Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, and Republican Leaders McConnell and McCarthy:
We write you today on a matter of grave urgency. Once again, the United States is facing the threat of a major rail strike between the major freight railroads and 12 labor unions, the second such time in less than three months. A stoppage of rail service for any duration would be extremely damaging to American families and our economy, costing $2 billion dollars per day.[1] As provided for under federal law and consistent with past practice, Congress must be prepared to intervene before the end of the current “status quo” period on December 9 to ensure continued rail service should railroads and four unions fail to reach a voluntary agreement. A strike by any one union would assuredly result in a stoppage of national rail service.
While the recent decision to have all four unions align the end of their “status quo” to December 9 is good, in reality the decision is hardly helpful. Many businesses and communities rely on regular, uninterrupted rail service. The uncertainty of rail service during this year’s protracted contract negotiations has created enormous anxiety.[2] In September, the mere possibility of a rail service stoppage created significant disruptions to the timely delivery of critical goods and products. The freight railroads must safely reduce operations and secure their customers’ goods days in advance of a potential strike, meaning businesses and communities saw interruptions in the delivery of fertilizers, chlorine, and other products essential to clean water, our food supply, and electricity generation. Many businesses will see the impacts of a national rail strike well before December 9 – through service disruptions and other impacts potentially as early as December 5.[3] The sooner this labor impasse ends, the better for our communities and our national economy.
A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy. A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season. Even a short-term rail strike would have enormous impacts. The American agricultural community could see disruptions in transporting 6,300 carloads of food and farm products that are carried by rail daily. It would also halt the delivery of key chemicals necessary to our communities including chlorine, which is necessary for effective water and wastewater treatment operations. In many cases, businesses and communities rely on regular rail service and may not have significant reserves, even in the event of a short-term strike.
No one wins when the railroads stop running. Congress recognized their necessity to interstate commerce and America’s economic health with the passage of the Railway Labor Act and past congressional interventions in rail labor disputes when other steps fail. Indeed, Congress has intervened 18 times since 1926 in labor negotiations that threaten interstate commerce and there is no reason why Congress should deviate from this record today. While a voluntary agreement with the four holdout unions is the best outcome, the risks to America’s economy and communities simply make a national rail strike unacceptable. Therefore, absent a voluntary agreement, we call on you to take immediate steps to prevent a national rail strike and the certain economic destruction that would follow.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Agribusiness Association of Iowa
AgriBusiness Association of Kentucky
Agricultural & Food Transporters Conference of ATA
Agricultural Retailers Association
Agriculture Transportation Coalition
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
Airforwarders Association
Alameda Chamber & Economic Alliance
Albany Area Chamber
Alliance for Automotive Innovation
Alliance of Wisconsin Retailers
Aluminum Association
American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)
American Association of Port Authorities
American Bakers Association
American Beverage Association
American Bridal and Prom Industry Association
American Building Materials Alliance (ABMA)
American Chemistry Council
American Coatings Association, Inc.
American Composites Manufacturers Association
American Cotton Producers
American Cotton Shippers Association
American Down and Feather Council
American Exploration & Production Council
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Forest & Paper Association
American Foundry Society
American Frozen Foods Institute
American Home Furnishings Alliance
American International Automobile Dealers Association
American Lighting Association
American Petroleum Institute
American Pyrotechnics Association
American Spice Trade Association
American Trucking Associations
Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce
Apache Junction Area Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Beverage Association
Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Arizona Trucking Association
Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants
Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Equipment Distributors
Associated General Contractors of America
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
Athens Area Chamber of Commerce
Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce
Auto Care Association
Autos Drive America
Beer Institute
Billings Chamber of Commerce
Blount County Chamber of Commerce
Border Trade Alliance
Brea Chamber of Commerce
Brick Industry Association
Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce
Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce
Burlington Chamber of Commerce
Business Council of Alabama
Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce
California Alfalfa and Forage Association
California Association of Wheat Growers
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association (CBPA)
California Business Roundtable
California Chamber of Commerce
California Farm Bureau
California Grain and Feed Association
California Retailers Association
California Seed Association
California Trucking Association
California Warehouse Association
Can Manufacturers Institute
Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
Carolina Feed Industry Association
Carson City Chamber of Commerce
CAWA - Representing the Automotive Parts Industry
Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce
Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce
Coalition of California Chambers Orange County
Coalition of New England Companies for Trade
Coastal Agricultural Supply, Inc.
