The White House is racing to prevent a railroad worker strike, fearing it could cripple the economy and hurt Democrats in the midterms

• Talks between railroad carriers and labor unions for better vacation and sick benefits have stalled.
• If there's no deal by Friday, a threatened railroad worker strike could cause "economic disaster."
• The White House is worried that could hurt Democrats in the midterms, the Washington Post reported.

The Biden administration is rushing to prevent a railroad workers' strike that White House officials worry could badly hurt the economy and also blunt Democrats' momentum before the 2022 midterm elections, according to the Washington Post.

Railroad carriers and two unions have been negotiating for better benefits for vacation and sick days in their new contract and have until Friday to make a deal before the unions go on strike, CNBC reported.

Anonymous sources told the Post that White House officials are holding emergency meetings to discuss the potential strike, while also warning of the harm it could cause Democrats during the November elections. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is among those trying to broker a deal between the two sides to avert a strike, the Washington Post reported.

US Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said in a Monday statement that a strike would lead to "catastrophic economic impacts."

"A national rail strike would be an economic disaster – freezing the flow of goods, emptying shelves, shuttering workplaces, and raising prices for families and businesses alike, but that is exactly what is likely to happen in less than four days," she said. 

She continued: "If action is not taken, the nation's rail service will come to a halt, the negative impacts of which cannot be understated."

In a letter from the US Chamber of Commerce to Congressional leadership, Neil Bradley — the Chamber's executive vice president — warned that the economy could lose $2 billion a day if the strike happens. Customers would feel the burden because of price hikes and product shortages. 

Bradley wrote that perishable goods could spoil at their point of origin, deliveries of goods and materials would be disrupted, and millions of Amtrak riders could face issues.