The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) announced in a joint statement on 3 October 2024 that they have reached “a tentative agreement on wages” and agreed to “return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues”.
Amongst these “outstanding issues” is the matter of automation adoption, with the ILA concerned over the future of its members’ job security should more automated systems be introduced at ports.
The joint statement continued: “Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume.”
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In a document entitled ‘Securing the 61.5% Raise: Understanding the Process’, the ILA and its president Harold J Daggett provided “additional clarification about the wage increase process”.
In the letter, Daggett says: “The ILA successfully negotiated a historic 61.5% wage increase spread over six years. This achievement is unprecedented and serves as testament to the union’s commitment to securing fair compensation for its members.
“However, it is critical to understand why we cannot take that raise immediately. This decision is a crucial part of the overall strategy that will allow us to negotiate and secure other important matters in the contract.”
The ILA president explained that by accepting a gradual wage increase and extending the Master Contact until 15 January 2025, the union can avoid having to sign a “no-strike clause”, while also allowing more time for the two parties to negotiate on matters such as the use of automation to replace staff members and healthcare benefits for members and retirees.
The document notes that “once the contract is ratified, every [ILA] member will receive a retroactive payment dating back to 1 October [2024]”, reassuring members that they “are not losing any money by waiting”.
On the matter of automation, Daggett said: “While securing a substantial wage increase is an important part of the contract, we must also protect our historical work jurisdiction and prevent automation from replacing jobs.”
Daggett concluded the letter to ILA members by saying: “We plan to meet with USMX as soon as possible to negotiate the best contract in ILA history.”
The strike previously got the attention of US president Joe Biden, who on 1 October urged the USMX to “come to the table and present a fair offer to the workers of the ILA”. Upon the announcement that an agreement between the two parties had been reached, Biden said in an official White House statement: “I want to applaud the ILA and the US Maritime Alliance for coming together to reopen the East Coast and Gulf ports.
“Today’s tentative agreement on a record wage and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents critical progress towards a strong contract.
“I congratulate the dockworkers from the ILA, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open during the pandemic. And I applaud the port operators and carriers who are members of the US Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table.
“I want to thank the union workers, the carriers and the port operators for acting patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding. Collective bargaining works, and it is critical to building a stronger economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”
Innovations and achievements in automation will be highlighted and celebrated at the second annual Robotics & Automation Awards on 06 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.roboticsandautomationawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable industry event – and to book your table!
