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

A union that represents thousands of workers on the East and Gulf coasts reached a tentative six-year agreement with their employers, according to a joint statement released on Wednesday

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