Truck Driving Job News

DENTON, Texas —  Peterbilt is continuing its sponsorship of the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Trucking U program, an educational initiative designed to empower the next generation of leaders through a deep understanding of the trucking industry. “Trucking U is an important program in advancing the trucking industry and we are excited to continue our sponsorship for a second year,” said Jake Montero, assistant general manager, sales and marketing for Peterbilt. “As industry leaders, we see this as a key opportunity for student development, preparing the next generation for success in the commercial transportation industry.” According to a company media release, as the exclusive OEM sponsor for the second consecutive year, Peterbilt is dedicated to offering its industry knowledge and leadership, providing meaningful guidance to the 24 select students as they embark on this valuable opportunity in their academic and career paths. “Peterbilt’s sponsorship of Trucking U reflects the company’s fundamental belief in the importance of education and development, empowering and positioning students to contribute to the future of trucking,” the company said in the release. As part of Trucking U, students will attend the upcoming ATA Management Conference and Exhibition in Nashville, TN, October 12-15. Peterbilt will display its versatile lineup of conventional and electric vehicles, including the Model 579EV, Model 589 and the last built Model 389. Students will explore these models and learn how Peterbilt leverages technology and innovation. Trucking U students will also network with Peterbilt staff and gather insight about the importance of the trucking industry. For more information on Trucking U, visit https://www.trucking.org/TruckingU. To learn more about Peterbilt’s expansive truck portfolio, contact your local Peterbilt dealer or visit https://www.peterbilt.com/.

GREEN BAY, Wis.— As more consumers pack their grocery carts with fall staples like apples, changing consumer habits around meals and economic pressures are increasing the need for refrigerated shipping. According to a Schneider press release, consumer demand for refrigerated products has continually increased since 2020. “The maintenance and trend of at-home dining goes beyond simple cost-cutting,” said Tricia Greyshock, president and CEO of the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association. “Our research indicates that consumers are finding real value in preparing meals at home, with 61% reporting it allows them to eat healthier. The refrigerated foods industry continues to evolve with innovative products that combine convenience, nutrition and variety – we expect to see further expansion in refrigerated offerings that cater to the evolving wants and needs of home cooks.” According to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and its data platform Unify/IRI, refrigeration sales have increased by 32% over the past five years, and nearly 64% of adults say they save money or control their budget by eating at home. This has led to a rise in demand for meal prep services, ready to eat meals and grocery items overall. “As grocers and food providers are looking to increase shipments of refrigerated goods, Schneider National Inc, the premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services, is one of the largest temperature-controlled carriers in the industry and has robust refrigerated freight capabilities tailored to meet the needs for customers across the industry,” the company said in the release. Refrigerated shipping requires a well-coordinated, highly trained team and best-in-class equipment to do the job successfully, according to Schneider. Timing, execution and on-time service are critical because there are many regulations when it comes to moving consumer-grade fresh foods. For example, the refrigerated trailers – also known as reefers – must maintain product-specific temperature requirements for the duration of the movement. One wrong step in the process could spoil the whole load. Schneider operates specialized trailers and tractors and utilizes high precision tools such as remote and real-time monitoring temperature sensors, status and maintenance data, visibility tracking and reporting metrics – ensuring optimized solutions and visibility every step of the way, the release noted. The company’s trailer technology and driver processes allow for constant monitoring while in transit to ensure temperatures stay consistent to keep customer products fresh when reaching the final destination. “Refrigerated transport is a unique capability a full-service provider like Schneider is able to offer within our larger Dedicated portfolio, providing custom-based solutions that match what our customers need when they need it,” said John Bozec, Schneider senior vice president and general manager of Truckload and Mexico. “We know the most important aspect of refrigerated transport is delivering ‘on time and on temp’ and our team of experts have built longstanding collaborative relationships with customers in the space by ensuring reliability, capacity and consistent best-in-class service.” According to the release, Schneider continues to grow its refrigerated service offering, particularly in the grocery vertical. For grocer customers, consistent collaboration is key. As part of the Dedicated portfolio, Schneider company drivers and support teams are assigned exclusively to refrigerated customers, providing value through embedded expertise. To further ensure a best-in-class customer experience, Schneider created a Center of Excellence that offers 24/7 support from a highly trained team of refrigerated freight experts. “Alongside service, sustainability is also an important consideration for refrigerated customers,” the company said. “Schneider is committed to building a sustainable future, operating one of the most efficient fleets in the country. Many of the efficiencies that the company identifies within route and network planning also translate to lower emissions, and new technologies and processes to cool trailers reduce fuel usage. The release also noted that with more than 30 years of experience moving temperature-controlled freight across North America, customers rely on Schneider to drive efficiency and growth, secure competitive market pricing and offer the latest technologies and processes to protect their loads. The company was most recently recognized as a 2024 Top Food Chain Provider from Food Shippers of America. To learn more about Schneider’s Dedicated business and refrigerated freight solutions, visit: https://schneider.com/freight-shipping-solutions/dedicated.

