ILA says prepare for US port strike
The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) has told its members to "begin immediately to prepare to strike" on Sunday, a move that is expected to cause widespread disruption to ports on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, as well having a major impact on the nation's economy, Ship & Bunker reports.
In a statement last week, ILA President Harold J. Daggett said: "Unfortunately, Master Contract negotiations are not progressing well and it is expected that there will be a coastwise strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, December 30, 2012. It is imperative that all ILA local unions begin immediately to prepare for a strike."
The statement was made after the issue of container royalty payments caused talks to break down between the ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), who represent the employers of the East and Gulf Coast longshore industry, and according to strike instructions issued in the statement it is containerised cargo that will be targeted in the event of a strike.
With the exception of fresh, non-frozen perishable commodities, military cargo, and mail, containerised cargo will not be handled. Orders to handle passenger ships and non-containerised cargo are to be honoured, it said.
At the request of the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), both ILA and USMX have agreed to meet for talks before the December 29, 2012 expiration of the current 90 day contract extension that averted a previous threat to strike in September.
