Dramatic Rail Storyline Emphasizes Supply Chain Vulnerability

Dramatic Rail Storyline Emphasizes Supply Chain Vulnerability

Haylie Shipp
Haylie Shipp
No railroad strike for now.

A tentative agreement announced Thursday looks likely to head off a strike that would have brought freight trains across the U.S. to a screeching halt. However, the entire storyline showcases with a glaring spotlight how fragile the nation’s supply chain really is.

In an interview with NPR, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that "Our supply chains are only as strong as our most congested link," adding that, “whether it's ships, trucks, warehouses or trains, all of these things need to be working well in order for our economy to thrive."

According to the New York Times, whether this tentative agreenebt ultimately prevents a strike remains to be seen. The deal is now in the hands union members for a ratification vote, which is a standard procedure in labor talks. While the vote is tallied, workers have agreed not to strike.

Secretary Buttigieg did help to negotiate the deal between the unions and the railroads. When prompted about how confident he was of the ratification, he told NPR that he believes the deal was reached in good faith and that everybody is invested in the process being successful.

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