Container traffic from Maine to Texas was stopped on Tuesday as members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) staged a walkout at 14 major ports along the east and gulf coasts.
This is the first shutdown of its kind in nearly fifty years.
Although the White House has stated that President Joe Biden does not intend to act, he is able to suspend the strike for an additional 80 days in order to conduct further negotiations.
What is the purpose of the strike?
The parties’ current contract expired on Monday, and negotiations had been at a standstill for some months.
The dispute between the two parties is over a master contract that spans six years and employs over 25,000 port workers for roll-on/roll-off and container operations. US Maritime Alliance, or USMX, is a trade association that comprises maritime terminal operators, port associations, and shipping companies.
USMX announced on Monday that it has raised its offer, which would improve health care alternatives, boost employers’ payments to pension schemes, and increase earnings by about 50%.
While expressing concerns about the challenges posed by automation, union leader Harold Daggett has asked for major salary increases for his members.
In a complaint to labor regulators, USMX claimed that the union was not willing to engage in negotiations and requested that they force the union to return to the bargaining table.
