Strike deadline draws closer for 36 U.S. ports
Tens of thousands of International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) maritime workers at ports from Maine to Texas may soon go on strike.
The six-year master contract between the ILA — the largest union of maritime workers in North America — and the United States Maritime Alliance covering East and Gulf Coast ports is set to expire on Sept. 30. The ILA has continued to threaten to strike if a new contract is not reached by then. The contract covers six of the 10 busiest U.S. ports, handling more than 13 million containers annually. (In all, 36 ports are covered, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.)
“A sleeping giant is ready to roar on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, if a new Master Contract Agreement is not in place,” said ILA President Harold J. Daggett in an ILA press release on Sept. 17. “My members have been preparing for over a year for that possibility of a strike.”
The union is arguing for better wages and continued protections against automation and new technology in its terminals. It noted that, in the last three years, wages increased just 2.02% while inflation was up more than 12% for the period and up 20% from 2021.
The ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents the port operators, haven't met to negotiate since July, reported NBC News. No further national contract talks have been scheduled, according to reports.
If the workers walk off the job, it would be the first national longshoremen's strike since 1977.
“The importance of keeping these ports operational cannot be overstated, especially as the peak holiday season approaches," the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) said in a statement earlier this month. “ A disruption in cargo movements would have profound consequences for retailers, manufacturers, and consumers across the country.”
