On Wednesday night the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced a tentative agreement on a six-year contract. The agreement was reached with assistance from Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.
The agreement, which covers all of the West Coast ports, must still be ratified by both sides, but would end a dispute that has endured for more than a year. In recent months, worker stoppages have caused backups at ports. Shippers have chosen different routes altogether, opting for East Coast and Gulf ports, in an effort to avoid the uncertainty.
“This is tremendous news for U.S. red meat exporters and their overseas customers,” said Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. “While the ratification process will take some time, the tentative agreement will restore stability and confidence in the performance of the West Coast ports, and this is absolutely essential for our industry. USMEF thanks the parties for their flexibililty and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su for making this matter a top priority.”
