John Furner President and CEO | Official website
The National Retail Federation (NRF) has issued a statement following the initiation of a labor strike at all U.S. East and Gulf Coast container ports. The strike began after the expiration of the six-year master contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on September 30.
"NRF urges President Biden 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," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
Shay emphasized that "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." He noted that after more than two years of inflationary pressures and recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, this strike would add further hardship for American families. "The administration must prioritize 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 finalizing a new master contract without further disruptions and put an end to this stalemate," Shay added.
Last month, NRF had already urged both parties to resume negotiations promptly. The organization also led a letter signed by nearly 200 entities addressed to President Biden, urging intervention to avoid such disruptions.
In June, NRF spearheaded a coalition comprising 158 state and federal trade associations in sending another letter to President Biden. This letter called for administrative action towards facilitating an agreement between ILA and USMX. Earlier in the year, NRF had also sent communications directly to both organizations advocating for resumed port labor negotiations.
As an advocate for retail interests, NRF continues its efforts toward ensuring supply chain resiliency through various policies and solutions.
