PMA, Dock Workers Union Reach Tentative Agreement

The Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union reached a tentative agreement on a six-year contract, both unions announced June 14. This comes amid repeated slowdowns at several West Coast ports, including at Los Angeles and Long Beach, that the PMA said were directed by the ILWU (see 2306050077).

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that recognizes the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce in keeping our ports operating,” PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Willie Adams said in the joint statement. “We are also pleased to turn our full attention back to the operation of the West Coast Ports.”

The deal was reached with help from acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, the statement said. The deal will cover 22,000 workers and 29 West Coast ports, Su said in a separate statement on June 14. "Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of the leadership of the ILWU and the PMA, the tentative agreement delivers important stability for workers, for employers and for our country’s supply chain," Su said.

ILWU President WIllie Adams released a separate statement on June 15 applauding the work done by their negotiation team but outlining the process needed before it gets approved and finalized. "While the final decision is up to our members, we feel our time at the bargaining table was well spent and that the agreement represents the hard work of our rank and file and the sacrifices they made during the pandemic," Adams said. The next step will be the ratification process, which will ask for approval from delegates from the 29 local chapters on the west coast, Adams said. "These delegates will carefully review the tentative agreement and make a recommendation to the rank and file who will then vote on the tentative agreement. This process takes a few months to complete," Adams said. Adams also said that the ILWU would not be sharing details of the tentative agreement until ratification is complete. "I want to thank all who worked so diligently on these negotiations along with a special thank you to Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su whose leadership helped us cross the finish line," Adams said.

President Joe Biden applauded the agreement, also congratulating the port workers, "who have served heroically through the pandemic and the countless challenges it brought, and will finally get the pay, benefits, and quality of life they deserve."

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, also applauded the tentative agreement in a separate statement, but warned that there is more work to be done. "“This news is encouraging but the tentative agreement still needs to be ratified by the union members," Cassidy said. "This dispute had been deteriorating for months, causing work stoppages and millions in losses. This cannot become a habit of swinging to the brink of collapse before getting a handle on the situation."

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka also cheered the agreement, saying in a statement that the agreement "brings the stability and confidence" that retailers and others are seeking. "We’re grateful to Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, ILWU International President Willie Adams and PMA President James McKenna for their leadership and resolve," he said.

National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said that the group is "relieved" to see the PMA and ILWU "come to a tentative mutual agreement on a long-term contract for labor operations at the West Coast ports, ending over a year of negotiations and uncertainty." A new agreement "provides stability to the supply chain and assurance to the millions of businesses and employees who rely on smooth and efficient operations from the West Coast ports," he said. The NRF earlier this month called on the Biden administration to get involved in the negotiations, saying that it was "imperative" both parties come to an agreement quickly (see 2306060077).