    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [October 8, 2002]
    [Pages 1772-1773]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Announcing Action on the Labor Disputes Affecting Pacific Coast
    Ports
    October 8, 2002

        I appreciate my Cabinet Secretaries joining me here for this
    announcement.
        For over a week our ports along the Pacific coast have been shut
    down. These ports handle more than $300 billion a year in trade. The
    work stoppage is hurting our entire economy. It is hurting truckers and
    rail operators who carry goods to other parts of America. It's hurting
    farmers and ranchers and manufacturers, retailers and consumers who
    make, buy, and sell the products that pass through our ports.
        The crisis in our western ports is hurting the economy. It is
    hurting the security of our country, and the Federal Government must
    act. Americans are working hard every day to bring our economy back from
    recession. This Nation simply cannot afford to have hundreds of billions
    of dollars a year in potential manufacturing and agricultural trade
    sitting idle. We can't afford it. Because of the situation at the west
    coast ports, our economy is already losing up to $1 billion a day,
    economic losses that translate into lost jobs.
        The farm economy alone is losing a thousand jobs a day. Automotive
    plants cannot get all the parts they need, and they're laying off
    workers. Stores cannot begin stocking up for the holiday season. All of
    this will only worsen as time goes on.
        The work stoppage also threatens our national defense. These ports
    load the ships that carry supplies to our men and women in uniform.
    These ports also receive parts and materials used by our defense
    contractors to complete projects and maintain military equipment.
        Federal mediators have been trying to get the workers and port
    operators to resume operations while they negotiate their differences.
    The Secretary of Labor has been working hard
    to get people back to work. Unfortunately, the union and the management
    have been unable to reach an agreement. After a lot of work,
    particularly by our Labor Department and Secretary, after a lot of
    discussions, we have been unable to bring the two parties together, and
    therefore stronger action is required. Because the operation of western
    ports is vital to our economy and to our military, I have determined
    that the current situation imperils our national health and safety.
        I have appointed a board of inquiry to investigate the issues at
    stake. Today the board submitted an official report stating each party's
    position. I am now directing Attorney General Ashcroft to seek an injunction under the Taft-Hartley Act, ending
    the lockout and requiring work at the ports to resume at a normal pace.
    This dispute between management and labor cannot be allowed to further
    harm the economy and force thousands of working Americans from their
    jobs.
        This injunction will allow the parties more time to resolve their
    differences. It

    [[Page 1773]]

    is not, however, a permanent solution to the problem, and the Federal
    Government will continue working with both sides to pursue a settlement.
    The ultimate responsibility for an agreement lies with the worker
    representatives and the port operators. I expect both sides to put the
    concerns of our national health and safety first and work in good faith
    to resolve their differences as quickly as possible.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:44 p.m. on the South Grounds at the White
    House.