Great distraction ends - lockout over, ILWU grain handlers ratify contract
THE west coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) grain handlers have ratified a contract with Louis Dreyfus Commodities, United Grain Corp and Columbia Grain, reports American Shipper.
That contract is separate from the main one that expired July 1, but its troubles have interrupted larger talks several times as the union leadership had to turn its attention to the grainhandlers contract.
The vote ends a lockout at Portland’s Columbia Grain and Vancouver, Washington ’s United Grain facilities that had been going on for more than a year.
Now the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the ILWU can focus entirely on contract talks that cover 20,000 dockers at 29 west coast ports.