Hotline #726-A

Early this morning, the Machinists Union struck CSX. Within a few hours, the other big freight railroads, except Guilford and Soo Line, shut down in solidarity, clearly fearing the unions otherwise would resort to rolling strikes against different railroads.

As a result, the only Amtrak services running today are the Northeast Corridor -- but not the Montrealer -- and Chicago-Milwaukee -- but not the Empire Builder. Atlantic City trains are running unreserved. The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes' chief negotiator Jed Dodd said late last night his union would not strike Amtrak for at least the next 48 hours, raising the specter of a total Amtrak shutdown June 26 at 12:01 am. Amtrak is accepting reservations for the Night Owl starting with tonight's runs and for all long- and short-distance trains nationwide starting with runs that originate June 26.

Freight railroads clearly hope their lockout will produce the same back-to-work law that a nationwide strike would have produced. At today's House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, however, some Democrats seemed angry at the railroads for, as legislators said, transforming a regional problem into a national one. And Transportation Secretary Andrew Card -- who urged Congress to act -- seemingly didn't help matters by refusing to admit which lines were struck and which locked out.

The common wisdom is that Congress nevertheless will act to restore operations, but possibly not until June 26 or June 29.

Yesterday, Amtrak reached tentative agreements with three more unions -- the Dispatchers, Electricians, and Carmen. If these agreements are ratified, 82% of Amtrak's unionized workers would have new contracts.