[Freight Weekly] Helene's Aftermath and a Historic Longshoremen Strike

A Tale of Two Crises on Our Supply Chains: Hurricane Helene’s Aftermath and a Historic Longshoremen Strike

Hurricane Helene’s aftermath is expected to interrupt supply chains in the Southeastern United States for weeks and months. Also paired with the International Longshoremen Association going on a historic strike that has significantly halted operations at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, the U.S. and all Western Hemisphere supply chains will be pushed to limits as the peak holiday shopping and revenue season fast approaches.

🌀The latest on Hurricane Helene:

• The Associated Press reported today that Helene’s death toll exceeded 200 lives lost. Most of the deaths have been reported in rural areas of North Carolina.

• U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited states that Hurricane Helene impacted to assess the damage caused by the storm.

• Helene temporarily closed operations on local ports in states like North Carolina and Florida. Zulu was ordered but has since been lifted since the storm is over.

✊🏾The latest on the ILA strike:

• In addition to Helene’s damage to infrastructure, the nationwide labor strike ordered by the International Longshoremen Association is causing fears among government officials at the state and federal levels, consumers, and industry.

• Stakeholders are also calling on President Biden to order longshoremen back to work by using the authority of the Taft-Hartley Act, a 1947 law adopted to curtail the power of unions at the time. The law allows the president to request a court order to provide an 80-day cooling-off period between employers and unions.

• The ILA and the employers at 36 East and Gulf Coast ports, represented by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are disputing wage increases and concerns related to automation taking humanity out of port and harbor work.

• Harold Daggett, the ILA president, is currently being pressured and reportedly facing death threats to call off the strike. Supposedly, Daggett has gone out and threatened to cripple the economy until the dock workers receive higher wages.

• According to the union, Daggett was doxxed by the New York Post. ILA issued a statement condemning the report by saying, “He is sickened by these attempts to his attack his professional accomplishments as a union leader, and destroy the life he has built for him and his family in over many decades of toil and hard work.”

• The Federal Maritime Commission has advised that regulations and rules on demurrage and detention remain in effect during the ILA strike and port closures.

• Right now, ship queues are getting much longer as surcharges are expected.

Bottom line: Everyone, let’s not forget that Helene just occurred. While the recovery in the aftermath of the storm will harm supply chains, the ILA strike continues to have one of the most damaging impacts on supply chains throughout the entire country and world.

CONTEXT: ILA Union Outlines Key Demands to End Dockworker Strike

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📰OTHER NEWS IN FREIGHT📰

🇵🇦Panama Canal’s need for more water could displace thousands of people: In a unique perspective on the issue of the Panama Canal’s water expansion, Grist reports that a proposed dam and reservoir to feed the water levels could lead to many losing their homes. Filling the reservoir would submerge about 17.7 square miles of land, currently home to more than 2,000 Panamanians, via Grist climate fellow Sachi Kitajima Mulkey.

🪖Gov. DeSantis deploys National Guard to ports amid Helene aftermath, strikes: In a controversial step, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the National Guard to “maintain order” and to “resume operations at ports which are otherwise shut down.” More here…

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