U.S. dockworkers overwhelmingly approved the six-year master contract previously agreed upon by the labor union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which promises a 62% pay increase. The ratification averted a looming strike threat. 

International Longshoremen’s Association Rank-and-File Members at Atlantic and Gulf were scheduled to vote on the master contract tentative deal reached by the International Longshoremen’s Association union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance of Ports and shipping companies in January. Rank-and-file members voted for it with nearly 99% in favor, the union said in a social media statement. 

ILA President Harold Daggett, who served as the union’s Chief Negotiator, said it was a tough contract to negotiate, "it even took a three-day coast-wide strike in October 2024. The ILA stayed strong and unified throughout and successfully won the greatest contract in ILA history and maybe the strongest Collective Bargaining Agreement ever negotiated by any union."

The new contract, which boosts the hourly rate for workers to $63 from $39, is retroactive to October 1, 2024, and will be in effect until September 30, 2030.

According to a statement by ILA, the contract's benefits also include accelerated wage raises for new ILA workers, full container royalty funds returned to the ILA, raises in contributions to money purchase plans, a strengthening of the International’s health care plan called MILA, and a resolution of the Vacation and Holiday dilemma, among many other benefits.

The ILA and USMX will formally sign the master contract on March 11. 

Related article: ILA's Wage Scale Committee unanimously approves USMX-ILA tentative Master Contract