Color Pigments Manufacturers Association
Colorado Motor Carriers Association
Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce
Columbia River Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Consumer Brands Association
Consumer Technology Association
Convenience Distribution Association
Corn Refiners Association
Corvallis Chamber of Commerce
Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce
Council for Responsible Nutrition
Council of Fashion Designers of America
Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
Covington Chamber of Commerce
CropLife America
Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of Northern California
Customs Brokers and International Freight Forwarders Association of Washington State
Danville Area Chamber of Commerce
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Donalsonville Seminole County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority of Seminole County
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
Effingham County Chamber of Commerce
El Paso Hispanic Chamber
Fashion and Accessories Shippers Association
Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association
Flexible Packaging Association
Florida Feed Association, Inc.
Florida Retail Federation
Florida Trucking Association
FMI - The Food Industry Association
Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association
Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA)
Forest Resources Association
Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce
Freight Rail Customer Alliance
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Fresno Chamber of Commerce
Gallup McKinley County Chamber of Commerce
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce
Gardner Chamber of Commerce
Gateway Chambers Alliance
Gemini Shippers Association
Georgia Beverage Association
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Georgia Motor Trucking Association
Gilbert Chamber of Commerce
Glass Packaging Institute
Glendale Chamber of Commerce
Glendora Chamber of Commerce
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Greater Bakersfield Chamber
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce
Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce
Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
Greater Gainesville Chamber
Greater Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce
Greater Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce
Greater North Dakota Chamber
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
Greater Ontario Business Council
Greater Phoenix Chamber
Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Shreveport Chamber
Greater Spokane Incorporated
Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce
Green Coffee Association, Inc.
Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce
Growth Energy
GWACC Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce
Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce
Harbor Trucking Association
Hardwood Federation
Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce
Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce
Health Industry Distributors Association
Henderson Chamber of Commerce
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
Home Fashion Products Association
Hospitality Minnesota
IAPD - The Performance Plastics Association
Idaho Trucking Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Motor Truck Association
Inland Empire Economic Partnership
Institute of Makers of Explosives
Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils
Intermodal Association of North America
International Association of Movers
International Bottled Water Association
International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
International Dairy Foods Association
International Foodservice Distributors Association
International Franchise Association
International Fresh Produce Association
International Housewares Association
International Wood Products Association
Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Iowa Motor Truck Association
IWLA (International Warehouse Logistics Association)
Jerome Chamber of Commerce
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association
Kansas Grain and Feed Association
Kansas Motor Carriers Association
Kentucky Grocers and Convenience Store Association
Kentucky Propane Gas Association
Kentucky Retail Federation
Kentucky Trucking Association
Leather and Hide Council of America
Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce
Little Rock Regional Chamber
Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Longview Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles County Business Federation
Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association
Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association
Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
Louisiana Chamber of Commerce
Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance
Maryland Chamber of Commerce
Maryland Motor Truck Association
Maryland Retailers Association
Mason City Chamber of Commerce
Meat Import Council of America
Mesa Chamber of Commerce
Metals Service Center Institute
Methanol Institute
Metro South Chamber of Commerce
Michigan Agri-Business Association
Michigan Chemistry Council
Michigan Retailers Association
Michigan Trucking Association
Minneapolis Regional Chamber
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
Minnesota Soybean Growers Association
Mississippi Economic Council - the State Chamber
Mississippi Retail & Grocers Association
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Missouri Retailers Association
Mobile Chamber
Montana Chamber of Commerce
Montana Retail Association
Montana Trucking Association
Moore County Chamber of Commerce
Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce
Motorcycle Industry Council
Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
National Association of Chemical Distributors
National Association of Egg Farmers
National Association of Flour Distributors (NAFD)
National Association of Home Builders
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Chicken Council
National Confectioners Association
National Cotton Council
National Cotton Ginners Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
National Fisheries Institute
National Grain and Feed Association
National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA)
National Industrial Transportation League
National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Mining Association
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Restaurant Association
National Retail Federation
National Sporting Goods Association
National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association
