Senate Approves Legislation to Avoid Rail Strike
The U.S. Senate on Dec. 1 approved legislation aimed at heading off a nationwide rail strike, a day after the House passed the measure.
Senators voted 80–15 to pass the bill, which would impose a tentative agreement on rail workers and prohibit a potentially costly strike. Congress is allowed to take such action under the Railway Labor Act; it last took action to prevent a shutdown in 1994.
President Joe Biden has said he will sign the bill.
A dozen unions representing more than 100,000 workers hammered out the agreement in the fall, but four of the unions later voted against ratifying it.
Workers had been preparing to strike on Dec. 9 absent the legislation or a new deal being reached….