Union President Harold Daggett said in a statement, “We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, and to continue the strike as long as necessary, to obtain the salaries and protection that our members deserve,” who number approximately 85,000 American dockworkers.
Dockers began walking off their work sites early Tuesday after last-minute negotiations between their union and the Maritime Alliance, which began in May, failed.
The Port Workers Union said in a statement: “All Ports Between Maine (northeast) and Texas (south) are at a standstill,” she said, noting that discussions with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents employers in 36 ports between the states of Maine and Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico and in Florida (southeast), “ “I have reached a dead end.”
The Maritime Alliance noted that “over the past 24 hours, the Maritime Alliance and the Port Workers Union exchanged offers and counter-offers regarding wages,” noting that it “improved” its proposal and requested an extension of the social agreement to continue negotiating. According to a source close to the discussions, it was the alliance proposal that was rejected by the union on Monday morning.
The dockworkers union had planned to strike once the six-year labor agreement expires at 23:59 Monday (03.59 GMT Tuesday) at ports on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
“The USMX maritime coalition caused this strike,” Harold Daggett said, speaking of “billion-dollar profits” made by ports and shipping companies.
The expiring social contract concerns 25,000 members, working on the docks of fourteen major ports (including especially Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Savannah, Miami, Tampa, and even Houston).
This strike will not affect the transport of hydrocarbons and agricultural products, or even sea trips, except slightly or even at all.
