CSCMP calls on White House to prevent port strike

As retailers and manufacturers around the country keep an eye on the September 30 deadline for East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers to agree on a new contract, the industry group the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) is calling on the White House to intervene and avoid a damaging strike.

A coastwide strike would have a “potentially devastating” impact on its members, who include manufacturers, farmers, agribusinesses, retailers, transportation and logistics providers, and other supply chain stakeholders, CSCMP said.

So in a letter to President Biden, CSCMP called on the administration to work with both the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) to resume their contract negotiations, emphasizing the need to ensure there is no disruption to port operations and cargo movement.

In urging the White House to intervene, CSCMP cited other recent actions by federal officials to resolve strikes and labor stoppages, including efforts to help the ILWU and PMA resolve their West Coast port labor negotiations, efforts to help the Class I railroads come to agreement with their unions, and efforts to resolve contract negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters.

“We call upon the administration to immediately work with both parties to resume contract negotiations and ensure there is no disruption to port operations and cargo fluidity if a new contract is not reached by the expiration date,” CSCMP said.

In a letter to the group’s members, CSCMP President/CEO Mark Baxa wrote that CSCMP is committed to effective public-private partnerships where critical insights are supplied that help public officials understand supply chain impacts.

“The potentially devastating impact of a coastwide strike on our members, the greater economy, and the downward trend of inflation make it imperative for us to engage with the administration and the involved parties to quickly negotiate a new deal or agree to continue negotiations while keeping the ports open and cargo flowing,” Baxa said. “Our collective voice is crucial in urging the administration to provide support to the parties in their negotiations and to be prepared to step in if a strike or other action occurs that leads to a coastwide shutdown or disruption.”