made and will continue to make every effort to reach agreements with the remaining three unions. During the busiest shipping and travel period of the year, a nationwide disruption of rail service would deal a crushing blow to our nation's economy," said Kenneth Gradia, chairman of the National Carriers' Conference Committee, the railroads' bargaining representative. The freight railroads have reached settlements with 10 of the 13 rail unions covering more than 60 percent of the 132,000 employees in the current round of bargaining. "We urge the remaining unions to reach agreements with the railroads before December 6," Gradia added. BLET National President Dennis Pierce said, "At this point, an extension would not serve either BLET members or the bargaining process in which we are engaged. If an agreement is to be reached, it is now, not some time down the road. Bargaining is at a point where an extension simply will not affect the outcome for BLET members."

 House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) issued the following statement: "We are following with concern the situation involving our nation's railways and we are troubled by the possibility of a national railway strike that would jeopardize American jobs and cost our nation's economy an estimated $2 billion per day. While our hope is that the parties involved will find common ground and resolve the situation without congressional involvement, the House is prepared to take legislative action in the days ahead to avert a job-destroying shutdown of our nation's railroads, in the event such legislation proves necessary. A shutdown of our nation's railways, which would harm our economy and endanger many American jobs, is unacceptable. We are confident President Obama and the leaders of the Senate agree