Weekly

AF&PA see threats of mill downtime due to port strikes

Frauke Schmidt, 2 October 2024

As the strikes at US East and Gulf Coast ports enter their the second day, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has issued a statement calling for and end to the strikes.

"This strike will have serious consequences for the US economy and the manufacturing sector, including industries like our that rely heavily on port activity for exporting goods. Without access to ports, our member companies face tough choices, including whether to pause or shut down mills and facilities, putting high-paying jobs in rural areas at risk," said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock.

The Association is now calling on the Biden Administration to work with the union ILA and United States Maritime Alliance (UMSX) to quickly bring an end to this strike and restore essential port operations.

On 1 October, dockworkers on the US East Coast and Gulf Coast began their first major strike in nearly 50 years, halting the flow of about half the US's maritime traffic after negotiations over a new collective agreement broke down over wages and the introduction of automation in the ports.

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), the union initiating the strikes, said it had rejected the UMSX's "nearly 50 per cent wage increase" because it did not adequately address the members' demands.

The UMSX "conveniently omit that many of our members are operating multi-million-dollar container-handling equipment for a mere $20 an hour," according to a ILA press statement.

Source: Euwid