National Waste & Recycling Association
National Wooden Pallet & Container Association
Natural Products Association
NC Chamber
Nebraska Cooperative Council
Nebraska Trucking Association
Nevada Trucking Association
New Hampshire Retail Association
New Jersey Motor Truck Association
New Jersey Retail Merchants Association
New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce
New Mexico Chamber of Commerce
New York New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association
Nogales-Santa Cruz Chamber Commerce
North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM)
North American Association of Utility Distributors (NAAUD)
North American Home Furnishings Association
North American Meat Institute
North American Millers' Association
North American Renderers Association
North Bay Leadership Council
North Carolina Agribusiness Council, Inc
North Carolina Retail Merchants Association
North Country Chamber of Commerce
North Dakota Grain Growers Association
North Dakota Motor Carriers Association
Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Northwest Horticultural Council
Norwalk Chamber of Commerce
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce
Ohio AgriBusiness Association
Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Ohio Trucking Association
Orange County Business Council
Oregon Business & Industry
Oregon Trucking Association
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association
Pacific Egg and Poultry Association
Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association
Pacific Seed Association
Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
Pasco Chamber of Commerce
Payson Santaquin Area Chamber of Commerce
Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association (PTNPA)
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association
Pennsylvania Retailers' Association
Peoria Chamber of Commerce
Pet Advocacy Network
Phoenix Feeds and Nutrition
Plumbing Manufacturers International
Point of the Mountain Chamber of Commerce
Portland Cement Association
PRINTING United Alliance
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI)
Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce
Queens Chamber of Commerce
Rail Supply Institute
Railway Supply Institute
Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc
Railway Tie Association
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association
Renew Kansas Biofuels Association
Renewable Fuels Association
Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce
Renton Chamber of Commerce
Retail Association of Maine
Retail Council of New York State
Retail Industry Leaders Association
Retail Merchants of Hawaii
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
Rhode Island Trucking Association, Inc.
Riverton Chamber and Visitor's Center
Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce
RV Industry Association
Sacramento Metro Chamber
Salt Lake Chamber
San Diego Customs Brokers Association
San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
San Jose Chamber of Commerce
San Pedro Chamber of Commerce
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce
Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce
SC Timber Producers Association
SC Trucking Association
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce
Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce
Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce
Shippers Coalition
Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
SNAC International
Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association
South Carolina Retail Association
South Carolina Trucking Association
South Dakota Agri-Business Association
South Dakota Association of Cooperatives
South Dakota Soybean Association
South Kitsap Chamber of Commerce
South Salt Lake Chamber
South Valley Chamber of Commerce
Southeastern Grain & Feed Association
Southern California Leadership Council
Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
Specialty Equipment Market Association
Specialty Vehicle Institute of America
Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)
Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce
St. Charles Regional Chamber
St. George Area Chamber of Commerce
State Chamber of Oklahoma
Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce
Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute
Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc.
Tennessee Trucking Association
Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce
Texas Ag Industries Association
Texas Association of Business
Texas Business Leadership Council
Texas Grain and Feed Association
Texas Trucking Association
The Fertilizer Institute
The Sulphur Institute
The Toy Association
Thurston County Chamber
Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce
Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA)
Travel Goods Association
Trucking Association of Massachusetts
Trucking Association of New York
Tucson Metro Chamber
Tulsa Regional Chamber
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Durum Growers Association
U.S. Fashion Industry Association
United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce
United Dairymen of Arizona
USA Minority Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Valve Manufacturers Association
Vegas Chamber
Vermont Retail & Grocers Association
Vinyl Institute
Virginia Agribusiness Council
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Wake Forest Area Chamber
Washington Retail Association
Washington State Potato Commission
Washington State Tree Fruit Association
Washington Trucking Associations
West Valley Chamber of Commerce Alliance
West Ventura County Business Alliance
West Virginia Chamber of Commerce
White Pine Chamber of Commerce
Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
Window & Door Manufacturers Association
Wisconsin Bakers Association
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC)
Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association
WV Retailers Association
Wyoming State Chamber of Commerce
Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce
cc: Members of the United States Senate
cc: Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
[1] Association of American Railroads, “The Economic Impact of a Railroad Shutdown,” September 2022, https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AAR-Rail-Shutdown-Report-September-2022.pdf
[2] AP News, “Rail strike worry prompts businesses to seek WH intervention,” by Josh Funk, October 27, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b
[3] Association of American Railroads, “Railroad Suspension of Operations” November 2022, https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AAR-Railroad-Suspension-of-Operations-Fact-Sheet.pdf
