NEGOTIATIONS between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer coalition have once again broken down.
The ILA, which is believed to represent up to 45,000 port workers, walked away from the table after just two days of a planned four days of bargaining between the two sides over a new Master Contract.
In an official statement, the union said it had come to the table “prepared for four days of intensive bargaining to bring us closer to securing a fair contract”, and that the first day and a half of discussions were productive.
However, automation remains a key roadblock between the two parties reaching an agreement; in this case the ILA said talks broke down when USMX management introduced their intent to implement semi-automation, which the ILA called a “direct contradiction” to USMX’s previous assurance that neither full nor semi-automation would be pursued.
In its own statement, the USMX fired back at the ILA stating, “Unfortunately, the ILA is insisting on an agreement that would move our industry backward by restricting future use of technology that has existed in some of our ports for nearly two decades – making it impossible to evolve to meet the nation’s future supply chain demands”.
The employer coalition clarified in the same statement that it isn’t pursuing technology that would eliminate jobs.
“What we need is continued modernization that is essential to improve worker safety, increase efficiency in a way that protects and grows jobs, keeps supply chains strong, and increases capacity that will financially benefit American businesses and workers alike”.
In particular, US media reported that the use of cranes with semi-automated capabilities was a source of disagreement, according to sources close to the negotiations
Increased wages and a halt to port automation projects were the primary issues that prompted the ILA to initiate a strike in October, which saw thousands of port workers walk off the job across the United States’ major east and gulf coast ports, effectively halting operations at the affected sites.
A tentative agreement saw the strike end and the current Master Contract extended to give the sides time to return to the bargaining table.
All eyes are now on the January 15 deadline, which sees the end of the Master Contract extension. If a new Master Contract is not agreed to before then, the ILA could initiate another strike of equal size to the first.
Interestingly, that date is only five days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January next year, as US media speculates how the incoming president may handle a potential strike.
The ILA made clear in its statement it would not allow any room for automation in the new Master Contract.
“Their endgame is clear: establish semi-automation now and pave the way for full automation later,” the ILA said, claiming USMX management resorted to tactics designed to mislead and divide.
“We’ve seen this bait-and-switch strategy in other parts of the world and in other industries, and we will not let it happen on the East and Gulf Coasts.
“Automation by any other name is still automation, and the ILA will not be fooled.”
