LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - U.S.

President Joe Biden does not intend to invoke a federal law to

prevent a port strike on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico if

dockworkers fail to secure a new labor contract by an Oct. 1

deadline, an administration official said on Tuesday.

The International Longshoremen's Association, negotiating on

behalf of workers at three dozen U.S. ports from Maine to Texas

that handle about half of the nation's seaborne imports, has

warned that its members are prepared to stop work if they do not

have a contract by then.

Their current six-year agreement with the United States

Maritime Alliance (USMX) expires on Sept. 30.

U.S. presidents can intervene in labor disputes that

threaten national security or safety by imposing an 80-day

cooling-off period under the federal Taft-Hartley Act, forcing

workers back on the job while negotiations continue.

"We've never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are

not considering doing so now," the Biden administration official

told Reuters.

Talks between the ILA and USMX have stalled over issues

ranging from wages and benefits to terminal automation.

"We encourage all parties to remain at the bargaining table

and negotiate in good faith," the Biden official said.

The National Retail Federation on Tuesday led a group of 177

trade associations representing retailers like Walmart ( WMT ),

manufacturers, farmers, auto makers and truckers in calling on

Biden to help reach a resolution.

Last summer, Biden dispatched Acting Labor Secretary Julie

Su to help negotiate a crucial contract deal between U.S. West

Coast seaport employers and their union workers, following labor

disruptions at some busy California port terminals.

Both sides had agreed to keep talking after their July 1,

2022, deadline because the COVID pandemic cargo boom was jamming

up critical supply chains and stoking inflation.

Their June 2023 deal secured a 32% pay increase for workers

and was expected to be a template for labor talks on the East

and Gulf coasts.