Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will deploy resources to ports impacted by the dockworkers’ strike to decrease possible supply chain disruptions while the state recovers from a catastrophic hurricane.
DeSantis said during a press conference on Thursday that the strike has the potential to affect hurricane recovery. Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane. The death toll has climbed to 200 across six states.
“At my direction, the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard will be deployed to critical ports affected by the strike to maintain order and, where possible, resume operations,” DeSantis said.
Impacted Ports in Florida
Four of the state’s 16 deepwater ports are impacted by the dockworkers strike—Port Everglades, PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay, and JAXPORT, according to the governor.
Every 36 hours the strike continues is equivalent to one week of supply chain disruptions, he said.
DeSantis said the strike will impact the distribution of cargo such as perishable foods and medical equipment to hurricane survivors. It could also delay shipments of lumber and steel that residents need to rebuild.
The Strike
Tens of thousands of port workers returned to work on Oct. 3 after their union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) reached a tentative agreement.
The dockworkers strike began Oct. 1 after talks over wages between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the USMX were deadlocked.
From Maine to Texas, 45,000 dockworkers walked off the job in 36 locations at 14 East and Gulf Coast cargo ports, promoting concerns that Americans won’t not get necessary goods and that hurricane victims won’t have the supplies needed to rebuild and recover in a timely fashion.
ILA has donated $100,000 to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Federal Support
DeSantis said Florida is taking “decisive action” to ensure that victims of Helene have what they need to rebuild. He called it “unacceptable” for the Biden-Harris administration “to allow supply chain interruptions to hurt people who are reeling from a Category 4 hurricane.”
President Joe Biden previously said he wouldn’t get involved in labor disputes.
The president approved the deployment of up to one thousand active-duty soldiers to support ongoing hurricane response and recovery efforts. The troops will support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities affected by the hurricane.
Biden also approved 100 percent federal cost share for emergency services in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, as well as major declaration disasters for all six states impacted by the hurricane, including South Carolina and Virginia.
More than $20 million in individual assistance has been provided to thousands of survivors, according to the White House.
Meanwhile, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended the state gas tax to provide relief to those affected by the hurricane.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper praised the coordinated response on all levels of government. On Wednesday, Cooper took Biden on an aerial tour of the areas impacted by the hurricane.
“The storm has been catastrophic,” Cooper said in a statement. “The scope of our challenge is unprecedented, but so too is our response.”
Meanwhile, FEMA has offered $750 for people who need immediate assistance with things such as food and baby formula, Vice President Kamala Harris announced during a trip to Augusta, Georgia, to survey the damage.
To date, FEMA has shipped more than 8.8 million meals, more than 7.4 million liters of water, 150 generators and more than 225,000 tarps to the region, the agency said on Wednesday.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters on Oct. 2, however, that money to support hurricane recovery efforts is running out.
“FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season,” Mayorkas said, adding that another hurricane is expected to hit the United States.