Arlington, VA – The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today commended the tentative deal reached between rail carriers and labor unions that has averted a strike that had the potential to devastate an economy already struggling with inflation.
“Averting a strike Friday morning was priority number one,” TFI President & CEO Corey Rosenbusch said. “We appreciate the hard work both sides put into reaching a tentative agreement that will in turn allow our industry to produce and move the fertilizers our farmers rely on to feed the world. The fertilizer industry also appreciates the focused attention of President Biden, Secretary Walsh, and the Administration to reach a resolution in a challenging situation.”
The tentative agreement still needs to be ratified by respective unions through a vote by rank-and-file rail workers. Ammonia shipments must also quickly resume as they have been embargoed since Monday. According to information from producers, most or all the ammonia embargoes have been lifted as of this morning.
“We are hopeful that union membership will vote to approve the tentative agreement to ensure freight rail in the U.S. continues to operate,” Rosenbusch concluded. “As we move forward, it is also essential that rail carriers hire and retain the appropriate employee staffing levels to support a strong economy. Staff reductions in recent years have dramatically hurt rail service and made the rail-labor contract negotiations more challenging.”
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