ILA, USMX say informal contract talks were ‘productive and fruitful’

The union and employers said contract discussions 19 months prior to the expiration of the current contract “demonstrates the commitment each side has to maintaining stability and growth.”    The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX), which held informal contract discussions on Wednesday, said in a joint statement the daylong conference held in Delray Beach, Fla. was “productive and fruitful.”
   The current contract expires Sept. 30, 2018.
   “Both sides had an opportunity to share, in preliminary talks, issues that are important to both the ILA and employers as we collectively move from these talks to official Wage Scale Negotiations,” the joint statement said. USMX represents employers in contract negotiations.
   Prior to meeting with employers, the ILA said it conducted a two-day workshop “where leaders from ILA locals at Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports examined important issues relating to both the Master Contract and also their respective local bargaining agreements.”
   The ILA and USMX said in their joint statement that they were “confident that holding these informal contract discussions 19 months prior to the expiration of the current Master Contract demonstrates the commitment each side has to maintaining stability and growth at all ports covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.”