With rail strike looming, White House won't say how Biden is 'directly involved' in negotiations

President Biden is reportedly involved in negotiations to prevent a possible rail workers strike, though the White House refuses to explain his role.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday President Biden is "directly involved" in rail union negotiations to avert a strike but wouldn't name who he has talked to.

"The best option still is for both parties to resolve their differences themselves and that is what the president is going to continue to call on," Jean-Pierre told reporters.

ANOTHER RAIL UNION REJECTS DEAL, ESCALATING STRIKE THREAT AHEAD OF HOLIDAYS

"The president is indeed involved directly. I don't want to get into the details at this time, but he has been involved. He remains focused on protecting America's families," she continued. 

Pressed by a reporter for clarification on how the president has been involved, citing claims from SMART Transportation President Jeremy Ferguson that Biden has been largely absent from negotiations, Jean-Pierre dismissed the questions.

"This is the third time I'm saying he's been directly involved," Jean-Pierre said. "You're talking about one union president. There are twelve. You're talking about one. I said I'm not going to provide any details at this time." 

SUPPLY CHAIN EXPERT SIGNALS 'VERY DISMAL' 2023 FOR US RETAILERS 

She quickly added, "He has been directly involved. I'm not going to get into more details on that, but you're talking about one president out of twelve."

After a fourth U.S. railroad union rejected an agreement with their employers brokered by the Biden administration and reignited fears of a nationwide rail worker strike, one spokesman for the rail companies claimed they are "ready, willing and able" to enter new negotiations.

"We need to keep the network moving. We need to keep the economy moving," Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jeffries said on "Varney & Co." Tuesday. "And so that's why we stand ready, willing and able to reach new voluntary agreements. And, absent that, we believe Congress might need to be ready to step in as it historically has."

ANOTHER RAIL UNION REJECTS DEAL, ESCALATING STRIKE THREAT AHEAD OF HOLIDAYS

"In September, President Biden, who is a champion of labor, struck a deal with the leadership of the 12 railroad unions and railroads to avert a national rail strike," said Suzanne P. Clark, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

"But now four unions are going back on their word and threatening to be the Grinch who stole Christmas by forcing a national rail strike. Congress must now impose the deal President Biden negotiated and the railroads and union leadership agreed to. If Congress fails to do so, a rail strike would substantially exacerbate inflation and the economic challenges Americans are facing today."

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Jeffries made his comments just after the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) rejected a tentative agreement with the nation's major freight railroads, raising the prospects of a nationwide strike that could kneecap the economy in the middle of the holiday season.

FOX Business' Breck Dumas and Kristen Altus contributed to this report.