NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY/AP) — The union representing 45,000 striking U.S. dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports, including the Port of Virginia, have reached a deal to suspend their strike until Jan. 15 to allow time to negotiate a new contract.
Cargo operations halt at Port of Virginia as strike begins The International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, in a joint statement, said they “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.”
The AP reports that union workers will resume working immediately, at least until January, allowing time for the ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents major ocean freight and port operators, to negotiate a new 6-year contract. Both sides have also reached agreement on wage increases, but details weren’t immediately available.
A person briefed on the agreement told 10 On Your Side’s Deja Parker that the wage offer was sweetened from about a 50% increase over six years to 62%.
Port worker Rashad Gardner with the ILA said this is good news, and things are headed in the right direction. He said they picketed for fair wages and fair health care benefits, and they were fighting against automation.
“We can get back to work and we can start to work out the details on coming together so that we can continue to support our country,” Gardner said, “because we do love our country and we love our our communities, so we can get back to giving back and doing what we do best, which is making this world turn.”
The strike began early Tuesday after the ILA contract expired after disputes over pay and automation of tasks at ports from Texas to Maine. It came at the peak of holiday shopping season at 36 ports that handle about half the cargo from ships coming in and out of the United States.
The walkout raised the risk of shortages of goods on store shelves if it lasted more than a few weeks. Most retailers, though, had stocked up on shipped items early in anticipation of the dockworkers’ strike.
The Port of Virginia said that it would resume operations, and that it is in the process of bringing its terminals back online “in an orderly and safe manner.”
It estimated it would take about 24 hours “to fully restore operations with many components of the operation being restarted in parallel.” It also said during the first few hours of operation, there would be “limited capacity for the stacks.
“The first reservation for motor carrier pickup will be available 24 hours after the ILA returns to work,” the port said. “As a result, motor carriers are encouraged to plan for longer-than-usual queue times and waits.”
All Port of Virginia marine terminals and support facilities will reopen Saturday, and the port will offer extended gate hours Saturday and Sunday. Normal operating hours will begin Monday.
Port strike threatens food supply, causing potential shortages for local food banks Some panic buying reported in Hampton Roads amid dockworkers strike Transportation secretary insists port strike deal is within reach Extended strike could move local ships, containers out west Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
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