There are times when labor disputes can spread beyond the worker-employer framework and spill over into the rest of society. In those times, the federal government has the authority to step in and impose a settlement in the dispute.

President Joe Biden has asked Congress to act to prevent a national railroad strike this week, citing the huge economic impact that such a strike would have on the nation.

The rail industry is tied in to just about every other industrial and commercial endeavor. It delivers tons of raw materials to processors and manufacturers, then takes those finished products to distribution centers. It takes the farmers’ grain and commodities to market. It still serves passengers, especially in the densely populated parts of the country. Loss of rail service, the Biden administration estimates, would cause a $2 billion per day hit to the economy.

Congress has power to impose a settlement, though it rarely uses it, preferring to let labor and management settle their own differences. But when they can’t, someone has to look after the interests of the whole country.

The Biden administration has helped negotiate a contract that has been accepted by both sides, except for four of the 12 unions involved. The other unions have approved five-year contracts, with back pay from 24 percent raises for their workers dating back to 2020. It hardly sounds like a hardship for the unions to get that kind of deal.