The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) today issued the following statement:
“The parties have agreed to take a 72-hour break from negotiations on a new coast-wide contract while the ILWU attends to an unrelated negotiation taking place in the Pacific Northwest. During this break, starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8, through 8 a.m. on Friday, July 11, the parties have agreed to extend the previous six-year contract, which expired last week. The PMA and ILWU are negotiation a new contract covering nearly 20,000 longshore workers at 29 West Coasts ports.”
This news means that all terms of the existing contract will continue, it will also limit the ability of any of the ILWU Locals to take independent Local job actions, and will allow the PMA to seek arbitration if any ILWU Local in LA/LB seeks to honor Teamster pickets this week.
This temporary extension of the contract continues to show that both the ILWU and PMA are committed to finding a solution without a disruption in the supply chain.
We will monitor the situation and update you as needed. For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative.