#USMX negotiations

[just2bruce]

ILA stops negotiations with USMX

The labor deal between US East and Gulf Coast ports and the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) may be unraveling. The current agreement expires at the end of September. It was a six-year deal. The major issue at present is an Auto Gate system Maersk and APM Terminals are using that processes trucks autonomously, with no ILA labor. The union claims this directly contradicts what was…

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Anne Applebaum :: @anneapplebaum

This was the moment that mattered. Trump's political movement relies on total impunity for liars, and mostly gets it. The lies bind them together, cement their feeling of power.

* * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

October 1, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Oct 02, 2024

More than 45,000 U.S. dock workers went on strike today for the first time since 1977, nearly 50 years ago. The International Longshoremen's Association union, which represents 45,000 port workers, is negotiating with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group over a new contract. The strike will shut down 36 ports from Maine to Texas, affecting about half the country’s shipping. Analysts from J.P. Morgan estimate that the strike could cost the U.S. economy about $5 billion a day. The strikers have said they will continue to unload military cargo.

Dockworkers want a 77% increase in pay over six years and better benefits, while USMX has said it has offered to increase wages by nearly 50%, triple employer contributions to retirement plans, and improve health care options. In the Washington Post, economics columnist Heather Long pointed out that the big issue at stake is the automation that threatens union jobs.

Although the strike threatens to slow the economy depending on how long it lasts, President Joe Biden has refused requests to force the strikers back to work, reiterating his support for collective bargaining. He noted that ocean carriers have made record profits since the pandemic—sometimes in excess of 800% over prepandemic levels—and that executive compensation and shareholder profits have reflected those profits. “It’s only fair that workers, who put themselves at risk during the pandemic to keep ports open, see a meaningful increase in their wages as well,” Biden said in a statement.  

In the presidential contest, the Trump-Vance campaign is trying to preserve its false narrative. In Wisconsin today, Trump accused Vice President Harris of murder—although he appeared to get confused about the victim—and claimed that she has a phone app on which the heads of cartels can get information about where to drop undocumented immigrants. He also said that Kim Jong Un of North Korea is trying to kill him.

When asked if he should have been tougher on Iran after it launched ballistic missiles in 2020 on U.S. forces in Iraq, leaving more than 100 U.S. soldiers injured, Trump rejected the idea that soldiers with traumatic brain injuries were actually hurt. He said “they had a headache” and said he thought the attack “was a very nice thing because they didn’t want us to retaliate.”

Trump also backed out of a scheduled interview with 60 Minutes that correspondent Scott Pelley was slated to conduct on Thursday. 60 Minutes noted that for more than 50 years, the show has invited both campaigns to appear on the broadcast before the election and this year, both campaigns agreed to an interview. Trump’s spokesperson complained that 60 Minutes “insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.” Vice President Kamala Harris will participate in her interview as planned. 

The campaign’s resistance to independent fact checking of their false narrative came up in tonight’s vice presidential debate on CBS between Minnesota governor Tim Walz, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s running mate, and Ohio senator J.D. Vance, running mate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan moderated the debate.

Walz’s goal in the debate was to do no harm to Vice President Harris’s campaign, and he achieved that. Vance’s goal was harder: to give people a reason to vote for Donald Trump. It is doubtful he moved any needles there. 

The moments that did stand out in the debate put a spotlight on Vance’s tenuous relationship with the truth. When Vance lied again about the migrants in Springfield, Ohio, who are in the United States legally, Brennan added: "Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status."

Vance responded: "The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check.”

There were two other big moments of the evening, both based in lies. First, Vance claimed that Trump, who tried repeatedly to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act, “saved” it. Then, Walz asked Vance directly if Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Vance refused to answer, saying he is “focused on the future,” and warned that “the threat of censorship” is the real problem in the U.S. 

Walz said: “That’s a damning non-answer.” 

Former chair of the Republican Party Michael Steele said after the debate: “I don't care where you are on policy…. If you cannot in 2024 answer that question, you are unfit for office.”

It was significant that Vance tried to avoid saying either that Trump won in 2020—a litmus test for MAGA Republicans—or that he lost, a reflection of reality. While this debate probably didn’t move a lot of voters for the 2024 election, what it did do was make Vance look like a far more viable candidate than his running mate. Waffling on the Big Lie seemed designed to preserve his candidacy for future elections.

