U.S. dock workers and port operators reached a tentative deal that will immediately end a crippling three-day strike that has shut down shipping on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast, the two sides said Thursday.
The tentative agreement is for a wage hike of around 62% over six years, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, including a worker on the picket line who heard the announcement. That would raise average wages to about $63 an hour from $39 an hour over the life of the contract.
The deal ends the biggest work stoppage of its kind in nearly half a century, which blocked unloading of container ships from Maine to Texas and threatened shortages of everything from bananas to auto parts, triggering a backlog of anchored ships outside major ports.
Democrats aren’t even a friend to labor when they need your votes. They rarely provide anything material, usually just looking for a photo op. For a small and weak union that can be helpful for pressuring management but for a president, senator, etc, who only comment on big strikes or negotiations, it is of virtually zero impact.
In terms of policy, the Biden NLRB has maintained most of the anti-labor Trump NLRB policies. Democrats and Republicans love to tag team anti-labor policy. Republicans can openly do so with minimal to no pushback from Dems and Dems can maintain those policies without taking the blame.
At least when they’re desperate for votes they can be convinced to stay out of our way? 🤷♀️