Dock Workers Make Tentative Deal
President Joe Biden’s refusal to intervene in the dock workers' strike has drawn both criticism and intrigue, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris seems to be losing ground with a key demographic. During a gathering of New Jersey dock workers, not a single person openly declared support for Harris when asked if they planned to vote for her. The silent response was so stark that it drew laughter from the Fox Business studio, with one worker finally deflecting the question by saying it’s “nobody’s business” who they’re supporting.
This lack of visible enthusiasm for Harris among the longshoremen is all the more surprising given the Biden administration’s strong pro-union stance throughout the strike. Despite calls from business groups and Republicans urging the President to use his authority under the 1974 Taft-Hartley Act to end the disruption at the ports, Biden has stood firm, siding with the workers and rejecting the idea of imposing any federal intervention.
Seen at a port worker’s strike:
“How many folks support Kamala Harris?”
*Crickets* pic.twitter.com/AO0HwZT3Fk
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 3, 2024
The strike itself, which paralyzed shipping along the East and Gulf Coasts, finally came to a tentative resolution on Thursday. A six-year wage deal was struck that includes a significant 62% pay raise, increasing average wages from $39 to around $63 an hour.
This agreement ends the largest work stoppage in nearly 50 years, bringing relief to the supply chain and preventing further economic disruptions, which had threatened shortages of goods ranging from food to auto parts.
Kamala Harris weighed in on the strike, stating that it was about "fairness" and insisting that the dock workers deserved a share of the record profits seen by foreign-owned shipping companies. Harris aimed to position herself as a champion for labor rights, contrasting her stance with that of former President Donald Trump, whom she accused of making "empty promises" to workers without delivering tangible results.
While the Biden-Harris administration has taken credit for helping to broker this agreement, their response—or lack thereof—to the strike has left some union members skeptical. Even with the administration’s support, the reluctance of dock workers to publicly back Harris speaks volumes about her standing within the labor movement.
The economic impact of the strike, while severe, was somewhat mitigated by the administration's active involvement in negotiations. In the background, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients played a crucial role by pressing shipping executives to make a new offer to end the standoff. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su was also on the ground in New Jersey, meeting directly with union leaders to help seal the deal.
With the strike now temporarily resolved and port operations resuming, there is hope that this will ease some of the logistical strain caused by Hurricane Helene. The storm, which has left significant damage in its wake across multiple states, has created a desperate need for relief supplies that were delayed by the port shutdown.
Economists predict that the impact of the strike on consumer prices will be limited in the short term, thanks to companies stockpiling key goods ahead of the disruption. However, a prolonged strike would have likely led to higher food prices and broader economic ripple effects.