West Coast Dockers Union to Consider Early Contract Negotiations

After the work slowdown of 2015, this could be good news on the West Coast.  The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents about 20,000 dock workers at 29 West Coast ports, will meet next week in San Francisco to decide whether to begin talks now on an extension of its contract with the Pacific Maritime Association.  The two sides signed a five-year contract in early 2015 – retroactive to July 1, 2014 – after protracted labor talks and a nearly four-month work slowdown that harmed U.S. exporters.

The U.S. meat and poultry sectors lost an estimated $40 million a week during the slowdown.

While tons of Washington apples were dumped when they could not be shipped in a timely fashion.

In March, 113 trade associations sent a letter to the groups urging them to begin early discussions on a contract extension or a new contract “to avoid actions that would slow, stop, or disrupt cargo movement during negotiations.”

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