By Lisa Baertlein
January 9, 2025 – 6:53 AM PST
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(Reuters) – The union representing 45,000 dock workers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts and their employers on Wednesday said they reached a tentative deal on a new six-year contract, averting further strikes that could have snarled supply chains and taken a toll on the U.S. economy.
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group, in a joint statement, called the agreement a “win-win.” The deal includes a resolution in automation, which had been the thorniest issue of on the table.
“This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that…