CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Thousands of port workers are threatening to go back on strike as the deadline approaches for a final agreement to be reached with the U.S. Maritime Alliance on a new contract. The same dockworkers who went on strike back in October are threatening a new strike if a deal is not reached by January 15. That strike in the fall lasted three days, and the union reached a deal to suspend the strike until January to give them more time to negotiate a new contract. The tentative agreement with the ports and shipping companies was for a 62% pay raise over six years; however, the final contract must be approved before workers can receive those wages. Contract talks are expected to resume but the sticking point is automation at ports, or more specifically, the use of semi-automated cranes to load and unload containers from ships. The union wants a complete ban on automation, as they say it poses a threat to jobs. But port operators claim the cranes are crucial as they are falling behind more automated ports in other countries. Workforce commentator Thomas Fellows said he believes there will be another strike because of the automation issue. "There really is no middle ground,” he said. “Again, these companies exist to make a profit not just to care for workers. So again, President Trump on this while it is good politics it is ultimately bad economics, and it could set this country up for failure if these other countries are automating these tasks at a greater rate." Fellows said if the ports do strike, it likely won’t affect Charleston consumers until the end of January. “Eventually if it keeps on going it could affect companies like BMW or Boeing, with lag time being the way it is it won't have an effect on those companies until say the 20-day mark,” he said. Both sides have until January 15 to reach a deal. Economists say if a strike does happen, it will last longer than a week. That is when disruptions and shortages would become a concern.