The White House issued a statement on Thursday announcing a tentative agreement between freight rail companies and freight rail unions. Most importantly, the unions (whose members must still approve any agreement) have made a commitment not to go on strike on Friday. It looks like tragedy has been narrowly averted.

I say “tragedy” because a strike threatened to cause immense economic damage, including shortages of goods and resulting price inflation just in time for the midterm elections. That would have been a disaster for the Democrats and a boon for anti-democratic fascist forces.

The implications of a rail strike could have been monumental, snarling the movement of goods and potentially leading to massive layoffs. Large parts of the nation’s economy move through the rail system. And the disruption on commuter trains also would have been felt across the country…

…The political consequences of a rail strike less than two months before the midterm elections also could have been enormous for Democrats, who could have been blamed for not securing a deal.

Instead, the Biden administration, led by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, hammered out a compromise that looks like it will stick.

The tentative agreement reached tonight is an important win for our economy and the American people. It is a win for tens of thousands of rail workers who worked tirelessly through the pandemic to ensure that America’s families and communities got deliveries of what have kept us going during these difficult years. These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned. The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come.

There’s also the advantage that Biden was able to secure a deal beneficial to workers, thereby keeping a campaign promise. He can use a happy and grateful labor movement as the left gears up to mobilize its voters to the polls. Giving people a reason to support you is always a good idea, especially when it’s not just that you’re better than the alternative.