October 3, 2024 Epoch Times News: Workers in ports along the East Coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico have initiated a strike due to a breakdown in labor relations, resulting in significant economic losses. Democratic presidential candidate Heather Kim publicly voiced her support for the striking workers on Wednesday, October 2nd, advocating for wage increases. Analysts are warning that this strike is causing disruptions in half of America’s maritime shipping, leading to daily economic losses in the billions of dollars.
Following the inability to reach a new labor agreement, the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) commenced the strike action at midnight on October 1st, now entering its second day. Both sides have not scheduled any new negotiations, raising concerns that the strike may persist and further impact economic activities.
This marks the first strike by port workers in nearly 50 years. In addition to wage increases, the union is demanding that employers refrain from using machine automation technology to replace manual labor in port operations, particularly in the use of cranes, gates, and container handling vehicles, to protect workers’ job opportunities.
Heather Kim expressed her support for the workers in a statement, asserting, “This strike is fair. Foreign-owned shipping companies are seeing record profits, with top management salaries on the rise. Dockworkers responsible for transporting essential goods in the United States should rightfully share in these record profits.”
She also criticized her opponent, former President Trump, for prioritizing the owners of skyscrapers over the construction workers, questioning Trump’s intentions to regress America to an era without unions.
Regarding Trump, Kim mentioned, “He believes our economy should only serve those who own skyscrapers, not the ones actually building them. As president, I will stand by workers and fight for the PRO Act. I’m committed to an opportunity economy – where everyone has the chance to succeed, not just get by.”
The “Protecting the Right to Organize Act” (PRO Act) mentioned in Kim’s statement sets out the fundamental rights for workers to form unions and engage in collective bargaining, enhancing workers’ abilities to improve working conditions and wages. This bill has yet to pass through Congress. If enacted, the PRO Act would empower the National Labor Relations Board to impose fines on companies that retaliate against organized workers and mandate arbitration in the event of contract disputes between workers and employers.
Moreover, the bill would strengthen workers’ right to strike, prohibit employer interference in union elections, and prevent employers from using employees’ immigrant status to pressure them when determining hiring conditions.
As of the 1st, over 38 container ships are stranded in U.S. ports.
The White House has urged both labor and management to return to the negotiating table to minimize the strike’s impacts on the economy, politics, and the upcoming elections.