TEMPORARY STABILITY RESTORED TO WEST COAST PORTS
West Coast port operations resumed without major disruption on Tuesday thanks to a temporary agreement between the International longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). A number of retailers and shippers have requested the Biden Administration’s involvement to bring the contract negotiations and labor actions to a reasonable and quick end.
“So, as you know, we’re monitoring this very closely. We know that the parties in the negotiation have overcome some sticky points already and are continuing to address the most difficult issues right now…we’re encouraging all parties to certainly — to continue to work in good faith and do that in a — certainly in a mutually beneficial resolution to ensure that workers get their fair benefits, quality of life, and wages that they deserve. That’s why the Acting Secretary, Julie Su, is currently on the West Coast meeting with all parties, encouraging them to reach a resolution. And so, she has invaluable expertise working closely with these parties as the former California Secretary of Labor and as Department of Secretary of Labor.”
Karine Jean-Pierre
U.S. Press Secretary
The Biden Administration’s acting Labor Secretary, Julie Su, was in San Francisco to help facilitate contract negotiations and broker the temporary labor action agreement. The agreement included temporary suspension of ILWU’s job actions during the night shift on Monday, which allowed West Coast ports to operate fully during the day shift on Tuesday. West Coast ports are working through the backlog of vessels created by the labor shortage.
LABOR ACTIONS
The recent job action by ILWU reflects the growing tension between the labor union and the PMA regarding contract negotiations that have drug on for the past thirteen months. The ILWU Canada members voted overwhelmingly on June 9th-10th in favor of strike action if their contract demands remain unmet. The earliest ILWU Canada may take labor action is June 24th. If negotiations fail, this would be the first time in history that both the U.S. and Canada ILWU deployed job action strategies simultaneously potentially halting operations for West Coast ports.
Both ILWU and ILWU Canada seek significant wage increases, oppose potential automation of freight handling, pension benefits and safety concerns for port workers. Some shippers are avoiding West Coast ports entirely by booking freight on cargo ships bound for the Gulf of Mexico or the East Coast.
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