USMX and ILA Reach Tentative Labor Agreement, Thwart Strike Threat
The United States Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen's Association announced late Jan. 8 that both sides have agreed on a new six-year master contract, apparently avoiding a potential strike at ports on the East and Gulf coasts later this month.
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ILA members must still approve the tentative agreement, so contract details haven't been released. However, a joint statement noted that both parties reached a tentative agreement "on all items."
Had both sides not come to an agreement prior to Jan. 15, union members could have gone on strike at terminals at East and Gulf ports. Jan. 15 was when ILA's old contract was set to expire; both parties had agreed to extend the end of the expiring contract from Sept. 30, 2024, to Jan. 15 to hash out how the terminals would handle automation at the ports.
That a tentative agreement has been reached will bring relief to shippers who were nervous that they would encounter a repeat of last October, when the ILA went on strike for three days at East and Gulf ports (see 2412090031. The October strike ended after both sides reached an agreement over pay, even though they were still at an impasse over automation (see 2410040038).
“We are pleased to announce that ILA and USMX have reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year ILA-USMX Master Contract, subject to ratification, thus averting any work stoppage on January 15, 2025,” the joint statement said. "This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coast ports -- making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong.”
In response to the tentative agreement reached by both parties, President Joe Biden said in a statement: "Today’s tentative agreement between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance shows that labor and management can come together to benefit workers and their employers. I applaud the dockworkers’ union for delivering a strong contract. Their members kept our ports open during the pandemic, as we worked together to unsnarl global supply chains. Thank you to the carriers and port operators who play an essential role in our nation’s economy."
Meanwhile, ILA President Harold Daggett in a separate release credited President-elect Donald Trump for helping the union "win protections against automation," citing Daggett's face-to-face meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Dec. 12, after which Trump tweeted his support of ILA in a TruthSocial post.
“President Trump clearly demonstrated his unwavering support for our ILA union and longshore workers with his statement 'heard round the world' backing our position to protect American longshore jobs against the ravages of automated terminals,” Daggett said.