Dozens of longshoremen have been picketing at the port since midnight, striking in favor of better work conditions, protections from automation, and higher wages. Workers aren’t striking against the port itself, but against the United States Maritime Alliance, or USMX.
Bill Freeman has worked as a dues-paying member of the ILA at the Port of Wilmington since 1963: that’s 61 years working on the docks.
"We're hoping to get better working conditions, mainly. And of course, your money is always good, but we are mainly trying to get our benefits. We want to work in a safe environment. We want it to be safe so we can stay here and work," he told WHQR.
Freeman said his own son died in an accident at the port a few years ago.
"It's a dangerous job. It's a very dangerous job, and we've had a lot of people to get hurt, get killed, even I've seen some of them laying on the ground crushed by containers," he said
ILA Local 1426 President Gregory Washington said the workers have a great relationship with the Port of Wilmington, so he looks forward to the strike against USMX ending.
"We’re one of the fastest ports on the East Coast," Washington said. "So we do a good job, because we want good pay for what we do.”
USMX announced yesterday that they had offered a nearly 50% wage increase and other benefits, but their offer was rejected by the union. USMX is facing pressure from the White House to come back to the table to continue negotiations.
While not involved in the negotiations, the Port of Wilmington and other facilities are being impacted by the strike.
In a statement, North Carolina Ports Executive Director Brian E. Clark wrote, "North Carolina Ports is hopeful that both parties will return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement that allows all the ports of the East and Gulf Coast to resume operations."
Clark said the ports have developed a contingency plan for the work stoppage.
"North Carolina Ports employees working in areas affected by the strike will be temporarily reassigned to other areas as needed. The Port of Wilmington’s South (Container) Gate is closed for the pickup or delivery of cargo until an agreement is reached. No container vessel operations will be conducted until further notice. No intermodal rail cargo will be worked on or off of the rail at the Port of Wilmington," Clark wrote.
The Charlotte Inland Port is operating as normal, Clark said, although it extended its hours over the weekend to "help customers and port users prior to the work stoppage."
The ports of Wilmington and Morehead City will continue to handle general cargo operations on a normal schedule, with tenant and general cargo yard operations unaffected. "No general cargo vessel operations will be conducted until further notice," Clark wrote.
