Automation Could Make or Break New US Port Strike Agreement

Automation is the chief issue in negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance.

A container ship departs the Port of Newark, heading for the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 30, 2024. A massive strike shut down ports across the East and Gulf coasts on Oct. 1, 2024, as members of the International Longshoremen’s Association walked off the job. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

“No automation means no automation,” says the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the union representing 85,000 dock and maritime workers.

ILA officials reached a tentative wage agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on Oct. 3. This move effectively suspended the three-day job action and extended the existing Master Contract until Jan. 15. The new deal allows both sides about 100 days to negotiate a new agreement, with automation being the primary sticking point.