Contract talks between top negotiators representing the ocean container lines and terminal operators serving West Coast ports and the unionized dock workers who largely operate them have stopped until Dec. 1, although low level talks continue.

While both sides claim their senior negotiators offered to continue bargaining until Thanksgiving Day, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) charged the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)  Nov. 20 with deciding “to curtail big table negotiations starting today through the end of the Thanksgiving weekend-a 12-day break.”

PMA said bargaining through Dec. 1 will be limited to sub-committees discussing limited issues, with most members of the ILWUs negotiating committee taking an extended break.

“Making matters worse, the ILWU is refusing to agree to a temporary contract extension-similar to one it signed over the summer-despite multiple requests by the PMA,” PMA said in a Nov. 20 statement released to the press.

A contract extension would give both sides access to the well-established waterfront grievance process, and most notably would give employers recourse for the ILWU slowdowns that are continuing, PMA said.

We have made it abundantly clear that we believe these negotiations are of the utmost importance and should continue at full strength until the Thanksgiving holiday, said PMA spokesman Wade Gates. We are disappointed the Union is not showing the same urgency to resolve the issues between us.

The pause in negotiations follows PMA charges that ILWU has been intentionally worsening congestion at West Coast ports. The alleged slow downs began on Halloween in Tacoma, WA and soon spread to Seattle, Oakland, Los Angeles and Long Beach, PMA reports. In some ports, productivity remains 30 percent or more below normal, according to PMA.

In Southern California, PMA alleges ILWU failed to dispatch qualified crane operators in a deliberate decision to worsen congestion during the peak holiday shipping season. “Union leaders have made clear that they will continue this unilateral change in practice until a new coast-wide agreement is reached.”

The PMA expressed disappointment at the ILWUs decision to slow bargaining at this critical juncture.

The best holiday gift we can give the nation is a contract agreement, Gates said. And we cant reach agreement unless both parties are at the table.

Negotiations began in May; the previous contract expired on July 1.