After weeks of contentious negotiations, maritime employers and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) have reached a tentative deal to reopen container terminals at East and Gulf coast ports. The agreement includes a substantial wage increase for dockworkers and a three-month contract extension while formal negotiations continue.
The breakthrough, announced Thursday evening, comes after the White House intervened to broker a resolution to the strike that had crippled port operations. The ILA and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) agreed to the terms, which include a 62% increase in top wages for longshore workers and a temporary extension of the current contract.
Ports are expected to resume normal operations today October 4, 2024.
The deal marks a significant victory for the ILA, which had been seeking a substantial wage increase citing record profits in the maritime industry. The USMX, representing ocean carriers and terminal operators, had previously offered a 46% wage increase over six years, but the union rejected it.
The final terms of the agreement will be finalized in the coming months, but the temporary resolution brings an end to the strike that disrupted supply chains and caused economic losses.
Source: www.joc.com