After the end of the first major strike in decades that affected tens of thousands of longshoremen on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, the union and employers have reached a tentative agreement on higher wages. The strike, which lasted for several days, had significant repercussions for the country’s largest ports, which could have negative economic consequences ahead of the national elections.
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The Biden administration has been working hard to get both sides to reach an agreement. The tentative agreement ultimately calls for a 62% wage increase over six years, with the current contract extended until mid-January to discuss remaining issues, including the use of automated equipment at the ports, which the union sees as a threat to jobs. It is the first strike of this scale since 1977.
