Deal reached to suspend port workers strike until January
Poultry Times
Providers of up-to-date industry news and information for the U.S. poultry industry.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A port worker strike, that began on Oct. 1 and lasted for three days, affecting shipping sites along the U.S. Eastern and Gulf shores, was suspended through a deal reached on Oct. 3 that defers the strike until Jan. 15 to provide time for a new contract to be established.
The International Longshoremen’s Association’s 45,000 workers were to resume work immediately after the group and the United States Maritime Association, which represents shipping companies and the ports, reached a tentative wage agreement.
A joint statement from the ILA and USMX, notes that the two groups, “. . . have reached a tentative agreement on wages and have agreed to extend the Master Contract until Jan. 15, 2025, to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues. Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease, and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume.”
On Oct. 2, USMX stated that, “Reaching an agreement will require negotiating — and our full focus is on how to return to the table to further discuss these vital components, many of which are intertwined. We cannot agree to preconditions to return to bargaining — but we remain committed to bargaining in good faith to address the ILA’s demands and USMX’s concerns.”
The North Bergen, N.J.-based ILA also thanked the Port Authorities of New York and New Jersey and Porth Authority Police for their professionalism in keeping a peaceful environment during the strike.
The Port Authority Police “respected my ILA members and treated them with dignity and respect while we were on strike . . .,” Harold J. Daggett, ILA president said. “They cooperated with our ILA strike captains and maintained peace and safety as the ILA picketed at all our terminals . . . It’s natural for emotions to run high during strikes, where confrontations and altercations might be the norm, but the Port Authority Police kept things under control by allowing my ILA members to peacefully protest.”
During the strike, the American Feed Industry Association, noted the importance of keeping feed and nutrition lines open for the animal agriculture industries.
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“Our industry does not have a choice to provide vital nutrition to farm animals and pets — we have a responsibility,” Constance Cullman, AFIA president and CEO, said. “Yet, with reduced access to imports of essential ingredients, packaging materials, equipment or other goods, production of animal food may be limited at best. The animal food industry relies heavily on the interdependence of smooth shipping routes and has spent years building relationships with foreign buyers and sellers, yet overnight, could lose the ability to access or do business with international markets.”
The association added that an extended strike could have had an impact on the health of farm animals, as 100 percent of vitamins are imported, “showing that even brief delays in shipments could significantly affect livestock and pet health,” AFIA said.
“It’s a relief that a tentative agreement has been reached and the ports will be open for business once again. For U.S. farm products to flow smoothly to domestic and international markets, it is essential for all parts of the supply chain to be fully functioning,” Mike Seyfert, National Grain and Feed Association, president and CEO, said. “The shutdown of these vital shipping ports was already starting to create big problems for NGFA’s members and America’s farmers during harvest season. Left unresolved, this strike could have led to higher transportation costs for agricultural shippers and jeopardized valuable customer relationships. For the sake of rural America, we hope that the parties involved will work diligently between now and Jan. 15 to find a long-term agreement that works for both sides and keeps our shipping channels open.”
President Joe Biden, in a statement on Oct 3, added, “Today’s tentative agreement on a record wage and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents critical progress towards a strong contract. 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 U.S. Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table.”