The national average of diesel price increased 4 cents to $3.584 per gallon, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data released on Monday. Prices were up for the third week in a row after 10 weeks of dropping prices. The East Coast, New England, Lower Atlantic and Central Atlantic areas saw prices dip. The Midwest saw the biggest rise with prices climbing 6.7 cents to $3.587 per gallon. Prices were also up in the Gulf Coast region with a reported 5.4 cent rise in diesel prices, bringing the cost per gallon to $3.266. Prices in the Rocky Mountain region were up to $3.620 a gallon. West Coast prices were up by 3.5 cents bringing the price per gallon to $4.261. West Coast less California prices also increased by 4.4 cents to $3.841 per gallon while California saw a rise of 2.3 cents at $4.742 per gallon.      

MIDDLETOWN, NJ – It was announced via media release on Monday that the Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) that Allen Clifford, Executive Vice President, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA), will be honored with the 2024 Connie Award. In addition, Cliff Pyron, Advisor, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), will receive CII’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The prestigious awards will be presented at an industry-wide luncheon to be held on December 9th at the Marriott Newark Liberty Airport Hotel. “Throughout his remarkable career spanning more than four decades with the world’s largest shipping line, Allen has been a pivotal force in advancing containerization and shaping global trade. Tenacious, entrepreneurial and results oriented, Allen perfectly embodies what the Connie Award is all about,” said CII President, Chris Brooks. “Fortunately, CII had Allen and his passion for growth and advancement on our board for nearly 40 years. He played a critical role in transforming and evolving our organization into what it is today.” Additionally, CII will recognize Cliff Pyron with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his invaluable contributions to commercial and trade development at GPA. His outstanding accomplishments have established a standard of excellence, reinforcing Georgia’s ports as essential gateways for the global movement of raw materials and finished products. For more than 50 years, CII has been honoring industry leaders with the prestigious Connie Award to industry professionals who have made major contributions to the advancement of containerization and intermodalism via the spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship, and influential leadership. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to organizations or individuals who have played a long-standing, substantial, and supportive role in the industry and/or CII. Connie Award Honoree — Allen Clifford The 2024 Connie Award recipient, Allen Clifford, is recognized as a visionary leader whose contributions to the industry have shaped its landscape over his distinguished career. Mr. Clifford began his journey in 1981 after graduating from the University at Buffalo. He started in freight forwarding and the emerging NVOCC sector with Deugo GmbH. He later transitioned to Containership Agency, where he represented a diverse portfolio of ocean carriers, including Italian Lines, Neptune Orient Lines, and Bottachi Lines of Argentina. Mediterranean Shipping Company​ was a part of ​C​ontainership, and Allen began managing it within the trade group. As MSC expanded, it evolved into its own agency, American Container Agency, which later rebranded to MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) and established its current U.S. headquarters in New York City. Mr. Clifford has steadily advanced from Assistant Vice President of Sales to his current position as Executive Vice President. In 2014, he was appointed USA Ambassador for the MSC Foundation and became a member of the MSC Board of Directors, further solidifying his influence in the industry. Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree – Cliff Pyron CII’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Cliff Pyron, has a 40-plus-year career in liner container shipping, global supply chain logistics, trucking, and the port sector, as well as economic and industrial development. Widely recognized for his entrepreneurial vision, Mr. Pyron recently shifted to the role of Advisor to the GPA after serving as the Chief Commercial Officer for 16 years. In his role as CCO, he provided strategic leadership in commercial business, trade development, and economic initiatives. His efforts were instrumental in driving long-term profitable growth and increasing market share through sales, marketing, customer service, and international partnerships, significantly boosting global trade and commerce across Georgia and the Southeast. Before joining GPA in 2008, Pyron was Vice President of North America Sales for NYK Line and Vice President of Sales for the