USMX rejects preconditions, calls for talks with ILA to end port strike

The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) wants the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) to return to the bargaining table as the strike that started on October 1 continues to cripple East and Gulf Coast ports. USMX emphasised its focus on negotiating a new Master Contract that addresses “all the critical issues” facing both parties, stressing that a resolution can only be achieved through direct talks.

“Reaching an agreement will require negotiating – and our full focus is on how to return to the table to further discuss these vital components, many of which are intertwined,” USMX said in a statement issued on October 2. The alliance also rejected any preconditions for resuming talks but reaffirmed its commitment to “bargaining in good faith” to address both the ILA’s demands and its own concerns.

The ILA has vowed to continue its around-the-clock demonstrations until USMX meets its demands, including a US$ 5 per hour wage increase for each of the six years of the proposed new Master Contract. ILA President Harold Daggett said the ILA wants “absolute airtight language that there will be no automation or semi-automation, and we are demanding all Container Royalty monies go to the ILA.”

The union emphasised that Container Royalty funds, generated by fees on shipping companies for containerised cargo, are intended as a wage supplement for its members and should not be shared with employers.

ILA rejected the latest offer from USMX before the strike started. The employers said that they offered a nearly 50% wage increase. However, the union denied the claims, saying the offer failed to meet “key demands”, criticising the six-year wage progression, and lack of guaranteed work for two-thirds of its members. The union added that many workers operated costly equipment for just US$ 20 an hour while minimum wages in some states were already US$ 15.

The call from USMX to resume negotiations comes after US President Joe Biden urged USMX to present the union with “a fair deal”, as the strike has severely disrupted port operations, adding pressure on both sides to reach a settlement swiftly.

In its latest update, the ILA stated that over the past few days, its President Harold J. Daggett has faced threats of violence, including death threats, as well as a smear campaign, with the New York Post publishing aerial photographs of his home and his home address.