USA West Coat Ports Operational Again

 After the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Association made a tentative deal Friday on a new 5-year contract for West Coast port dockworkers, the ports have started tackling the cargo backlog although it will take weeks and possibly months to get caught up again. The parties reached a deal after nearly nine months of negotiations. U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez turned up the heat on the talks last week, reportedly telling both sides if they couldn’t come to an agreement by Friday, he would move the talks to Washington D.C., a venue that would highlight the damage being done to national trade and the U.S. economy.  One would have thought this might have been a good idea months ago but apparently not!  Under this compromise that  Mr. Perez has brokered, a panel will hear workplace grievances, instead of a single arbitrator.

The two sides had been stuck on the issue of how arbitration would work after a contract is in place. So does this mean after all this time, they have agreed to Arbitration to discuss the problem of Arbitration? 🙂  I think so!

Anyway thanks lads for getting back to work and moving our containers, much appreciated!

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