On Tuesday, about 45,000 dock workers will walk off the job in a massive strike that will shutter dozens of ports along the East and Gulf Coasts, upending the economy just weeks before a tight presidential election.
President Joe Biden could stop the strike, but he says he won’t.
Contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and port ownership broke down over the summer, and the two sides remain in a stalemate over both wages and automating port operations.
A strike of this size would cause wide-ranging supply chain disruptions and could pose a national security threat. As such, Biden has the authority under the Taft-Hartley Act to force union workers to stay on the job for another 80-days. But, White House officials have made it clear that Biden has no intention of getting involved. As of Thursday, five days before a strike would begin, the Biden…
