As the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association continue their contract talks, reports that the Teamsters have taken down their pickets in the LA/LB harbor is a positive sign.
Both sides resumed talks after a three day recess which began on Monday July 7th and extended to Friday July 11th. The recess was called when the ILWU had to attend to a previous contract negotiation in the Northwest (separate from the ILWU / PMA contract).
The pickets being taken down can have a significant impact on decreasing the congestion and delays recently seen in the LA/LB port complex. The focus can return to processing the backlog which resulted from the influx of cargo sent prior to the contract expiration on June 30 and the queue that resulted from the July 4th and 5th holiday closures.
As a new contract between the ILWU and PMA is still unannounced, MIQ Logistics will continue to monitor the situation and update you as needed. For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative.