"Retailers and thousands of other businesses depend on the railway transportation system to move goods through the supply chain every day."
WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French after President Biden signed an executive order establishing a Presidential Emergency Board to help resolve labor disputes between freight railroads and rail labor organizations.
“Retailers and thousands of other businesses depend on the railway transportation system to move goods through the supply chain every day. NRF thanks President Biden for proactively working to address potential supply chain disruptions on our nation’s railways that would contribute to additional inflationary pressures.
“Now that we are in the peak shipping season for back-to-school and winter holiday merchandise, it is critical that both parties come back to the table to reach an agreement without any kind of rail service disruption this fall.”
Earlier this month, NRF sent a letter to Biden asking the administration to intervene and help settle the labor negotiations before a cooling off period ends this Sunday.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. NRF.com