[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.