Thursday, December 1, the US Senate adopted by a very large majority – 80 to 15 – a text imposing a branch agreement negotiated and pre-approved in September, but which several power plants had not ultimately signed.
In the United States, a third of goods travel by rail. The strike would have stopped 7,000 trains and cost nearly 2 billion euros per day, according to employers’ organizations. The forced passage brought together a large majority of Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
This vote ” saves the country from a Christmas disaster “, declared the American president, who also feared the political impact of a paralysis of the rail in a context of inflation and economic slowdown. Joe Biden, a staunch railroad supporter who promised to be the most union-friendly president, said ” regret having to ignore » joint bargaining and has undertaken to continue to work for certain measures favorable to employees, in particular sick leave.
The branch agreement now allows employees to be absent for medical reasons without being penalized, but still without pay. The left of the Democratic Party denounces the rejection of paid sick leave up to a maximum of seven days a year.
The text, on the other hand, provides for a salary increase of 24% over five years, an exceptional bonus, as well as an additional day of annual leave. Its adoption renders the planned strike illegal.
► To read also: United States: “agreement in principle reached” to avoid a rail transport strike