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Reid, Mica file resolutions to prevent freight rail strike
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) introduced resolutions in their respective chambers Thursday to prevent a potential strike by freight rail employees in the midst of the holiday shopping season.
A group of unions representing parts of the freight industry and an organization representing railroad companies have been negotiating on a potential deal to avert the strikes, but the talks appeared this week to have broken
down.
A panel created by President Obama set a Dec. 6 deadline for a deal, after which, the unions can strike if they choose.
At issue is a stalemate between several of the unions that represent parts of the freight rail industry and a group of railroad companies. Most of the unions agreed earlier this month to extend the “cooling-off period” for negotiations, but two of the 13 unions, the American Train Dispatchers Association and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, have not accepted the terms of the deal.
A third union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, agreed to the deal with the railroads, which are being represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference. The committee does not consider its acceptance valid without the agreement of the other two unions.
A Democratic Senate aide said that Reid was "confident we can get this resolved through working with the parties," while Mica's resolution said, "Congress, under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, has the authority and responsibility to ensure the uninterrupted operation of essential transportation services."
