Biden urges port operators to increase wages after 45,000 workers go on strike

Joe Biden has urged port operators to give workers a “meaningful increase” in pay after tens of thousands went on strike,
prompting some of the busiest ports in the US to brace for crippling disruption.

About 45,000 port workers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) began walking off the job after their contracts expired at midnight,
with 36 ports along the east and Gulf coasts affected.
They typically handle about half of the nation’s ocean shipping.

Talks over a new contract between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have broken down,
and the union dismissed a last-ditch offer from operators hours before the strike was due to began.

Hours after the strike began, the White House issued a robust statement calling on USMX to negotiate a “fair” contract that reflects “the substantial contribution” of ports workers to America’s economy.

theguardian.com/us-news/2024/o…

#David #Adam #USMX

Biden urges port operators to increase wages after 45,000 workers go on strike

Strike – the first by port workers on US east coast since 1977 – threatens to shut down ports from Maine to Texas

^{Michael Sainato (The Guardian)}

Ports-strike CEO’s crude attacks on Biden and Democrats

An executive representing ports where tens of thousands of workers went on strike this week
made a series of critical and crude remarks about Joe Biden,
tied Kamala Harris to concerns about over-taxation,
and appeared to endorse a rightwing conspiracy theory.

#David #Adam, chairman and chief executive of the United States Maritime Alliance ( #USMX ),
👉attacked prominent Democrats in a string of social media posts uncovered by the Guardian.

It comes after about 45,000 dockworkers at ports along the US east and Gulf coasts walked off the job
– the first such strike since 1977
– as part of a dispute between the USMX and the International Longshoremen’s Association over pay and automation.

The sweeping strike,
disrupting 36 ports from Maine to Texas,
has already raised fears of supply shortages and price increases on the eve of November’s election.

A month ago, when a LinkedIn user suggested that “everything Biden has touched in the past is turning to shit!” -- Adam replied: “The runny kind….”
It was part of a discussion about how Biden’s student-debt relief plan was being held up in the courts.

In another comment on the thread, Adam wrote: “If ya can’t get an American Democrat to pay what they borrrowed [sic], how you gonna get a California illegal immigrant to pay back their $150K loan the CA Dems are offering?”

Three months ago, another user appeared to endorse a popular conspiracy theory surrounding the emergence of a totalitarian world government while commenting on a video of Biden discussing immigration. -- “Did I miss the vote America took in agreement of One World Order? Treasonous actions have consequences!” they wrote.
“I think Kerry and Gates voted two thumbs up on that a few years ago …” Adam replied.

theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Revealed: CEO at heart of US ports strike made crude attacks on Biden and Democrats

David Adam of USMX made coarse remarks about president and appeared to endorse rightwing conspiracy theory

^{Michael Sainato (The Guardian)}