ILA, USMX to Start "Round the Clock" Talks
Thursday January 31, 2013
A deal on container royalties has already been agreed in principal.
The International Longshoremen's Association(ILA) has said it is ready to engage in "round the clock" talks with theUnited States Maritime Alliance(USMX) as the February 6, 2013 "container cliff" deadline for negotiations approaches.
There has been no further official word from USMX or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) since January 17, 2013, when it was said that negotiations had "made progress."
However ILA, commenting via its official Facebook page, said the parties met earlier this week, and those talks look set to continue this morning.
In its most recent post, ILA said that "our employers cannot continue to cry poverty," citing a January 30, 2013 article from the Journal of Commerce indicating container lines should expect a return to profit in the 6 year period covered by the new contract.
The association's members have threatened to walk out after the February 6, 2013 deadline if negotiations over the $1.8 billion master contract are unsuccessful.
Last month Clarkson Plc. predicted shipping capacity would outpace demand in 2013, and Lars Jensen, CEO, SeaIntel Maritime Analysis, expects overcapacity to persist in 2013.
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