Striking port workers want fairness, ILA VP says

More than 45,000 dockworkers are on strike at ports across the East and Gulf Coasts in the International Longshoremen's Association’s (ILA) first major work stoppage in over 50 years. Yahoo Finance’s Senior Reporter Dani Romero joins live from Elizabeth, New Jersey, talking with port workers on the picket line.

Herbert Hall, the ILA International vice president, tells Yahoo Finance, "The goal is to bring everybody to the table and be fair with us. That's all we're saying. And I don't think we're that far apart, to be honest with you. But we're going to be here until we get what we think we need, rightfully so."

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This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.

Video Transcript

Tens of thousands of il A members going on strike.

The International longshoremen's Association shutting down all ports from Maine to Texas.

The union failing to reach an agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance on a new contract for more.

In the latest.

Let's get to Yahoo.

Finance's Danny Romero.

She is joining us, live from Elizabeth, New Jersey at the port of New York and New Jersey.

Hi, Danny.

No deal yet.

The message out here is no contract.

No work.

More than 200 dock workers have been out here rocking it out on the picket lines.

They've been holding signs that are really around phrasing against automation, which has been one of their sticking points.

We heard from a union member that has been part of the union for over 10 years that brought out her family and here's what she had to say.

The Americans that Americans don't want this.

We don't want this.

We really don't, we're ready to work tomorrow but for a fair wage for security, for our future and our jobs and I'm ready, we're ready.

It's gonna hurt us.

It's gonna hurt us.

All these effects of no, no supplies coming in and out.

It's gonna take a toll in America and that to will cost the US economy $5 billion.

According to JP Morgan a day.

Union members said that 31 ships are sitting at the New York Harbor right now.

Port authority officials said just yesterday that those ships will be under the supervision of the coast guard.

But the question is, how long is this strike really going to go on?

And we heard from the Vice president of the International Longshoreman Association and here's what he had to say as long as it takes.

Hopefully not long.

I mean, that's not the goal.

The goal is to bring everybody to the table and be fair with us.

That's all we're saying.

And I don't think we're that far apart to be honest with you, but we're gonna be here until we get what we think we need the right rightfully.

So we reached out to the US Maritime Alliance and have not heard back yet, but they did post a statement on their website that says that both sides have moved off their previous positions.

They offered 50% increase in wages and triple their employer contribution plans, but they maintain their language around automation.

Jolie Danny, thank you so much.

And that uh person you talked to sounding a little more conciliatory than some of the upper echelons of leadership and what they've been putting out in online statements.

So that's quite interesting.

Thank you so much.