by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have announced the resumption of Master Contract discussions in November 2024.

In a joint statement, the two parties said, "The ILA and USMX welcome the opportunity to return to the bargaining table and get a new agreement in place as soon as possible.”

This decision follows the extension of the current Master Contract until 15 January 2025 and a wage agreement, which includes a 61.5% pay raise.

According to the statement, the negotiating committees from both sides will convene in New Jersey to finalise the terms of a new Master Contract Proposal.

This proposal will then be presented to the ILA Wage Scale Committee for approval and subsequently to ILA Longshore workers for ratification.

While both parties expressed their commitment to reaching a new agreement, they highlighted that they would not disclose negotiation details to the media before the meetings.