After nearly 11 months, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) have announced a ratification of a new five-year contract.
The contract, which will be retroactive to July 1, 2014, was announced in separate press releases. The press release from PMA was issued on Wednesday (May 20th), and had the following statement from PMA President and CEO Jim McKenna. “The disruptions that occurred during negotiations, and the inconvenience and hardship created by them, were regrettable. We look forward to building upon the incredible advantages West Coast ports offer and winning back the trust and confidence of the shipping community. This contract provides important tools to accomplish that.”
The ILWU issued their press release today (May 22nd) in which ILWU President Robert McEllrath stated “The negotiations for this contract were some of the longest and most difficult in our recent history. Membership unity and hard work by the Negotiating Committee made this fair outcome possible”.
MIQ Logistics will continue to monitor this situation closely and will track updates on our Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Update page, as they become available.
For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative.