Biden Administration Won't Use Labor Law to End Port Strike
- Dockworkers at 36 East and Gulf Coast ports began striking on Tuesday after their contract expired.
- The Biden administration has decided not to use the Taft-Hartley Act to intervene in the labor dispute.
- The ongoing strike is projected to cost the U.S. economy billions daily due to operational disruptions.
In the United States, dockworkers at 36 East and Gulf Coast ports initiated a strike at midnight on Tuesday, following the expiration of their six-year contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance. This marks the first strike by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) since 1977, as negotiations for a new contract reached an impasse. The Biden administration has chosen not to intervene in the labor dispute using the Taft-Hartley Act, which could have imposed an 80-day cooling-off period. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that the administration supports ongoing negotiations rather than federal intervention. The strike is expected to significantly impact U.S. seaports from Maine to Texas, with estimates suggesting a daily economic cost of between $3.8 billion and $4.5 billion due to slowed operations. President Biden's administration has been facilitating talks between the dockworkers and port employers, urging both sides to reach a fair agreement.