Dockworkers are back on the job at ports across the East and Gulf coasts, but their union warned that major issues involving automation remain to be negotiated before an extension of the current contract expires early in 2025.
Major terminals were open Sunday to help get container handling restarted after the three-day strike by 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) brought import cargo to a halt and forced dozens of ships to wait at anchor outside marine gateways from New England to Texas.
As much as 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units’ worth of cargo likely would have been stuck outside the ports if the strike had lasted as long as one week.
The ILA suspended its work stoppage late Thursday after tentatively agreeing to a 62% pay raise with port employers represented by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). Working with the assistance of Biden administration officials, the sides also agreed to extend the most recent master contract through Jan. 15 and return to bargaining on a new six-year pact. At issue are benefits, container royalties and an insistence by the union that automation technology be barred from 14 container handling centers across 36 ports.
“While securing a substantial wage increase is an important part of the contract, we must also protect our historical work jurisdiction [over specific jobs] and prevent automation from replacing jobs,” President Harold Daggett said in a message to members posted on the union website.
Terminal operators and shipping lines of the USMX have said they are in agreement with the union on technology issues.
Ratification of a new contract by the ILA rank and file is not a certainty; 33,000 workers now on strike at Boeing in September rejected a tentative agreement with the largest U.S. aerospace company.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
Related coverage:
Analysis: Biden, ILA score wins in port strike, but larger issues remain
Port strike ends as ILA, USMX agree on hefty wage hike, contract extension
Derrick
Some of you ass wipes don’t have a clue . Yall are so dumb when it comes to unions and what we stand for it’s not even worth trying to explain.
Chris Tidwell
Right before the election. Not so bright people. Why don’t you just come out and give people on the fence a reason to vote against the party that supported you back to being relevant in society.
Union workers have always been important. But when other people are displaced, working through medical crises such as First responders, going without pay increases such as the military, you folks are the kings and queens of bad timing. People will vote Republican before supporting another term with those who supported you.
Mike
Doughnut Doug and Truck Girl you really have no clue of what goes on in a union…that being said stay on your own porch bubba
Truck Guy
When they refuse to work the docks, prevent others from doing the same work, and withhold inbound and outbound goods from the American citizen – this tip toes along the line of domestic terrorism.
Douglas Woods
So, the Longshoremans union wants to keep our ports on the 19th century so no one ever gets replaced with automation. They make far above the national avg. in wages. If a 60% raise over 5 years isn’t enough then they need to go elsewhere to work. Screw them!!!
Joseph
USMX, is foreign owned and run. They want to purchase majorities of container terminals, raise the cost of shipping, and automate. And when they do they will put american workers out. Then we become a drain on the federal and local governments. Machines do not have families to feed, and they certainly do not pay taxes.