Deal Reached: Dockworkers Secure 62% Pay Hike Through 2030

More than 45,000 dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts have approved a new six-year contract, locking in higher wages, better benefits, and job security while avoiding a potential strike. A temporary deal was reached in October, and the final agreement between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) takes effect on October 1, 2024, and runs through September 30, 2030.

The contract raises workers’ base hourly pay from $39 to $63, a 62% wage increase over six years. This makes longshoremen among the highest-paid blue-collar workers in the country. The contract…