Port Houston workers picketing for better wages, protections against automation in historic strike

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Dockworkers walked off the job Tuesday morning at Port Houston, just one of the several ports along the Gulf and East coasts where workers are picketing, leading to a historic strike.

ABC13 was in Seabrook Tuesday, where union workers set up early with tents and cases of water in anticipation of more people showing up outside Bayport Container Terminal.

The strike stems from a deadlock that's been happening for months over contract negotiations.

READ MORE: Dockworkers at Eastern and Gulf ports go on strike, a standoff risking new shortages

The International Longshoremen's Association, which is the largest union for dockworkers, is demanding higher pay and protections against automated technology.

They weren't satisfied with the offer from the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents port operators and shipping companies.

It's unclear how this strike will last, but New York Gov. Kathy Hochul noted in a statement Tuesday that it was the first large-scale eastern dockworker strike in 47 years at ports from Maine to Texas, and that included the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

If the strike continues for weeks or months, the businesses that will experience the biggest impact are those who rely on shipping overseas.

"All of the conversation has been about imports and Christmas and retailers, the ports covered by the ILA, the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, actually handle almost 70% of container exports from the United States," said Ed Emmett with Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

ABC13 spoke to Ben Baxley, COO for Green Mile Logistics, who said he's not choosing a side, but rather pushing for unity.

"You have 36 ports that are basically at a standstill right now, so when we rely on overseas products throughout our daily lives we will be impacted in a great way, depending on how long this continues," Baxley explained. "However, inside the U.S., we have a huge opportunity to come together. So our message to everybody is just to unite, try to be part of the solution."

Baxley told ABC13's Rosie Nguyen they remain neutral, but want it to be fair.

"These guys work their butts off on a daily basis, our port truckers, God bless their souls, they need somebody to come in and help. However, that's going to come in the form of both parties being amicable and stand up for what's right and come together and find a solution to pay them fair wages and also make sure that all of our customers throughout the U.S. are taken care of," Baxley said.

H-E-B told ABC13 it's not expecting customers to be affected right now.

"We do not anticipate an impact to our customers at this time. We are monitoring this issue and working closely with our suppliers," the grocer said.

In a statement Tuesday, the union president wrote, "We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Maritime Alliance, or USMX, wrote in its own statement that it has increased its offer to ILA, saying, "We are hopeful that this could allow us to fully resume collective bargaining around the other outstanding issues -- in an effort to reach an agreement."

Emmett told ABC13 that each day this goes on could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion a day.

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