House Moves to Avert a Rail Strike

The House moved toward approving legislation on Wednesday to avert a nationwide rail strike by imposing a labor agreement between rail companies and their workers, as lawmakers rushed to shield the economy from the threat of a holiday-season work stoppage and prevent a disruption in shipping across the country.

Acting quickly the day after President Biden made a personal appeal at the White House, the House opened debate on a bill that would force the rail companies and employees to abide by a tentative agreement that the Biden administration helped broker earlier this year, which increased pay and set more flexible schedules for workers. But with liberal Democrats threatening to withhold their votes unless the legislation granted paid leave, a key demand of workers that was omitted from that agreement, lawmakers were also considering a separate measure to add seven days of compensated sick time to the compact.

Multiple unions have balked at the tentative agreement because of the lack of paid family or medical leave, which workers have insisted is vital to help counter the toll of unpredictable schedules.