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The threat of a nationwide strike by railroad workers that could have shut down the nation’s freight trains exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain that could have proved devastating to the economy.

Major ports and rail facilities across the U.S. Southeast have halted operations as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the country advances as a tropical storm, causing disruptions along the way and resulting in another blow for already strained supply chains.

OMAHA, Neb. — A union that rejected its deal with the nation’s freight railroads earlier this month now has a new tentative agreement, but officials cautioned that the contract dispute won’t be fully settled until all 12 rail unions approve their agreements this fall.

OMAHA, Neb. — A last-minute deal prevented a railroad strike for now, but many rail workers remain unhappy with working conditions, including some who protested outside their workplaces Sept. 21 ahead of votes to approve the new contracts.

CHICAGO — White House Supply Chain Envoy Stephen Lyons said Sept. 20 he believes the recently negotiated tentative agreement between the five Class I railroads and unions — representing 150,000 railroad locomotive engineers, conductors and railroad workers — will be ratified.

The announcement of a tentative rail labor agreement was viewed as a positive sign by senior policymakers on Capitol Hill on Sept. 15.

The looming U.S. rail strike threatens to push inflation even higher across the country after prices jumped more than expected last month.

The White House is considering the use of emergency powers to ensure critical materials, such as chlorine for wastewater treatment plants, can be delivered in the event of a freight rail worker strike in order to avoid devastating disruptions to services.

As shippers and retailers head into the peak shopping season, ongoing labor negotiations are being closely watched for any signs of disruption, which experts say would have a huge impact on the U.S. economy.

OMAHA, Neb. — The heads of the nation’s two largest rail unions said Sept. 11 that the freight railroads’ move to begin delaying some shipments ahead of this week’s looming strike deadline is only an attempt to get shippers to increase the pressure on Congress to intervene and block a work stoppage by imposing a contract on workers.