![\"Dockworkers](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-2175267305_361c63-e1727982880838.jpg?resize=384%2C216\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n
Roughly 45,000 dockworkers were on strike at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts of the U.S., rallying for higher pay and stronger protections against job automation.<\/p>\n
Members of the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association (ILA), the union representing the dockworkers, walked off the job on Tuesday for the first time in nearly 50 years, advocating for \u201cthe kind of wages we deserve,\u201d as stated by ILA President Harold Daggett<\/strong> in a social media post.<\/p>\n In a statement on Monday, the union accused the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents docks and ocean carriers, of obstructing an agreement to end the strike.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ocean carriers represented by USMX want to enjoy the rich billion-dollar profits they are making in 2024 while offering ILA Longshore Workers an unacceptable wage package that we reject,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n Before the strike, Johnnie Dixon<\/strong>, president of the Fort Lauderdale chapter of the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association (ILA), argued that the union\u2019s demands are justified due to rising consumer prices.<\/p>\n \u201cOur members top out at $39 per hour. We are seeking a nearly 77% increase over the next seven years. Given the current inflation, that\u2019s more than reasonable,\u201d he stated. That top-tier hourly wage of $39 translates to just over $81,000 annually for those with at least six years of service, but dockworkers can significantly increase their earnings by taking on extra shifts.\u00a0According to a 2019-20 annual report from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, about one-third of local longshoremen earned $200,000 or more annually.<\/p>\n Typically, a longshoreman\u2019s salary can exceed $100,000, but achieving this often requires substantial overtime. Daggett noted that these higher earners frequently work up to 100 hours a week.<\/p>\n The ILA contract that expired on Monday indicated that starting pay for dockworkers was $20 per hour. This rate increases to $24.75 after two years, $31.90 after three years, and tops out at $39 for workers with at least six years of service.<\/p>\n In contrast, the ILA is demanding a 77% increase over the duration of the contract, with a proposed $5 raise each year. Under this plan, workers would earn $44 in the first year, $49 in the second, and up to $69 in the final year.<\/p>\n Recently, the U.S. Maritime Alliance proposed a smaller increase of nearly 50%, which the ILA rejected. \u201cThey may claim a significant increase, but they conveniently overlook that many of our members operate multi-million-dollar container-handling equipment for just $20 an hour. In some states, the minimum wage is already $15,\u201d the ILA emphasized.<\/p>\n Daggett earned $728,694 in 2023, along with an additional $173,040 as president emeritus of the mechanics local chapter at Port Newark in New Jersey, according to documents filed with the Department of Labor. Daggett\u2019s son, Dennis Daggett<\/strong>, currently heads the New Jersey local his father once led and serves as ILA executive vice president, roles that generated a total income of over $700,000 in 2023.<\/p>\n The wages negotiated by the West Coast dockworkers union are a key factor behind the current strike, as ILA workers earn significantly less than their counterparts.<\/p>\n While 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are experiencing strikes, West Coast ports remain unaffected because a different union represents those workers, who secured substantial wage increases for their members in 2023.<\/p>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\nSo, What Is a Typical Salary for a Port Worker?<\/h2>\n
How Much Do Longshoremen on Strike Get Paid?<\/h2>\n
What About the West Coast Union?<\/h2>\n