ILA Breaks Off USMX Negotiations Over Automation Impasse

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) met this week to to resume negotiations after the October strike that took place at East Coast ports. They were unable to make initial progress, the USMX reported in a statement:

“Over the last two days, USMX met with the ILA to bargain and resolve all remaining
outstanding issues needed to reach agreement on a new Master Contract.
While we had positive progress on a number of issues, we were unable to make significant
progress on our discussions that focused on a range of technology issues. Unfortunately,
the ILA is insisting on an agreement that would move our industry backward by restricting
future use of technology that has existed in some of our ports for nearly two decades –
making it impossible to evolve to meet the nation’s future supply chain demands.
The USMX has been clear that we are not seeking technology that would eliminate jobs.
What we need is continued modernization that is essential to improve worker safety, increase
efficiency in a way that protects and grows jobs, keeps supply chains strong, and increases
capacity that will financially benefit American businesses and workers alike.
We look forward to resuming negotiations with the ILA.”

Last month, thousands of dockworkers returned to work after reaching a tentative wage agreement between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). This ended one of the most extensive work stoppages in decades, and the two parties agreed to extend their current labor contract through January 15 to continue negotiations.