By Wallace White | Daily Caller
A costly dockworkers’ strike could ignite just days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, presenting the Republican’s administration with a major domestic challenge on day one.
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which represents 47,000 workers, is planning to strike on Jan. 15 after a short three-day strike in October, where the union secured a 62% pay raise over six years from United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). However, negotiations concerning port automation with shipping companies continue to stall, and industry giant Maersk said there have been no new developments, according to Bloomberg Tuesday.
“The conditional agreement on wages is set to expire on January 15. If no agreement is reached by that date, a coast-wide strike on Jan. 16 is possible. However, the negotiations have had no new developments since our last communication,” Maersk said Tuesday in a customer advisory. “Considering the status, we strongly encourage our customers to pick up their laden containers and return empty containers at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports before January 15. This proactive measure will help mitigate any potential disruptions at the terminals.”