(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — American industry is preparing for a possible railroad strike early next month.
Four of 12 unions that represent employees of the major freight railroads have rejected the contract offer that was brokered by the White House in September 2022.
The four holdouts have set a strike date of Dec. 9. While both sides continue to talk, manufacturers are making plans to move their goods in the event trains are idled next month.
DePaul University Transportation Professor Joe Schwieterman told the WBBM Noon Business Hour that a rail strike should not impact holiday shopping. That’s fortunate, he said, because he doubts the trucking industry could pick up the slack.
"I think we're all right on the Christmas retail season, and that's a bit of relief,” Schwieterman said. “I think the difficult part is that the truck driver shortages have gotten a little worse in the past few weeks.”
The last railroad strike was in 1992. It lasted two days.
Related
Related
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!