West Coast ports still have work to do

While the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have arrived at a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract covering workers at all 29 West Coast ports, questions still remain about productivity.

The deal was reached with assistance from U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Deputy Director Scot Beckenbaugh. The parties will not be releasing details of the agreement at this time. Furthermore, the agreement is subject to ratification by both parties.

“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.”

But shippers will no doubt be questioning if “full operations” will clean up the huge backlog of cargo on the docks, warehouses, and vessels still at anchorage. Perhaps more importantly, will the tentative deal repair the dramatic damage done to the reputation of West Coast ports?