SFIA applauds Labor Department’s role in negotiating PMA/ILWU deal
Washington, D.C. (June 15, 2023): After more than a year of contract talks, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), representing 29 West Coast Ports, and the International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing 22,000 union members, announced a tentative agreement on a six-year labor agreement. The new agreement still must be ratified by the individual Unions to avoid further supply chain disruptions at West Coast Ports.
Recent labor slowdowns and removal of key cargo handling equipment for safety concerns had slowed operations at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, and Seattle. SFIA pressed for the Labor Department to engage in negotiations to reach an agreement and avoid unnecessary disruptions. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su stepped in and worked with the PMA and ILWU to finalize the agreement. Here is Secretary Su’s news release on the agreement.
President Biden released a statement commending Secretary Su, the PMA, and the ILWU for reaching the agreement. Details of the agreement have not been announced but the PMA and ILWU issued a joint statement on the tentative deal.
For more information or for questions, please contact Bill Sells, SVP, Government & Public Affairs, at [email protected].