Nestle Purina in Dunkirk.

A U.S. rail strike could negatively impact a number of industries across the United States, including a major industry in Chautauqua County.

Rep. Joe Sempolinski, who was elected in August and will continue to serve the 23rd Congressional District until the end of the year, said he spoke with representatives from Nestle Purina about the possible rail strike.

“On Monday I happened to be scheduled to tour the Nestle Purina food factory in Dunkirk. (There’s) 800 workers at that facility, one of the largest industrial facilities in the entire congressional district. They expressed to me their concern about the strike because most of the ingredients that goes into the pet food that they make come by rail. And so, a rail strike goes well beyond the rail industry because so much of the commerce of the United States of America is going via rail,” he said.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved.