*

Union accuses USMX of wage subjugation, no talks planned

before

deadline

*

Biden will not intervene, citing belief in collective

bargaining

*

Business Roundtable warns strike could cost economy

billions

daily

*

Ports from Maine to Texas handle about half the nation's

ocean

shipping

(Adds White House comment in paragraph 6)

By David Shepardson and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - A port strike on the

U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico will go ahead starting on

Tuesday, the International Longshoremen's Association union said

on Sunday, signaling action that could cause delays and snarl

supply chains.

"United States Maritime Alliance ... refuses to address a

half-century of wage subjugation," the union said in a

statement. The United States Maritime Alliance, known as USMX,

represents employers of the East and Gulf Coast longshore

industry.

USMX did not immediately comment.

If union members walk off the job at ports stretching from

Maine to Texas, it would be the first coast-wide ILA strike

since 1977, affecting ports that handle about half the nation's

ocean shipping.

A source said no negotiations were taking place Sunday and

none are currently planned before the midnight Monday deadline.

The union said previously the strike would not impact military

cargo shipments or cruise ship traffic.

White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said late Sunday

that over the weekend, senior officials have been in touch with

USMX representatives "urging them to come to a fair agreement

fairly and quickly - one that reflects the success of the

companies." The officials also delivered the same message to

ILA, she added.

Earlier on Sunday, President Joe Biden said he did not

intend to intervene to prevent a walkout if dock workers failed

to secure a new contract by an Oct. 1 deadline.

"It's collective bargaining. I don't believe in

Taft-Hartley," he told reporters. 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.

Reuters first reported on Sept. 17 that Biden did not plan

to invoke the Taft-Hartley provision, citing a White House

official.

A strike could stop the flow of everything from food to

automobiles at major ports - in a dispute that could jeopardize

jobs and stoke inflation weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential

election.

Business Roundtable, which represents major U.S. business

leaders, said it was "deeply concerned about the potential

strike at the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports."

The group warned a labor stoppage could cost the U.S.

economy billions of dollars daily "hurting American businesses,

workers and consumers across the country. We urge both sides to

come to an agreement before Monday night's deadline."

For months, the union has threatened to shut down the 36

ports it covers if employers like container ship operator Maersk

and its APM Terminals North America do not deliver

significant wage increases and stop terminal automation

projects.

The dispute is worrying businesses that rely on ocean

shipping to export their wares, or secure crucial imports.

The USMX employer group has accused the ILA of refusing to

negotiate.