Growing Threat of Strike Looms over Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports

The leader of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has warned that a strike at all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports is becoming increasingly likely as time runs out to negotiate a new contract.

With the current contract set to expire in 80 days on September 30, 2024, ILA President and Chief Negotiator Harold J. Daggett has expressed concerns over the slow progress in negotiations with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). He highlighted that employers represented by USMX are running out of time to reach a new Master Contract agreement, potentially setting the stage for a coastwide strike starting on October 1, 2024.

The USMX-ILA Master Contract, which was last ratified in September 2018, governs approximately 14,500 port workers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts and is due to expire at the end of September.

USMX, which has successfully negotiated ten new contracts since 1977 without a coast-wide work stoppage, now faces significant challenges. The ILA recently cancelled scheduled negotiations with USMX in early June after discovering that APM Terminals and Maersk Line were using an Auto Gate system that processes trucks autonomously, bypassing ILA labor. The ILA said this system, initially identified at the Port of Mobile, Alabama, is reportedly in use at other ports as well.

The ILA stated on June 10, 2024, that it would not meet with USMX until the Auto Gate issue is resolved. The union is also awaiting results from an audit on jobs created by new technology, a report they have been expecting for almost two contract periods. Concerns have been raised over the increasing number of IT personnel on marine terminals, with the ILA accusing APM and Maersk’s IT departments in Charlotte, North Carolina, of encroaching on their jurisdiction.

Daggett emphasized that ILA rank-and-file members are fully supportive and prepared to strike if their contract demands are not met by October 1, 2024. He also made it clear that the union would not consider extending the current contract or accepting outside interference from agencies such as the Biden Administration or the Department of Labor.

The ILA expects shipping companies to recognize the significant contributions of ILA longshore workers during the pandemic in future negotiations.