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Florida’s Own Fiscal Cliff: Gov. Scott Pleads With Obama to Help Avert a Strike at Seaports

December 27, 2012 | FlaglerLive | 7 Comments

More than 16 million tons of cargo goes through the Jacksonville harbor alone. (Jaxport)

Gov. Rick Scott and executives of Florida’s largest ports Thursday called on negotiators to avert a strike that could cripple the majority of container shipments along the eastern and gulf coasts as early as this weekend.

Barring an agreement between longshoremen and shippers, the group urged President Barack Obama to use his authority to keep containerized cargo moving while talks continue, saying any interruption would have a ripple effect throughout Florida and across the country.

The International Longshoremen’s Association union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, a group of shipping companies, have been negotiating since March for an agreement covering cargo handling at 15 ports on the U.S. gulf and eastern coasts.

The most recent contract expired in October, but the parties agreed to a 90 day extension that ends Dec. 29.

“Our message to President Obama is simple; a shutdown of Florida ports is not an option for Florida families,” Scott told reporters during a conference call Thursday.

The dispute threatens to have a significant effect at a handful of Florida’s 15 ports that handle the lion’s share of the 3 million container shipments entering and leaving the state.

Port Miami, Port Everglades and the Port of Jacksonville will feel the brunt of any strike, but other ports and myriad industries that support the transportation of containerized cargo will also feel the effects.

Petroleum imports, the cruise industry and the movement of military, perishable cargo and most automobiles will be allowed to continue if a strike begins. But port officials warn that Florida’s economy remains inextricably linked to its ability to ship goods by sea.

Overall, port activities account for 550,000 direct and indirect jobs and $66 billion in economic activity, according to figures compiled by the Florida Ports Council.

“It’s hard to try to nail down the full impact… but you can point to some ripple effects that will reach all Floridians,” said Doug Wheeler, Florida Ports Council president and CEO.


Scott has made maritime trade a key to his economic development efforts. Since taking office in 2011, Scott has spearheaded efforts that have resulted in $421 million in port investments the governor says are critical for the state to take advantage of Latin American trade and the widening of the Panama Canal in 2014.

The governor sent a letter to Obama last week, asking the president to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act if talks fail. The governor said Thursday he has yet to receive a response.

Passed in 1947, the federal law allows the president to order employees to work as negotiations continue if national interests are at stake. It was last used in 2002 by then President George W. Bush to end an 11-day longshoremen’s strike at 29 west coast ports.

Port officials urged Obama not to wait even 11 days to invoke the federal law, saying a strike would only add to consumer uncertainty at a time when the economy is already facing a shaky recovery.

“A strike this Saturday combined with the ongoing negotiations between Congress and President Obama regarding the so called ‘fiscal cliff’ could be a one-two combination, knock-out punch to our nation’s economy,” said Paul Anderson, CEO of the Tampa Port Authority.

–Michael Peltier, News Service of Florida

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lonewolf says

    December 28, 2012 at 6:49 am

    So NOW Scott wants Obama to help him? before, he wouldn’t spit on Obama if Obama was on fire

    Reply
  2. Palm Coast Resident says

    December 28, 2012 at 6:49 am

    Get rid of all the unions!….They were good years ago. Now they are too money hungry. Strike down all unions!

    Reply
    • Riley says

      December 29, 2012 at 8:06 pm

      @palm coast resident: Do you work a 40hr. work week? Do you receive sick pay? Do you receive vacation pay? Does you employer pay all or a part of your health insurance? Do you receive cost of living adjustments to your pay? These are only a few of the benefits unions have fought to gain for AMERICA workers. How is it that people who work in business or banking can get gigantic bonuses and perks and that is acceptable.

      Reply
  3. Obama 2012 says

    December 28, 2012 at 9:37 am

    So the Tea party Governor wants Big Government help to FORCE Business to do what he wants.

    HAHAHAHAHA

    How about setting up the Health care exchanges and doing drug and Mental disorder tests on firearm owners maybe we can talk.

    Anyone Wish they voted for Alex Sink yet?

    Reply
  4. Pamala Zill says

    December 28, 2012 at 9:46 am

    This article combined with the two visuals is certainly more well crafted than any suspence novel in the last 4 months.

    Reply
  5. Alex says

    December 28, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Without knowing the issues involved in the negotiation, we should not pass a judgement one way or the other.

    Is it just possible that the unions are protecting workers against greedy companies????

    I don’t know the issues so I can’t take sides.

    Reply
  6. NortonSmitty says

    December 29, 2012 at 12:21 am

    The ports are all run by foreign companies. Used to be Arabs, now a lot of them are Chinese. Jacksonville is currently in the middle of a thirty year lease with a Korean company called Haijiin. So this is who is trying to cut the wages for the port workers. And you people are so brainwashed against the Unions that you will badmouth the American Union workers to side with the Koreans?

    You patriotic idiots.

    Reply
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