From Politico: Freight rail strike averted, after frenzied negotiations

The national government steps in to stop a rail strike just before it happens - just before the holidays.

A question for us in class is what gives the national government the power to do so? My hunch is that the answer lies in the interstate commerce Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution. 

- Click here for the article.
The Senate voted Thursday to avert a freight rail strike just days before crucial drinking water, food and energy shipments were set to be sidelined, after hurried talks in both chambers of Congress and a visit to the Senate from two of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet secretaries — but a bipartisan push to add paid sick leave to the deal fell short.

Ultimately the Senate voted 80-15, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voting present, to pass a bill that would impose the terms of a contract negotiated among freight railroads and most of their unions in September. Four out of the 12 unions involved had been holding out for additional paid sick days, making a strike possible as soon as Dec. 9.

“I’m very glad that the two sides got together to avoid a shutdown which would be devastating for the American people, the American economy and so many workers across the country,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters, shortly after a luncheon meeting with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh concluded.

During the lunch, Walsh and Buttigieg emphasized that the only alternative to passing the rail contract was economic calamity, according to attendees.

On Monday, Biden endorsed moving a bill that would impose the contract minus the sick days, in what he said was the interests of avoiding a rail shutdown that could have sidelined crucial drinking water, food and energy supplies starting over the weekend.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow for organized labor, a core Democratic constituency — but one that Biden insisted was necessary, considering that negotiations among the parties had ground to a standstill. Biden is expected to sign the bill quickly.

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H.J.Res.100 - To provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees.