Teamsters launch f-bomb rant at Biden and Harris over crippling dockworkers strike that could cost the U.S. up to $5 BILLION a day
- Dockworkers across the East Coast went on strike at 12:01 a.m. ET Tuesday
President  and VP  are being blamed for a massive dockworkers strike that is crippling the U.S. shipping industry from  to .
The strike which is estimated to cost up to $5 billion per day began in the early morning hours Tuesday and has slowed operations across the East Coast impacting over 30 ports.
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) – a labor union representing 45,000 port employees – announced it had shuttered its ports across the Eastern Seaboard just after midnight.
Now, shipments of cars, fruits and vegetables, electronics, furniture, beauty products and more will be held up, which could cost the U.S. up to a staggering $5 billion a day.
And the International Brotherhood of Teamsters boss – who spectacularly refused to endorse Kamala Harris in the 2024 race – has a terse message for the : ‘stay the f*** out of this fight.’
Workers take part in a port strike at Port Newark, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Bayonne, N.J.
‘The U.S. government should stay the f*** out of this fight and allow union workers to withhold their labor for the wages and benefits they have earned,’ Teamsters boss Sean O’Brien said in a statement.
‘Corporations for too long have been able to rely on political puppets to help them strip working people of their inherent leverage.’
The Teamsters ‘stand in full solidarity’ with ILA in its ‘fight for a fair and just contract with the ocean carriers represented by USMX.’
His union, though not directly involved in the dockworkers actions, similarly conducts organized actions with its some 1.3 million members as negotiating tools.
Republicans were also outraged that the White House let the negotiations devolve without any resolution in sight.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is placing blame on the administration for making ‘life harder for everyone’ with the current state of the economy.
‘This administration’s failure to encourage a resolution between the International Longshoremen’s Association Union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance will only exacerbate the economic pain wrought by four years of skyrocketing inflation, decreasing wages and fewer jobs,’ he said in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com.
‘Just one day of paused operations will have devastating consequences on the economy, and hardworking American families will feel the impact of higher prices, empty shelves, and lost economic output.’
‘Solving this problem requires leadership that the Biden-Harris Administration has been incapable of providing,’ the Louisiana Republican continued.
‘They should ensure that both sides remain at the table, continue to negotiate in good faith, and ultimately reach a deal that keeps workers on the job and goods flowing through our ports, including those in Louisiana.’
President Joe Biden speaks about his administration’s efforts to aid in recovery from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024
Speaker Mike Johnson’s office wrote there are 85,000 workers who are striking Tuesday
US East Coast dockworkers strike outside Port of Baltimore
Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted on X Monday: ‘50,000 union workers are threatening to strike at midnight tonight across East and Gulf Coast ports, shutting down our nation’s supply chain and crippling the economy.’
‘The Biden-Harris Admin couldn’t care less.’
ILA was negotiating with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) – a group of maritime companies – on a deal before a September 30 deadline, but the two didn’t finalize terms.
The strike Tuesday is said to be the largest collective action taken by dockworkers in 50 years.
Harold Daggett, the leader of the ILA, has said the ship operator Maersk has not listened to worker’s concerns over pay increases or automating jobs.
USMX has said it offered to hike wages by close to 50 percent from a previous proposal, according to a statement released Monday.
However Dagget said the union wants more, north of a 60 percent increase, CNBC reported.
When asked Monday evening if he will intervene in the strikes, Biden responded flatly: ‘No.’
His reasoning, because he does not believe in the Taft-Hartley Act, a 1947 law passed to reign in the powers of unions.
President Joe Biden said he would not intervene in the strikes on Monday
The strikes could go on indefinitely until a deal is made between USMX and ILA
‘Because there’s collective bargaining, and I don’t believe in Taft-Hartley,’ he told reporters.
Ports impacted by the strikes include: The Port of New York and New Jersey, Port Wilmington, the Port of Baltimore, Port of Norfolk, Port of Charleston, Port of Savannah, Port of Jacksonville, PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay, Port of Mobile, Port of New Orleans, the Port of Houston and more.
Picketers in Philadelphia began marching at midnights holding signs reading ‘Now work without a fair contract.’
Similar scenes have played out at ports across the East Coast.