ACC estimates the US economy would lose 700,000 jobs across multiple industries and economic sectors

Powder Bulk Solids Staff

November 28, 2022

3 Min Read
Logo_ACC.jpg
Image courtesy of American Chemistry Council

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is asking the White House and Congress to act quickly to keep vital chemical shipments moving as a looming freight rail strike threatens to shut down the US economy. 
 
“Chemical manufacturers are one of the first industries that will be impacted as railroads start restricting service up to a week before a threatened strike,” said Chris Jahn, ACC’s president and CEO. “Freight rail transportation is vital for transporting chemicals critical to everyday life, including water treatment, energy production, and food production. Shutting down chemical shipments by rail would quickly send shockwaves that would be felt through the entire economy and households across the country.”
 
To prepare for a shutdown, railroads stop accepting “security sensitive shipments” – including certain chemicals - well in advance of a strike. Many chemical facilities would be forced to curtail production or shut down within the first week of a rail service embargo.
 
If an actual strike and full shutdown of the rail network were to occur, the ACC thinks it would put a chill on the entire economy and force the country into a recession. 
 
According to an economic analysis conducted by ACC, the impact of a potential strike would be felt almost immediately in terms of business shutdowns, scarcity of materials and goods, and lost economic activity. According to the analysis, a strike lasting a month would likely put a major chill on several leading economic indicators through the first half of 2023:
 
• Job Loss: The US economy would lose 700,000 jobs across multiple industries and economic sectors, erasing the job gains made over the past three months. 
• Inflation Spike: The Producer Price Index (PPI) would jump by 4%. PPI measures inflation from the viewpoint of industry and is considered a leading indicator for consumer inflation. A 4% spike would represent a twentyfold increase over the latest PPI reading. 
• Economic Slowdown: The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would contract by one percentage point, which would pull almost $160 billion dollars out of the economy. To put this into perspective, during the financial meltdown in 2008, the economy lost $210 billion dollars through the first half of 2008. 
 
“A rail strike could shove the economy out of recovery mode and into a recession,” said Martha Moore, ACC’s chief economist. “A prolonged strike would have an exponential effect for each additional month and drag the country into a potential recession much faster.”
 
Action a Must

To avoid a massive blow to a fragile US economy, Congress must step-in before a strike occurs. That’s why ACC recently joined with hundreds of other business groups this week to call on Congress to prevent a strike. 
 
“This is a preventable crisis that should not fall on the shoulders of American consumers and manufacturers,” said Jahn. “President Biden and Congress must act this week on a bipartisan solution based on the terms that labor leaders and railroads agreed to in September.”   

About the Author(s)

Powder Bulk Solids Staff

Established in 1983, Powder & Bulk Solids (PBS) serves industries that process, handle, and package dry particulate matter, including the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical markets.

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