HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Dockworkers in Tampa are part of the 45,000-member strike of the International Longshoremen’s Association.

Members of ILA-1402, the local union of dockworkers in Tampa, are joining striking workers from Maine to Texas.

The strike began shortly after midnight when the contract between ports and the union expired.

The workers are striking over wages and automation.

The U.S. Maritime Alliance said they offered a 50 percent wage increase over the course of a six-year labor agreement.

They also pledged to keep limits on automation. But the union wants a complete ban on automation.

The two sides haven’t had formal negotiations since June and it is unclear how far apart they are from a deal.

This strike could reignite inflation and cause a shortage of goods for the next few weeks here in the U.S. and could possibly impact the holiday shopping season.

The U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, said Monday evening that both sides had moved off of their previous wage offers. But no deal was reached.

The union’s opening offer in the talks was for a 77% pay raise over the six-year life of the contract, with President Harold Daggett saying it’s necessary to make up for inflation and years of small raises.  

ILA members make a base salary of about $81,000 per year, but some can pull in over $200,000 annually with large amounts of overtime.

But Monday evening, the alliance said it had increased its offer to 50% raises over six years, and it pledged to keep limits on automation in place from the old contract. The union wants a complete ban on automation. It wasn’t clear just how far apart both sides are.

“We are hopeful that this could allow us to fully resume collective bargaining around the other outstanding issues in an effort to reach an agreement,” the alliance statement said.