It seems likely that the message behind Vance’s smooth performance wasn’t lost on Trump. As the debate was going on, Trump posted: “The GREAT Pete Rose just died. He was one of the most magnificent baseball players ever to play the game. He paid the price! Major League Baseball should have allowed him into the Hall of Fame many years ago. Do it now, before his funeral!” 

Former Cincinnati Reds baseball player Rose died yesterday at 83. 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Michael Sainato at The Guardian:

The US ports strike that shut down shipping on the east and Gulf coasts for three days came to an end on Thursday after dock workers struck a tentative deal with port operators. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) announced that the union had reached an agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on wages, suspending their walkout until January. Work would resume immediately, the union said. The strike – which involved 45,000 workers across 36 ports, from Texas to Maine – was the first to hit the east and Gulf coast ports of the US since 1977. The tentative agreement is for a wage hike of around 62%, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Both sides said in a statement they would return to the bargaining table to negotiate all outstanding issues. Concern had been mounting about the potential economic impact of the strike, and the threat of shortages. JP Morgan analysts estimated the walkout could cost the US economy as much as $5bn a day. After it emerged that the strike had ended, Joe Biden told reporters: “By the grace of God and goodwill of neighbors, it’s going to hold.”

“Today’s tentative agreement on a record wage and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents critical progress towards a strong contract,” the US president said in a statement. “I want to thank the union workers, the carriers, and the port operators for acting patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding. “Collective bargaining works, and it is critical to building a stronger economy from the middle out and the bottom up.” Kamala Harris also praised the agreement, echoing Biden’s sentiment about the power of collective bargaining. “As I have said, this is about fairness – and our economy works best when workers share in record profits. Dockworkers deserve a fair share for their hard work getting essential goods out to communities across America,” Harris said in a statement. Negotiations between ILA and USMX had broken down in June after the union accused USMX of violating the contract by introducing automation at some ports.

After three days of ports along the Gulf Coast and East Coast got shut down due to the ILA strike, dock workers have agreed to a tentative deal and suspend their walkout until January 15th, 2025, 5 days before the winner of the 2024 Presidential election will begin their term.

See Also:

AP, via NewsNation: Dockworkers’ union to suspend strike until Jan. 15 to allow time to negotiate new contract

[bookyourcargo]

The strike that rocked the east coast ports

The month of October is a surprising paradox in the logistics world. No ships are sailing, and no trucks are rolling but the first day of the month woke up to almost 50,000 longshoremen honking their horns to draw attention to wage issues, the policies regarding automation and more. This is happening because of the ongoing negotiations between the dockworkers’ union and the port ownership group USMX. While this standoff may seem unfortunate, it is a necessary one. So why would 50,000 dock workers strike for the first time since 1977?

Read more..

[averagejoey2000]

"why now" is because this contract is renewed periodically, it expired at the end of September with no new contract agreed upon.

"ILWU President Willie Adams has pledged his union’s support for the International Longshoremen’s Association as the expiration of its contract with East and Gulf Coast employers nears.

 

The contract will expire at the end of September.

 

Negotiations between the two sides were halted in June, and neither the union nor the employers’ association, USMX, has released a statement since early August."

Article date: September 30, 2024

NEW YORK -- The union representing U.S. dockworkers has signaled that 45,000 members will walk off the job at midnight, kicking off a massive strike likely to shut down ports across the East and Gulf coasts. The coming work stoppage threatens to significantly snarl the nation's supply chain, potentially leading to higher prices and delays for households and businesses if it drags on for weeks. That's because the strike by members of the International Longshoremen's Association could cause 36 ports — which handle roughly half of the goods shipped into and out of the U.S. — to shutter operations. ILA confirmed over the weekend that its members would hit the picket lines at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. In a Monday update, the union continued to blame the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, for continuing to “to block the path” towards an agreement before the contract deadline. “The Ocean Carriers represented by USMX want to enjoy rich billion-dollar profits that they are making in 2024, while they offer ILA Longshore Workers an unacceptable wage package that we reject," ILA said in a prepared statement. “ILA longshore workers deserve to be compensated for the important work they do keeping American commerce moving and growing." ILA also accused shippers of “gouging their customers" with sizeable price increases for containers over recent weeks. The union said that this will result in increased costs for American consumers.