Southern Region at Maersk-Sealand. During the 1999 acquisition of Sea-Land by Maersk, he was General Manager of Southeast Sales and also led Buyers Consolidators in Charlotte. Earlier, he worked in Hong Kong as General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Sea-Land, overseeing operations in Hong Kong, Macau, and South China. “Cliff has been instrumental in GPA’s impressive growth, positioning it as a key player in international trade and investment. His leadership helped lay the groundwork for GPA to serve as a dynamic engine of economic development, benefiting our entire industry,” stated Mr. Brooks. CII, founded in 1960, has been presenting the Connie Award since 1972  honoring those connected to the field of containerization and its ancillary industries. Among some 70 people and organizations have been honored to date, among the recipients are Gene Seroka, Malcom McLean, James McKenna, Robert McEllrath, Ed DeNike, John Wolfe, Bruce Fenimore, Helen Delich Bentley, Captain S.Y. Kuo, Matthew Cox, Bill Shea, Mike Wilson, Marino. Robert Sappio, Ken Kellaway and Vincent J. Marino. According to its release, at the event, CII will carry out its industry education mission by presenting scholarships to students studying logistics as well as the institutions that are educating our future leaders. Under its auspices, CII has awarded more than $1 million toward scholarships.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a permanent injunction and court order forbidding a California transportation company from retaliating against drivers and illegally shifting liability for labor law violations onto workers who exercised their federally protected rights. According to the DOL, a Sept. 25 consent judgment and order in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California requires Cargomatic Inc., a Long Beach transportation and logistics company, to cease its repeated intimidation and threats directed toward drivers who deliver freight for Ceva Freight LLC, a subsidiary of Ceva Logistics in Torrance. “Employers should know better than to attempt to enforce indemnity clauses that purport to shift liability for wage and other labor law violations onto workers,” said Marc Pilotin, regional solicitor in San Fransisco. “Such provisions are coercive, retaliatory, illegal, and unenforceable. The U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate retaliation against workers in any form, including when it involves—as here—employers invoking invalid terms buried in a contract’s fine print.” According to the DOL, the department’s Office of the Solicitor learned that, after a group of drivers filed suit against Ceva for alleged labor violations, Cargomatic threatened to countersue the drivers for more than $150,000 in attorney’s fees. Drivers alleged the company intimidated drivers and threatened to terminate those who persisted in seeking unpaid wages and other remedies for the alleged violation of their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act  and the California Labor Code. The company sent drivers involved in the Ceva lawsuit letters claiming they materially breached the terms of service agreements that Cargomatic required them to sign. The agreements included indemnity clauses that Cargomatic threatened to enforce against these workers to deter them from exercising their rights. To further deter workers from pursuing their rights, the agreements had an arbitration provision that arguably barred the workers from seeking collective relief against the company regarding the unlawful indemnity clauses. The department’s legal action is part of larger efforts to combat employers’ attempts to enforce coercive provisions in contracts that seek to dissuade or punish workers from attempting to enforce their legal employment rights, according to the DOL. The effort has included similar actions against Advanced Care Staffing in New York and Bimbo Bakeries in Vermont. Cargomatic is a transportation logistics company that provides drivers who transport freight for shipping companies and has a mobile application for use by drivers. Since at least 2019, Cargomatic has contracted drivers to deliver cargo for Ceva Freight. The FLSA requires that most employees in the U.S. be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at not less than time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The law also guarantees employees the right to raise wage and hour concerns, participate in U.S. Department of Labor wage investigations and file private wage actions without retaliation from their employers. For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, contact the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Learn more about the division, including a search tool to use if an employee thinks they may be owed back wages collected by the division. The department protects workers regardless of immigration status and can communicate with workers in more than 200 languages.

