Dockworkers union chief calls Trump 'hero' after reaching deal to avert strike

The head of the dockworkers union praised President-elect Trump for his support amid contract negotiations with port operators, particularly on the issue of automation.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) announced Wednesday evening that they had reached a tentative agreement to avert a damaging strike ahead of next week’s deadline.

“He’s a hero to our ILA union and members,” ILA International President Harold Daggett said in a Facebook post. “President Trump gets full credit for our successful tentative Master Contract agreement."

In a joint statement, the ILA and USMX declined to disclose details on the deal, which union members still need to approve.

The two sides previously reached a tentative agreement in October after a three-day strike that included a 62 percent wage increase over the next six years. But the parties still had to hammer out agreements on workplace issues including the automation of ports, which the union strongly opposed, by the new deadline of Jan. 15.

Trump weighed in last month on the automation issue via his social media platform Truth Social after meeting with Daggett at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, siding with dockworkers.

“I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it. The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen,” Trump wrote.

Daggett called Trump’s post the "statement 'heard round the world.'"

“President Trump clearly demonstrated his unwavering support for our ILA union and longshore workers with his statement ‘heard round the world’ backing our position to protect American longshore jobs against the ravages of automated terminals,” Daggett said.

Biden administration officials helped the ILA and USMX negotiate the first tentative agreement in October, but they were not mentioned in Daggett's statement. The Hill has reached out to a White House spokesperson to ask if administration officials were involved in the second phase of negotiations as well.

President Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening that the tentative agreement "shows that labor and management can come together to benefit workers and their employers."

"I applaud the dockworkers’ union for delivering a strong contract," Biden said.

Retailers across industries also celebrated the tentative agreement that threatened to jam their supply chains. Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, said in a statement he was “pleased” to see the two sides had reached an agreement.

“Providing certainty with a new contract and avoiding further disruptions is paramount to ensure retail goods arrive in a timely manner for consumers. The agreement will also pave the way for much-needed modernization efforts, which are essential for future growth at these ports and the overall resiliency of our nation’s supply chain,” Gold said.