ILWU Finalizes West Coast Port Labor Agreement

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union on May 22 gave final approval to a new five-year labor agreement for West Coast ports, after union members voted 82 percent in favor of ratification, it said in a press release (here). The new agreement, agreed in February between the ILWU and Pacific Maritime Association following months of slowdowns on the West Coast (see 1502230002), expires on July 1, 2019. The ILWU ratified its last labor contract in 2008 with 75 percent voting in favor, said the ILWU.

The negotiations for the new contract were “some of the longest and most difficult in our recent history,” said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath. The new agreement “provides approximately 20,000 good-paying jobs in 29 West Coast port communities,” said the ILWU press release. “The contract will maintain excellent health benefits, improve wages, pensions and job safety protections; limit outsourcing of jobs and provide an improved system for resolving job disputes,” it said.

The PMA, which sat at the other end of the table during the drawn out negotiations, praised the ratification of the agreement in a May 22 press release (here). “This contract provides an important framework for the hard work ahead to overcome new competitive challenges and to continue to position the West Coast ports as destinations of choice for shippers worldwide,” it said. “From San Diego to Bellingham, these ports have long been the primary gateways for cargo coming into and leaving the United States, and our interests are aligned in ensuring they can effectively, and efficiently, handle the capacity growth that drives economies and jobs.’’

The American Apparel & Footwear Association said it is working with Congress and the Obama administration to “ensure that we don’t face a similar situation in the future” and address other systemic problems at West Coast ports, it said in a statement applauding ratification (here). “We are glad to see that a port labor contract is ratified and now in place on the West Coast,” said AAFA President Juanita Duggan. “The labor dispute that began last September led to delays, slow-downs, and brought the 29 ports along the West Coast to a near-halt. For the apparel and footwear industry, the port disruption was our number one trade barrier, and something we very strongly feel cannot happen again.” Other industry groups have also begun discussions on how to prevent future shutdowns caused by labor-management disputes at ports (see 1504070009).