"Where you sit is where you stand."
This statement is one of the mantras I use to help clients and myself understand geopolitics.
Understanding is an essential first step in any communications effort.
Communications is mostly not how you want the world to be but how this world is.
You need understanding to plan, execute, and succeed.
We are less than two weeks from a national railroad strike deadline in the United States.
Railroad workers from four national unions need to ratify new contracts before a December 9 strike deadline to avert a rail shutdown.
A strike would disrupt supply chains — including such critical goods as motor fuels and water treatment chemicals — and could ultimately cost the US economy $1 billion within a week, according to the Anderson Economic Group analysis.
Not to mention how a strike during the height of the holiday season will negatively impact your favorite daughter getting the latest Apple gee-whiz product.
What is the White House to do?
Force Congress to intervene.
President Biden and Democratic leaders in Congress agreed late Monday to support legislation that would block a walk-out by more than 100,000 union members set for the end of next week.
But is this the same Joe Biden who, in 1992, days into a crippling railroad strike, when he served as a Senator from 'The First State,' came to the Senate floor and decried the lopsided nature of federal labor laws dealing with the rail industry?
Laws that the then Senator bellowed allowed big corporations, feckless regulators, and, ultimately, Congress to run roughshod over workers.
Yes.
Same guy.
Different job.
"Where you sit is where you stand."
As Politico reports, here we are thirty years later, as President, Biden is turning to those very same laws to prevent another strike and impose a tentative contract agreement that his administration brokered but multiple rail unions voted to reject.
"Where you sit is where you stand."
For Biden, he could be "Lunchbox Joe" as Senator from Delaware and stand with the union railroad workers.
But, as President of the United States during a holiday shopping season with inflation on the mind of many citizens, he needs to act and use all the tools at his disposal.
"But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal.” -- Statement from President Joe Biden on averting a rail shutdown
"Where you sit is where you stand."
-Marc
