Hundreds of union workers on strike came out to the Port of Houston to demand fair wages and protections against automation.
Many carried signs that read “No work without a fair contract” and “ILA workers over machines; defend our jobs and rights.”
The shutdown is the result of an expired contract and failed negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) which represents dockworkers and their employer the United States Maritime Alliance.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire showed up in support of union workers.
“We want a fair contract, fair wages and we don’t want to eliminate jobs without consultation,” said Mayor Whitmire.
An agreement between both sides has yet to be agreed upon but KPRC 2 obtained a statement from the U.S. Maritime Alliance regarding negotiations:
“Our industry directly supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States and is a significant economic driver for the U.S. economy and families across the country. 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. 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. We look forward to hearing from the Union about how we can return to the table and actually bargain, which is the only way to reach a resolution.”
The ILA also released a statement:
“Even though the ILA’s members worked tirelessly during the pandemic to ensure that the nation’s commerce flowed and continue to sacrifice time with their own families so that goods can arrive in the homes of other families throughout the world, still, due to corporate greed, employers refuse to compensate the ILA’s members fairly. Over the last several years, the net revenues of these companies have grown astronomically from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars while the ILA members’ wage increases do not even cover the cost of inflation. The ILA is fighting for respect, appreciation, and fairness in a world in which corporations are dead set on replacing hardworking people with automation. Employers push automation under the guise of safety, but it is really about cutting labor costs to increase their already exceptionally high profits. As the last six years have demonstrated, automation cannot outperform the skilled men and women of the ILA. Automation of our nations’ ports should be a concern for everyone; the truth is, robots do not pay taxes and they do not spend money in their communities. The ILA will continue to fight until its members receive the fair contract they deserve.”
Ed Emmett, a fellow in Energy and Transportation policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute, spoke to KPRC 2 about the impact on consumers if a deal isn’t reached soon.
“I think it’s important that we talk about Houston as the energy capital because people think, oh what’s this going to do to us, well shipments like oil tankers and those types of ships aren’t affected at all and a lot break bulk cargo isn’t affected at all. This is mainly container and automobile traffic and the most immediate impact will be fruits and vegetables because those don’t have a shelf life,” Emmett said.