PLATTEVILLE — Both of Wisconsin’s U.S. senators and one of Southwest Wisconsin’s Congressmen voted in favor of the mandated agreement between freight rail carriers and railroad unions to avert a rail strike that could have started Friday.

“Reliable rail service is essential to get Wisconsin’s farmers, producers, and manufacturers’ products to market and ensure families have access to the food and goods they need,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) in a news release. “I voted to keep our Made in Wisconsin economy moving forward and improve working conditions for rail workers nationwide. The impasse in Congress, unfortunately, had to vote to resolve today was the direct result of the greed of the railroads and their Wall Street backers who have decimated the workforce and denied paid sick leave to workers in the service of ever higher profits. 

“I am disappointed that our effort to ensure rail workers seven days of sick leave came up short, but moving forward, I will continue advocating for systemic reforms to protect rail workers and provide farmers, manufacturers, and consumers the fair rail service they deserve.”

“It’s unfortunate that President Biden failed to get railroad management and unions to agree, and that Democrats played politics with the issue in Congress,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) in a news release. “I do not believe that Congress should be inserting itself in imposing agreements between private companies and their workforce. The proper course of action should have been to extend the ‘cooling off’ period and force both sides back to the negotiating tables while maintaining rail operations. 

“That amendment failed, but we could not let our rail system shut down and cause incalculable harm to the American people and our economy. Ultimately, that is why I voted to keep the trains running and accept the agreement negotiated by the railroads and union leaders.”

The agreement passed the House of Representatives 290-137 Nov. 30 and the Senate 80-15 Wednesday. The seven-day sick leave addition passed the House but failed in the Senate.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) voted in favor, while U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth) voted against.

“My position is the government should not be interfering in union negotiations and contracts. It is a very slippery slope,” said Pocan in a statement. “Workers deserve the ability to use everything in their means to get benefits like paid sick time.”