A coalition of trade associations has released a letter it sent May 9 to the leaders of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) urging them to conclude negotiations with terminal operators on the west coast or risk damaging the U.S economy.


The ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are negotiating to renew their current six-year collective bargaining agreement, which covers dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports, including the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The PMA represents waterfront employers. The current contract is set to expire at midnight on June 30.


 

Because both sides have agreed to a media blackout, it is not known what progress has been made in the negotiations, which began earlier this month in San Francisco. However, there is a possibility of a work slowdown at the ports if negotiations do not progress to the ILWU’s satisfaction and dozens of trade organizations are urging their members to make contingency arrangements. The ILWU is barred from striking under the current contract, but if no agreement or extension is agreed to by July 1, a port strike may become more likely.

“We all know the impact of the West Coast lockout 10 years ago on the U.S. economy, including the businesses which rely on the ports to move their goods and on the employees who depend on fully operational ports,” reads the letter, which is addressed to Robert McEllrath, president of the ILWU in San Francisco. “While the circumstances were different at that time, these same companies just experienced the tumultuous negotiations impacting the East Coast/Gulf Coast ports where constant threats of disruption created high levels of uncertainty at a tremendous cost. The West Coast ports and their customers cannot afford to go through a similar situation again.”


 

Among the trade groups signing the letter are the American Apparel & Footwear Association, Footwear Distributors and Retailers Association, Outdoor Industry Association and Retail Industry Leaders Association and Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

 

“Some of the ILWU local unions may act unilaterally if they are unhappy with negotiations or the new contract that is presented,” noted a trade alert sent Friday by Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). “In 2002, the ILWU engaged in a work slowdown and the PMA responded by locking out ILWU workers. The work slowdown and subsequent lockout resulted in nearly $1 billion in losses and was resolved when President Bush invoked a national emergency injunction under the Taft Hartley Act.”