The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have announced that a tentative agreement has been reached on all outstanding contract issues, averting a potentially disruptive port strike planned for January 15. The two parties released a joint statement Wednesday evening calling the new deal for a six-year master contract a “win-win”. The ILA and USMX will continue to operate under the previous contract until rank-and-file members can review and ratify the final agreement. Although new contract details are not available to the public, the deal apparently includes resolution to the most challenging of negotiation issues, port automation.
Shippers can expect continued smooth operations at East and Gulf Coast ports moving forward, as all threats of strike have been rescinded. Please do not hesitate to contact your OTS Sales Representative for more information.
OTS will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates accordingly. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your Sales Representative for more information.