WASHINGTON, D.C. – On December 1st, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after voting to avoid a freight railroad shutdown:
“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. I voted to keep our Made in Wisconsin economy moving forward and improve working conditions for rail workers nationwide. The impasse 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.”