WASHINGTON, DC – Early this morning, major railroads and their labor unions reached a tentative agreement on labor negotiations that had been ongoing for more than three years, averting a nationwide railroad shutdown.
The tentative agreement came less than 24 hours before the end of the deadline as set forth by Presidential Emergency Board No. 250, a group of arbitrators established by President Joe Biden earlier this year to help the groups find resolve.
USA Rice
joined agriculture and other trade associations over the past week calling for federal action should the sides have failed to reach an agreement by the deadline.
“As an integral part of the U.S. rice industry’s supply chain, rail shipping is vital to our industry to ensure that rice and rice products continue moving,” said Keith Glover, an Arkansas rice miller and immediate past chair of the USA Rice Millers’ Association. “We appreciate these parties reaching agreement and averting what would have been a disastrous nationwide railroad shutdown.”
Glover added: “It is our hope now that rail shipping conditions, which have been very disappointing and challenging for our industry the past few years, improve given an agreement was reached and we can return our focus to advocating for fair and reliable rail service.”