Have you guys seen what the union is asking for? A stop to automation of their jobs and a 77% raise over 6 years. They were offered 50% and refused it. That seems a little excessive to me.
“This is not something that you start and you stop,” he said. “We’re not weak,” he added, pointing to the union’s importance to the nation’s economy
At Port Houston, at least 50 workers started picketing around midnight local time carrying signs saying “No Work Without a Fair Contract.”
The U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, said Monday evening that both sides had moved off of their previous wage offers. But no deal was reached.
The union’s opening offer in the talks was for a 77% pay raise over the six-year life of the contract, with President Harold Daggett saying it’s necessary to make up for inflation and years of small raises. ILA members make a base salary of about $81,000 per year, but some can pull in over $200,000 annually with large amounts of overtime.
The strike affecting 36 ports is the first by the union since 1977. The strike will likely have an almost immediate impact on supplies of perishable imports like bananas, for example.
apnews.com