Posted on 09/23/2024 7:42:13 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
A looming dock worker strike could throw the economy — and the presidential election — into chaos, an October surprise that would likely hurt Democrats.
The International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents about 85,000 dock workers nationwide, is threatening to strike on October 1 if the union cannot reach an agreement with port ownership. Negotiations broke down in June between the union and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents port management. The two sides are in a stalemate over both wages and the automation of port operations.
A strike would shut down five of North America’s 10 busiest ports, 36 ports total along the East and Gulf Coasts, and cause massive supply chain issues — which, depending on how long the strike lasts, could impact consumers past Election Day and well into the holiday season. If the supply chain is upended like this causing scarcities, we are also likely to see another nasty bout of inflation just as families are trying to recover from the nearly 20% spike in prices since before the pandemic.
The Biden administration has the power to stop strikes that could threaten national security or severely impact the economy. But the White House has said it will not intervene in a dock worker strike, and is encouraging the two sides to get back to the negotiating table.
The global economic turmoil wrought by a strike of this size cannot be understated.
The ports that would be affected move nearly half of all U.S. imports, and billions of dollars in trade each month. The ripple effects on supply chains in Europe, Asia, and Latin America would also be significant.
None of this is likely good for Democrats.
Election Day is only six weeks away, and Vice President Kamala Harris is locked in a nail-biter of a presidential race against former President Donald Trump. Harris is currently leading by two points, a smaller lead than Hillary Clinton had in 2016 before losing to Trump. A strike would begin on October 1, the day of the vice presidential debate between Democrat Tim Walz and Republican Sen. JD Vance.
Even the threat of a strike is causing economic uncertainty at a time when the economy is not exactly Democrats’ strongest issue. About 60% of Americans disapproved of President Biden’s handling of the economy in June. Harris is only just starting to catch up to Trump’s approval rating on the issue.
It’s unclear why Biden won’t intervene, though some have speculated that the president is unwilling to go out of his way to help Harris after Democrats ousted him from his reelection campaign over the summer. Others have wondered whether Biden is courting the dock worker union at a time when the union vote is not coming easily to Democrats.
Last week, a group of House Republicans on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee wrote to President Biden urging his administration to do everything in its power to prevent a strike that could lead to “dire impacts to our supply chains, our economy, and the American consumer.”
Even a one-day strike could take a week to recover from, industry insiders say. A strike that lasts a week would take several weeks of catch-up work, and the effects of a strike that lasts several weeks would be felt well into 2025. Meanwhile, retailers would suffer shortages throughout the holiday shopping season, their busiest time.
Any work stoppage is still over a week away, but the effects of a potential strike are already being felt.
“White House has said it will not intervene in a dock worker strike, and is encouraging the two sides to get back to the negotiating table.”
Dr Jill is on this. No worries.
Am sure if it looks like Kam is losing, many things will happen to misdirect the election by the Dems.
I forgot about Pete( our Transportation Secretary) has got this.
Maybe the ballots being printed in China will be late.
I was ILWU for five years - had to join for a summer job. My local was in Bellingham, WA I think...the work was at a cannery in Alaska.
Disgusting President of the local went out for a cup of coffee and while out of the office an unemployed ILWU worker (paid I think $10,000 by the missing Pres.) came in and shot everyone to death...
My union dues at work — this was in the very late 80’s.
Three day work week, $250/hr, nothing over 25lbs lifted manually. Done deal.
Good Point. Will the chinese proprinted ballots still be counted in January?
Don’t think so. Those ballots will be flown in.
US Customs will pass them through, USPS will deliver them.
Baked into the cake.
Plus, those dock workers are never responsible for damaging your product when they are unloading it off the boat.
East Coast Longshoremen’s Union, traditionally mobbed up. The West Coast Union, dominated by commies every since Harry Bridges was around.
Harris is not leading.
"The International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents about 85,000 dock workers nationwide, is threatening to strike on October 1 , (Emphasis Mine)
if the union cannot reach an agreement with port ownership.
Negotiations broke down in June between the union and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents port management.
The two sides are in a stalemate over both wages and the automation of port operations.
"A strike would shut down five of North America’s 10 busiest ports, 36 ports total along the East and Gulf Coasts, and cause massive supply chain issues
— which, depending on how long the strike lasts, could impact consumers past Election Day and well into the holiday season.
If the supply chain is upended like this causing scarcities, we are also likely to see another nasty bout of inflation
just as families are trying to recover from the nearly 20% spike in prices since before the pandemic."
"The Biden administration has the power to stop strikes that could threaten national security or severely impact the economy.
But the White House has said it will not intervene in a dock worker strike, and is encouraging the two sides to get back to the negotiating table."
"The global economic turmoil wrought by a strike of this size cannot be understated."
(My Opinion) : Maybe we should ask _resident Jill to intercede on our behalf,
as the President seems to be missing in action, and has yielded authority elsewhere
Thanks for the heads up.
Talk about a mess. Jill intercedes and tells the unions to get back to work. The union tells her that she is not the elected president and to pound sand. Then what? Dementia Joe steps back in? Jill won’t allow that. She has already taken over. And where will be Kamala in all this?
Stoned or drunk somewhere.
Agreed. I personally try to buy everything I can made in the USA. IF I have to buy clothes, I try to NOT buy them made in China.
I bought a Savage Arms 30-06 recently. Made in Springfield, MA. It came with a Bushnell scope. Which was defective. It was made in China. They sent me a new scope for free.
The problem is not just the manufacturing cost. I sell ice melting products. Like rock salt. Most of it comes from mines in New York state by American Rock Salt. However, almost all the Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride is imported from China. There is no chemical company left that makes these products in the USA.
Probably because the process is toxic. If they make them here they can get sued by some employee decades later. So, it is better to make them somewhere else because of the liability.
Right! Pete Buttigieg is not qualified for his position.
He was just appointed by biden to appease the “gay” lobby!
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