International Longshoremen’s Association strikes possible across the East, Gulf coasts
The International Longshoremen’s Association has vowed to stop working if a new labor agreement is not in place when their current six-year contract expires on September 30th.
ILA union represents 45,000 works at 36 ports that spans from Maine to Texas.
The Union is demanding significantly higher wages and a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container movements
If an agreement is not reached by the end of the month the impact on the US economy could be substantial.
Analysts at Sea-Intelligence, a Copenhagen-based shipping advisory firm, estimate it could take anywhere from four to six days to clear the backlog from a one-day strike.
A two-week or more strike could mean that ports would not return to normal operations until 2025.
Though the impacts of a strike could be drastic it would go a long way in ensuring the jobs of longshoremen along the east coast.
ILA Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett said, “I made a commitment to this delegation and our members four years ago that I would help bring respect to the ILA ports where we are being treated unfairly. We eventually turned down an offer on wages this past march and why? Because now is our time. We showed the world just how valuable the work we do is. The carriers broke record profits. Well now it’s our time to get paid.”
On September 26th, the Associated Press published a story detailing the US Maritime’s attempt to push legislation that would force longshoreman to continue working past the strike date.
WXXV News reached out to the Port of Gulfport but they declined to comment on the news.
At this time an agreement has not been made as the October first strike date still looms as economic impacts could be substantial. WXXV will continue to cover this story as it develops.
