"Massive port strike begins across America’s East Coast, threatening shortages and rising prices"

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are on strike Tuesday against the nation’s East and Gulf Coast ports, choking off the flow of many of America’s imports and exports in what could become the country’s most disruptive work stoppage in decades.

The strike, which began at midnight, will stop the flow of a wide variety of goods over the docks of almost all cargo ports from Maine to Texas ...

A wide gap remained between the union’s demands and the contract offer from the United States Maritime Alliance, which uses the acronym USMX. The maritime alliance represents the major shipping lines, all of which are foreign owned; as well as terminal operators and port authorities.

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The USMX said Tuesday afternoon in its first public comments since the strike that it was proud of its offer to the union.

“USMX is proud of the wages and benefits we offer to our 25,000 ILA employees, and strongly supports a collective bargaining process that allows us to fully bargain wages, benefits, technology, and ensures the safety of our workers, day-in and day-out,” the group said in a statement. “We have demonstrated a commitment to doing our part to end the completely avoidable ILA strike. Our current offer of a nearly 50% wage increase exceeds every other recent union settlement, while addressing inflation, and recognizing the ILA’s hard work to keep the global economy running.”

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This is the first strike at these ports since 1977. The union says there are about 50,000 members covered by the contract, but the USMX puts the number of port jobs closer to 25,000, with not enough jobs for all the workers in the union to work every day.

... Daggett on Wednesday told CNN the union is seeking a $5-an-hour pay increase each year over six years, with top pay climbing from $39 an hour to $69. That would equate to a 77% pay hike over the life of the contract.

There are also disputes between the union and management about the use of automation in the ports, which the union said would cost some members their jobs ...

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