Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Thursday announced that the Senate will vote on a bill to avoid a railroad strike, as well as a House measure giving seven days of paid sick leave to rail workers and an amendment for a cooling-off period between labor and management.
Schumer, D-N.Y., made the announcement after negotiations between Republicans and Democrats who aimed to avoid a strike that could be highly costly to the economy.
“We will have three votes. First on the Sullivan resolution, just delaying everything for 60 days,” Schumer told reporters after announcing the votes on the floor. “Then on the seven-day sick day addition, and then on the concurrent resolution final passage.”
Schumer added: “I am very glad that the two sides got together to avoid a shutdown which would have been devastating for the American people, for the American economy, and so many workers across the country.”
The final agreement that the Senate would pass in the form of the concurrent resolution, which has already been approved by eight transportation unions, would grant workers three unpaid sick days as long as the employers were provided with at least 30 days’ notice before the time was taken. The House passed that measure Wednesday.
Four transportation unions, compromising nearly 100,000 rail workers, say the deal is unfair and threatened a national strike unless the agreement is broadened. They are asking for seven additional days of paid sick leave, which the House passed separately Wednesday.