There’s about one month until the master contract expires on September 30th for dockworkers in the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). The ILA maintains it will go on strike, shutting down all the ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, if there is no new deal in place by the expiration. Scarily enough for shippers, contract negotiations have been completely stalled. The union cancelled talks that were scheduled to begin back in June, accusing Maersk of using an automated gate at the Port of Mobile that breaks the master contract. Maersk denies the claim. The ILA has been unwilling to reschedule negotiations. And all along, the union has been adamant it wants no mediation from the Biden Administration.

But something changed.

Suddenly, the union flipped on its mediation stance. At least, its latest action would indicate as much.

Find out more by reading the full post in Universal Cargo’s blog