Strikes at US Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports closer

It is increasingly likely that strikes at ports along both coasts will be triggered as negotiations with maritime employers stall and the current master contract is set to expire on September 30, 2024 and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) determined not to work past the contract’s expiration.

ILA President Harold Daggett has emphasised that time is running out for the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) to finalise a new agreement, with his 45,000 ILA members fully supportive of potential strike action if their demands are not met by October 1, 2024

Negotiations hit a significant roadblock in early June when the ILA discovered that APM Terminals and Maersk Line were using an Auto Gate system at the Port of Mobile, Alabama. This system processes trucks autonomously without ILA labor, which the union claims violates the current master contract. The ILA has refused to resume talks until this issue is resolved. 

The ILA has also rebuffed any attempts at federal intervention in the negotiations and while the USMX has expressed a desire to move negotiations forward productively, progress has been slower than anticipated. 

In the previous bargaining round in 2018, a tentative agreement was reached by June and finalised by early September. This time, the ILA set a May 17 deadline for concluding local contract talks to begin master contract discussions, but no agreement has been reached.

The looming strike poses a significant threat to maritime operations along the East and Gulf coasts. 

The ILA insists that shipping companies recognise the vital contributions of longshore workers, especially during the pandemic when ports remained operational, allowing companies to record billion-dollar profits. As the deadline approaches, both sides must work urgently to avoid a major disruption in the supply chain.

If you have any concerns about the issues raised in this article, please EMAIL our managing director, Colin Redman to discuss your situation and options to avoid any supply chain disruption.