Biden said a tentative railroad labor agreement had been reached to avoid a strike.

RimPress— President Joe Biden believes that unions build the middle class, but he also knows that a railroad worker strike could hurt the economy ahead of the midterm elections.

This puts him in the awkward position of being a staunch supporter of the labor movement in Detroit, who supports the virtues of unions, while members of his administration are all in, keeping talks between railroads and union workers in Washington in hopes of avoiding a shutdown.

But after a long night, the talks were successful, with Biden announcing Thursday that the two sides had reached a tentative agreement to avoid a shutdown and union members would vote. In a statement, the Democratic president praised the deal, which avoided a government shutdown and was a victory for all parties.

These railroad workers will get better wages, better working conditions, and peace of mind to pay for their medical bills: all hard-earned Biden said. The agreement is also a victory for rail companies, who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be involved. The backbone of the U.S. economy for decades to come.

For the president a day earlier, it looked far more fragile.

United Auto Workers Local 598 member Ryan Bucharsky introduced Biden at the Detroit Auto Show Wednesday as the most union- and labor-friendly president in U.S. history, as well as a working-class kicker. Buchalski returns for key sit-in strike Auto workers in the 1930s.

In a speech that followed, Biden acknowledged that he would not be in the White House without the support of unions like the United Auto Workers and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, saying the auto workers brought me to the dance.

But back in Washington, his Labor Department administration officials are negotiating intensely to prevent a strike — one of the most powerful sources of leverage that unions must bring about change and better working conditions.

Without an agreement between the 12 unions, the shutdown could begin as early as Friday, which could halt the delivery of food and fuel at a cost of $2 billion a day.

The 115,000 unionized railroad workers are at risk for far more than sick leave and rising wages. The consequences could extend to control over Congress and the shipping network that keeps factories rolling on store shelves and stitches together America as an economic powerhouse.

That's why White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said Wednesday as Air Force One flew to Detroit that the railroad workers' strike was an unacceptable outcome for our economy and the American people. Rail lines and their workers' representatives need to stay Bargain in good faith to resolve outstanding issues and reach an agreement, she said.

Biden faced the same dilemma that Theodore Roosevelt faced with coal in 1902 and Harry Truman with steel in 1952 - how do you balance the demands of labor and business when doing what is best for the country? Railroads were so important during World War I that Woodrow Wilson temporarily Nationalize the industry to keep goods flowing and prevent strikes.

Inside the White House, there is no conflict between Biden's love of unions and his desire to avoid a strike. Union activity has surged under Biden, with petitions to the National Labor Relations Board for union representation up 56 percent so far this fiscal year.

A source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the White House deliberations on the matter said that Biden had the mindset when he debated that he was the president of the entire country, not just organized labor.

With the economy still recovering from supply chain disruptions from the pandemic, the president's goal is for all parties to finally reach a deal. The White House believes that a commitment to good faith talks is the best way to avoid a shutdown during a workout, the person said. The principle of collective bargaining that Biden holds dear.

Biden also knows that the shutdown could exacerbate a dynamic that has led to soaring inflation and create political headaches for the ruling party.

Eddie Vale, a Democratic political adviser and former AFL-CIO communications assistant, said the White House did the right thing at a perilous time.

No one wants a railroad strike, not companies, not workers, not the White House, he said. No one expected it to be this close to the election.

Vale added that the crux of the talks was basically about respect — Biden has championed the issue of sick and bereavement leave in his speech and in his policy proposals.

Sensing a political opportunity Senate Republicans moved Wednesday to pass a law imposing contract terms on unions and railroads to avoid shutdowns. Democrats, who control both houses of Congress, blocked it.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky said that if a strike occurs and paralyzes food, fertilizer and energy shipments across the country, it will be because Democrats block the bill.

The economic fallout from a potential strike did not affect members of the Business Roundtable, a Washington-based group that represents CEOs. It released its quarterly economic outlook on Wednesday.

Since the start of the pandemic, we have been experiencing many headwinds of supply chain issues that will be geometrically amplified, the group's chief executive Josh Bolten told reporters. Manufacturing plants across the country may have to close. ... Have A key product to keep water clean.

The roundtable also convened a board meeting on Wednesday. But Bolten said Lance Fritz, chairman of the board's international committee and chief executive of Union Pacific Railroad, will miss the meeting as he grapples with the strike.

Back at the Labor Department, negotiators ordered Italian food, and negotiations dragged on until Wednesday night, when the White House announced the deal at 5:5 a.m. Thursday.