Negotiations Between Dockworkers and Pacific Maritime Association Under Media “Black Out”

White House urged to broker a deal

By Aaron Gregg Washington Post, June 6 PM

No updates concerning the ongoing labor dispute between the Dockworkers Union and Pacific Maritime Association have been issued due to Negotiations are under a mutually agreed upon Media “Black Out”. A protracted labor dispute is disrupting operations at several key ports on the West Coast, prompting major retail and manufacturing groups to call on the White House to help broker a deal.

Members of a dockworkers union have engaged in “concerted and disruptive work actions” for several days, causing slowdowns in the California cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland, along with Seattle, according to the Pacific Maritime Association, which bargains on behalf of the port operators.

“Union leaders are implementing many familiar disruption tactics from their job action playbook, including refusing to dispatch workers to marine terminals, slowing operations, and making unfounded health and safety claims,”.

More than 22,000 dockworkers at 29 ports along the West Coast have been working without a contract since July. Issues tied to automation and pay remain key sticking points.

The ports covered by the labor agreement are some of the largest in the United States. In particular, the ports at Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland are crucial supply chain arteries for numerous industries.

Business groups have complained that problems at the ports could hurt commerce across the country and threaten jobs, with two major trade associations ― the National Retail Federation and the National Association of Manufacturers ― imploring the White House to help broker a deal.