The president applauded both sides for coming to an agreement.
  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.worldOP
    10410·
    2 months ago

    Joe doesn’t have a big mouth like Trump, but he actually does accomplish things. Trump’s jealous because he has no clue about how

    Pete Buttigieg was point man and mentioned by both sides. History will tell a story about Pete IMO.

    • popcap200@lemmy.ml
      34·
      2 months ago

      It’s still crazy to me that Trump has all three branches and didn’t pass a single piece of major legislation.

        • popcap200@lemmy.ml
          101·
          2 months ago

          Lmao that’s true. Does that count as major? It PALES in comparison to the Biden Infrastructure bill in terms of scope.

      • laverabe@lemmy.worldEnglish
        241·
        2 months ago

        Thursday’s deal came after Biden administration officials met with foreign-owned shipping companies before dawn on Zoom, according to a person briefed on the day’s events who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. The White House wanted to increase pressure to settle, emphasizing the responsibility to reopen the ports to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the person said.

        Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told them she could get the union to the bargaining table to extend the contract if the carriers made a higher wage offer. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told the carriers they had to make an offer by the end of the day so a manmade strike wouldn’t worsen a natural disaster, the person said.

        By midday the Maritime Alliance members agreed to a large increase, bringing about the agreement.

        • knightly the Sneptaur
          15·
          2 months ago

          You seem to be proving my point, in what way does Biden deserve credit for not squashing the longshoreman’s strike like he did the railworkers’?

      • knightly the Sneptaur
        436·
        2 months ago

        Getting downvotes because Liberals want to give Biden credit for the union’s achievements. XD

        • banshee@lemmy.world
          132·
          2 months ago

          Is liberal supposed to have a negative connotation?

          Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, right to private property and equality before the law.

          • knightly the Sneptaur
            12·
            2 months ago

            Read David Graeber: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-the-utopia-of-rules

            The Iron Law of Liberalism states that any market reform, any government initiative intended to reduce red tape and promote market forces will have the ultimate effect of increasing the total number of regulations, the total amount of paperwork, and the total number of bureaucrats the government employs.

            History reveals that political policies that favor “the market” have always meant even more people in offices to administer things, but it also reveals that they also mean an increase of the range and density of social relations that are ultimately regulated by the threat of violence. This obviously flies in the face of everything we’ve been taught to believe about the market, but if you observe what actually happens, it’s clearly true. The bureaucratization of daily life means the imposition of impersonal rules and regulations; impersonal rules and regulations, in turn, can only operate if they are backed up by the threat of force. And indeed, in this most recent phase of total bureaucratization, we’ve seen security cameras, police scooters, issuers of temporary ID cards, and men and women in a variety of uniforms acting in either public or private capacities, trained in tactics of menacing, intimidating, and ultimately deploying physical violence, appear just about everywhere—even in places such as playgrounds, primary schools, college campuses, hospitals, libraries, parks, or beach resorts, where fifty years ago their presence would have been considered scandalous, or simply weird.

            • banshee@lemmy.world
              31·
              2 months ago

              I used to hold the same belief and considered myself a proponent of limited governance. However, the individuals I know that advocated for smaller government did so because they preferred to be governed by the church instead.

              I don’t believe that labeling others as liberal or conservative helps anything.

              • knightly the Sneptaur
                11·
                2 months ago

                Conservatives are also liberal, and I’m not interested in helping any government they’re considered a valid part of. In a sane world they’d be trying every living president at The Hague.

  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
    433·
    2 months ago

    We had a major infrastructure strike. It was brief, workers got more of what they wanted on their terms. The sky didn’t fall, the entire economy didn’t immediately collapse.

    All the fearmongering surrounding rail workers being able to strike was anti-labor bullshit.

    • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
      8·
      2 months ago

      Everyone talks like it’s the dock workers going on strike that’s the issue and not the corporations refusing to pay more.

      Businesses make decisions to have a strike by refusing to listen to their hundreds or thousands of workers.

