President Joe Biden will not intervene to prevent a potential strike by unionized longshore workers at East and Gulf Coast ports, according to a published report. The federal Taft-Hartley Act allows presidents to step into labor disputes that jeopardize national security or safety by mandating an 80-day cooling-off period and requiring employees to return to work while negotiations proceed. "We have never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering doing so now," a Biden administration official told Reuters. "We encourage all parties to remain at the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith." The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has reiterated that union dockworkers are ready to strike on October 1, when their current master contract expires, the news report stated. In 2023, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su played a role in negotiating a new contract for West Coast port employers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. A group of shippers urged Biden on Tuesday to facilitate the resumption of contract talks between employers and union dockworkers, and to be prepared to "step in" to avert a strike at U.S. ports. The ILA, which represents 45,000 employees across three dozen ports from Texas to Maine, has warned that its members will cease work if a new contract is not secured by October 1. Bargaining has stalled due to disagreements over wages and automation. The first ILA work stoppage in nearly 50 years would disrupt operations at major ports.