The looming threat of strike “strikes” again, but this time with over 100,000 US railroaders which some are saying is inevitable since workers have been without a contract for nearly 3 years. We are already experiencing many challenges with inland terminals such as equipment deficits, stacked containers, schedule reliability, and out of control accruing cost; however, if the railroaders were to strike it would be catastrophic. The most recent US rail strike in 1992 reportedly cost the US economy $50MM per day, a rate which would be higher in the event of a strike in today’s market.
