After nearly a year of negotiations, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) ratified a labor contract with West Coast port employers, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). The vote was ratified with 82 percent in favor. The five-year contract is retroactive to July 1, 2014, and is valid through July 1, 2019.

The ILWU and PMA began negotiations on May 12, 2014, and a tentative settlement was not reached until February 2015 with the assistance of federal mediation. The contract covers approximately 20,000 ILWU personnel at 29 West Coast ports, and the PMA includes 72 employers, including cargo carriers, terminal operators, and stevedores.

Additionally, ports continue to report progress recovering from the severe congestion that plagued the West Coast. For additional information concerning West Coast contracts or congestion, please send an email to marketing@anderinger.com.