Virginia governor asks Pres. Biden to call off dockworker strike

RICHMOND, Va. — Dockworkers in Virginia went on strike Tuesday, as part of a movement of 45,000 workers in 36 coastal states who are calling for higher wages and regulations on the use of automation.  

On Tuesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) called on the White House to use federal authority to stop the strike. 

"President Biden has the tools to remedy this situation for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation, including utilizing provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act." Gov. Youngkin said, referring to the law that gives the president power to seek a court order to mandate an 80-day cooling-off period. 

White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said Friday that's not going to happen. 

"We've never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and we are not considering doing so now," Patterson said. "We support collective bargaining. We believe it's the best way for both American workers and employers to come to a fair agreement -- one that benefits the workers in a way that reflects the success of the companies."

According to Gov. Youngkin, nearly 9,500 jobs rely on the Port of Virginia, handling 14.3 million tons of containerized imports into the commonwealth. 

The dockworkers' strike was the group's first strike since 1977, and economists believe that there might be shortages and higher prices if negotiations take more than a few weeks. 

The union's opening offer was for a 77% pay raise. According to the AP, International Longshoreman's Association workers make a base salary of $81,000 a year. 

Dockworkers in Virginia also expressed concerns about automation, with some workers carrying signs reading, "Automation hurts families: ILA stands for job protection."