Poll by US Chamber finds voters want Biden to halt potential port strike

WASHINGTON — A national poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests that a majority of American voters want the federal government to intervene if dockworkers go on strike starting Tuesday.

According to the chamber’s poll, which surveyed 1,467 voters in September, 57% support action on the part of the administration “to keep the ports open and operating while negotiations continue,” while roughly 20% were opposed to federal intervention. The chamber said the poll’s margin of error is approximately 2.8%.

Biden at the White House on Monday commenting on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo: The White House)

The group used the poll to pressure President Joe Biden to intervene in the contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) by invoking the Taft-Hartley Act to avoid a work stoppage at 36 terminal locations at 14 ports from Maine to Texas beginning on Tuesday.

“Simply put, you have the authority to keep contract negotiations going while keeping the ports open,” wrote Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Clark in a letter sent to Biden on Monday. “Taft-Hartley would provide time for both parties in negotiation to reach a deal on a new labor contract.”

Under Taft-Hartley, the president can seek a court injunction that triggers a back-to-work order and an 80-day cooling-off period if a strike is deemed to affect national security.

But the White House insisted once again that the president has no intention of getting in the way of the collective bargaining process.

“We have never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and we are not considering doing so now,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a press briefing on Monday. “We’ve said this many times, and nothing has changed.”

She added that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard “are in touch with the parties to urge them to return to the table and negotiate in good faith toward an agreement that benefits all sides and do it fairly and quickly.”

Jean-Pierre did not comment when asked whether a strike would make it more difficult for Vice President Kamala Harris to win the presidential election.

An economic report issued on Monday by The Conference Board warned that because of the upcoming election as well as the upcoming holiday shopping season, a strike would come at a critical time. It estimated that a strike lasting just one-week would cost the U.S. economy $3.78 billion, or $540 million per day. Other estimates have put the cost at as high as $5 billion per day.

“A port strike would paralyze US trade and raise prices at a time when consumers and businesses are starting to feel relief from inflation,” said Erin McLaughlin, the group’s senior economist.

“There’s no easy Plan B. While shippers have already begun diverting some cargo to the West Coast, capacity for such alternative options are limited.”