Philadelphia’s riverfront shipping terminals remained quiet Wednesday, as unionized dockworkers along the East and Gulf coasts picketed for a second straight day.
At the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association demonstrated outside the facility’s entrance gate, in the shadow of the Walt Whitman Bridge.
Mike, 46, of Delaware County, a dockworker who did not provide his last name, said he is willing to strike “as long as it takes,” even though he only returned to the job Monday following a monthlong medical absence.
Like other ILA members, he is concerned about the increased use of automated systems at ports around the world. “It just snowballs,” he added.
Picketers jeered as drivers pulled into and out of the terminal, leading to a couple of tense exchanges Wednesday afternoon. Strikers also relaxed on camping chairs and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.
Many of the dockworkers have deep ties to the adjacent South Philadelphia neighborhoods and talked about their work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the prevalence of unpredictable, on-call shifts. In general, they declined to comment on the record, referring questions to local ILA leaders or the international union, which is based in North Jersey.
ILA leadership has said the union wants ocean carriers to share record profits and significantly boost the pay of dockworkers. Union officials also want a commitment to prevent use of automated technology that would replace jobs.
The United States Maritime Alliance, a group of major carriers and terminal operators, has described the strike as “completely avoidable,” adding that ILA has turned down a nearly 50% wage increase.
A prolonged strike could impact the economy. More than 50 ships were anchored or loitering off impacted ports as of Wednesday, Reuters reported.
More than 40,000 ILA members walked off the job at midnight Tuesday, and the stoppage is affecting ports in 36 cities from Maine to Texas.
In addition to the Packer Avenue site, operations have ceased at the Tioga Marine Terminal, Pier 122 and Pier 80, according to the Port of Philadelphia, known as PhilaPort, an independent state agency. The strike has also affected the Broadway and Balzano terminals in Camden, New Jersey.
PhilaPort, in a statement Tuesday, said it is hoping for a “speedy resolution that allows The Port of Philadelphia to implement its resumption of operations plan to methodically and safely bring terminals back online.”
