The impact of a dock workers’ strike on agriculture
By Dusty Sonnenberg, CCA, Field Leader, a project of the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off
Another bullet was recently dodged with an agreement reached between the U.S. Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoreman’s Association. This agreement averted a potential halt to shipments at ports on the East and Gulf coast for the second time in the last three months. “The U.S. Maritime Alliance is the organization that represents Port Authority port operators and the ocean vessel companies that utilize those ports,” said Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director of the Soy Transportation Coalition. “The International Long Shoreman’s Association is the organization represents dock workers at our ports along the East and Gulf coast.”
The current contract deadline and agreement negotiations have been in the works for several months. “The previous agreement expired on September 30th of 2024. The new agreement is a six-year contract covering salaries, wages, benefits and the use of automation,” said Steenhoek.… Continue reading