The International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance announced a temporary end of the work stoppage that shut down East and Gulf Coast ports.
U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom, says the agreement comes as good news to the livestock producers and exporters who ship more than $100 million worth of product through those ports each week.
“We have a reputation globally as being a very reliable supplier to our customers all over the world,” Halstrom says. “So in that regard, getting people back to work at these ports, and getting cargo moving against essential and and being able to continue to supply our customers, especially for some of our smaller exporters, our smaller members.”
The work stoppage was brought to a quick end through the involvement of the union, port operators, and the government.
“Our goal all along was getting people back to work and the fact that they have agreed to go back to the
bargaining table and continue work, in the meantime, we see that as a real positive,” Halstrom says. “So in that regard, this is a real positive as we move forward into the last quarter of 2024.”
