NEW YORK, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The International Longshoremen's Union of the United States, representing the interests of U.S. port workers on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, representing the employer, issued a joint statement on Jan. 8, saying the two sides reached a preliminary agreement that day on all the terms of a new six-year master contract.

　　The statement said the agreement protects existing jobs and establishes a framework for the implementation of new technologies that will bring more jobs and promote port modernization. This progress will avoid a new strike on the 15th. The statement did not release more details of the agreement.

　　The statement said labor and management will continue to implement the existing contract until the union and management each complete their internal approval processes.

　　Tens of thousands of members affiliated with the International Longshoremen's Union of America began striking on October 1, 2024, after labor and management failed to reach agreement on issues such as wages and the application of automation technology to machinery and equipment.On October 3, 2024, the two sides reached a tentative agreement on wages and agreed to extend the master contract, which expires on September 30, 2024, to January 15, 2025, and port workers suspended the strike.