Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing dockworkers at U.S. West Coast ports, voted to ratify a new six-year contract with the Pacific Maritime Association.
The ILWU, representing more than 22,000 longshore workers at 29 ports on the West Coast, voted 75 percent in favor of approving the tentative contract agreement reached in June. The deal, retroactive to July 1, 2022, includes a 32 percent pay increase over the life of the contract and a one-time bonus for working through the early days of the pandemic.
The contract, which will expire on July 1, 2028, was also approved by PMA member companies, including Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC, ONE, and others.
“The negotiations for this contract were protracted and challenging,” ILWU International President Willie Adams said in a statement. “I am grateful to our rank and file for their strength, to our Negotiating Committee for their vision and tenacity and to those that supported giving the ILWU and PMA the space that we needed to get to this result.”
The tentative contract reached in June ended 13 months of talks and related to the West Coast port disruptions that could have interrupted the retail holiday shipping season.
“This contract provides an important framework for the hard work ahead to overcome new competitive challenges and to continue to position the West Coast ports as destinations of choice for shippers worldwide,” PMA President and CEO Jim McKenna stated. “From San Diego to Bellingham, these ports have long been the primary gateways for cargo coming into and leaving the United States, and our interests are aligned in ensuring they can effectively and efficiently handle the capacity growth that drives economies and jobs.”
Photo courtesy Pacific Maritime Association
