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The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are currently in protracted labor negotiations, with a critical deadline of January 15, 2025. If a strike is called, expect vessel operations to halt by midnight on January 14, 2025.  Failure to reach an agreement by this date could result in labor strikes [...]

As of  November 25th, Unifor’s members at Canadian National Railway (CN) have authorized a strike action if parties are unable to reach an agreement by January 1st. The vast majority of members were highly in favor of this strike taking place. While a spokesperson at Canadian National has assured that CN is “committed to reaching [...]

Updated announcement regarding the upcoming implementation of Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS): Effective December 1, 2024, APHIS will begin enforcing Phase VII of the Lacey Act, requiring importers of certain plant and wood products to file a declaration confirming legal [...]

The International Longshoremen’s Association has broken off contract negotiations with East and Gulf Coast port employers, accusing them of pushing automation technology into a new coastwise labor pact that would eliminate union jobs. The ILA and employers, represented by the United States Maritime Alliance, resumed bargaining on a new six-year master contract covering 45,000 union [...]

On Tuesday, Canada moved to end labor disputes at Vancouver and Montreal ports, pointing to economic damage and the potential for driving away trading partners. For a second time in recent months the Liberal government stepped in to halt the dispute. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he had directed the country's industrial relations board to [...]

Governor Wes Moore has commended the launch of double-stacked rail operations to and from the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. Part of the Howard Street Tunnel Project, the significant milestone is critical to making Maryland more competitive, opening new opportunities for intermodal rail service in the Northeast and from the Port of Baltimore to [...]

The Lacey Act combats illegal trafficking of wildlife, fish, and plants. It is against the law to import into the United States any illegally harvested plant or plant product, and certain products require a declaration. On December 1, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will begin implementing Phase VII of the Lacey Act [...]

The International Longshoremen's Association and the USMX announced in a joint statement this evening they had reached a tentative agreement on wages.  The union members will return to work. Per those close to the matter, the port employers sweetened their contract offer by presenting a 62% increase in wages over six years.   This now ends [...]

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in an  advisory to all regulated entities reminded the ocean shipping industry’s freight forwarders and NVOCCs that its consumer assistance, enforcement, and litigation services could be useful when seeking relief from current supply chain challenges caused by the East-Gulf Coast port labor strike.    The Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution [...]

The long anticipated East and Gulf Coast longshoremen strike has begun, impacting ports that account for more than half of the nation's container imports. Dockworkers walked off the job at 12 a.m, seeking a big increase in pay as their last contract expired.  The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) confirmed the union's first coast-wide strike in [...]