HOUSTON — Longshoremen and women went on strike Tuesday in Houston and ports around the country for the first time in decades. Members of the ILA are waiting for a new collective bargaining agreement with the US Maritime Alliance (USMX).
The strike is expected to impact Houston’s economy and could impact what we pay at grocery and retail stores if the strike is prolonged. The container terminal at Port Houston is closed as dockworkers are demanding wage increases and protection from automation of dock jobs.
An estimated 2,000 people were on the picket line Tuesday morning. A leader for the ILA’s South Atlantic and Gulf Coast chapter says he believes the two sides are close on a deal, but automation is its biggest fight.
“We haven’t struck here since 1977, that’s a long time,” Bill Williams said.
Williams is the secretary-treasurer for the ILA representing its districts from Texas to North Carolina. He estimates the Port Houston workers move anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 containers every day.
“When you start getting trucks that drive themselves and cranes that drive themselves, we got 85,000 guys that could be out of a job, so that’s tough,” Williams said. “I personally don’t think (the strikes) are going to last long, I think they’re close. There (are) lawyers in there putting in language on automation."
The workers power a Houston economy by moving imports and exports of manufacturing and retail goods.
“The reality is none of what we as consumers in the Houston economy depend on, can come without these workers doing that work, they’re invisible,” Hany Khalil said.
Khalil is the executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO. Their organization represents some of the members out on the picket line.
Elected leaders said they were standing in solidarity with the union, including US Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Houston City Controller Chris Hollins and Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee.
Whitmire said he wants a fair deal for the workers but is leaving it up to President Joe Biden to step in, if necessary.
“(The strike) has an impact on every facet of society especially when you have a major port such as Houston, we share concerns about the working members’ families, our greater Houston economy,” Whitmire told reporters.
The US Maritime Alliance sent a statement Tuesday afternoon which says in part:
“We have demonstrated a commitment to doing our part to end the completely avoidable ILA strike. Our current offer of a nearly 50% wage increase exceeds every other recent union settlement, while addressing inflation, and recognizing the ILA’s hard work to keep the global economy running. We look forward to hearing from the Union about how we can return to the table and actually bargain, which is the only way to reach a resolution.”