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The U.S. dockworkers union that halted cargo at every major port on the country’s eastern and southern coasts last month has called off talks with their employers over automation.

Dockworkers are set to meet with their employers in New Jersey, resuming negotiations on the key issue of automation that sparked a three-day strike at East and Gulf Coast ports last month.

Several terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are closed Sept. 27 after a big rig overturned on a vital roadway and the lithium batteries it was carrying caught fire.

Some 45,000 dockworkers at every major eastern and Gulf coast port are threatening to strike Oct. 1.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for roughly a third of all U.S. container imports, have seen a surge this summer.

The union representing East and Gulf coast dockworkers kicks off a two-day meeting Sept. 4 in New Jersey to discuss wage demands with port employers under the threat of a disruptive strike.

The busiest port complex in the U.S. is churning through import volumes near the highs set during the pandemic despite worries about a cooling economy.

West Coast ports are closing out the first half of 2024 with strong trade volumes, boosted by an early peak season, solid consumer spending and threats of strikes at East and Gulf Coast ports.

Imports at the Port of Los Angeles remained above the pre-pandemic peak in the first five months of 2024 despite ticking down in May compared to a year before.

The union representing dockworkers at East and Gulf Coast container ports has suspended labor contract negotiations set for June 11, citing a dispute over automation.