U.S. railroads and unions reached a tentative deal early Thursday, a breakthrough that looks to avert a labor disruption that risked adding supply-chain strains to the world’s largest economy.
After 20 straight hours in the latest round of talks — which included President Joe Biden and other administration officials — the companies and union negotiators sealed a preliminary agreement balancing the needs of workers, businesses and the economy, the Labor Department said.
It was a “hard-fought, mutually beneficial deal,” it said in a statement. “Our rail system is integral to our supply chain, and a disruption would have had catastrophic impacts on industries, travelers and families across the country.”
