Updated: July 15, 3:30 p.m. EST
By Justin Franz
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden established an emergency board on Friday to prevent a nationwide railroad strike on Monday.
This week, members of the SMART Transportation Division and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen voted overwhelmingly to walk off the job Monday morning, when a 30-day cooling-off period ended between the unions and the coalition of freight railroads (which inclides the five U.S. Class Is, plus Canadian National operations in the U.S.) trying to forge a new national contract. Union officials say the railroads have failed to make an offer that meets their members’ needs and that they are ready to take dramatic action.
The establishment of the board will prevent a strike for at least two months. During that time, the emergency board will come up with non-binding suggestions in hopes of helping the unions and the railroads find common ground. The two sides have been negotiating for three years and earlier this summer the National Mediation Board announced that talks had fallen apart.
With the establishment of an emergency board, the unions won’t be able to strike and the railroads wouldn’t be able to lock employees out for at least two months. During that time, recommendations would be made but if those don’t work, strikes or lockouts could occur in September. If that happens, it’s very likely that Congress would get involved.