Read the rest here.

[partisan-by-default]

The agreement amounts to a $4-per-hour raise for each year of the six-year contract, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN. That amounts to a first year raise of just over 10% of the current contract’s top pay of $39 an hour. With the five subsequent pay hikes it would raise wages by 62% over the life of the contract

The union agreed to extend the contract it had with the United States Maritime Alliance, the management group known as USMX. That deal, which had expired at the end of Monday, will be now extended until January 15 and have the union members back on the job while the final details are worked out in a full agreement that will need to beratified by the rank-and-file.

In a statement, President Joe Biden praised the tentative wage deal.

“Today’s tentative agreement on a record wage and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents critical progress towards a strong contract,” he said. “I congratulate the dockworkers from the ILA, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open during the pandemic. And I applaud the port operators and carriers who are members of the US Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table.”

Vice President Kamala Harris also applauded the agreement, saying in a statement: “This is about fairness — and our economy works best when workers share in record profits. Dockworkers deserve a fair share for their hard work getting essential goods out to communities across America.”

[progressglobenews]

CNBC:

"The International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. have reached a tentative agreement on wages and have agreed to extend the Master Contract until January 15, 2025 to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues," The ILA and the the USMX said in a joint statement. ILA wages will increase 61.5% over six years under the tentative agreement, sources told CNBC.

[recentlyheardcom]

Port strike update: Dockworkers strike suspended until Jan 15, to return to the bargaining table to negotiate outstanding issues

A historic United States port strike has been suspended and a tentative agreement was reached “on wages,” according to the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance. “Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” the ILA and USMX said in a joint statement Thursday evening. The tentative agreement…

[usa-town-talks]

US Dockworkers Suspend Strike, Resume Work Until January

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), representing tens of thousands of dockworkers across the United States, has announced a temporary suspension of its strike while negotiations continue. The walkout, which began on Tuesday, affected 14 major ports along the East and Gulf coasts, disrupting container traffic from Maine to Texas.

The union has reached a tentative agreement on wages and plans to return to work on Friday. They will reconvene negotiations on January 15 to address "all other outstanding issues." This marked the first significant shutdown in nearly 50 years and threatened chaos during the busy holiday shopping season and upcoming presidential election.

In a joint statement, the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) declared, "Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume." Under the tentative agreement, dockworkers' wages are set to increase by 62% over the next six years, although negotiations will continue on several issues, including automation.

Initially, the union had sought a 77% wage increase, while USMX had raised its offer to nearly 50%. Patrick L. Anderson, CEO of the Anderson Economic Group, remarked, “The short ILA strike... will surely be ranked as one of the most lucrative three days in labor-management history,” suggesting that the ILA workers achieved significant wage increases after a brief walkout that caused minimal economic disruption.

The strike, which began after failed negotiations for a new six-year contract, was the ILA's first major stoppage since 1977. It impacted some of the nation’s busiest ports, including those in New York, Georgia, and Texas, which handle more than a third of U.S. imports and exports.

President Joe Biden praised the tentative agreement, calling it "critical progress toward a strong contract." He acknowledged the sacrifices made by dockworkers during the pandemic to keep ports operational and commended the port operators for their efforts in reaching a strong offer. Biden also emphasized the importance of keeping ports open to ensure the availability of critical supplies, particularly in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which has caused over 200 fatalities in the southeastern U.S.

The decision to suspend the strike has been welcomed by business owners. Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, stated that it was "good news for the nation’s economy," as businesses were bracing for a potential prolonged shutdown that could disrupt global trade.

As the strike loomed, many firms had started stockpiling supplies, and consumers expressed concerns, leading to increased purchases of essentials like baby formula and toilet paper. Under the previous contract that expired on Monday, dockworkers earned a base hourly wage ranging from $20 to $39, along with various benefits, including royalties tied to container traffic. Harold Daggett, head of the ILA, continues to push for a $5 hourly wage increase for each year of the contract and protections against automation.

