Ranking Member Cassidy Releases Statement on Ports Strike, Rebukes Biden-Harris Refusal to Intervene

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following the failure of East and Gulf Coast ports and unionized dockworkers to agree on a collective bargaining contract before the September 30 deadline. As a result of the failed negotiations, the dockworkers began their strike earlier this morning. Cassidy previously criticized the Biden-Harris administration for failing to use its authority under the Taft-Hartley Act to avert a strike that will have massive implications for the American economy. 

The strike is projected to cost the American economy $5 billion a day. A one-day strike will require five days to clear the backlog of shipments, and a weeklong strike requires at least a month to clear the backlog of shipments intended for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The strike will also prevent communities, including in North Carolina, from receiving crucial hurricane relief supplies they need to start the recovery process.  

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had the tools to prevent this strike and can still take action to avoid economic disaster. They have shown no leadership to bring the parties together to resolve this dispute,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The parties must resolve their differences and bargain in good faith towards an agreement that benefits all. The longer this strike continues, the more American families and workers will be hurt. It is imperative the White House use its authority to push for a quick resolution and avoid deepening this crisis.” 

Under the Taft-Hartley Act, the administration can establish a board of inquiry and seek a court injunction grant to allow both parties to continue negotiations. 
 

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