The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) agreed on a 30-day extension of the current coast-wide master contract, temporarily shielding East and Gulf Coast ports from the threat of labor-related disruptions until midnight on January 28, 2013. The extension was brokered by federal mediators after the parties could not find common ground on issues such as container royalties and guaranteed hours. ILA President Harold Daggett was recently authorized by ILA delegates to call a strike if negotiations fail.

An ILA strike will disrupt U.S. export and import shipments of most products, with collateral effects at West Coast ports and a severe impact on the U.S. economy.

Which sectors would a strike affect?

An ILA strike would primarily affect container and roll-on, roll-off cargo covered by the ILA-USMX master contract.

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