The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently announced that the U.S. is set to increase tariffs on a range of Chinese imports through phased hikes over the next several years. Starting September 27, 2024, tariffs on electric vehicles, EV batteries, solar cells, needles, syringes, face masks, critical [...]
The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced plans to tighten regulations on the de minimis exemption, a rule that allows goods valued at $800 or less to enter the United States without duties, taxes, or extensive documentation. These changes seek to curb the flow of duty-free textile and apparel imports from China. [...]
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) remain stymied in contract negotiations. This contract, originally signed in 2018, is set to expire on September 30, 2024. Shippers, vessel owners, importers, and exporters anxiously await resolution as both sides work toward a resolution while a threat [...]
The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are currently entrenched in contract negotiations revolving around the coast-wide Master Contract. The ILA is the largest union of maritime workers in North America, representing 85,000 longshore workers along the East Coast, Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Great Lakes, and [...]
UPS AND TEAMSTERS REACH AGREEMENT UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) reached a tentative agreement for a five-year contract on Tuesday averting a strike. Endorsed by the UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee, the tentative agreement adds new full-time jobs, increases hourly pay rates for both full and part-time [...]
POTENTIAL UPS STRIKE The pending strike by United Parcel Service (UPS) Teamsters is causing widespread concern throughout global supply chains. As negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters stagnate, businesses worldwide are preparing for potential disruptions to shipping and logistics services. The potential August 1, 2023, strike may create bottlenecks and [...]
AIR CARGO PILOTS DEMAND BETTER CONTRACTS Air cargo pilots throughout North America are planning strikes if their demands for better contracts are not met. In Canada, pilots for a startup air cargo company are on the cusp of a labor stoppage, while union members at major integrator company in the [...]
NEW INLAND RAIL HUB The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) recently overcame a significant environmental obstacle paving the way for construction of a new rail hub in northeast Georgia. GPA has been waiting for the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) study to be cleared since 2021, as it was a prerequisite [...]
FOCUS ON SERVICE “The entire Union Pacific team recognizes that 2022 did not meet expectations,” Union Pacific (UP) CEO Lance Fritz said during the company’s recent fourth-quarter earnings call. The lengthy labor negotiations in 2022 strained UP’s workforce leading to customer service issues. For example, UP's Intermodal trains fell [...]
"Our nation’s rail system is literally the backbone of our supply chain, as you all well know. And so much of what we rely on is delivered on our rail, from clean water to food and gas and every — every other good. A rail shutdown would have devastated [...]
