Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday defended the wage demands of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) as the strike that shut down dozens of ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast continues.

The ILA went on strike late Tuesday night after failing to agree to a new contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). Buttigieg argued that companies that were originally part of USMX should be willing to give up some of their “incredible profits” to meet the ILA's demands. asked Expect a 77% salary increase over the six years of your new contract. (Related article: Charles Payne says the Biden-Harris administration showed “massive indifference to the American people” by not ending the strike)

“Companies need to make proposals that will convince workers. And again, such a proposal would be perfectly compatible with companies continuing to make profits. We cannot believe We're talking about an industry that has made a lot of money,” Buttigieg insisted during an appearance on “The Exchange.” “There was a single year where the shipping sector brought in $220 billion in profits worldwide, and there are foreign-owned shipping companies, and we've engaged with them at a global level and at a North American level. They certainly… We're in a position to involve workers in this profitability drive. We could end this tomorrow.”

clock:

By comparison, prices have risen more than 20% since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office in January 2021, but the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has reached The most recent high was 9% YoY in June 2022.

Mr. Buttigieg said some companies were planning to impose additional penalties in response to the strike, and claimed that companies were “inflating” their profits.

“We're seeing consumers suffering from this, but we're also seeing incredible benefits to corporate bottom lines,” Buttigieg said. “We're happy that both companies are doing well, but they're doing well anyway. What's important is that they reach an agreement.”

“As far as I can tell, the proposals from East Coast longshoremen are seriously working toward wage increases that are similar to the proposals presented by West Coast longshoremen,” Buttigieg added. “We saw them come to an agreement. They didn't go on strike, they came to an agreement that allowed shipping companies to make profits and workers to get what they deserved. East Coast longshoremen who were there during the coronavirus outbreak, many of whom died on the job, are demanding they get their share, too.”

All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.