Dockworkers at multiple ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are currently on strike, demanding higher pay and protections against automation. This strike, the first of its kind in almost 50 years, involves nearly 25,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association. In a social media post, the union’s president, Harold Daggett, stated that they are fighting for the wages they deserve. The union blames the United States Maritime Alliance for blocking an agreement that would end the strike, citing unfair wage packages offered to the workers.
The West Coast ports have not been affected by the strike, as a different union represents its workers. The wage negotiations conducted by the West Coast dockworkers’ union are a key factor in the current strike. The expired ILA contract shows that starting pay for dockworkers is $20 per hour, increasing incrementally to $39 for workers with at least six years on the job. In contrast, the ILA is proposing a 77% increase over the contract’s duration, with wages reaching up to $69 in the final year. The U.S. Maritime Alliance has proposed a smaller increase of nearly 50%, which the ILA has rejected.
Despite the current top wage amounting to approximately $81,000 per year, a report from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor indicates that about a third of local longshoremen earn $200,000 or more annually. However, this high pay may come with extreme working hours, with some workers putting in up to 100 hours per week. The ILA emphasizes the sacrifices made by its members in terms of time with their families and the value they bring to the industry and the nation.
The average salary in the U.S. was around $59,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The disparity between dockworkers’ wages and this average salary highlights the significant demand for higher pay and improved working conditions. The strike raises important questions about fair wages, labor protections, and the impact of automation on jobs in the maritime industry. As negotiations continue between the ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, the outcome of the strike will have implications for the future of dockworkers and labor rights in the shipping sector.
