By Mrinalika Roy

(Reuters) – The first large-scale strike by dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf coast in nearly 50 years, blocking everything from food to automobile shipments, has thrown the spotlight on the increasing mobilization by unions in the country since last year.

Here are some of the key union actions since last year:

PORTS

Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association walked out at the major U.S. ports on Oct. 1 after talks with United States Maritime Alliance over a new contract failed.

The combined 36 East and Gulf Coast ports handle 57% of US container volume, and analysts warned the disruption will cost the economy billions of dollars a day.

MEDIA

Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) approved a new three-year contract with major studios on Oct. 9, after striking in May over compensation, among other issues.

Hollywood actors reached a tentative agreement with major studios on Nov. 8 to resolve the second of two strikes, over higher pay in the streaming era, that hit the entertainment industry.

AUTOMOTIVE

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-owner Stellantis ratified deals with United Auto Workers members in November.

The UAW said on Nov. 15 that about 3,900 of its members at Mack Trucks ratified a new five-year contract, ending a month-long strike at the Volvo Group-owned company.

LOGISTICS

Teamsters union workers at United Parcel Service ratified a new five-year contract in August 2023.

FedEx pilots have been involved in a standoff with the firm over wages and legacy pensions since last year.

AIRLINES & AEROSPACE FIRMS  

More than 32,000 Boeing workers in Seattle and Oregon walked off the job on Sept. 13 in the union’s first strike since 2008, seeking a 40% pay rise and restoration of a defined-benefit pension.

Pilots at airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines Holdings, Spirit Airlines and Jetblue Airways negotiated new job contracts this year.

Spirit AeroSystems negotiated a new contract to end a week-long work stoppage at its Kansas plant.

MANUFACTURING

U.S. steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers union in September 2023 on a new labor agreement for its Northshore mining operations.

CONSUMER & RETAIL

In Las Vegas, thousands of workers reached agreements with casino operators and resorts Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts in November, averting strikes.

The Detroit Casino Council reached a tentative agreement for a contract covering 3,700 workers at casinos operated by MGM Resorts, Penn and the MotorCity Casino, in November 2023, after calling its first ever strike.

Over 3,000 workers at more than 150 Starbucks stores held strikes in June 2023, following claims the company had banned Pride Month decorations at some cafes.

Workers at hundreds of Starbucks stores walked off their jobs during a promotional event last November, over staffing. 

Thousands of Los Angeles-area hotel staffers went on a three-day strike in July last year over wages and benefits.

HEALTHCARE

Kaiser Permanente’s healthcare workers voted to ratify a new contract with the hospital chain on Nov. 9, 2023, following the largest recorded strike in the U.S. medical sector.

More than 7,000 nurses went on a three-day strike in New York City over staffing and pay in January.

Workers at CVS Health and Walgreens Boots Alliance held a three-day walkout in October 2023 over working conditions and staffing.

CANNABIS

Workers at Green Thumb Industries’ Chicago-area RISE dispensaries went on a 13-day unfair labor practices (ULP) strike in April 2023.

Unions secured new contract agreements at multistate operator-owned cannabis dispensaries in Illinois and in New Jersey in July 2023.

ENERGY

Over 200 Teamsters members working at Marathon’s Detroit refinery walked off their jobs on Sept. 4 after months of pay and safety-related negotiations stalled.

Unionized workers at Phillips 66’s Illinois plant ratified a contract with the refiner in late-stage negotiations over pay and benefits, averting a strike.

(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Seher Dareen and Sourasis Bose; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Eileen Soreng, Pooja Desai, Shounak Dasgupta, Aurora Ellis and Anil D’Silva)

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