Automation Dispute Could Lead to New East Coast Strike

A potential challenge for the incoming Trump administration may be an impending strike across the US East and Gulf coasts, as a trade union remains firm on its stance against automation.

Following a three-day strike at the beginning of last month, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) reached a temporary wage agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), halting their strike action until January.

Both parties have recently resumed negotiations to address unresolved issues, with the current contract set to expire on January 15, just five days before Donald Trump’s inauguration.

In a statement released yesterday, USMX reported that talks on the master contract have once again collapsed, increasing the likelihood of another strike in the new year.

“While we had positive progress on a number of issues, we were unable to make significant progress on our discussions that focused on a range of technology issues,” USMX stated. They added: “Unfortunately, the ILA is insisting on an agreement that would move our industry backward by restricting future use of technology that has existed in some of our ports for nearly two decades – making it impossible to evolve to meet the nation’s future supply chain demands.”

The main sticking point in the negotiations revolves around the use of semi-automated cranes.

The ILA responded yesterday, stating: “USMX introduced language in their proposal for semi-automated equipment to be used at ILA ports, which this union outright rejected. The ILA recognized this as a renewed attempt by USMX to eliminate ILA jobs with automation and broke off talks.”

Meanwhile, in Canada, port operations in British Columbia are expected to resume today following federal government intervention in a labor dispute.

However, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 514, representing workers on Canada’s west coast, has announced plans to legally contest the return-to-work order.