Vice President Kamala Harris has voiced her support for the striking port workers, but that approval may not be mutual regarding her run for the White House.
On the third day of strikes at a Newark, New Jersey port, FOX Business' Jeff Flock did not receive a response when he asked the group of dockworkers if they backed Harris." I have no hands," Flock said on "Mornings with Maria" last Thursday while panning through the crowd.
While one man noted that it was "nobody's business," the striking union members couldn't hide their lack of enthusiasm for the Democratic presidential candidate. "This strike is about fairness. Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits, and executive compensation has grown," Harris said in a statement on Wednesday, per The Hill.
Union Loyalty Amid Controversy: Support For President Harold J. Daggett
International Longshoreman Association President Harold J. Daggett, who is leading the strike at East and Gulf Coast ports, has been catching flak since it was revealed that he earned over $900,000 last year.
Much to his relief, the unfavourable attention has not stopped the union members from supporting him. "He's for us. He's fighting for us. He's fighting for our rights. He's fighting to stop automation," Longshorewoman Maria Flechas told FOX Business.
Flechas, a crane operator with 25 years of experience, argued that her fellow co-workers "do not want automation." She said, "We worked our whole lives here. We want our children to work here. It's a great job. We work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are the heartbeat of America."
Aside from that, Flechas refute claims that Longshoremen earn excessive salaries. "You know we're lacking just the way you guys at home are lacking. We don't have cups, we don't have paper, we don't have this. We don't have the other. But we're here. We're fighting for what you need," she stressed.
Flechas continued to refute claims that Longshoremen earn excessive salaries. The outspoken union leader, whose actions led to gridlock at America's East and Gulf Coast ports, earned over $900,000 last year.
According to data, this included a combined salary of $728,000 from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and an additional $173,000 from ILA Local 1804-1 in North Bergen, New Jersey.
The Man Behind The Port Strike: A Look At Harold J. Daggett
ILA President Harold J. Daggett remains a central figure in the ongoing port strike, threatening to harm the U.S. economy through shortages and price increases if not resolved promptly. The strike has already led to panic buying of toilet paper, reminiscent of the nightmares experienced during the pandemic.
The ILA dockworkers, locked in a dispute with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) following the expiration of a six-year contract, initiated their first strike in nearly 50 years on Tuesday night.
The ILA dockworkers are demanding protection from port automation to prevent job loss and increased compensation as part of their terms for reaching an agreement. Daggett, elected president of the ILA in 2011, is currently serving his fourth four-year term after working more than 60 years in the industry.
In an interview with FOX Business' Lydia Hu on Tuesday, Daggett reiterated his demands on behalf of the labourers he represents. "It's long overdue," he said of the strike.
"Things were rough back then [in 1977]. We went on strike for $0.80. The companies only made like 5 to $10 million, but since COVID and before COVID 'til now, they're making billions and billions of dollars," Daggett said.
"It's a whole different story, but they don't want to share it. They'd rather see a fully automated terminal right here on the East Coast so they can make more money. They're money-crazy," he added.
Daggett emphasised the union's fight for jurisdiction, health, wages, etc. He was also named president emeritus of ILA Local 1804-1, where he served as president for 14 years before stepping down in 2011, and from which he still receives a salary.
