OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Railroad unions on Tuesday decried President Joe Biden's call for Congress to intervene in their contract dispute, saying it undercuts their efforts to address workers' quality of life concerns, but businesses stressed that it is crucial to avoid a strike next week that would devastate the economy.
Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that lawmakers will be asked to vote Wednesday to impose the terms of the deals the 12 unions agreed to before an original strike deadline in September, even though four of those unions representing more than half of the 115,000 rail workers rejected them. Eight other unions ratified the five-year deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.
Biden said he reluctantly agreed that it would be best to override the union votes because the potential damage to the economy would be too great.
