It was 1977 since the last strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents unionized workers at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing 40 ocean carriers and terminal operators, has successfully negotiated 10 straight master contracts without a work stoppage with the ILA.
The current six-year agreement covers approximately 45,000 port workers employed in container and roll-on/roll-off operations at ports from Maine to Houston and runs through Sept. 30.
The ILA has threatened a strike as of Oct. 1, when the current contract expires.
The union in June canceled bargaining over what it claimed was employers’ use of technology that bypassed union labor. The sides have not met since.
Here are the top issues being discussed. Neither side has confirmed exact details:
- A wage increase higher than the reported 32% recently won by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
- Retention of existing technology language from the 2018 contract.
- A higher starting wage.
- What employers call “premier” health care benefits.
- Higher employer retirement contributions.
The master contract guides subsequent local agreements at 14 ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
The latest impasse to talks is a claim by the ILA that Danish operators APM Terminals and Maersk Line were using gate technology to process trucks autonomously at the Port of Mobile, Alabama, bypassing union labor. Employers say the gates have been in operation since 2008, prior to the 2018 contract.
Moreover, in recent videos, ILA leaders have assured that they currently have full automation protection and certain semi-automation job protections.
Other reports said the ILA is also looking for a 77% pay hike, and union President Harold Daggett was reported to have rejected a 40% increase.
Neither side has commented publicly on the reports.
Ominously, Daggett in videos has also referred to a global alliance of port workers that could be mobilized as of Oct.1. It’s unclear what international support this has garnered.
In late August, the ILA and USMX each filed a Notice to Mediation Agencies, known as Form F-7, with the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS). The purpose of filing these notices is to inform the FMCS of a dispute between the parties, but it does not represent an agreement for mediation.
“USMX remains committed and prepared to resume negotiations with the ILA on a new Master Contract before the current agreement expires and to avoid a strike,” the employers said in a release. “The ILA continues to strongly signal it has already made the decision to call a strike and we hope the ILA will reopen dialogue and share its current contract demands so we can work together on a new deal, as we have done successfully for nearly 50 years.”