With pay raise, US port stevedores end strike

A strike at U.S. ports that shut down shipping on the East Coast and Gulf Coast for three days ended Thursday after dockworkers reached a tentative deal with port operators.

Longshoremen at the Port of Seabrook, Texas during a strike on Tuesday (October 1). Photo: The Guardian

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) announced that it has reached an agreement with the United States Maritime Union (USMX) on wages, thus postponing the strike until January. The ILA said that stevedore operations will resume immediately.

The strike — involving 45,000 workers at 36 ports from Texas to Maine — is the first such action at US east coast and Gulf Coast ports since 1977.

The tentative agreement is for a wage increase of about 62 percent, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Both sides said in a statement that they would return to the negotiating table to resolve all outstanding issues.

JP Morgan analysts estimate the strike could cost the US economy up to $5 billion a day, heightening concerns about the potential economic impact.

After the strike ended, US President Joe Biden told reporters: “Today’s interim agreement on record wages and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents important progress toward a strong contract.”

“I want to thank the union workers, shipping companies, and port operators who have acted patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for recovery and rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Helene,” the president added.

Negotiations between the ILA and USMX broke down in June after the union accused USMX of breaching its contract by introducing automation at some ports. Both sides accused the other of refusing to negotiate, with the ILA demanding significant wage increases in line with the industry's gains in recent years.

Quang Anh (according to The Guardian, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/duoc-tang-luong-cong-nhan-boc-xep-tai-cang-bien-my-cham-dut-dinh-cong-post315202.html