05:19 AM EST, 11/14/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Talks between the United States Maritime Alliance and International Longshoremen's Association over a new contract covering work at US ports broke down Wednesday over the issue of automation, both parties said.

The union said the talks ended "when management introduced their intent to implement semi-automation-a direct contradiction to their opening statement where they assured us that neither full nor semi-automation would be on the table."

The association representing shippers said it was "unable to make significant progress" in talks because the union representing dockworkers was insisting on provisions "that would move our industry backward by restricting future use of technology that has existed in some of our ports for nearly two decades."

Around 45,000 US dockworkers suspended a three-day strike last month until Jan. 15 pending negotiations.