The longshoremen’s union was threatening a work stoppage that could have frozen East and Gulf coast ports days before President-elect Trump takes office.

The union representing 45,000 dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts and their employer groups on Wednesday said they reached a tentative deal on a new six-year contract, averting a strike that could have snarled supply chains and taken a toll on the U.

Dockworkers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association negotiated to avoid a second port strike in a matter of months.

Tens of thousands of dockworkers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on a new, six-year contract with the U.S.

A US dockworkers union reached a tentative deal on a new labor contract with a group of ocean carriers and terminal operators that, if ratified would avoid a shutdown of East and Gulf coast ports next week.

Automation was at the center of a long-running labor dispute that threatened to close East and Gulf Coast ports.

The United States Maritime Alliance said on Wednesday it reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year master contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association.