In a Legislative Bulletin, the Toy Industry Association (TIA) notified its members of a potential labor strike that could occur at 14 East Coast and Gulf Coast ports this fall if a settlement between the Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) is not reached by September 30.
A strike would have a long-term negative impact on the toy industry and the U.S. economy as a whole, as 95 percent of all container shipments to the East Coast are handled through these 14 ports.
Talks between the ILA and USMX deteriorated on August 22 as the two sides reached an impasse over employee benefits and wages; discussions will resume on September 17 under the authority of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Responses detailing how a strike would impact toy companies and retailers before the holidays are requested via email to Rebecca Mond, TIA Director of Federal Government Affairs. TIA will continue to monitor the issue and keep members apprised of any developments.
This post was originally written by the Toy Industry Association and published at ToyAssociation.org. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.
