'Should Have Never Come To This': Trump Holds Harris Accountable For 'Massive Inflation' That Caused Port Workers Strike

On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris came out in support of the International Longshoremen's Association's (ILA) strike against the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) that has shut down ports across the eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast. The Democrat ticket's support of the union's strike comes after ILA President Harold Daggett explained that he is willing to cripple the American economy to get "the kind of wages we deserve."

"This strike is about fairness. Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits, and executive compensation has grown. The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits," Vice President Harris said in a statement. The Democratic presidential candidate turned to Trump, arguing that he "wants to pull us back to a time before workers had the freedom to organize."

While the Harris campaign attempted to argue that Trump wasn't in favor of American workers negotiating better wages, the 45th president explained in a statement that the Longshoremen wouldn't have to negotiate better wages if it wasn't for the Biden-Harris administration's inflation. "The situation should have never come to this, and had I been President, it would not have. This is only happening because of the inflation brought on by Kamala Harris' two votes for massive, out-of-control spending and her decision to cut off energy exploration. Americans who thrived under President Trump can't even get by because of Kamala Harris - this strike is a direct result of her actions," Trump said. "American workers should be able to negotiate for better wages, especially since the shipping companies are mostly foreign flag vessels, including the largest consortium One."

As previously reported by the DC Enquirer, the ILA's previous contract with USMX had dockworkers starting out at $20 an hour, $24.75 per hour after two years, and $31.90 after three years. Dockworkers on the East Coast earn an average yearly salary of around $80,000 at the top hourly wage of $39; however, longshoremen can take extra shifts and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. A 2019-2020 report from the New York Harbor Waterfront Commission found that a third of longshoremen made over $200,000 a year. The ILA president explained that the dockworkers making over $100,000 a year often work more than 100 hours a week.

In an attempt to prevent the strike, USMX, whose contract expired with the ILA on Monday, offered a nearly 50 percent pay increase for dockworkers, a tripling of employer contributions to retirement plans, enhanced health coverage, and the preservation of safeguards against regulations that could eliminate longshoreman jobs at a fraction of the cost. These attempts weren't welcomed by Daggett, however, who is pushing for a 77 percent raise over six years.

"They have the capital to settle this thing," Daggett told Fox News. "Now you start to realize who the longshoremen are. People never gave a shit about us until now, when they finally realize that the chain is being broken now. Cars won't come in, food won't come in, clothing won't come in. Do you know how many people depend on our jobs? Half the world. It's time for them, it's time for Washington to put so much pressure on them to take care of us because we took care of them. We're here 135 years and brought them where they are today, and they don't want to share."

In a video posted to the ILA's YouTube page last month, Daggett explained that he was willing to cause tremendous damage to the American economy to get what he thinks his members deserve. "In today's world, I'll cripple you. I will cripple you, and you have no idea what that means."

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