The news: A dockworkers’ strike at East and Gulf Coast ports is looking increasingly likely amid stalled negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents ocean carriers and terminal operators.

• The ILA’s current contract expires September 30, after which union members are fully prepared to strike if a new agreement hasn’t been reached, president Harold J. Daggett said on Monday.
• The union is pushing for wage increases of around 80% over six years—which it sees as a fair share of the profits shippers generated during the pandemic—as well as stronger protections around the use of automation at shipping terminals.