On June 12th, the Port of Virginia is planning to shutdown operations for four hours to allow negotiations to occur between the employers and the local chapter of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). Back in March, the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the ILA agreed to a six year Maine to Texas coastwide contract, however, a few local supplemental agreements still remain unsettled, including at the Port of Virginia.
At the June 12th meeting, the employers will state the case for why they want to gradually reduce the size of labor gangs. This is believed to be the biggest point of contention in the local contract negotiations.
As of this moment, there is no risk of a strike or a lockout within the port. Roughly five days after the June 12th meeting, employers plan to meet again with the union to continue negotiations. The union has requested federal mediation in the proceedings.
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