Dock Workers Shut Down Ports in Massive Strike Over Wages and Automation

Tens of thousands of dock workers along the East Coast brought U.S. ports to a grinding halt as they hit the picket lines early Tuesday morning in a strike over wages and port automation. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) launched the massive strike after negotiations with port ownership broke down, leaving billions of dollars in trade at a standstill.

Around 45,000 dock workers are refusing to work, affecting 14 major ports, including New York, New Jersey, Boston, and Miami. The strike is expected to disrupt nearly 50% of U.S. imports, creating chaos in supply chains and threatening price hikes for consumers across the country. At the heart of the strike are the union’s demands for higher wages and a halt to port automation, which they say threatens to wipe out jobs.

• The ILA is pushing for a 61.5% wage increase over six years, down from the 77% they initially demanded.

• Port automation could result in significant job losses for dock workers, who fear that machines will replace skilled labor.

• The strike is impacting ports that handle nearly $2 trillion in trade annually, putting immense pressure on U.S. supply chains.

Union members have made their frustrations clear on the picket lines, chanting “We are ILA!” and holding signs that read “Corporate greed or worker rights” and “Automation hurts families.” Bernie O’Donnell, vice president of the ILA’s New England area, expressed the union’s resolve: “We plan on being here 24/7 until we finalize or get a good contract from the shippers.”

ILA President Harold Daggett joined the picket line at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, rallying workers with fiery speeches. “This is going down in history, what we’re doing here,” Daggett declared. “We’re going to win this f***ing thing, trust me. They can’t survive too long, and we’re going to get what the f*** we deserve.”

However, Daggett’s leadership has drawn scrutiny. His ties to organized crime and his lavish lifestyle—complete with a Bentley and a yacht—have raised eyebrows, especially as the union pushes for substantial wage increases. Daggett has been a vocal supporter of President Joe Biden, with the ILA donating over $1.6 million to Democrats under his leadership. Despite that, Daggett lashed out at the Biden administration for staying silent as the strike loomed. Under the Taft-Hartley Act, Biden could order dock workers to stay on the job for 80 days, but he has made it clear he has no intention of intervening.

Another major union, the Teamsters, threw its full support behind the strike. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien walked the picket line in Boston and issued a strongly worded statement. “The U.S. government should stay the f*** out of this fight and allow union workers to withhold their labor for the wages and benefits they have earned,” the statement read.

As the strike intensifies, businesses and consumers alike are feeling the impact. Ryan Peterson, founder of Flexport, a supply chain management company, warned of potential price hikes if the strike drags on. “If this drags on for weeks or heaven forbid months, I think you will certainly see increases in prices and shortages in all kinds of goods,” Peterson said on Fox News.

Peterson also warned that consumers would bear the brunt of the union’s wage demands. “A 30-70% increase in cost of labor would tank most businesses,” he explained. “But ports are a monopolist, so all the cost increases will get passed on to the carriers who pass it on to the merchants who pass it on to you, the consumer.”

While the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents port ownership, has offered a nearly 50% wage raise, the union remains steadfast, demanding an additional $5 per hour for each of the six years of the new contract. They are also seeking guarantees that port automation will be strictly prohibited, as well as a provision that all Container Royalty monies go to the union.

The stakes are high as the strike continues, with U.S. supply chains on edge and the economy hanging in the balance. For now, both sides remain locked in a tense standoff, and the clock is ticking on when—or if—a resolution will be reached.

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