      • EatATaco@lemm.eeEnglish
        15·
        2 months ago

        I don’t downvoted often, but I downvoted because it added nothing to the conversation, coupled with not making any sense in the context.

  • Arthur Besse@lemmy.mlEnglish
    61·
    2 months ago

    The article text doesn’t support the headline (“Biden helped end the dockers strike by saying reopening the ports to help Hurricane Helene victims would be patriotic”):

    “ With the grace of God, and the goodwill of neighbors, it’s gonna hold,” President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday night after the agreement.

    In a statement later, Biden applauded both sides “for acting patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding.”

    […]

    Thursday’s deal came after Biden administration officials met with foreign-owned shipping companies before dawn on Zoom, according to a person briefed on the day’s events who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. The White House wanted to increase pressure to settle, emphasizing the responsibility to reopen the ports to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the person said.

    Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told them she could get the union to the bargaining table to extend the contract if the carriers made a higher wage offer. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told the carriers they had to make an offer by the end of the day so a manmade strike wouldn’t worsen a natural disaster, the person said.

    By midday the Maritime Alliance members agreed to a large increase, bringing about the agreement, according to the person.

  • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1055·
    2 months ago

    Not that I oppose union strikes but it’s kind of dirty to do that to Democrats in the 11th hour. Not like their conditions would improve under Trump…

    So associating bad publicity of obstructing hurricane aid is genius.

    • Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.winEnglish
      349·
      2 months ago

      Dirty is how this would have played out had the strike occurred at any other time. Congress would have legislated back to work orders and that’s assuming POTUS couldn’t just use an executive order to do it.

      Striking now meant honest negotiations instead of BS federal interference.

      • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
        617·
        2 months ago

        Yeah I’m sure the maga union boss was totally acting in good faith on behalf of his workers here…

        Again, short-sighted. The damage may very well be done and this could jeopardize 4 years of someone who definitely will do jack shit for unions.

        I know the tankies are upset, here, but here’s a dose of reality:

        • knightly the Sneptaur
          115·
          2 months ago

          Actually, it would hit the wallets of the rail company shareholders hardest.

          Also, don’t pretend that the rail strikers came out on top in that negotiation. Their #1 issue was understaffing and the total lack of sick time, neither of which were addressed.

          • TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
            71·
            2 months ago

            Norfolk Southern and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers -Transportation Division (SMART-TD) said Monday they reached an agreement that immediately provides nearly 300 yardmasters with four new days of paid sick leave per year while also offering flexibility to use up to three additional days of existing paid time off as sick leave.

            Norfolk Southern said all of its unionized workers are now covered by sick leave agreements.

            Also on Monday, Union Pacific reached an agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) to provide paid sick leave to for its 5,600 locomotive engineers.

            Under the agreement effective Aug. 1, members will have up to seven paid days of sick leave. Five days will be considered paid sick days with the ability to convert two additional paid leave days for use as paid sick time.

            https://www.reuters.com/world/us/most-unionized-us-rail-workers-now-have-new-sick-leave-2023-06-05/

            • knightly the Sneptaur
              24·
              2 months ago

              You left out the important part at the top of the article:

              WASHINGTON, June 5 [more than 6 months after the fact] (Reuters) - More than 60% of U.S. unionized railroad workers at major railroads are now are covered by new sick leave agreements, a trade group said Monday. Last year railroads came under fire for not agreeing to paid sick leave during labor negotiations. In December, President Joe Biden signed legislation to block a national U.S. railroad strike after some unions voted against the deal over a lack of paid sick leave.

          • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
            61·
            2 months ago

            Biden said he is not giving up on paid sick leave for rail workers and other Americans who don’t receive such benefits. But he made it clear that he was not prepared to see freight trains stopped and food, water, clothing, and holiday gifts stranged in empty depots.

            This mind you as we were just getting past the worst of the covid pandemic. Do you have any source to suggest this would impact the shareholders “the hardest”?

