A federal court has dismissed the ILA's lawsuit against the Virginia Ports Authority regarding automated yard cranes, as reported by the Journal of Commerce.
A federal court has dismissed the International Longshoremen's Association's (ILA) lawsuit against the Virginia Ports Authority over the installation of automated yard cranes, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.
The ILA alleged that the VPA and its chief executive violated labor law by failing to notify the union before installing rail-mounted gantry cranes in Norfolk. The union filed its complaint in August 2025, claiming that members only learned of the new cranes when the first units were installed in April 2025.
The VPA argued that the union had been aware of the plans since May 2023, nearly two years before installation began. In October 2025, the authority filed a motion to dismiss the case. A spokesman stated that the VPA was grateful for the court's consideration but offered no further comment.
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that the master contract was with Virginia International Terminals, a separate entity not named in the complaint. Under the ILA contract ratified in March 2025, ports must notify local unions and vet new technology through a joint committee to determine staffing, training, and pay rates.
