US shipping workers union to call off strike after reaching deal | Labor Rights Issues

US President Joe Biden welcomes the agreement to end the three-day strike, saying the workers ‘deserve a strong contract’.

American dock workers and dock workers have reached a tentative agreement that will end a three-day strike that has shut down shipping on the eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States – and threatened billions of dollars in losses.

In a joint statement Thursday evening, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance, said they had “reached a tentative agreement on wages”, without giving details about the agreement.

The two sides also agreed to extend their main contract until January 15 next year to “return to the negotiating table” to discuss other outstanding issues, they said.

“Effective immediately, all current actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will begin anew,” the statement read.

Early Tuesday morning, 45,000 dock workers went on strike after a union contract expired due to a dispute over wages and the automation of tasks at ports from Maine to Texas.

The strike comes just in time for the holiday shopping season at the 36 ports that handle nearly half of the cargo coming in and out of the US, raising the risk of shortages lasting more than a few weeks.

At least 45 failed container ships were docked outside strike-hit ports on the eastern US and Gulf Coast on Wednesday, up from three before the strike began on Sunday, according to Everstream Analytics.

Citing an unbiased source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the agreement announced on Thursday would give workers a 62 percent pay rise over six years.

The union wanted a salary increase of 77 percent and previously the employers’ group wanted a salary increase of 50 percent.

US President Joe Biden welcomed Thursday’s agreement, saying it represented “significant progress towards a strong contract”.

“Congratulations to the ILA dock workers, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open on time [COVID-19] epidemic,” he said in a statement.

“And I applaud the port managers and carriers who are members of the US Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong promise on the table.”