Vice President Kamala Harris was already facing electoral headwinds as former President Donald Trump has been rising in the polls and cutting into key demographics like black and Hispanic voters as well as union members who traditionally have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats. And now, a new issue threatens to derail her campaign.
Thousands of dock workers walked off the job on Tuesday morning in protest of the government’s refusal to intervene in longshoremen’s negotiations with shipping corporations, delivering a significant blow to the current administration and an already struggling economy. The historic strike has brought many ports along the eastern seaboard to a standstill, jeopardizing a fragile but recovering economy and casting doubt on Harris’s electoral prospects.
Prices for goods ranging from construction materials to Halloween decorations and Christmas gifts are expected to rise, adding to the economic concerns of Americans just weeks before they decide if the Democrat can effectively reduce consumer prices. Recent polls have shown that voters are giving Trump an advantage when asked who they trust most to grow the economy.
Politicians scrambled to address the walkout. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who oversees some of the top 10 busiest eastern ports, said in a statement to ABC News, “Moments ago, the first large-scale eastern dockworker strike in 47 years began at ports from Maine to Texas, including at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In preparation for this moment, New York has been working around the clock to ensure that our grocery stores and medical facilities have the essential products they need.”
Union leaders, however, have already been pushing back. “We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve,” ILA President Harold Daggett said in a countervailing statement. “Right now, everything is off the table,” Daggett told FOX Business. “Nobody’s talking right now. We got Congress trying to bring them to the table. And that’s where we are right now.”
Experts warned that prolonged disruptions could quickly cause positive economic news from recent rate cuts to dissipate. “A strike would be very, very disruptive,” said Jason Miller, a professor of supply-chain management at Michigan State University who closely tracks imports, told ABC News. “You can’t take all this freight and either send it to other ports or put it on airplanes,” Miller added. “There is no plan B.”
As part of the negotiations, the longshoremen’s union is advocating for higher wages and enhanced on-the-job protections. Discussions are ongoing with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, the organization representing port employers. Complicating the situation is President Joe Biden’s authority to halt the strike under the executive powers granted to him by the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged Biden in a letter on Tuesday to take action and intervene, but the White House rejected this request. A spokesperson for the White House stated that President Biden is focused on bringing both parties back to the bargaining table.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.