[sarhadkasakshi]

International Longshoremen's Association suspend ports strike until January

“Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” said a joint statement by the ILA and the employers’ group – United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). Under the tentative agreement, wages would go up by 62% over the next six years, BBC News understands. But negotiations will continue over a number of outstanding issues, including…

[misfitwashere]

October 1, 2024 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

OCT 2

More than 45,000 U.S. dock workers went on strike today for the first time since 1977, nearly 50 years ago. The International Longshoremen's Association union, which represents 45,000 port workers, is negotiating with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group over a new contract. The strike will shut down 36 ports from Maine to Texas, affecting about half the country’s shipping. Analysts from J.P. Morgan estimate that the strike could cost the U.S. economy about $5 billion a day. The strikers have said they will continue to unload military cargo.

Dockworkers want a 77% increase in pay over six years and better benefits, while USMX has said it has offered to increase wages by nearly 50%, triple employer contributions to retirement plans, and improve health care options. In the Washington Post, economics columnist Heather Long pointed out that the big issue at stake is the automation that threatens union jobs.

Although the strike threatens to slow the economy depending on how long it lasts, President Joe Biden has refused requests to force the strikers back to work, reiterating his support for collective bargaining. He noted that ocean carriers have made record profits since the pandemic—sometimes in excess of 800% over prepandemic levels—and that executive compensation and shareholder profits have reflected those profits. “It’s only fair that workers, who put themselves at risk during the pandemic to keep ports open, see a meaningful increase in their wages as well,” Biden said in a statement.  

In the presidential contest, the Trump-Vance campaign is trying to preserve its false narrative. In Wisconsin today, Trump accused Vice President Harris of murder—although he appeared to get confused about the victim—and claimed that she has a phone app on which the heads of cartels can get information about where to drop undocumented immigrants. He also said that Kim Jong Un of North Korea is trying to kill him.

When asked if he should have been tougher on Iran after it launched ballistic missiles in 2020 on U.S. forces in Iraq, leaving more than 100 U.S. soldiers injured, Trump rejected the idea that soldiers with traumatic brain injuries were actually hurt. He said “they had a headache” and said he thought the attack “was a very nice thing because they didn’t want us to retaliate.”

Trump also backed out of a scheduled interview with 60 Minutes that correspondent Scott Pelley was slated to conduct on Thursday. 60 Minutes noted that for more than 50 years, the show has invited both campaigns to appear on the broadcast before the election and this year, both campaigns agreed to an interview. Trump’s spokesperson complained that 60 Minutes“insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.” Vice President Kamala Harris will participate in her interview as planned. 

The campaign’s resistance to independent fact checking of their false narrative came up in tonight’s vice presidential debate on CBS between Minnesota governor Tim Walz, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s running mate, and Ohio senator J.D. Vance, running mate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan moderated the debate.

Walz’s goal in the debate was to do no harm to Vice President Harris’s campaign, and he achieved that. Vance’s goal was harder: to give people a reason to vote for Donald Trump. It is doubtful he moved any needles there. 

The moments that did stand out in the debate put a spotlight on Vance’s tenuous relationship with the truth. When Vance lied again about the migrants in Springfield, Ohio, who are in the United States legally, Brennan added: "Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status."

Vance responded: "The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check.”

There were two other big moments of the evening, both based in lies. First, Vance claimed that Trump, who tried repeatedly to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act, “saved” it. Then, Walz asked Vance directly if Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Vance refused to answer, saying he is “focused on the future,” and warned that “the threat of censorship” is the real problem in the U.S. 

Walz said: “That’s a damning non-answer.” 

Former chair of the Republican Party Michael Steele said after the debate: “I don't care where you are on policy…. If you cannot in 2024 answer that question, you are unfit for office.”

It was significant that Vance tried to avoid saying either that Trump won in 2020—a litmus test for MAGA Republicans—or that he lost, a reflection of reality. While this debate probably didn’t move a lot of voters for the 2024 election, what it did do was make Vance look like a far more viable candidate than his running mate. Waffling on the Big Lie seemed designed to preserve his candidacy for future elections.

