What a possible rail strike means for Northern California
SACRAMENTO — A national railway strike is looming if railroads and unions do not reach a labor deal by Sep. 16.
"I am concerned about it," said Parsa Bakhtary of Sacramento. "They've been making announcements on the train."
He said he commutes to work in the Bay Area about once every two weeks.
Bakhtary's tech company allows him to work a hybrid schedule, but he said he's prepared to drive into the office in support of the railroad workers.
Amtrak has already canceled some long-distance trains to avoid possible passenger disruption while en route.
The Capitol Corridor will operate only partial services Thursday. But Friday, it plans to suspend service until further notice.
"We're waiting as long as possible to pull the trigger on modified service or suspension of service," said David Lipari, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.
If the labor dispute is not settled by Wednesday, the agency said ACE and San Joaquin's operations will adopt modified schedules Thursday.
The possible strike is also expected to hurt ridership numbers, which have struggled to get back to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2021, Amtrak reports the Capitol Corridor saw more than 350,000 riders. In 2019, nearly 1.8 million people rode the commuter rail.
Economists say nearly 30 percent of the nation's freight happens through rail.
"If they go on strike for whatever number of days they plan to, it could have a crippling effect on the supply chain," said Dr. Sanjay Varshney, a Professor of Finance at Sacramento State.
Meaning the stubbornly high inflation rate could worsen. A disruption in freight movement could lead to food spoilage, costlier fuel, and barren shelves ahead of the holiday shopping season.
