The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have successfully negotiated a tentative six-year master contract, preventing potential major supply chain disruptions at East and Gulf Coast ports.
The agreement comes just days before next week's critical Jan.-15 deadline and follows a period of uncertainty after a three-day strike in October that ended with a tentative agreement on wage increases and a temporary contract extension. The contentious issue of port automation, however, had remained unresolved.
"This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coast ports, making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong," the parties announced in a joint statement.
While specific terms remain confidential pending ratification by both ILA rank-and-file members and USMX stakeholders, the agreement has been characterized as a "win-win" that supports American consumers, businesses and the broader economy.