It seems likely that the message behind Vance’s smooth performance wasn’t lost on Trump. As the debate was going on, Trump posted: “The GREAT Pete Rose just died. He was one of the most magnificent baseball players ever to play the game. He paid the price! Major League Baseball should have allowed him into the Hall of Fame many years ago. Do it now, before his funeral!” 

Former Cincinnati Reds baseball player Rose died yesterday at 83. 

—

[yourreddancer]

Heather Cox Richardson

More than 45,000 U.S. dock workers went on strike today for the first time since 1977, nearly 50 years ago. The International Longshoremen's Association union, which represents 45,000 port workers, is negotiating with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group over a new contract. The strike will shut down 36 ports from Maine to Texas, affecting about half the country’s shipping. Analysts from J.P. Morgan estimate that the strike could cost the U.S. economy about $5 billion a day. The strikers have said they will continue to unload military cargo.

Dockworkers want a 77% increase in pay over six years and better benefits, while USMX has said it has offered to increase wages by nearly 50%, triple employer contributions to retirement plans, and improve health care options. In the Washington Post, economics columnist Heather Long pointed out that the big issue at stake is the automation that threatens union jobs.

Although the strike threatens to slow the economy depending on how long it lasts, President Joe Biden has refused requests to force the strikers back to work, reiterating his support for collective bargaining. He noted that ocean carriers have made record profits since the pandemic—sometimes in excess of 800% over prepandemic levels—and that executive compensation and shareholder profits have reflected those profits. “It’s only fair that workers, who put themselves at risk during the pandemic to keep ports open, see a meaningful increase in their wages as well,” Biden said in a statement.  

In the presidential contest, the Trump-Vance campaign is trying to preserve its false narrative. In Wisconsin today, Trump accused Vice President Harris of murder—although he appeared to get confused about the victim—and claimed that she has a phone app on which the heads of cartels can get information about where to drop undocumented immigrants. He also said that Kim Jong Un of North Korea is trying to kill him.

When asked if he should have been tougher on Iran after it launched ballistic missiles in 2020 on U.S. forces in Iraq, leaving more than 100 U.S. soldiers injured, Trump rejected the idea that soldiers with traumatic brain injuries were actually hurt. He said “they had a headache” and said he thought the attack “was a very nice thing because they didn’t want us to retaliate.”

Trump also backed out of a scheduled interview with 60 Minutes that correspondent Scott Pelley was slated to conduct on Thursday. 60 Minutes noted that for more than 50 years, the show has invited both campaigns to appear on the broadcast before the election and this year, both campaigns agreed to an interview. Trump’s spokesperson complained that 60 Minutes “insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.” Vice President Kamala Harris will participate in her interview as planned. 

The campaign’s resistance to independent fact checking of their false narrative came up in tonight’s vice presidential debate on CBS between Minnesota governor Tim Walz, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s running mate, and Ohio senator J.D. Vance, running mate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan moderated the debate.

Walz’s goal in the debate was to do no harm to Vice President Harris’s campaign, and he achieved that. Vance’s goal was harder: to give people a reason to vote for Donald Trump. It is doubtful he moved any needles there. 

The moments that did stand out in the debate put a spotlight on Vance’s tenuous relationship with the truth. When Vance lied again about the migrants in Springfield, Ohio, who are in the United States legally, Brennan added: "Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status."

Vance responded: "The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check.”

There were two other big moments of the evening, both based in lies. First, Vance claimed that Trump, who tried repeatedly to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act, “saved” it. Then, Walz asked Vance directly if Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Vance refused to answer, saying he is “focused on the future,” and warned that “the threat of censorship” is the real problem in the U.S. 

Walz said: “That’s a damning non-answer.” 

Former chair of the Republican Party Michael Steele said after the debate: “I don't care where you are on policy…. If you cannot in 2024 answer that question, you are unfit for office.”

It was significant that Vance tried to avoid saying either that Trump won in 2020—a litmus test for MAGA Republicans—or that he lost, a reflection of reality. While this debate probably didn’t move a lot of voters for the 2024 election, what it did do was make Vance look like a far more viable candidate than his running mate. Waffling on the Big Lie seemed designed to preserve his candidacy for future elections.

