Major Longshoremen Strike Hits East Coast Ports | HuffPost Impact

Thousands of dock workers at ports along the East and Gulf coasts went on strike early Tuesday morning amid a contract dispute, halting the flow of goods with a potentially costly work stoppage.

Their union, the International Longshoremens Association, failed to reach a new six-year agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance, the group representing employers at ports from Maine to Texas. Workers walked off the job just as their previous contract expired.

Its unclear how long the strike will last and how expensive it will be, but a prolonged shutdown could deal a significant blow to the economy since the workers who handle shipping containers control major commercial choke points.

The showdown also presents a political problem for President Joe Biden, who has the power to suspend the strike. Doing so would take away workers leverage and could hurt the union-friendly presidents relationship with organized labor.

NOW: The port strike has begun here in Boston.

Members of the International Longshoremen's Association are marching to the Conley Terminal to hit the picket line after failed contract negotiations with the US Maritime Alliance. This will impact ports from ME to TX. @NBC10Boston pic.twitter.com/w7l3JC9iAB

Kirsten Glavin (@kirstenglavin) October 1, 2024","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Kirsten Glavin","author_url":"https://twitter.com/kirstenglavin","cache_age":86400,"description":"NOW: The port strike has begun here in Boston. Members of the International Longshoremen's Association are marching to the Conley Terminal to hit the picket line after failed contract negotiations with the US Maritime Alliance. This will impact ports from ME to TX. @NBC10Boston pic.twitter.com/w7l3JC9iAB Kirsten Glavin (@kirstenglavin) October 1, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Kirsten Glavin on Twitter / 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NOW: The port strike has begun here in Boston.

Members of the International Longshoremen's Association are marching to the Conley Terminal to hit the picket line after failed contract negotiations with the US Maritime Alliance. This will impact ports from ME to TX. @NBC10Boston pic.twitter.com/w7l3JC9iAB
Kirsten Glavin (@kirstenglavin) October 1, 2024

Workers formed picket lines at major ports early Tuesday, holding signs that said Profit over people is unacceptable and Fight automation, save jobs.

Addressing workers at a port terminal in Elizabeth, N.J., Harold J. Daggett, the unions president, said after the strike started that it would go down in history as a righteous fight against greedy corporations.

These companies... they dont give a fuck about us, Daggett said in a union video posted to Facebook . Well, were gonna show them theyre gonna have to give a fuck about us. Because nothings gonna move without us.

The Maritime Alliance did not comment immediately on the strike, but said earlier in the day Monday that the two sides had traded counter offers and it was hopeful they could reach an agreement soon.

The ILA has been pushing for significant raises in its next contract. Members currently top out at a $39-per-hour base wage, and the union has been calling for a $5 raise in each year of the next agreement, or $30 over the full duration. The ILA also wants protections against automation at ports that it said would destroy jobs.

Daggett has accused the Maritime Alliance of making lowball and insulting proposals that members couldnt accept and said the blame for a strike would fall squarely on the shoulders of employers.

He has also said the ILA wouldnt hesitate to snarl commerce, predicting that car dealers, malls and construction firms would have to lay people off because they werent receiving goods and materials.

These people today dont know what a strike is, Daggett said in a recent video the union produced. In todays world, Ill cripple you. I will cripple you, and you have no idea what that means.