What would happen if the railroads strike?

Agricultural groups say that even a brief strike would interrupt shipment of feed to livestock and to poultry producers, which could increase the price of meat. Likewise, many building supplies are shipped via train, ranging from lumber to cement, so there could be shortages of these materials at home supply stores.



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A potential strike could lead to $2 billion a day in lost economic output, according to the Association of American Railroads, which lobbies on behalf of rail companies. Freight railroads are responsible for carrying 40% of the nation's long-haul freight and a work stoppage could jeopardize these shipments.

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Another recent report put together by a chemical industry trade group projected that if a strike drags on for a month some 700,000 jobs would be lost as manufacturers who rely on railroads shut down, prices of nearly everything would increase even more and the economy could be thrust into a recession.

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The railroads estimated that a rail strike would cost the economy $2 billion a day in a report issued earlier this fall.

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The nation's supply of food could take a hit if railroad workers go on strike, driving up prices at the grocery store and limiting U.S. grain exports to countries facing famine.

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When was the last rail strike in the United States? The last industry strike took place in 1992, when railroad workers with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers walked off the job.

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Supply Squeezes If railroad workers went on strike, drayage freight truckers would lack the necessary equipment to handle the supply capacity of a freight train. With less space to transport goods via trucks, it would take longer to move the same amount of product.

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The rail workers wanted seven annual paid sick days, which would cost the railroads an estimated $321 million annually–less than 2% of their annual profit. But the railroads balked at this demand, despite posting record profits of $21.2 billion in the first three quarters of 2022 alone.

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PUBLISHED: December 12, 2022 at 4:28 p.m. | UPDATED: December 12, 2022 at 4:29 p.m. The Great Railroad Strike of 1922 holds an infamous place in history as one of the largest nationwide work stoppages, and one of America's most violent labor strikes.

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President Joe Biden on Friday signed legislation to bring to a close any threat of a rail strike by enshrining into statute a contract between labor unions and the freight rail industry.

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With each strike day, late services the night before and early services the next day may also be affected. If you plan to travel the day before or after a strike, we recommend you check your entire journey before you travel.

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Railway services, airport staff, train drivers, universities, and junior doctors are all set to go on strike during the month of September. The set of strikes comes shortly after RMT and ASLEF train strikes, junior doctors and airport ground workers went on strike in August.

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Only the nation's freight rail lines face a pending strike, but commuters would likely be affected, too. Many commuter trains travel on tracks maintained and operated by the freight railroads and passenger railroads expect they'll have to shut down their operations once the freight strike starts.

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