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.

Employers negotiating a labor contract at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports on Thursday filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the longshoremen's union, saying its leaders refuse to resume talks ahead of a threatened Tuesday strike.

The USMX is hoping one last ditch effort can bring the ILA back to the negotiating table ahead of a potential dockworker strike on Oct. 1.

The ILA halted negotiations with the USMX in June, after discovering that a handful of ports were using automated systems to check in trucks.

By Lisa Baertlein, David Shepardson and Daniel Wiessner LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Employers negotiating a labor contract at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports on Thursday filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the union,