LYNDHURST, NJ. — Progress was made this past week in reaching a new Master Contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), but all that came to a halt when the issue of automation came up.

The union rejected the USMX's latest proposal, calling the move a “renewed attempt by USMX to eliminate ILA jobs.”

With roughly two months before union workers at East and Gulf Coast ports may begin a new strike, a fight over automated technology is slowing negotiations.

The union representing 45,000 East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers and a group representing employers held a new round of contract talks this week but failed to make significant progress on some key issues,