VIRGINIA NEWS – Longshoremen threaten to strike as contract talks intensify

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

Negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) are set to resume Tuesday, with just one week remaining before a potential strike.

While the parties have agreed to a 62% wage increase over the six-year contract, disagreements over work rules and automation remain unresolved. The ILA opposes further port automation, citing potential job losses, while USMX argues that new technologies are essential to maintaining competitiveness and will not result in layoffs.

If no agreement is reached, thousands of workers at East and Gulf Coast ports may go on strike, potentially disrupting supply chains across the country.