As the U.S. House of Representatives moves to vote on passing legislation to address the ongoing rail labor strike, RSI President Patty Long sent a letter to all House and Senate Members urging immediate action to avoid a rail shutdown.
“Despite more than a week until the cooling off period ends on December 9, Congress must step in now to help,” said Long. “RSI agrees with recent statements by the Administration and other Congressional leaders that passing immediate legislation to adopt the Tentative Agreement between railroad workers and operators is necessary to avoid what would decidedly be a catastrophic rail shutdown.”
A rail work stoppage would cost an estimated $2 billion per day and could begin as early as 12:01 AM ET on December 9.
“Congress must act swiftly and decisively in order to pass these agreements, created in large part due to the Administration’s help and as ratified by eight of twelve unions,” added Long. “We support Speaker Pelosi’s call for a vote in the House this week and urge the Senate to follow suit.”
About the Railway Supply Institute (RSI)
The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) is dedicated to advancing safety, innovation, technology, and sustainability within the freight and passenger railway supplier industry, both in North America and global markets. As the voice of the industry, RSI strategically engages in critical and urgent industry matters by leveraging the technical expertise of our members to advocate in the legislative and regulatory arenas, foster education, host impactful events, and facilitate networking opportunities. For more information visit www.rsiweb.org, follow RSI on Twitter and LinkedIn