News
The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have agreed to an extension of the Master Contract until February 6, thus averting a possible strike. The agreement followed meetings December 27 with the director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The February 6 date, which USMX and the ILA agreed upon, pushed back the date of the contract extension included in the press release issued by the FMCS. The mediators agreed with the change.
USMX represents employers of the East and Gulf Coast longshore industry. Membership consists of 24 container carrier members, including the 10 largest carriers worldwide, and every major marine terminal operator and port association on the East and Gulf Coasts. ILA is the largest union of maritime workers in North America, representing upwards of 65,000 longshoremen on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, Great Lakes, major U.S. rivers, Puerto Rico and Eastern Canada.
