The port strike went into effect after the six-year master contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) expired on 30 September.

The two signed a letter to US president Joe Biden which says the matter has become one of economic and national security.

It followed a call for intervention at the end of last month.

"This has now become an issue of both economic and national security. "The strike will cost the economy billions of dollars a day, impacting businesses large and small that are not party to the negotiations, but rely upon the free flow of goods, both imports and exports, through these critical ports. These port closures mean that our farmers are not able to sell their crops to overseas markets, manufacturers are not able to receive critical components for manufacturing facilities, retailers won’t be able to get their holiday merchandise in time and many other industries will be negatively impacted. The longer a strike occurs, the more severe the economic
impact and the longer it will take to recover."

They are now urging the Biden Administration to use "any and all available authority and tools — including use of the Taft-Hartley Act — to immediately restore operations at all impacted container ports, get the parties back to the negotiating table and ensure there are no further disruptions."

"While we would have all preferred for the collective bargaining process to have worked and the parties to have negotiated and reached a deal, that was not the case. The administration must now step in to not only get the ports open again but work with the parties to resolve the outstanding contract issues. The only way the parties can agree on a new deal is if they return to the negotiating table with the help of a federal mediator to ensure they bargain in good faith," the letter reads.

The NRF's CEO Matthew Shay added: "A disruption of this scale during this pivotal moment in our nation’s economic recovery will have devastating consequences for American workers, their families and local communities. After more than two years of runaway inflationary pressures and in the midst of recovery from Hurricane Helene, this strike will result in further hardship for American families. The administration must prioritise our economy — and the millions of Americans who depend on it for their livelihood and wellbeing — and intervene immediately to prevent further hardship and deeper economic consequences.

“It is essential that the ILA and USMX immediately resume negotiations with the intention of finalising a new master contract without further disruptions and put an end to this stalemate.”