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Businesses Urge ILA-USMX to Resume Talks

[ December 13, 2024   //   ]

Some 270 business organizations, in a letter asked the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance Ltd. to resume contract talks in hopes of avoiding another strike at the 36 ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
The two sides were to have met four times during the week of Nov. 11, but dock workers broke off talks when USMX included wording about automation at the ports – a key issue for the ILA. The two sides have not met since and face a looming Jan. 15 deadline for a new contract.
Some 47,000 ILA dock workers went on strike Oct. 1, the union’s first large-scale work stoppage in 50 years. ILA workers returned to the docks Oct. 3 after reaching a tentative agreement with USMX on a 62 percent wage increase over the six-year deal, and the two sides agreed to meet to discuss other issues.
The letter, addressed to Harold Daggett, ILA president, and David Adam, USMX chairman and CEO, represented U.S. manufacturers, farmers and agribusinesses, wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, importers, exporters, distributors, transportation and logistics providers, and other supply chain stakeholders, Trucker News.
“It is imperative for the parties to resume negotiations and remain at the table until a new contract is reached. We know significant issues remain between the parties,” the letter said. “However, we continue to believe the only way to resolve these issues and come to an agreement is to actually stay at the negotiating table.”
The uncertainty of talks was creating additional supply chain challenges, the letter continued.
While acknowledging automation and technology as the biggest issue between the ILA and USMZX, the letter writers believed there was a path forward.
“It is critical that our ports and terminals have the ability to modernize their systems and processes in order to remain globally competitive and be able to handle the continuing rise of trade volumes, both imports and exports, through our ports,” the letter said. Modernization requires a true partnership between labor, management and other supply chain stakeholders, but these efforts are essential to address current and future throughput issues, and all parties stand to benefit.
Letter signatories included the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the American Trucking Associations and state trucking organizations in Florida, Ohio, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington state.

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