New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez said on Thursday that she and Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio had found common ground in the rail worker strike that has concerned many across the nation.
She said earlier this week that he would object to a deal that does not reflect the wishes of the workers, a rarity, in reference to a tweet from the Florida Republican earlier this week.
Ocasio Cortez tweeted a message saying, Glad we are on the same page about railworkers paid sick days. The House sent over what you asked for: the full TA deal with sick days, as supported and demanded by our railworkers. Can they count on their YES vote to pass the amendment? She questioned.
Two measures passed through the House with bipartisan support to address worker's demands, but they were also contested across party lines, including by some Democrats who believe that the effort did not go far enough.
One bill passed Wednesday codified a July deal negotiated by rail unions and the Biden administration that would raise workers pay by 24% over a five-year period from 2020 to 2024, including an immediate payout on average of $11,000 upon ratification.
The agreement would allow rail workers to take time off for medical appointments without any penalties.
A resolution was passed that would increase paid sick leave from one day a year to seven days a year in order to appease workers' demands and circumvent an economic disaster.
The House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said before the vote Wednesday that a nationwide rail shutdown would be catastrophic. A shutdown would grind our economy to a halt, and every family would feel the strain. She said we have to act now.
Senators from both sides of the aisle have expressed a hesitant to pass the measures, but they are not the only uncertainty when it comes to avoiding a railway shutdown.
A rail strike could begin as early as December 9, as union leaders opposed the idea of 15 days of paid sick leave.
A rail worker strike could leave millions of Amtrak and commuter rail passengers stranded, freeze up to 30% of U.S. cargo shipments and cost the US $2 billion a day, according to reports.