            Reminder that yet again — this per Bernie Sanders — the expanded sick leave for all rail workers was obstructed by Republicans. Screwing over Democrats during election season is, again, short-sighted. Perhaps those unions from the Teamsters to the longshoremen should rally to get Republicans out of the way?

            • knightly the Sneptaur
              24·
              2 months ago

              Do you have any source to suggest this would impact the shareholders “the hardest”?

              What do you mean “source”?

              This is basic microeconomics, if the company can’t sell its services due to labor action then it can’t generate profits for the shareholders, so they get hit directly in the wallet.

              Everyone has to put up with downstream effects, but only the shareholders get the direct impacts on top of that, so obviously they’re getting hit the hardest.

              Perhaps those unions from the Teamsters to the longshoremen should rally to get Republicans out of the way?

              Most (like 60%) of the Teamsters are Republicans, and I’d bet the same applies to the Longshoremen. That’s why the Teamsters hasn’t endorsed anyone this year.

              • sartalon@lemmy.world
                2·
                2 months ago

                I’m gonna have to go with Bernie’s leadership on this one.

                I trust him more than either of negotiating leads.

                Your point on the demographics is key though. At some point, something’s got to give. Unions and GoP don’t mix, and for labor to not actively fight Trump is like shooting yourself in the face. It is so fucking short sighted and TERRIBLE leadership. It is leopards ate my face level stupidity.

              • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
                21·
                2 months ago

                You said it hits them “hardest,” but how do you know it doesn’t hit the poor and middle class down the pipeline harder, comparatively? What you’re talking about is profits; what I’m talking about is clothing and food for actual people and a raising of bottom-line prices. Make no mistake — the consequence of such a strike comes at the cost of holding those down the line hostage. Naturally the shareholders tend to have a rainy-day fund in order to ride out the storm. Naturally the wealthy can weather such storms easier than the poor and middle class, yes?

                In fact this goes back to this very strike covered in this submission, in which Biden pointed out to the nnion that their strike would effect… Who? Those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

                Hardest is therefore relative.

                • knightly the Sneptaur
                  1·
                  2 months ago

                  What you’re talking about is profits; what I’m talking about is clothing and food for actual people and a raising of bottom-line prices.

                  Exactly. Actual people can’t eat profits but there are other logistical methods of getting goods and services to where they are needed, while shareholders are invested and would have to sell their holdings at a loss if they wanted to get their profits elsewhere.

                  Make no mistake — the consequence of such a strike comes at the cost of holding those down the line hostage.

                  Again, precisely. The larger the group pf people inconvenienced by a work stoppage, the greater the pressure on management to offer the workers an acceptable contract.

                  Naturally the shareholders tend to have a rainy-day fund in order to ride out the storm. Naturally the wealthy can weather such storms easier than the poor and middle class, yes?

                  Naturally, the shareholders don’t want to keep a rainy-day fund, because every dollar that isn’t invested in revenue generation is losing value to inflation. That’s why just-in-time logistics is so huge, and why our supply chains are so brittle. Reserve capacity is an expense to Capital.

                  Naturally, poor folk who have very little to lose and everything to gain have a desperate need to secure the best contracts possible. And, as examples like the Montgomery Bus Boycott demonstrate, even state-backed enterprises can’t persist in the face of organized and persistent strikes by the poorest folks in the country.

                  Hardest is therefore relative

                  Agreed. Your only misconception is a failure to grasp just how astronomically steep our economic inequality has become.

                  In relative terms, the business losses due to work stoppage are monumental compared to the cost of labor itself. Businesses regularly spend ten or 100x more on “union avoidance” than the added costs of a decent contract.

    • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
      191·
      2 months ago

      The union demands were extremely reasonable. What’s dirty is that the company would prefer it to get to this stage than actually pay the workers fairly.

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      2 months ago

      I’m not sorry in the slightest that workers exercised their right to withhold their labor in order to get more favorable terms.

      If you interpret workers having rights as an attack, you should examine what that says about you and your wing of the party.

      • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        2 months ago

        Supporting the exercising of worker’s rights != exercising them effectively.

        Again, they were short-sighted.