It seems likely that the message behind Vance’s smooth performance wasn’t lost on Trump. As the debate was going on, Trump posted: “The GREAT Pete Rose just died. He was one of the most magnificent baseball players ever to play the game. He paid the price! Major League Baseball should have allowed him into the Hall of Fame many years ago. Do it now, before his funeral!” 

[puppygirl-existentialhorror]

International Longshoremen Association Strike

i haven't seen anything around on the ILA strike, so i figured i'd put something together. i can't find anything in-depth that comes from a more pro-union perspective, so here's some stuff from a cnn article to start:

"the union is seeking a $5-an-hour pay increase each year over six years, with top pay climbing from $39 an hour to $69. That would equate to a 77% pay hike over the life of the contract."

"There are also disputes between the union and management about the use of automation in the ports, which the union said would cost some members their jobs. The USMX said it is offering to keep the same contract language on use of automation in place."

" Absent stronger language preventing certain automation at the ports, [ILA Union President Harold] Daggett said he won’t return to the negotiating table.

'It’s not fair,' Daggett said. 'And if we don’t put our foot down now, they would like to run over us, and we’re not going to allow that.'"

a lot of news sites are Really pushing for an economy-centered perspective (nyt, yahoo, cnn themselves, in the prev article, really) which is, while unsurprising, still terrible. the fight against automation is often mentioned as an afterthought, and the goal of an increased wage is almost always presented as unreasonable - not an uncommon perspective in any strike for worker's rights from major news outlets. overall, though, there's a weird sense of nationalism beneath it all, coming from the union. in that yahoo article, the ILA is quoted saying:

“It’s disgraceful that most of these foreign-owned shipping companies are engaged in a ‘make and take’ operation: they want to make their billion-dollar profits at United States ports, and off the backs of American ILA longshore workers, and take those earnings out of this country and into the pockets of foreign conglomerates.”

the union also made the statement on their website that:

"ILA, the “I LOVE AMERICA” Union, will Maintain its Longstanding Pledge to Handle Military Cargo During Strike; Passenger Cruise Ships will also be Unaffected by October 1st Strike at Atlantic and Gulf Ports"

as a girl who, if asked, and held at gunpoint, would probably call herself (the much disdained, constantly joked about, title of) an anarcho-communist, instead of picking an either-or, i think that this is a generally positive development. but these underpinnings of american chauvinism are a), more than likely going to be detrimental to the operation and optics of the strike, and b), fucking gross. maintaining the transport of military arms during a time where those arms may well be going to israel (not to say they would be put to good use elsewhere by the fucking US of A), is disgusting, and that should be brought to account. support the ILA, fight automation, but do not let nationalism destroy potentially good work.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Lori Ann Larocco at CNBC:

Billions in trade came to a screeching halt at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports after members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) began walking off the job after 12:01 a.m. ET on October 1. The ILA is North America’s largest longshoremen’s union, with roughly 50,000 of its 85,000 members making good on the threat to strike at 14 major ports subject to a just-expired master contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), and picketing workers beginning to appear at ports. The union and port ownership group failed to reach agreement by midnight on a new contract in a protracted battle over wage increases and use of automation. In a last-ditch effort on Monday to avert a strike that will cause significant harm to the U.S. economy if it is lengthy — at least hundreds of millions of dollars a day at the largest ports like New York/New Jersey — the USMX offered a nearly 50% wage hike over six years, but that was rejected by the ILA, according to a source close to the negotiations. The port ownership group said it hoped the offer would lead to a resumption of collective bargaining.

The 14 ports where preparations for a strike have been underway are Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Wilmington, North Carolina, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Mobile, and Houston. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement issued shortly after midnight that “the first large-scale eastern dockworker strike in 47 years began at ports from Maine to Texas, including at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In preparation for this moment, New York has been working around the clock to ensure that our grocery stores and medical facilities have the essential products they need.” Rhetoric from ILA leadership has been aggressive in the weeks leading up to the strike, with ILA president Harold Daggett, who was a union member the last time it went out on strike in 1977, telling rank-and-file members — who unanimously voted to authorize a strike — in a recent video message, “We’ll crush them.” 

