President-elect Donald Trump has expressed strong support for the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) in their dispute with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) over port automation.

This is the dispute that caused a short strike in October which threatened to throw US port operations into turmoil.  Mr Trump has emphasised the negative impact of automation on American workers, stating that the financial benefits do not outweigh the harm it causes to families.  He has urged USMX to prioritise American jobs over automation, highlighting the importance of protecting longshore workers' livelihoods.

In press release response, USMX commented: “We appreciate and value President-elect Trump’s statement on the importance of American ports. It’s clear President-elect Trump, USMX, and the ILA all share the goal of protecting and adding good-paying American jobs at our ports. But this contract goes beyond our ports – it is about supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.”

The organisation added that to achieve this it needs modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen supply chains.  It said that the more goods that are moved, the more money the workers have in their pockets.

“We look forward to working with the President-elect and the incoming administration on how our members are working to support the strength and resilience of the US supply chain and making crucial investments that support ILA members and millions of workers and businesses across the entire domestic supply chain, improving efficiency and creating even more high-paying jobs for ILA members.”

The next deadline for an agreement is 15 January, 2025.  If this is not achieved, the resulting industrial action could be very disruptive and shippers are advised to make contingency plans, including alternative routes or modes of transport, to be used if necessary.  At the very least, customers should be advised of potential delays.