In a social media post, the union's president Harold Daggett said the union was fighting for “the kind of wages we deserve.” In a statement on Monday, the union blamed the United States Maritime Alliance,

The strike by workers at U.S. ports along the East Coast and Gulf Coast has led to plenty of debate about their pay demands. However, the bigger issue at stake is the threat of automation. Some members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) already earn some of the highest wages among blue-collar workers.

We’re prepared to stay on strike for as long as it takes to secure the wages and protections our members deserve.”