Industry, Trade Associations Want Renewed Contract Negotiations on Port Dispute

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association received a letter today signed by 174 local, state and federal trade associations – representing agriculture, manufacturing, and retail industries and other importers and exporters urging the two sides to renew their commitment to completing their contract negotiations, which are now being overseen by federal mediators.

Here are a few points of interest to the stakeholders:

“We believe that the two parties must come to a resolution of the issues that is satisfactory for all concerned. We have been disappointed, however, by the exchanges that have occurred in the media and accusations by both sides of improper tactics. As customers of your ports, and industries affected by their operations, our members desperately need this negotiation to be concluded and operations returned to normal levels of through-put.”

“The stakes are extremely high and the uncertainty at the West Coast ports is causing great reputational and economic harm to our nation. Policymakers in Washington, DC cannot solve the myriad of issues surrounding these talks, but the competitive marketplace will respond if you continue on this current path.”

“Supply chains across all of our industry sectors have already been adversely impacted due to events far beyond our control over the past several months. It is a black eye for the broader economy and some jobs have and will continue to be lost as a result of continued delays at the ports.”