US Lawmakers Urge Pacific Maritime Association, Union to Renew Labor Contract
House lawmakers redoubled efforts to ensure the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) negotiate a contract extension in the near term, though their current contract doesn’t expire until July 2017. A letter (here) sent by 22 Congress members to PMA CEO James McKenna and ILWU President Robert McEllrath called for negotiators to avoid such a situation as the groups’ 2014 contract expiration that depleted U.S. foreign market shares, disrupted supply chains, and cost the U.S. economy more than $7 billion, according to some estimates, the lawmakers said. “During the 2014-2015 disruption at the 29 West Coast ports, our growers were forced to dump spoiled produce, our manufacturers were delayed waiting for unnecessary parts, and our retailers were faced with empty shelves,” the lawmakers said. “The impact was not simply limited to the West Coast, but was ultimately felt by communities across the country and the larger economy. The concerns about this have not stopped. We still hear from our constituents who are worried about business decisions they need to make now for the future and who are still struggling to recover from damaged customer relationships that resulted from the 2014-2015 labor dispute.”
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Furthermore, an ongoing dispute between labor and the Port of Portland, Oregon, has resulted in the business departure of two ocean carriers representing 95 percent of port traffic, the letter says. As the port’s container terminal “lies dormant,” Oregon companies and agriculture producers “have no choice” but to truck their products several hours away to other ports, the lawmakers said. “Resolving this long simmering dispute needs to be [the] priority for resolution now.” Nine House lawmakers in an April 15 letter called on ILWU and PMA to continue engagement to prevent future port disruptions, even if their labor contract isn’t renewed (see 1604170003).