Semi-automated crane dispute increases likelihood of another American port strike

A pressing issue for the incoming Donald Trump administration could well be another strike across the US east and Gulf coasts with a trade union refusing to budge on the issue of automation.

Following a three-day strike at the start of last month, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) reached an agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on wages, suspending their walkout until January. 

Both sides returned to the bargaining table in recent days to negotiate outstanding issues with their existing contract due to expire on January 15, five days before Trump takes office.

USMX in a release yesterday said that negotiations on the master contract had broken down again once again, hiking the risk of another strike in the new year. 

“While we had positive progress on a number of issues, we were unable to make significant progress on our discussions that focused on a range of technology issues,” USMX stated in a release yesterday, adding: “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 issue causing negotiations to break down surrounds the use of semi-automated cranes. 

For its part, the ILA said yesterday: “USMX introduced language in their proposal for semi-automated equipment to be used at ILA ports, which this union outright rejected. The ILA recognized this as a renewed attempt by USMX to eliminate ILA jobs with automation and broke off talks.”

North of the border, meanwhile, operations at British Columbia’s ports are slated to resume today, after the federal government intervened in a labour dispute.

Nevertheless, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 514, which represents workers on Canada’s west coast, said it will be planning on legally challenging the return to work order.