Tens of thousands of striking dockworkers have returned to work after reaching a tentative labor agreement on Thursday, ending a stoppage that posed a significant threat to commerce nationwide as the holiday season approached.
The International Longshoremen’s Association ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. USMX announced that they had reached an agreement on wages and extended their contract until January 15.
Both parties plan to reconvene to negotiate other unresolved issues.
In a joint statement released Thursday night, the two sides declared, Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease, and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume.
The strike, which began on Tuesday, saw dockworkers from Texas to Maine walking off the job. This marked the first large-scale strike of eastern dockworkers since 1977, when workers stayed off for several weeks.
The strikers were advocating for higher wages and a complete ban on automation at ports. During a rally in Elizabeth on Tuesday, ILA’s international president, Harold Daggett, pledged that workers would continue the strike until the end.
Political analysts had warned that a prolonged strike could significantly impact the upcoming U.S. presidential election.