PHILADELPHIA — The 45,000 dockworkers who went on strike Tuesday, Oct. 1 — for the first time in decades — at 36 U.S. ports from Maine to Texas may wield the upper hand in their standoff with port operators over wages and the use of automation. Organized labor enjoys rising public support and has had a string of recent victories in other industries, in addition to the backing of the pro-union administration of President Joe Biden. The dockworkers’ negotiating stand is likely further strengthened by the nation’s supply chain of goods being under pressure in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has coincided with the peak shipping season for holiday goods. The union is also pointing to shipping companies’ record profits, which have come in part because of shortages resulting from the pandemic, and to a more generous contract that West Coast dockworkers achieved last year. The longshoremen’s workloads also have increased, and the effects of inflation have eroded their pay in recent years. In addition, commerce into and out of the U.S. has been growing, playing to the union’s advantage. Further enhancing its leverage is a still-tight job market, with workers in some industries demanding, and in some cases receiving, a larger share of companies’ outsize profits. “I think this work group has a lot of bargaining power,” said Harry Katz, a professor of collective bargaining at Cornell University. “They’re essential workers that can’t be replaced, and also the ports are doing well.” The dockworkers’ strike, their first since 1977, could snarl supply chains and cause shortages and higher prices if it stretches on for more than a few weeks. Beginning after midnight, the workers walked picket lines Tuesday and carried signs calling for more money and a ban on automation that could cost workers their jobs. Experts say consumers won’t likely notice shortages for at least a few weeks, if the strike lasts that long, though some perishable items such as bananas could disappear from grocery stores — although at this time of year, most other fruits and vegetables are domestically grown and not processed at ports, according to Alan Siger, president of the Produce Distributors Association. In anticipation of a strike, most major retailers also stocked up on goods, moving ahead shipments of holiday gift items. The strike, coming weeks before a tight presidential election, could also become a factor in the race if shortages begin to affect many voters. Pressure could eventually grow for the Biden administration to intervene to try to force a temporary suspension of the strike. Little progress was reported in the talks until just hours before the strike began at 12:01 a.m. The U.S. Maritime Alliance, the group negotiating for the ports, said both sides did budge from their initial positions. The alliance offered 50% raises over the six-year life of the contract. Comments from the union’s leadership had briefly suggested a move to 61.5%, but the union has since signaled that it’s sticking with its initial demand for a 77% pay increase over six years. “We have demonstrated a commitment to doing our part to end the completely avoidable ILA strike,” the alliance said Tuesday. The ports’ pay offer is more than every other recent union settlement, the group said. “We look forward to hearing from the Union about how we can return to the table and actually bargain, which is the only way to reach a resolution,” the statement said. In early picketing, workers outside the Port of Philadelphia walked in a circle and chanted, “No work without a fair contract.” The union posted message boards on the side of a truck reading: “Automation Hurts Families: ILA Stands For Job Protection.” Boise Butler, president of the union local, asserted that the workers want a contract that doesn’t allow for the automation of their jobs. The shipping companies, he argued, made billions during the pandemic by charging high prices. “Now,” Butler said, “we want them to pay back. They’re going to pay back.” And in New Orleans, Henry Glover Jr., a fourth-generation dockworker who is president of the union local, said he can recall the days when longshoremen unloaded 150-pound sacks of sugar by hand. He acknowledges that machinery has made the job easier, but he worries that the ports need fewer people to handle the equipment. “Automation could be good, but they’re using it to kill jobs,” Glover said. “We don’t want them to implement anything that would take our jobs out.” William Brucher, an assistant professor of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University, noted that “this is a very opportune time” for striking workers. The contract agreement reached last year with West Coast dockworkers, who are represented by a different union, shows that “higher wages are definitely possible” for the longshoremen and has enhanced their bargaining power, Brucher said. Under the Taft-Hartley Act, Biden could seek a court order for an 80-day cooling-off period that would end the strike at least temporarily, but he has told reporters that he wouldn’t take that step. The administration could risk losing union support if it exercised such power, which experts say could be particularly detrimental for Democrats ahead of next month’s election. On Tuesday, the White House continued to ask the alliance to negotiate a fair contract that reflects the longshoremen’s contribution to the economy. “As our nation climbs out of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” Biden said in a statement, “dockworkers will play an essential role in getting communities the resources they need. Now is not the time for ocean carriers to refuse to negotiate a fair wage for these essential workers while raking in record profits.” Ben Nolan, a transportation analyst with Stifel, said the administration isn’t likely to intervene until consumers start to see empty shelves or can’t find critical goods like medicines. “Medications and other things come in on containers,” Nolan said. “I think if the administration wanted to have a reason to get involved, it’s stuff like that.” By Tom Krisher, Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Tassanee Vejpongsa, The Associated Press. Krisher reported from Detroit, Grantham-Philips from New York. Associated Press journalists Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, Jack Brook in New Orleans, Anne D’Innocenzio and Mae Anderson in New York, Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Josh Boak in Washington, and Annie Mulligan in Houston contributed to this report.

