Last week, ABC joined a coalition of national, state and local trade associations in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the administration’s active engagement with both the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association to help them reach a final contract, bring negotiations to a close and end the uncertainty surrounding operations of the West Coast ports.
West Coast port labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association have been ongoing since May 2022, with the lack of a solution resulting in a decrease in cargo volumes at West Coast ports. This is in part to avoid potential fallout should the ongoing talks fail.
The letter states, ”It is imperative that the administration work with the parties to quickly reach a new agreement and ensure there is no disruption to port operations and cargo fluidity. … As we have witnessed, significant cargo flows have shifted away from the West Coast ports because of the uncertainty related to the labor negotiations.”