Historic Dock Workers Strike Calls for Fair Wages

The White House urges the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) to negotiate a fair contract for East and Gulf Coast dock workers who began their first major strike in nearly 50 years. Workers demand better wages, citing record profits and executive compensations during the pandemic.

The White House called on the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on Tuesday to negotiate a fair contract for their workers, as dock workers on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast initiated their first large-scale strike in nearly 50 years.

According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, shipping companies have reported record profits since the pandemic, in some cases exceeding 800% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Executive compensation has risen proportionally, with profits being returned to shareholders at unprecedented rates.

Jean-Pierre emphasized the importance of fair compensation for workers who risked their safety during the pandemic to keep ports operational, advocating for a meaningful wage increase.

(With inputs from agencies.)