WASHINGTON: A jubilant President Joe Biden announced a tentative deal on Thursday to avoid a crippling strike by railroad unions following all-night talks as the clock ran down on threats to disrupt US supply chains in the run-up to midterm elections.
At a hastily organised celebration in the Rose Garden, Biden called the agreement"a big win for America" and said the"dignity" of railroad workers had been honoured. Biden, in his initial statement, said"the hard work done to reach this tentative agreement means that our economy can avert the significant damage any shutdown would have brought."
Major freight carrier Union Pacific said it"looks forward to the unions ratifying these agreements and working with employees as we focus on restoring supply chain fluidity".In the West Wing, exhausted staffers recounted an all-nighter which saw cabinet secretaries huddle with union leaders and rail executives at the Labor Department building.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg made calls"throughout the day and night" and at 2am, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh"called the White House and said it looks like a deal is coming together," the official said. Farmers and retailers had warned that a strike would hit US supply chains already battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.