THE west coast waterfront employers of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have announced a tentative agreement on a five-year contract covering dockers at 29 ports.
"The parties will not be releasing details of the agreement at this time. The agreement is subject to ratification by both parties," said a joint statement.
"After more than nine months of negotiations, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that is good for workers and for the industry," said PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Bob McEllrath in a joint statement. "We are also pleased that our ports can now resume full operations."
US Secretary of Labour Tom Perez, who was involved with the talks, had set a deadline of Friday for an agreement to be reached.
Tweeted Mr Perez: "Labour & management have ended the ports dispute giving the American people peace of mind we need to continue building our middle class, together. If it weren't the last issue, it would have been solved earlier. But both sides in ports dispute committed to solving problem and did it."
The "last issue" was not identified, but was thought to be the demand of the ILWU for the power to fire arbitrators whose rulings displeased them. No word on how that issue was resolved was forthcoming.
The dispute has caused huge delays at US west coast ports with 33 containerships anchored in San Pedro Bay, resulting in a backlog that some say will take months to clear.
WORLD SHIPPING
23 February 2015 - 20:53
US west coast labour peace at last with longshore union deal
THE west coast waterfront employers of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have announced a tentative agreement on a five-year contract covering dockers at 29 ports.
WORLD SHIPPING
23 February 2015 - 20:53
US west coast labour peace at last with longshore union deal
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