President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed the news that the International Longshoremen’s Association union had temporarily suspended its strike until after the election.
The union ended its three-day strike through January 15 after reaching a temporary agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance.
Port employers reportedly offered workers a 62 percent wage increase, which helped reach a “tentative agreement.”
Biden spoke to reporters after returning to the White House Thursday night from Georgia, but sounded cautious.
“They have the next 90 days and they are going to fix everything,” he said. “With the grace of God and the good will of the neighbors, this will continue.”
President Joe Biden speaks to reporters upon arrival at the White House in Washington.
The White House worked behind the scenes to end the strike, as the closure of port activity posed a threat to the economy and the cost of food and goods in the United States, a particularly dangerous issue for Democrats in an election year. .
In a statement from the White House, Biden praised the news.
“Collective bargaining works and is essential to building a stronger economy from the center out and from the bottom up,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris also celebrated the news in a statement.
Vice President Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris
Workers participate in a dock strike at Port Newark, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Bayonne, New Jersey.
“This step signals progress toward a strong contract and represents the power of collective bargaining,” he said.
Harris also reiterated her support for the dockworkers who forced a temporary pause in the strike.
“As I’ve said, this is about fairness and our economy works best when workers share in record profits,” he wrote.