[...] The most significant issues would be faced by food and automobile industries, Kamins said, as they rely especially heavily on the ports that will be shut down. While a surge in inflation is highly unlikely even with a longer strike, even a modest reacceleration could create uncertainty and force the Federal Reserve to be more cautious about lowering interest rates, which would weigh on the overall outlook for job growth and investment. A one-week strike could cost the U.S. economy $3.78 billion, according to an analysis by The Conference Board, and cause supply chain slowdowns through mid-November. In all, the ports threatened with strikes handle $3 trillion annually in U.S. annual international trade.

Many industries are preparing for major repercussions. Noushin Shamsili, CEO and president of Nuco Logistics, which specializes in pharmaceutical imports and exports, said the strike comes at a critical time for inventory replenishment for the pharma sector. “Almost all of this industry is just on time,” said Shamsili. “Raw materials are being brought in to complete drug manufacturing. Medical supplies for clinics and hospitals are on these vessels. For a while importers did not bring in a lot of cargo because they were overflowing with supplies post-Covid. Now they have started reordering medical devices, gloves, syringes, and tubing.” Shamsili also said the East Coast ports are a gateway for generic medicine made in India. Approximately 48% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients used in the U.S. are being imported from India. Without these APIs, medications cannot be produced. APIs are also manufactured in Europe, which also use the East Coast ports as U.S. points of entry.

[...] The Biden administration finds itself in a delicate political moment, with the presidential election one month away and President Biden vowing he will not use existing labor law to force union workers back on the job, which is within his powers under the Taft-Hartley Act. The Taft-Hartley Act, passed in 1947, was a revision of U.S. law governing labor relations and union activity that granted a U.S. president the power to suspend a strike for an 80-day “cooling off period” in cases where “national health or safety” are at risk. 

Today begins the strike along East Coast and Gulf Coast ports after International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) members walked off their jobs.

This strike, depending on how long it lasts, could have a major impact on the elections and the economy.

[head-post]

US East Coast dockworkers on strike, half of shipping halted

Dockworkers on the US East Coast and Gulf Coast went on strike, halting about half of the country’s shipping after talks on a new labour contract collapsed over wages, according to Reuters.

The strike is blocking everything at dozens of ports from Maine to Texas and will cost the economy billions of dollars a day, jeopardise jobs and spur inflation.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union, which represented 45,000 port workers, was negotiating a new six-year contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group before the midnight deadline of 30 September.

The ILA said it rejected the USMX’s final offer on Monday. Its leader Harold Daggett argued that employers, such as container ship operator Maersk and its APM Terminals North America, had not offered appropriate wage increases and had not agreed to demands to halt port automation projects.

We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve. USMX owns this strike now. They now must meet our demands for this strike to end.

US Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Clark urged President Joe Biden on Monday to reconsider his decision. She said it “would be unconscionable to allow a contract dispute to inflict such a shock to our economy.”

Meanwhile, retailers, which account for about half of all container traffic, have been aggressively implementing backup plans ahead of the winter holiday sales season. Many major players have rushed to deliver Halloween and Christmas goods in advance to avoid any disruption caused by the strike.

Read more HERE

[allthenewzworld]

Billions in trade came to a screeching halt at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports after members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) began walking off the job after 12:01 a.m. ET on October 1.

The ILA is North America's largest longshoremen's union, with roughly 50,000 of its 85,000 members making good on the threat to strike at 14 major ports subject to a just-expired master contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), and picketing workers beginning to appear at ports. The union and port ownership group failed to reach agreement by midnight on a new contract in a protracted battle over wage increases and use of automation. It's the union's first strike since 1977.

In a last-ditch effort on Monday to avert a strike that will cause significant harm to the U.S. economy if it is lengthy at least hundreds of millions of dollars a day at the largest ports like New York/New Jersey the USMX offered a nearly 50% wage hike over six years, but that was rejected by the ILA, according to a source close to the negotiations. The port ownership group said it hoped the offer would lead to a resumption of collective bargaining.

Between 43%-49% of all U.S. imports and billions of dollars in trade monthly move through the U.S East Coast and Gulf ports.

Read more about the strikes, and how they could affect the economy, at the link in bio.