East Coast Port Strike ‘Growing More Likely’, says ILA Union

In a statement, Harold Daggett, the president and chief negotiator of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) said the threat of a strike after the current Sept. 30 expiration deadline is “growing more likely,” as the negotiations remain at an impasse.

Daggett said that the maritime employers represented by United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) “are running out of time” to negotiate a new master contract agreement and avoid a coastwide work stoppage across 36 ports from Maine to Texas.

“Only 80 days remain before the end of our current contract and we are waiting on USMX,” said Daggett. “The actions of violating our current master contract by some of their members caused us to cancel scheduled negotiations with USMX in early June.”

The violations refer to the ILA’s discovery that Maersk-owned APM Terminals and Maersk Line were using an “Auto Gate” system at Alabama’s Port of Mobile, which powers the gate that enables trucks to enter and exit a terminal and be autonomously processed without union labor. This system is reportedly being used in other ports as well, the union said.

Upon this discovery, the ILA said in June that it would not meet with USMX until the auto Gate issue is resolved. The current ILA contract with the USMX states “there shall be no fully automated terminals developed and no fully automated equipment used during the term of this Master Contract.”

Daggett said the ILA rank-and-file members are “100 percent behind him,” reaffirming that the workers are willing the “hit the streets” on Oct. 1 if the union’s contract demands are not met.

“We will not entertain any discussions about extending the current contract, nor are we interested in any help from outside agencies to interfere in our negotiations with USMX,” said Daggett. “This includes the Biden Administration and the Department of Labor.”