U.S. House backs legislation to block rail strike

[December 01, 2022]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday backed a bill to block a potentially crippling rail strike, but the fate of a separate proposal by lawmakers to mandate paid sick time remains uncertain.

A GE AC4400CW diesel-electric locomotive in Union Pacific livery, is seen ahead of a possible strike if there is no deal with the rail worker unions, as a Metrolink commuter train (right) arrives at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 15, 2022. REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo

With voting ongoing, more than 250 members of the House that with 432 current members had voted in favor of imposing a tentative contract deal reached in September on a dozen unions representing 115,000 workers after President Joe Biden warned of the catastrophic impact of a rail stoppage that could begin as early as Dec. 9. A separate vote is planned later Wednesday on whether to require seven days of paid sick leave.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)

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