Biden Should Intervene in the East Coast Port Strike
A president hasn’t invoked the Taft-Hartley Act to resolve a labor dispute in more than 20 years, but this situation calls for it.
A lingering port strike will hurt the economy and consumers.
Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg
The much-anticipated labor strike at ports along the East and Gulf coasts has begun, and the impact is a bit anticlimactic — for now.
Retailers, manufacturers and other shippers have been building inventory for a while and have mapped out alternative entry points for their goods at West Coast ports. Besides enduring a barrage of news reports of the pending chaos, consumers won’t be affected immediately. The International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents about 45,000 port workers, and the US Maritime Alliance, aren’t close to an agreement.