US President-elect Donald Trump has voiced his support for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in its dispute with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) over automation at East Coast ports.
Trump met with ILA President Harold Daggett and Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss the stalled negotiations for a new master labor contract. The two-hour meeting focused heavily on the issue of automation, a core point of contention between the union and its employers.
Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, called himself an expert on automation and criticized its impact on American workers.
“The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen,” Trump stated.
He argued that foreign-owned companies running the ports should prioritise American workers over automated machinery, aligning the dispute with his broader “America First” agenda.
“Foreign companies have made a fortune in the US by accessing our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt. They’ve got record profits, and I’d rather these foreign companies spend it on the great men and women on our docks than on expensive machinery,” Trump wrote.
Trump’s public endorsement could shape his administration’s policy stance, especially with a potential strike by ILA dockworkers looming on January 15, 2025, days before his inauguration.
Trump warned USMX, saying, “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American workers instead of laying them off and sending those profits back to foreign countries.”
In response, USMX reiterated its stance on automation, stating that modern technology is vital for improving safety, boosting efficiency, and increasing port capacity. “President-elect Trump, USMX, and the ILA all share the goal of protecting and adding good-paying American jobs at our ports,” USMX said in a statement. “But this contract goes beyond our ports – it’s about supporting American consumers and giving businesses access to the global marketplace.”
USMX argued that automation supports longshore workers by increasing port capacity, which leads to higher compensation for ILA members as more goods are moved.
The conflict comes after a Biden Administration intervention in October 2024 temporarily halted a three-day strike by ILA members. A tentative deal was reached, including a 62% pay increase over six years, but automation remained unresolved. Negotiations in November broke down after two days, with the ILA accusing USMX of pushing for semi-automation.
ILA President Harold Daggett praised Trump’s support, calling it “courageous” and emphasizing the threat automation poses to jobs and families.
“He has stood up for us in his strong statement against the foreign-owned ocean carriers pushing automation on American ports,” Daggett said.
The ILA has called for USMX to remove any language related to automated equipment from their proposals, urging for an agreement to avoid further labor disruptions.
As the January 15 deadline approaches, Trump’s backing of the ILA signals potential federal intervention and raises questions about the future of automation at U.S. ports.
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