A tentative agreement between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) Ltd. has averted a worker strike at East and Gulf coast ports, including the Port of Wilmington. 

In a joint statement late Wednesday, ILA and USMX announced the groups had reached a “tentative agreement on all items for a new six-year Master Contract.” The current agreement between the two groups was set to expire on Jan. 15.

In early October, port operations in Wilmington and along the East and Gulf coasts ground to a halt when about 45,000 ILA members went on strike after ILA and UMSX leadership couldn’t agree on terms for a new contract before the previous one expired. After a three-day strike in October, the ILA and USMX reached a tentative agreement that raised wages and extended the master contract until Jan. 15 to give both parties time to return to the bargaining table and negotiate all other outstanding issues.

Port workers told the Business Journal during the strike they were pushing for higher wages and protections from automation – two issues that were at the center of the union's negotiations. About 400 workers in the Wilmington area belong to the ILA.

Now, the ILA and USMX will continue to operate under the current contract until the union can meet with its Wage Scale Committee and schedule a ratification vote and USMX members can ratify the terms of the final contract.

“This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coasts ports – making them safer and more efficient and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong,” the two parties stated. “This is a win-win agreement that creates ILA jobs, supports American consumers and businesses, and keeps the American economy the key hub of the global marketplace.”

According to the joint statement, details of the agreement won’t be released to allow ILA rank-and-file members and USMX members to review and approve the final document.

Ahead of the agreement announcement, the Port of Wilmington had made preparations for the potential work stoppage, extending container gate hours early next week to give customers additional time to pick up cargo in the days leading up to Jan. 16.

Following Wednesday’s tentative agreement, port operations will follow a normal operating schedule next week, according to a notice issued Thursday.