Port workers could strike next week. The Virginia Port Authority has a plan.
If thousands of port workers strike along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts on Oct. 1, Hampton Roads would experience a shutdown in terminal operations.
The Virginia Port Authority on Monday released its plan to stop cargo operations next week if a deal cannot be reached between the International Longshoremen’s Union and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents terminal operators and ocean carriers.
Harold Daggett, the union president, warned earlier this month that the longshoremen stood ready to strike from Maine to Texas once their contract expires on Sept. 30. The existing contract covers 45,000 workers along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts. The union is demanding significantly higher wages and a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container movements that are used in the loading of freight at 36 U.S. ports.
If union workers strike, the Virginia Port Authority said on its website that it plans to begin halting cargo operations on Monday, Sept. 30, in an orderly manner at Norfolk International Terminals, Virginia International Gateway, Newport News Marine Terminal, Pinners Point Container Yard, Portsmouth Chassis Yard, Reefer Service Area and the Damage Annex. Marine operations would stop at 1 p.m. and container operations at NIT and VIG would cease by 6 p.m.
Richmond Marine Terminal and Virginia Inland Port will operate normally, but cargo operations will be impacted, the authority continued.
Portsmouth Marine Terminal, used as an offshore wind construction staging area, would operate as normal, according to the website. The administrative offices for Virginia Port Authority and its privately held terminal operating company, VIT, will be open according to their regular schedules.
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The Port Authority said it would remain in close communication with customers and other stakeholders and planned to update the website daily. The authority said its hope is that both parties return to negotiations to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. When reached by phone Monday, VPA spokesman Joe Harris referred to the information on the website at portofvirginia.com/work-stoppage-impact/.
Bloomberg News reported Monday that industry officials now believe a strike is inevitable, and that the trade gateways involved handle more than half of all goods shipped in containers to and from the U.S.
“I think we’re in the watch-and-see mode right now versus imminent economic catastrophe mode,” Bob McNab, economics professor at Old Dominion University, said Monday.
If there is a prolonged strike, longer than a month, and traffic is cut significantly at the Port of Virginia, then it would definitely impact not only the Hampton Roads economy but that of Virginia as well, McNab said. He said the port roughly contributes, directly and indirectly, at least 1 out of 10 dollars to the state’s economic activity.
“We hope to see the parties resolve their issues and move forward,” McNab said.
The Virginia Maritime Association also launched an online resource page with links for its members.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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