Biden signs legislation to avert rail shutdown
Last edited Fri Dec 2, 2022, 01:18 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNN Politics
CNN — President Joe Biden on Friday signed legislation to avert a rail shutdown after congressional lawmakers raced to pass the measure amid concerns over the economic danger posed by a possible strike.
The House passed the tentative rail agreement on Wednesday, and the Senate passed the legislation on Thursday as pressure mounted on lawmakers to act swiftly.
Biden said in remarks ahead of the signing that the bill “ends a difficult rail dispute and helps our nation avoid what without a doubt would have been an economic catastrophe.” “Our nation’s rail system is literally the backbone of our supply chain,” Biden said. “A rail shutdown would have devastated our economy.”
Without congressional action, a rail strike could have become a reality as early as December 9, causing shortages, spiking prices and halting factory production. It could also have disrupted commuter rail services for up to seven million travelers a day and the transportation of 6,300 carloads of food and farm products a day, among other items, according to a collection of business groups. “Thanks to the bill Congress passed … we’ve spared the country that catastrophe,” Biden said.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/02/politics/biden-signs-legislation-avert-rail-shutdown/index.html
And as a reminder, the "fault" is the GOP in Congress who have consistently voted AGAINST such leave, and NOT "Democrats" who have voted FOR it or "President Biden" who still wants it, and not just for rail workers but for the 1/3rd of U.S. workers who don't have it - and that has to be legislated (like the minimum wage).
Article updated.
Original article -
Without congressional action, a rail strike could have become a reality as early as December 9, causing shortages, spiking prices and halting factory production. It could also have disrupted commuter rail services for up to seven million travelers a day and the transportation of 6,300 carloads of food and farm products a day, among other items, according to a collection of business groups.
One complication in the effort to pass a bill had been a push by progressives to add a provision to the agreement related to paid sick leave. And on Thursday, the Senate failed to pass the House-passed paid sick leave measure backed by progressives.
Biden defended his administration’s efforts to avert a rail strike on Thursday, despite criticism from union leaders that a deal brokered by the White House did not meet workers’ demands for paid leave. “I negotiated a contract no one else could negotiate – the only thing that was left out was whether or not there was a paid leave,” Biden told reporters in the White House East Room. “You know, I’ve been trying to get paid leave, not just rail workers, but for everybody.”
= new reply since forum marked as read
Since the odds of getting the incoming Congress to approve sick leave are about zero.
As for Biden, he sits in the seat so he gets the heat- whether or not it is fair.
however like federal government employees, Congress legislated that certain functions could not strike. 
Because Congress passed that law that you admit that you didn't "memorize" that allows for and pretty much requires intervention to stave off a strike (just like federal workers can't strike) in order to maintain interstate commerce.
1926 Railway Labor Act
Codified Regulations - 45 USC Ch. 8: RAILWAY LABOR
Congress can create legislation that impacts labor law at any time they want but it's a matter of getting the votes to actually bring it to fruition.
ETA - here is a good article about this - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/why-congress-is-intervening-in-a-labor-dispute-between-railway-companies-and-freight-workers
Paragraph beginning with ‘one complication’
It’s gross. That bill was actually bi-partisan right? Or at least that’s what they would have called an R bill with one Dem vote. 
with less than 10 days left, if he didn't sign it, it would have automatically become law.
The reality is that the GOP opposes any sort of agreement that we really want and "elections matter". I posted links to the law and regulations around this upthread - https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3002145
And in the case if there were a strike, the issue would be sent to arbitration, which would probably result in what arbitrators earlier proposed over the summer, which was less generous (and no, didn't include the sick leave).
But instead of blaming the GOP, we continue to do this on DU -
Because of when it was sent to him, if he didn't sign it, it would have still become law.
If it were vetoed and they went on strike, the issue would be automatically sent to arbitration and would result in what would most likely have been much less than what was negotiated here. I.e., Over the summer, arbitrators from the Presidential Emergency Board had already proposed a package and would likely go with that as the final offer - https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4
