Thousands of unionized dockworkers on the East Coast and Gulf Coast are walking off the job on Tuesday. Biden, a pro-union president, has said he will not intervene in the strike, to the dismay of Johnson, who expressed his disagreement toward the president’s choice.

“This administration’s failure to encourage a resolution between the International Longshoremen’s Association union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance will only exacerbate the economic pain wrought by four years of skyrocketing inflation, decreasing wages, and fewer jobs,” Johnson said, according to C-SPAN.

“They should ensure that both sides remain at the table, continue to negotiate in good faith, and ultimately reach a deal that keeps workers on the job and goods flowing through our ports, including those in Louisiana,” he said. 

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) also expressed his concern about the impact of the strike in Louisiana, saying, “It is imperative the White House use its authority to push for a quick resolution and avoid deepening this crisis.”

Biden said he would not invoke the Taft-Hartley Act, an 80-year-old law that presidents can use to intervene in labor disputes that threaten national security or safety. He said he encourages both sides to come back to the bargaining table.

“It’s collective bargaining. I don’t believe in Taft-Hartley,” Biden said on Sunday. 

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“I know there’s a question about the Taft-Hartley. We have never invoked the Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering to do so now,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing.

Depending on the length of the strike, the port strike could increase the prices of various goods, including alcohol, bananas, chocolate, and seafood, as shipping companies work to reroute their deliveries.