US East Coast dockworkers and their employer group are set to resume contract talks next week, following a tentative deal that left automation issues unresolved. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) represents over 45,000 dockworkers across the US East and Gulf coast ports.
The ILA and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) signed a tentative agreement in October, which resulted in a 62% wage hike over six years to end a three-day strike. However, issues related to automation at port terminals remain unresolved.
If an agreement is not reached by January 15, another coast-wide strike could occur, halting billions of dollars in trade and raising inflationary pressures that threaten existing supply chains.
USMX has maintained that modernization technology does not harm longshore employment, but rather makes US ports competitive. The talks are expected to address these automation issues and prevent a potential strike.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-dockworkers-port-employers-set-restart-talks-jan-7-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-01-02