Reports are saying a U.S. railway strike is imminent after the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen union voted last week against ratification of the National Tentative Agreement reached on September 15.
Just over 60% of their voting members voted not to approve. The BRS negotiated this round of bargaining as a member of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) and later the United Rail Unions*, which eventually comprised all rail unions with members under National handling. Collectively, the coalitions represented over 115,000 rail workers. The BRS was one of the last three unions at the bargaining table.
The BRS represents more than 6,000 members affected by the negotiations. Union President Michael Baldwin said in a statement, it was the first time he could remember the BRS members voted not to ratify a National Agreement, and with the highest participation rate in BRS history.
Railroads have estimated a strike could cost the economy as much as $2 billion per day. A strike could start as soon as November 19.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.