U.S. Rail Negotiations Update and Business Continuity Planning
On Friday, December 9th at 12:01 am EST will mark the end of a cooling off period between the U.S. Rail operators and Union members.
Stockwell International would like clients to be aware of a potential strike following the end of the cooling of period.
Of the 12 unions that have participated in negotiations, eight have approved contracts while four unions representing 60,000 rail workers have voted down the tentative agreement that had been negotiated in September with the participation of a White House appointed mediation panel.
Clients can expect reduced allocations and embargos for hazardous and reefer cargo as a safety precaution. If a strike ensues, there would be no train movement in the rail network as early as 12:01 am on December 9th. This would include the shutdown of all cross-border rail activity in either direction between the U.S. and Canada. Most rail ramps will remain open for import pickup, though there may be significant congestion and limited cargo access.
Stockwell International will continue to keep clients updated with any changes or delays that may occur.
For further information or questions contact [email protected].
