Pete Buttigieg Sounds Alarm Over Catastrophic Effect the Looming Rail Strike Would Have on US Economy

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg explained the Biden administration is trying to head off a possible rail worker strike that would have serious economic repercussions for the country.

NewsNation previewed an interview Buttigieg gave to Leland Vittert, who asked him if the administration would support workers as their union negotiations with rail managers remain on the rocks.

“Well, look, our goal right now is to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Buttigieg answered. “And we’re urging the parties to get to the table and to do whatever it takes to prevent a shutdown. A shutdown is a scenario that is not acceptable. We got through the worst of the days in terms of the shipping backlogs. We’ve made headway on trucking. But if we don’t have a healthy, functioning strong rail system…”

“Can the American economy deal with it if it happens?” Vittert followed up.

“It would not be good,” Buttigieg answered.

“Catastrophic?” Vittert asked.

“We don’t have enough trucks or barges or ships in this country to make up for the rail network,” said Buttigieg.

The comments from Buttigieg come while the business sector remains on edge as the country’s biggest railroad labor unions have threatened to go on strike in December. This possibility stems from how conductors and other workers with the unions have rejected a tentative agreement with freight railroad management while they demand renegotiated contracts with worker benefits.

If the strike happens in December, the result would be a massive disruption to transportation, along with a slowdown in the national supply chain. The Associated Press explained how the strike could impact multiple key areas of the economy, leading to shortages and job losses while costing the economy about $2 billion per day.

Watch above via NewsNation.