Kamala Harris joined Biden in backing the dockworkers' strike at major U.S. ports
Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Wednesday expressed her support for the tens of thousands of dockworkers on strike for better wages and job security.
“This strike is about fairness,” Harris said in a statement. “The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits.”
The International Longshoremen Association (ILA) went on strike early Tuesday morning after its contract with the group that represents shipping companies, terminal operators, and port associations expired. Some 45,000 workers are on picket lines at more than a dozen major ports that collectively account for about 51% of the nation’s port capacity.
The union is pushing for protection against automation, new technology in terminals, and wage hikes.
Between 2018 and 2024, employees received a $1 per hour increase to their wages, to a maximum of $38 per hour — about $79,000 annually on a 40-hour work week — while new employees started at $20 an hour. The ILA rejected the alliance’s latest offer, which would boost wages by almost 50%, triple employer contributions to retirement plans, and retain the current language around automation.
In a statement Tuesday, the ILA said the offer presented by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) ignored that “many” workers start at that $20 hourly wage and that members “endure a grueling six-year wage progression” before they reach the highest wage tier.
“Our members don’t work typical 9-to-5 jobs; they work extraordinary hours, sacrificing time with their families,” the ILA said. “Our position is firm: we believe in the value our incredible rank-and-file members bring to this industry and to our great nation.”
In addition to Harris, the longshoremen have been backed by President Joe Biden and Labor Secretary Julie Su, who called for the parties to get back to the negotiating table and give workers the “benefits they deserve.” Several labor unions — from the Teamsters to the United Auto Workers to the Association of Flight Attendants — have also endorsed the ILA’s strike.
“My Administration will be monitoring for any price gouging activity that benefits foreign ocean carriers, including those on the USMX board,” Biden said Tuesday. Several members of USMX, including Maersk (AMKBY) and Hapag-Lloyd (HPGLY), have plans to implement surcharges related to the strike later this month.
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The vice president on Wednesday also took aim at her rival, former President Donald Trump, pointing to his recent comments about firing striking workers. The UAW slapped Trump and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk with federal labor charges in August after the former president praised Musk’s history of anti-union sentiment, which has affected at least two of his companies.
Most of the U.S.’s major labor unions have endorsed Harris, with the Teamsters union a notable exception, although many locals have since given her their backing. Wednesday, Harris reaffirmed her commitment to passing the pro-labor Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
In his statement Tuesday, Trump claimed the strikes were “only happening” because of inflation, for which he blamed Harris. Although he stopped short of endorsing the ILA, Trump expressed some support for their efforts.
“American workers should be able to negotiate for better wages, especially since the shipping companies are mostly foreign flag vessels, including the largest consortium One,” the former president said.
