ILWU and PMA hopeful of reaching West Coast contract deal 'soon'
US west coast longshore workers and their marine terminal employers have said negotiations on a new contract are continuing and the two sides "remain hopeful of reaching a deal soon."

While largely repeating prior talking points, the joint statement from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) was notable given the rare communication from the two sides amid negotiations that are now approaching 10 months, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

The statement comes just days before the start of the Journal of Commerce's TPM23 conference in Long Beach, where many key stakeholders from container shipping around the globe are due to gather.

The statement also comes amid growing frustration among US importers and West Coast ports that more than nine months of talks have yet to produce a deal.

The lack of a contract has spurred some shippers to reroute discretionary cargo away from the US West Coast in order to avoid any disruptions linked to the ongoing negotiations.

Data from PIERS shows that the West Coast's market share of US imports from Asia fell to 58.8 per cent last year, from 61.5 per cent in 2021. That resulted in share gains for the East and Gulf coasts.

Two weeks ago, the Journal of Commerce reported that the ILWU and PMA had resumed negotiations after agreeing to set aside, for now, a controversial jurisdictional issue involving Terminal 5 in Seattle that has kept talks at a standstill.

The latest joint statement made note of a prior agreement on health benefits and said the ILWU and PMA "remain committed to resolving remaining issues as expeditiously as possible."

"Talks are continuing on an ongoing basis until an agreement is reached," the statement said.

The statement also said that "West Coast ports have continued to operate" during the negotiations, which began last May 10 in San Francisco. Yet the Port of Oakland saw occasional shutdowns and service interruptions late last year that have been attributed to ILWU members putting pressure on maritime employers.

Those labour actions also shifted down to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach where shippers, terminal operators, and truckers say work slowdowns by ILWU members have interfered with cargo operations.

A new collective bargaining agreement would cover 22,000 workers at 29 ports along the West Coast.