Brace for Disruption: Prepare for Potential ILA Strike This January

Worldwide Logistics Group urges customers to prepare for a possible East and Gulf Coast port strike in January as negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) remain at a standstill. With the current contract extension expiring on January 15, hopes for a resolution to the standoff appear dim, largely … Continued

ILA Negotiations and Potential Port Disruptions

As part of Worldwide Logistics Group’s ongoing commitment to keep you informed, we wanted to share an update regarding recent developments with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). This week, the ILA broke off negotiations with East and Gulf Coast port employers over concerns about the introduction of automation technology, which the union views as a … Continued

ILA Strike Ends: Worldwide Logistics Group Urges Strategic Planning

After weeks of disruption, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike has ended with a 90-day extension for a final agreement. This provides a reprieve for businesses and the global supply chain with only several lingering concerns that shippers and logistics managers need to consider as they prepare for what comes next. The master contract, addressing … Continued

Dockworkers Strike Brings Supply Chain to a Halt: What Shippers Should Expect

Today, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) began a major strike along East Coast and Gulf Coast ports after months of unsuccessful negotiations for a new Master contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) which represents ocean carriers and port operators. The ILA has asked for a significant wage increase over the length … Continued

Worldwide Logistics Group Encourages Preparedness for Strike

Negotiations Farther Apart Than Anticipated The International Longshoremen Association (ILA) is ramping up its mobilization efforts across its local chapters, preparing for a potential work stoppage that could begin as early as October 1 if there is no new master contract formed with port employers United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). The ILA, representing thousands of … Continued

Canadian West Coast Ports Strike Has Ended

Canadian dockworkers and employers reached a tentative agreement Thursday, ending a 13-day strike that upended two of Canada’s busiest ports and risked worsening inflation. A new four-year deal, which was presented by federal mediators, must now be ratified by both the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA). … Continued

Port of Long Beach Experiencing Sporadic Closures from Labor Turmoil

West Coast port terminals at the Port of Long Beach, California are experiencing occasional terminal closures as union dockworkers continue to hold contract negotiations this week. Two of the six terminals at the Port of Long Beach were closed Monday during the day but reopened during the evening shift. Occasional closures like this have been … Continued

Empty Containers Cause Mayhem in NY/NJ Ports

The surge in cargo that hit the LA and Long Beach ports for almost two years is now plaguing the Port of New York and New Jersey and heating up this summer as peak shipping season begins. In the last few weeks, NY/NJ port terminals have not been able to take back empty containers, presenting … Continued

Winds Shift as Lawmakers Try to Tighten the Ocean Shipping Reform Act

There’s a movement afoot to tighten the proposed Ocean Shipping Reform Act that limits when detention and demurrage charges can be levied and to put even tighter pricing controls in place. A group of roughly 79 intermodal carriers, importers, and exporters in California are lobbying for tightening the law that limits when demurrage charges can … Continued

Tight Space and High Rates Likely to Persist into 2022

The combination of the Golden Week holiday in China coupled with the impact of power restrictions on industrial output resulted in some relaxation of the space situation in the month of October. Industry-wide, there was more space available in October than what had been typically available in previous months. This phenomenon put some downwind pressure … Continued