Potential Strike Concerns for the US East and Gulf Coast Ports
Suspended labor talks caused by an automation issue leads to potential strike concerns.
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has suspended labor contract talks with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) due to an issue over automation. The ILA is concerned about automated technology used to process trucks at port terminals without union labor. The ILA claims this violates their agreement with USMX.
According to CNBC, “The ILA is the largest longshoreman union in North America, representing 85,000 members.” Its master contract with USMX is set to expire on September 30. The union had set May 17 as the cutoff date for local contracts to facilitate the master contract negotiations. The ILA will not resume talks with USMX until the "auto gate" issue is resolved. The suspension for labor contract talks has led to concerns about a potential strike.
DSV will continue monitoring the situation for any significant developments. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your local DSV representative.
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