Wes Smith, NAED President and CEO, has joined other trade associations by issuing the following statement on the dockworkers’ strike impacting ports from Maine to Texas.
Tagged with NAEDOur industry contributes more than $150 billion in economic activity across all 50 states, represented by more than 600 distributors and manufacturers.
We are deeply concerned about the potential impact this strike will have on the supply chain, even if it is short-lived. The nation is still recovering from the supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and further disruptions would significantly hinder that recovery, and reignite inflation just as it is beginning to cool.
With dock workers on the East and Gulf Coasts taking this action, we are asking our leaders to come together for the sake of our people, businesses, and economy, since this strike, and its far-reaching consequences, are entirely avoidable.
The President has the necessary authority, through the Taft-Hartley Act, to restore port operations and bring the parties together to resolve their differences. We urge swift action to ensure stability and prevent further harm to the economy.