As of Thursday, October 3rd, the ILA and USMX have reached a tentative deal on wages and extended their existing contract through January 15th, 2025 to provide time to negotiate a new contract and finalize all other outstanding issues. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike has led to significant disruptions at major ports along the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States. The strike, primarily driven by disputes over wages, working conditions, and job security, has prompted delays in cargo handling and increased congestion at ports.
With this tentative agreement, the majority of ports that saw operations come to a halt during the strike, will open back up and resume operations as of this morning, October 4th. The Port of New York and New Jersey announced they will remain closed on October 4th, in order to get the terminal back to operational status. Minor delays are expected to continue as ports work through cargo backlogs that built up after nearly 72 hours of shutdown. Stakeholders are optimistic about the recovery, but full restoration of port efficiency may take time. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.
Please reach out to your Westar representative if you have further questions on this matter and how it effects your cargo. Happy Friday from the Westar Team!