Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 2/24/17


The Agriculture Transportation Coalition has asked Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to intervene with the International Longshoreman’s Association’s plans to shut down the ports on the East and Gulf coasts.

The group sent a letter to Chao, saying, “The impact of such an action would be devastating to one of the most important sectors of the U.S. economy. We ask that you bring your experience and office to bear to prevent such a shutdown, and to protect the export economy from injury that in some cases will be irreversible.”

The ILA issued its call for a shutdown, along with a march on Washington to protest job losses, earlier this week in a news release. The group is specifically targeting the South Carolina Port Authority in Charleston and the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. Those agencies, the ILA said, are creating job losses and damaging their regional economies with over-regulation of hiring practices and, at times, intimidation tactics.

The planned date of the shutdown and protest has yet to be announced.

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