>>> ALL RIGHT, THE BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW, WJZ HAS JUST LEARNED AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED BETWEEN LONGSHOREMEN AND THE UNITED STATES MARITIME ALLOWANCE — ALLIANCE, TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW, TARA? >> Reporter: DENISE, WE ARE HERE EXCLUSIVELY WITH LOCAL 333 PRESIDENT SCOTT COWAN, YOU JUST MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO YOUR FOLKS, THE STRIKE IS OVER. >> WE GOT A CALL FROM INTERNATIONAL AND WE WILL RECEIVE A 61.5% INCREASE OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OTHER LANGUAGE TO PROTECT US FROM AUTOMATION WORKED OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND OTHER ISSUES WE NEED RESOLVED. >> YOU ARE VERY BUSINESS WITH ME RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS YOUR EMOTION FOR YOU AND YOUR MEMBERS.
>> I’M HAPPY THAT THEY CAN GET BACK TO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR EVERYBODY AND A GOOD THING FROM THE STATE, THE PORT AND ALL THE MEMBERS HERE AND THEIR FAMILIES.
>> THE MONEY QUESTION I THINK IS WHEN WILL THIS PORT START TO SEE ACTION AND WHEN WILL PEOPLE BE BACK ON THE TERMINAL GROUNDS UNLOADING AND LOADING CARGO? >> TOMORROW MORNING. >> I MEAN I’VE SEEN SOME OF THE EMOTION FROM SOME OF THE MEMBERS WERE OFF-CAMERA.
THEY ARE THRILLED. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO THEM? >> IT MEANS THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THEY DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ANYMORE OF POSSIBLY LOSING THEIR CARS OR THEIR HOMES OR ANYTHING. WE ARE COMING BACK AFTER A MAJOR CATASTROPHE WITH THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE, WE WERE OUT OF WORK FOR TWO MONTHS AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE BACK.
>> TALK TO US ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHY THESE MEMBERS, YOU SPOKE TO US EXCLUSIVELY BUT YOU SAID THEY DESERVE THIS RACE, NOT ALWAYS DO THEY GET WORK OR ALWAYS PICK UP HOURS, WHY IS THIS WAGE INCREASE SO IMPORTANT AND WHY IS PROTECTION AGAINST AUTOMATION SO IMPORTANT?
>> ROBOTS DON’T PAY TAXES OR PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS UP, THESE FOLKS WORK DURING COVID NIGHT AND DAY. IT’S SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET IT ON THE BACKEND, ALL THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN FOR THIS COUNTRY . >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING WITH US, AND
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