Data from Truckstop for the week ended Sept. 27, analyzed by FTR Transportation Intelligence, show mostly incremental movements in spot rates that followed seasonal patterns, according to an Oct. 1 release. In line with comparable weeks over the past several years, broker-posted dry van and flatbed spot rates increased slightly, while refrigerated rates declined, following a typical pattern, according to the release. Spot metrics for the week showed no clear signs of an initial market impact from Hurricane Helene, although the increases in dry van and refrigerated posted load volumes were notably higher in the Southeast than in other regions. With a dip in truck postings, the Market Demand Index increased to 62.2, the highest level in 10 weeks. Total spot load availability Total load activity rose 4.9% after increasing less than 1% during the previous week. Load postings were 6% below the same week of 2023 and about 33% below the five-year average for the week. One possible impact from Helene was a notably sharper increase in dry van and refrigerated load volumes in the Southeast than in other regions. Total truck postings edged down 1.5%, and the Market Demand Index — the ratio of load postings to truck postings in the system — rose to its highest level in 10 weeks. Total spot rates The total broker-posted rate increased just over a half cent after declining close to 3 cents during the previous week. Rates were nearly 5% below the same below the same 2023 week — the weakest year-over-year comparison in 17 weeks — and more than 10% below the five-year average. Spot rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge were still higher year over year for each of the principal equipment types, but the comparisons were narrower than they have been in recent weeks. The current week (Week 40), which ends Oct. 4, usually sees lower spot rates week over week in each equipment type. Dry van spot rates Dry van spot rates increased nearly 2 cents after falling more than 3 cents in the prior week. Rates were nearly 7% below the same 2023 week — the largest negative year-over-year comparison since March — and about 17% below the five-year average for the week. Excluding an imputed fuel surcharge, rates were about 3% higher than the same week of 2023. Dry van loads rose 9.3%. Volume was nearly 26% below the same 2023 week and close to 47% below the five-year average. Refrigerated spot rates Refrigerated spot rates decreased 4.6 cents after falling nearly 8 cents during the previous week. Rates were more than 4% below the same week last year and close to 14% below the five-year average. Rates excluding an imputed fuel surcharge were up nearly 4% year over year. Refrigerated loads increased 2.8%. Volume was more than 7% below the same 2023 week and about 39% below the five-year average for the week. Flatbed spot rates  Flatbed spot rates ticked up nearly 1 cent for just the second increase in the past 15 weeks. Rates were more than 5% below the same 2023 week – the largest negative y/y comparison since the end of May – and more than 10% below the five-year average for the week. Rates excluding an imputed fuel surcharge were up 2.6% y/y. Flatbed loads increased 3.5%. Volume was 11.5% above the same week last year but more than 27% below the five-year average.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — From Maine to Texas, dockworkers at 36 ports across the eastern United States are on strike for the first time in decades, a work stoppage that could snarl supply chains and cause shortages and higher prices if it stretches on for more than a few weeks. Workers began walking picket lines early Tuesday in a strike over wages and the ports’ use of automation, though some progress was reported in negotiations over a new contract. The existing contract between the ports and about 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association expired at midnight. The strike comes just weeks before a tight presidential election and could become a factor in the race if shortages begin to affect many voters. In early picketing, workers outside the Port of Philadelphia walked in a circle and chanted, “No work without a fair contract.” The union, which is striking for the first time since 1977, posted message boards on the side of a truck reading: “Automation Hurts Families: ILA Stands For Job Protection.” Boise Butler, president of the union local, asserted that the workers want a fair contract that doesn’t allow for the automation of their jobs. The shipping companies, he argued, made billions during the pandemic by charging high prices. “Now,” Butler said, “we want them to pay back. They’re going to pay back.” He warned that the union plans to strike for as long as it needs to achieve a fair deal and has valuable leverage over the companies. “This is not something that you start and you stop,” Butler said. “We’re not weak,” he added, pointing to the union’s vital importance to the nation’s economy The U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, said Monday evening that both sides had given some ground on their previous wage demands. But no deal was reached. Labor experts suggest that the striking workers may wield the upper hand in the standoff. The union’s most recent contract with the alliance was negotiated before the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors ranging from the effects of inflation to increased