September 15, 2022
We have a deal to avoid that catastrophic freight rail strike… but there’s one more step before this is over.
This morning the White House announced that after about 20 hours of intense negotiations between the rail workers and the rail carriers moderated by the US Labor Secretary – they had come to a verbal agreement.
The deal includes
Time away for medical visits with no penalty, voluntary assigned days off and one additional paid day off, no disruptions to current health care plans, an immediate wage increase of 14% and 24% over the next 5 years and annual lump sum bonuses.
As I said at the beginning – this isn’t over. Now, negotiators will have to take this deal back to the union workers for a vote. Union negotiators said they wouldn’t have made the deal if they didn’t think it would pass…but you never know.
Joint statement from the unions about the deal here.
Statement from the White House about the deal here.
