Meat, poultry coalition urge president to avoid East Coast port strike
The American Meat Institute has joined a coalition of meat and poultry industry groups urging President Barack Obama to intervene and prevent a strike at container ports from Maine to Texas. The current labor contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) is set to expire on December 29. The two sides have been negotiating a new contract since April with little progress.
The letter states, “A strike of any kind at ports along the East and Gulf Coast could prove devastating for the U.S. economy, particularly considering the economic setback suffered by the ports, especially the Port of New York/New Jersey, as a result of super storm Sandy. We call upon you to use all means necessary, including Taft-Hartley, to keep the two sides at the negotiating table and head off a coast-wide strike."