workloads from pandemic-era demands to a more generous contract achieved by the dockworkers’ West Coast counterparts have boosted their standing to demand higher pay, better workplace protections and a slowdown in the automation of work functions. “This is a very opportune time,” said William Brucher, an assistant professor of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University. Though inflation has diminished, Brucher noted, the cost of living is still much higher than it was before COVID-19, which means the buying power of workers’ wages has shrunk. Brucher also pointed to momentum from other labor activity over recent years, as unions across industries have demanded more and seen companies provide concessions as a result. And the contract agreement made last year with West Coast dockworkers, who are represented by a different union, shows that “higher wages are definitely possible” for the longshoremen and has enhanced their bargaining power. Leading up to the strike, the union’s opening offer in the talks was for a 77% pay raise over the six-year life of the contract, with President Harold Daggett saying it’s necessary to make up for inflation and years of small raises. The union members earn a base salary of about $81,000 per year, but some can pull in over $200,000 annually with significant amounts of overtime. On Monday evening, the alliance said it had increased its offer to 50% raises over six years and pledged to keep limits on automation that are in place from the old contract. The alliance also said its offer tripled employer contributions to retirement plans and strengthened health care options. The union, though, wants a complete ban on automation, and it was unclear how far apart the two sides are on the issue. In a statement early Tuesday, the union said it rejected the alliance’s latest proposal because it “fell far short of what ILA rank-and-file members are demanding in wages and protections against automation.” The two sides had not held formal negotiations since June. Consumers won’t likely feel any consequences from the strike right away, supply chain experts say. In anticipation of a strike, most major retailers have stocked up on goods, moving ahead shipments of holiday gift items. But if the work stoppage drags out for more than a few weeks, consumers could feel the effects. If drawn out, the strike could cause some goods to arrive late for peak holiday shopping season, potentially disrupting the delivery of anything from toys and artificial Christmas trees to cars, coffee and fruit. The strike will likely have an almost immediate impact on supplies of perishable imports like bananas. The ports that are affected by the strike handle 3.8 million metric tons of bananas each year, or 75% of the nation’s supply, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Though consumers might face higher prices for some of these items over time, businesses will likely take hits sooner. In addition to paying for delays, competition to keep prices down or relatively stable may lead some affected companies to incur extra costs. Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun, which makes such toys as Care Bears and Lincoln Logs, said he has been monitoring the port situation for months and planned for it by shifting all container shipments to West Coast ports. But he said the shift added anywhere from 10% to 20% extra costs that his company will have to absorb. Foreman added that Basic Fun’s prices for the next 10 months are locked in with retailers but that he might have to raise prices during the second half of 2025 if the strike is prolonged. “We were expecting a good holiday season, but now those extra costs are going to eat into profits,” he said. “It affects raises and bonuses.” The strike could also snarl exports from East Coast ports and create traffic jams at ports on the West Coast. Railroads say they can ramp up to carry more freight from the West Coast, but analysts say they can’t move enough to make up for the closed Eastern ports. J.P. Morgan estimated that a strike that shuts down East and Gulf coast ports could cost the economy $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion per day, with some of that recovered over time after normal operations resume. Retailers, auto parts suppliers and produce importers had hoped for a settlement or that President Joe Biden would intervene and end the strike using the Taft-Hartley Act, which allows him to seek an 80-day cooling off period. But during a Sunday exchange with reporters, Biden, who has worked to court union votes for Democrats, said “no” when asked if he planned to intervene in the potential work stoppage. In an update Tuesday morning, the White House maintained that administration officials were working “around the clock” to help negotiations move forward. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also “closely monitoring” potential supply chain impacts, the White House added, enlisting a task force to meet daily and prepare for any disruptions. Biden’s keeping his word on not intervening carries a lot of weight for the coming election, experts say. “Democrats really can’t afford to alienate organized labor,” Brucher said. Taft-Harley injunctions by a president are “widely despised” by unions across the country, he said, and those same unions are necessary for turnout at the polls, particularly for Harris’ campaign.