The International Longshoremen's Association's (ILA) Wage Scale Committee unanimously approved the new Master Contract between dockworkers and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). 

More than 200 Committee delegates representing ILA local unions from Maine to Texas met with the ILA president and vice president, who presented details of the tentative Master Contract between USMX and ILA. Both organizations reached an agreement on all items for a six-year Master Contract back in January. 

Committee delegates also heard from Paul DeMaria, chief operating officer (COO) and lead negotiator for USMX.

All ILA members will receive details of the agreement approved by the ILA Wage Scale Committee at local meetings in the next two weeks. The ratification vote is set for Feb. 25, 2025. 

The new agreement and its benefits are retroactive to Oct. 1, 2024, and, if ratified by ILA members, will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2030.

After the ILA Wage Scale Delegates approved the tentative agreement, President Daggett addressed the members, saying this process had been difficult but worthwhile. 

"This was the hardest and most complicated contract to bargain, possibly in the history of the ILA. I am proud to have previously delivered two historic contracts for the men and women of the ILA, but with the changes we’ve seen across our industry, we knew what this contract meant for securing our future," he said. "As we meet with the full wage scale committee, I want to make clear that this not only means more money in the pockets of our ILA members but also a strong future for them and our entire industry."

Specific details of the agreement will not be made public.

ILA workers went on strike last October, paralyzing container handling and vehicle unloading at dozens of U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports for three days. The reason? wage improvements and the automation and semi-automation of work at port terminals.