U.S. Dockworkers Secure Historic Six-Year Contract with 62% Wage Increase

The agreement, ratified by 99% of workers, averts a major strike and addresses automation concerns at 36 key ports.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance finalized a six-year labor contract covering over 45,000 dockworkers along the East and Gulf coasts.
The deal includes a 62% wage increase, raising top hourly wages from $39 to $63, and accelerates raises for new workers, making longshoremen among the highest-paid blue-collar workers in the U.S.
The agreement also strengthens health care benefits, increases employer contributions to retirement plans, and limits full automation at ports while allowing some modernization with mandatory new hiring.
The contract, effective from October 2024 to September 2030, was approved by 99% of union members following a three-day strike last October that disrupted supply chains.
Key ports affected, including New York, New Jersey, and Houston, handle over half of U.S. imports, and the deal is expected to bring stability to shipping operations.