Professional Documents
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January16,1963
THIS IS the 24th day of virtually complete shutdown of all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports resulting from the strike by the
International Longshoremen's Association.
This shutdown is doing intolerable injury to the national welfare. Hundreds of ships are immobilized. Over 100,000 longshore and
maritime workers are idle. Economic losses to the Nation are running at a rate of millions of dollars a day. Serious damage is being
done the United States dollar balance. Vital foreign aid and relief shipments are blocked. The lifeline between Puerto Rico and the
mainline has been cut; and commerce imperative to the economic wellbeing of the free world is disrupted.
All statutory procedures have been exhausted in this case. The present strike started on December 23, 1962, with the ending of the
So-day injunction period provided for in the Labor-Management Relations Act. Intensive mediation since that time by the Secretary
of Labor and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has been unavailing.
If such an agreement is not reached, I am asking the Board to recommend a procedure which will assure an immediate resumption
of operations at these ports and a settlement of this dispute on a basis and by a procedure limited to the circumstances of this
particular situation.
Following receipt of the Board's recommendations, I shall report to the Congress under section 210 of the Labor-Management
Relations Act, which requires in situations such as this a report by the President to the Congress, including "such recommendations
as (the President) may see fit to make for consideration and appropriate action."
I call upon the parties to this dispute to exercise their responsibilities, not only as representatives of the private interests involved in
this controversy, but also as stewards of the essential institution of free collective bargaining.