THE PROBABILITY of another US port strike along the east and Gulf coast’s appears to be rising, as union and port employer coalition remain at an impasse.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) both released statements only one day apart reaffirming their opposing views on semi-automation and its implementation at the port.

The ILA released a post on 2 December explaining that whilst it wasn’t against modernisation, it would not support technology that it perceives to jeopardise the jobs of its workers.

On 3 December, the USMX released its own statement in which it proclaimed port modernisation as a necessity, and claimed modern technology would deliver more jobs, rather than eliminate them.

The statements come after negotiations for a new master contract broke down in November, with the ILA walking away from the table after just two days of a planned four days of bargaining.

The issue of automation at ILA ports appears to be the key source of the impasse, and the recent statements see neither side budge from their respective standpoints on the matter.

Interestingly however, the USMX statement avoided any use of the words automation or semi-automation, instead opting for the term “modernization” to describe the sort of technology it wishes to implement at its ports.

Fears from industry of another US port strike are now rising, with overseas media reporting some forwarders view a second strike as an “inevitability” ahead of the fast-approaching January deadline.

January 15 next year will see the end of the current Master Contract extension, which saw the end of the first port strike in October in order to give both sides time to negotiate for a new contract.

The ILA spoke in its statement on the USMX’ push to expand the use of semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs).

“The reality is that 95% of the work performed by RMGs is fully automated,” the official ILA statement read.

“Only in the last six feet of the container’s journey on the landside, when it is placed on a truck chassis, does an operator step in. But how long until employers automate those final six feet as well?

“This isn’t about safety or productivity—it’s about job elimination.”

The ILA’s post included instances in the past where automation and technology had hurt the jobs of port workers.

“In the early 2000s, under a different ILA administration, the employers introduced semi-automated RMGs at a greenfield terminal on the East Coast. They sold the ILA a vision that this new terminal would create thousands of jobs,” the statement said.

“What seemed like a win for one port turned out to be the project that is becoming the model for automation that could potentially chip away at many jobs at almost every other terminal along the East and Gulf Coasts.”

The ILA reached further into the past in its statement, claiming the containerisation revolution in the 1960’s and 70’s saw its workforce in the Port of New York and New Jersey shrink from 50,000 to just 4500.

“Now, employers are coming for the last remaining jobs under the shiny banner of semi-automation.”

The USMX said the only way for east and Gulf Coast ports to handle more volume is to densify terminals, due to a lack of new available land at most ports.

The coalition claimed a USMX terminal where modern crane technology was implemented over a decade ago nearly doubled its volume after incorporating the use of modern rail-mounted gantry cranes into its daily operations.

“The added capacity delivered an equal increase in hours worked, leading to more union jobs, as the terminal went from employing approximately 600 workers a day to nearly 1200,” the USMX said in its statement.

“Port operations must evolve, and embracing modern technology is critical to this evolution.

“It means improving performance to move more cargo more efficiently through existing facilities, advancements that are crucial for U.S. workers, consumers, and companies.”

The USMX described modernisation and investment in new technology as core priorities required to successfully bargain a new Master Contract with the ILA.