The threat of a national rail strike has state officials worried about the potential impact on North Carolina. Amtrak announced Wednesday it is suspending all long-distance routes beginning Thursday.
Passenger and freight traffic that runs on North Carolina rails are served by Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation, railway companies that will be affected if a strike is called.
The Biden administration is working with the two sides in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The railway companies have agreed to higher pay proposed in a plan put forth by a Presidential Emergency Board.
But all 12 railroad unions must agree to the plan, and two of them are also seeking better working conditions, including more predictable work hours.
A strike would shut down both passenger and freight lines across the state. That would halt service for travelers at the state’s 16 stations including Greensboro, High Point and Burlington.
Lauren Haviland, a spokeswoman for NCDOT’s rail division, says the agency estimates the rail network has an annual direct economic impact of almost two billion dollars.
"Freight and passenger rail networks contribute greatly to the economy and the supply chain and represent a critical transportation connection for North Carolinians,” she says. “Agency staff are closely monitoring the situation. We hope all parties can come to an agreement soon.”
The negotiations have been going on since 2019, and the railways and unions are under a federal cooling off period that currently prohibits a strike. It officially ends Friday.