U.S. Ports Strike Looms

September 26, 2024

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns of the impacts related to the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union strike that could severely impact consumers and businesses across the country. Read their insights below.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union is threatening to strike on October 1, potentially shutting down ports from Maine to Texas, severely impacting the U.S. economy.
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Why it matters: A strike affecting over half of America’s ports would have a devastating economic effect, crippling major supply chains and cutting off the flow of many goods consumers and businesses rely on.
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Be smart: $3.7 billion in trade — 43% of U.S. imports — goes through the affected ports daily. A strike would:
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Create congestion, add to shipping times, and cause slowdowns during the all-important holiday shopping season.
Cause cascading disruptions to the supply chain, affecting businesses and consumers nationwide.

Small businesses would be hit hard. Shipping delays could quickly grind their operations to a halt — impacting workers and communities that rely on them.
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Big picture: The most important issues in the negotiation are worker pay and automation. The ILA is demanding a 77% pay increase over six years and a freeze on ports implementing productivity-enhancing technology.‌

Port operators want to provide workers with a fair pay increase, but the ILA has reportedly rejected an offer to increase wages by 40%.
Improvements are needed because U.S. ports rank as some of the least productive in the world.

What we’re doing: This summer, the Chamber joined dozens of organizations calling on the Administration to take action to ensure an agreement is reached. The Chamber continues to encourage the Administration, Congress, and all relevant parties to pursue negotiations until a deal is reached and to avoid any disruptions.

Dig deeper:
A strike in the U.S. would “remove capacity from a market where zero capacity is available,” said shipping expert Lars Jensen, on The Call, a new video update for members offered as part of the Chamber’s Global Intelligence Desk.

Read

U.S. Ports Strike Looms

September 26, 2024

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union is threatening to strike on October 1, potentially shutting down ports from Maine to Texas, severely impacting the U.S. economy. ‌

Why it matters: A strike affecting over half of America’s ports would have a devastating economic effect, crippling major supply chains and cutting off the flow of many goods consumers and businesses rely on. ‌

Be smart: $3.7 billion in trade — 43% of U.S. imports — goes through the affected ports daily. A strike would: ‌

Create congestion, add to shipping times, and cause slowdowns during the all-important holiday shopping season.

Cause cascading disruptions to the supply chain, affecting businesses and consumers nationwide.

Small businesses would be hit hard. Shipping delays could quickly grind their operations to a halt — impacting workers and communities that rely on them. ‌

Big picture: The most important issues in the negotiation are worker pay and automation. The ILA is demanding a 77% pay increase over six years and a freeze on ports implementing productivity-enhancing technology.‌

Port operators want to provide workers with a fair pay increase, but the ILA has reportedly rejected an offer to increase wages by 40%.

Improvements are needed because U.S. ports rank as some of the least productive in the world.

Dig deeper: A strike in the U.S. would “remove capacity from a market where zero capacity is available,” said shipping expert Lars Jensen, on The Call, a new video update for members offered as part of the Chamber’s Global Intelligence Desk.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union is threatening to strike on October 1, potentially shutting down ports from Maine to Texas, severely impacting the U.S. economy.
‌

Why it matters: A strike affecting over half of America’s ports would have a devastating economic effect, crippling major supply chains and cutting off the flow of many goods consumers and businesses rely on.
‌

Be smart: $3.7 billion in trade — 43% of U.S. imports — goes through the affected ports daily. A strike would:
‌

Small businesses would be hit hard. Shipping delays could quickly grind their operations to a halt — impacting workers and communities that rely on them.
‌

Dig deeper:
A strike in the U.S. would “remove capacity from a market where zero capacity is available,” said shipping expert Lars Jensen, on The Call, a new video update for members offered as part of the Chamber’s Global Intelligence Desk.