US Port Workers and Operators Reach Tentative Agreement; Operations to Resume Immediately

On Thursday evening, US dock workers and port operators announced that they had reached a tentative deal that will immediately end a crippling three-day strike that has shut down shipping on the East and Gulf coasts, Reuters reported (10-3-24).

The tentative agreement is for a wage hike of around 62% over six years, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, including a worker on the picket line who heard the announcement. That would raise average wages to about $63 an hour from $39 an hour over the life of the contract.

The deal ends the biggest work stoppage of its kind in nearly half a century, which blocked unloading of container ships from Maine to Texas and threatened shortages of everything from bananas to auto parts, triggering a backlog of anchored ships outside major ports.

The union and the port operators said in a statement that they would extend their master contract until January 15th, 2025, to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all outstanding issues. Among the key issues that remain unresolved is automation that workers say will lead to job losses.

“Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” the statement said.