“Tremendous Relief” as East and Gulf Coast Ports Reopen After Tentative Labor Strike Agreement

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) reached a tentative agreement on October 3rd, putting an end to the labor strike that had closed down East and Gulf Coast ports.

The agreement covers wages and an extension to the Master Contract until January 2025, allowing the ports to reopen while negotiations on outstanding issues continue.

“This is a tremendous relief to everyone in the US meat and livestock industries, as about $100 million worth of beef and pork products are exported every week through East and Gulf Coast ports,” said Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

The strike, which began on October 1st, was the first on the East Coast since 1977 and affected 36 ports operated by roughly 45,000 dockworkers. The timing of the disruption was particularly concerning for the U.S. agriculture sector, which relies heavily on these ports for exports.

“Our production and exports kind of accelerate, typically in the fourth quarter, and especially with our seasonal increase in pork production and exports,” said Erin Borror, USMEF’s vice president for economic analysis.

As the ports reopen, industry leaders hope to recover from the disruptions and meet international demand during the busy year-end period.

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