Good NEWS HAS EMERGED FROM THE INDUSTRY's closely watched labor negotiations FOR DOCkworkers in the WEST of THE United States. The two sides have reached a tentative
The International Terminal and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has been in talks with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), a port terminal employers' group, since May 10. The two sides have now managed to reach a preliminary agreement on health benefits, but still need to negotiate other issues to reach agreement.
As negotiations continue, both sides have agreed not to discuss the terms of the tentative agreement.
"Maintaining health benefits is an important part of the contract being negotiated between employers represented by the PMA and workers represented by the ILWU," the parties said in a joint statement.
The ILWU wrote that details of the tentative agreement would not be disclosed while negotiations were ongoing.
Port workers and their powerful union, the ILWU, are pushing for higher wages amid severe pressure on terminals from the extreme container market.
On the other hand, shippers and container ports, plagued by major delays and ship queues, are striving to increase automation and optimize operations.
In the process, the negotiations have threatened more disruption, delays and congestion at container terminals on the West Coast of the United States.
The contract being negotiated covers more than 22,000 coastal workers at 29 ports along the U.S. West Coast.
The previous agreement expired on July 1. Cargo shipments will continue and normal port operations will continue until a new agreement is reached, the two sides said in a statement.
Post time: Jul-29-2022