Unions say they have made “significant” progress on terms for a six-year extension to the master contract for workers at ports on the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Two days of intensive meetings were held between the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). Some 50 negotiators from the two sides worked on master contract items with the goal of being able to present a complete contract package to the full ILA Wage Scale Delegates sometime in the near future and then schedule a ratification vote for the thousands of ILA members working at ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.
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“We were able to accelerate master contract bargaining with smaller 20-member committees from the ILA and USMX to work out terms of an agreement,” said Harold Daggett, the ILA president and David Adam, chairman of the United States Maritime Alliance. “We are confident that the work we have performed these past two days will ultimately lead to a six-year agreement that will bring stability and growth to our industry to 2024.”
ILA officers from all major ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts were represented on the union’s negotiating committee. The USMX Bargaining Committee, representing ocean carriers, direct employers and port associations, participated as the management group.
The current East Coast port labour contract expires in September, and groups representing US apparel and footwear brands and importers say that reaching a contract extension will provide supply chain stakeholders with the certainty they need for their operations.
“Supply chain disruptions arising out of previous contract negotiations are well documented. Such disruptions can have enormous adverse economic impacts.”
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By GlobalDataUS apparel groups urge resumption of port talks
