Cargo Ships Leave West Coast Ports As Labor Talks Show 'Little to No' Progress
Rail strikes ran U.S. headlines in late 2022, when rail workers protested protections and pay increases. All strikes came to an end in December when Congress passed a rail agreement in a landslide vote, but there may be another strike looming in the transportation sector.
A group of more than 200 importers, exporters, logistics providers, and retailers urged the White House to intervene in West Coast port labor talks that have been underway since last May.
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In a letter to Biden administration on Friday, the groups, including the National Retail Federation, the American Trucking Associations, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, urged the administration to help speed the agreement on a new labor contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association.
We continue to experience supply chain stress and challenges. While many continue to recover from pandemic-related issues, the ongoing stress of inflation and economic uncertainty continues to impact supply chain stakeholders," the groups wrote. "The lack of a labor contract adds to this uncertainty. While we appreciate that the parties agreed not to engage in a strike or a lockout, we are aware of several instances of activities that have impacted terminal operations. We need the administration to ensure these activities do not continue or escalate.
The group asked the White House to appoint a new point person on the talks now that Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has left his post, and to offer mediation services to the ILWU and PMA given the lack of progress to date.
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The request came as cargo volumes have dropped off at West Coast ports since the pandemic’s record highs, in part because retailers and importers have sought to avoid potential disruption and delays because of the labor negotiations.
