SAVANNAH, Ga. () – After three days of dockworkers protesting at the picket lines in October fighting for higher wages, better benefits and limits on automation, the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) have come to an agreement.

A six-year agreement got the final stamp of approval Tuesday, with nearly 99% of ILA members voting in favor of the new master contract. spoke with president of Savannah’s ILA Local 1414 Paul Mosley, and he said this is long overdue.

“I think with us mixing it up like we did with the strike, we went out to make a stand that we are here and we’re not going anywhere,” Mosley said. “And we realize that they are here, and they are not going anywhere. I think it has made our relationship better because it brought on a whole new different line of respect.”

The contract includes a record breaking 62% pay increase over six years that would lift hourly wages at the top of the union pay scale from $39 an hour to $63 an hour. It also accelerates raises for new ILA workers.

“Throughout the pandemic, people were working from home to make sure that this United States had all the things they needed, that’s a testament in itself, the type of hard work and resilience,” Mosley said.

The association worries about machines, especially cranes, replacing workers. Union leader Harold Daggett said there is full automation protections. The contract allows ports to introduce new technology, but they have to hire new workers when they do.

“It wasn’t machines that built America,” said Mosley. “It was hard working men and women in this great United States that built America.  So, when you look at life and you want to replace the very core of the backbone which built this country with the robot of these machines, I support President Dagget 110%. The members of this whole city in all three locals supported him in protecting our jobs. We are only trying to protect what is ours.”

According to ILA’s press release, the contract also includes full container royalty funds returned to the ILA, raises in contributions to money purchase plans, a strengthening of the International’s health care plan called MILA and a resolution of the vacation and holiday dilemma”

“I think together we all will continue to do the hard work that has got this port to be the number one single operating container port in the United States and the fastest growing ports and the fastest growing in the United States,” Mosley said. “There’s a lot of hard work with a lot of challenges. The star in the sky is the limit for this great city of Savannah.  I think the citizens of Savannah can rest at ease.”

The contract will be effective through Sept. 30, 2030. They are set to formally sign on March 11, 2025.