AP: Deal reached on West Coast ports
February 20, 2015 |10:54 PM
Negotiators reached a tentative contract covering West Coast dockworkers on Friday evening, likely ending a protracted labor dispute that snarled international trade at seaports handling about $1 trillion worth of cargo annually, the Associated Press reported.
The dispute has been particularly costly for companies and farmers producing perishable agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables and meat.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said that both the dockworkers’ union and their employers agreed to resume work Saturday evening, the AP said.
The National Retail Federation said there were reports that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have reached a new five-year contract agreement after nine months of negotiations.
“We congratulate the ILWU and PMA for finally coming to agreement on a new labor contract. It is now time for the parties to quickly ratify the deal and immediately focus on clearing out the crisis-level congestion and backlog at the ports,” National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay said in a news release.
“We also thank Secretary Perez and the administration for engaging the parties on this critically important economic and supply chain priority,” Shay added.
“As we welcome today’s news, we must dedicate ourselves to finding a new way to ensure that this nightmare scenario is not repeated again,” Shay added.
“If we are to truly have modern international trade, supply chain and transportation systems, we must develop a better process for contract negotiations moving forward. We must commit whatever resources necessary to ensure that this will not happen again.”
▪ Associated Press — 2 Sides in West Cost Ports Dispute Reach Tentative Contract
The dispute has been particularly costly for companies and farmers producing perishable agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables and meat.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said that both the dockworkers’ union and their employers agreed to resume work Saturday evening, the AP said.
The National Retail Federation said there were reports that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have reached a new five-year contract agreement after nine months of negotiations.
“We congratulate the ILWU and PMA for finally coming to agreement on a new labor contract. It is now time for the parties to quickly ratify the deal and immediately focus on clearing out the crisis-level congestion and backlog at the ports,” National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay said in a news release.
“We also thank Secretary Perez and the administration for engaging the parties on this critically important economic and supply chain priority,” Shay added.
“As we welcome today’s news, we must dedicate ourselves to finding a new way to ensure that this nightmare scenario is not repeated again,” Shay added.
“If we are to truly have modern international trade, supply chain and transportation systems, we must develop a better process for contract negotiations moving forward. We must commit whatever resources necessary to ensure that this will not happen again.”
▪ Associated Press — 2 Sides in West Cost Ports Dispute Reach Tentative Contract
