(Reuters) - The United States Maritime Alliance said on Thursday it had filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, due to the repeated refusal of International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) to come to the bargaining table.

The employer union said it had requested immediate injunctive relief - requiring the union to resume bargaining - so that a deal could be negotiated.

The ILA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)