Virginia
U.S. port strike starts; Port of Va. stops cargo operations – Virginia Business
No vessels received at Hampton Roads terminals
Published
A U.S. port strike started Tuesday, impacting the Port of Virginia along with every other major port on the East and Gulf coasts. International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) workers walked off work after midnight, after the union hit an impasse late Monday with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents employers.
This is the largest port strike in nearly 50 years, and depending on its length, could cause massive disruptions to the nation’s supply chain and affect the U.S. economy. In Hampton Roads, the immediate impact was felt at the Port of Virginia’s terminals, where no cargo is moving in or out of the port during the walkout.
According to the port, there are no cargo operations taking place at the Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia International Gateway or the Newport News Marine Terminal, which are currently closed. However, Virginia Port Authority employees and workers at its operating company, Virginia International Terminals, are still at work.
“Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) and Virginia Inland Port (VIP) are operating per normal, but cargo operations there will be affected by what is happening locally. Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) is operating per normal,” the port said on its website Tuesday.
The ILA and the USMX have been negotiating a new master contract, which would cover East Coast and Gulf Coast union workers. In Virginia, Hampton Roads Shipping Association represents employers, while ILA Local 1248 represents unionized workers at the Port of Virginia.
In an update Monday night, the USMX wrote: “In the last 24 hours, the USMX and ILA have traded counter offers related to wages. The USMX increased our offer and has also requested an extension of the current master contract, now that both sides have moved off their previous positions. We are hopeful that this could allow us to fully resume collective bargaining around the other outstanding issues – in an effort to reach an agreement. Our offer would increase wages by nearly 50%, triple employer contributions to employee retirement plans, strengthen our health care options, and retain the current language around automation and semi-automation.”
National ILA leaders last released a statement at 11 a.m. Monday: “The ocean carriers represented by USMX want to enjoy rich billion-dollar profits that they are making in 2024, while they offer ILA Longshore Workers an unacceptable wage package that we reject. ILA longshore workers deserve to be compensated for the important work they do keeping American commerce moving and growing.
“It’s disgraceful that most of these foreign-owned shipping companies are engaged in a ‘Make and Take’ operation: They want to make their billion-dollar profits at United States ports, and off the backs of American ILA longshore workers, and take those earnings out of this country and into the pockets of foreign conglomerates. Meanwhile, ILA dedicated longshore workers continue to be crippled by inflation due to USMX’s unfair wage packages.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.