Thanks to the signing of an agreement between trade union and employers on 3 October, the strike in the American seaports on the East Coast and the Gulf was stopped.
The strike in 36 American ports, from Maine to Texas, which made the world of shipping pale ahead, lasted only three days. The American dockers, who had stopped work on the 1standOctober (cf.Maritime transportation: threat of strike in U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports), resumed their activities after an agreement was reached between the U.S. Trade Union Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on 3 October.
Both parties announced that they had found common ground on wages. It was alleged that the USMX proposed anearly 62% increase over six years, bringing the average salary to 63 USD per hour, compared to 39 USD so far. An offer considered more acceptable by the ILA which initially demanded an increase of 76% and refused the first proposal for a 50% increase, put forward on the table in extremis by the USMX a few hours before the start of the social movement. Union and employers will nevertheless have to meet again to agree on other outstanding issues, notably on the automation of the terminals, which causes job losses, since they have, for the moment, extended the framework contract until 15 January 2025.
Although work has resumed and some ports have increased their hourly amplitude, delays are still to be expected in order to completely reduce the backlog. It would not be impossible for overburdens to be applied by shipping companies, even if the White House had correctly meant that it would look closely at any price inflation that would benefit shipowners.
Editor(s):Claire BEDOUIN
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Source(s): ILA