They held off until after the midterms, but this Biden disaster couldn't be kept from happening forever.
The rumblings of a possible rail strike that would cripple the US economy have been going on beneath the surface for months, and in a move to appease rail union workers, the White House brokered a plan.
However, the largest rail union in the nation just rejected the offer, so the possibility of a rail strike is now one step closer to reality.
Here's what ABC is reporting:
The nation's largest rail union on Monday voted down a tentative contract brokered by the White House, raising the possibility of a nationwide strike next month that could cripple the U.S. economy.
The SMART Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, which represents about 28,000 conductors, rejected the contract in a vote that garnered record turnout, the union said Monday. The contract was nixed by a slim margin, as just 50.8% of workers voted against it.
The second-largest rail union, made up of engineers, voted in favor of the contract on Monday, splitting the top rail unions, which represent roughly half of the industry's workers.
This is a disaster and the Biden administration hasn't been able to do anything to thwart it.
These are the two largest unions, but the next largest also rejected the White House deal.
The results arrive roughly a month after the nation's third-largest rail union rejected the White House-brokered contract.
A nationwide strike is expected next month unless the contract is ratified by each of the 11 rail unions, since all of the unions have vowed not to cross the picket line in the event of a work stoppage. So far, four unions have ratified the agreement.
The country cannot afford a rail strike at this time. It's simply untenable.
Inflation is skyrocketing, heating costs and fuel costs are through the roof, people can't afford a Thanksgiving meal, and now, just in time for the holidays, railroads across the nation are coming to a halt.
The National Carriers' Conference Committee, or NCCC, the group representing the freight railroad companies, said in a statement that the risk of a nationwide strike next month will require the companies to start taking steps to prepare for the disruption.
"A national rail strike would severely impact the economy and the public," the NCCC said. "Now, the continued, near-term threat of one will require that freight railroads and passenger carriers soon begin to take responsible steps to safely secure the network in advance of any deadline..."
A potential strike could lead to $2 billion a day in lost economic output, according to the Association of American Railroads, which lobbies on behalf of railway companies.
Rail is critical to the entire goods side of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, retail and warehousing. Freight railroads are responsible for transporting 40% of the nation's long-haul freight and a work stoppage could endanger those shipments.
