Denver 7: 'We will be paying more': Economist warns looming railroad strike could have far-reaching impact

Sep 14, 2022

DENVER — The clock is winding down for unions and railroad companies to reach an agreement by the end of the week. Right now, train engineers and conductors are accusing railroad companies of penalizing them for taking time off for medical reasons.

If an agreement isn't reached, come Friday at 12:01 a.m. EST, trains could come to a halt across the nation, and an estimated 60,000 people could walk off the job in solidarity with other workers.

"This is not very good news," said Kishore Kulkarni, an MSU Denver economics professor.

Kulkarni said the stoppage of freight trains could have some of the most far-reaching impacts, disrupting the shipping of retail products like produce and meat. The shipment of manufacturing components could also be impacted.