West Coast Port Talks Hit Snag -Source

Update: West Coast Ports May Shut Down Within Days, Shippers Say

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Shipping corporations and terminal operators for 29 U.S. West Coast ports appeared to have hit a snag on Wednesday in protracted labor negotiations with the dockworkers’ union, calling a information convention to publicly handle the standing of the talks.

The negotiations, joined in current weeks by a federal mediator, have coincided with persistent cargo backups hampering freight visitors by way of waterfronts dealing with practically half of U.S. maritime commerce and greater than 70 p.c of imports from Asia.

The corporations have accused the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, representing 20,000 dockworkers, of intentionally instigating work slowdowns on the ports to realize leverage on the bargaining desk.

The union has faulted the carriers themselves for the congestion, citing adjustments in delivery practices singled out by port authorities as contributing components.

Negotiators have been regarded as nearing a settlement after practically 9 months of talks following a breakthrough settlement final week on a key level of competition: upkeep and management of freight chassis used to haul cargo from ports to warehouses.

But James McKenna, chief govt for the businesses’ bargaining agent, the Pacific Maritime Association, mentioned in a press release on Wednesday that he would “provide reporters with an update on negotiations” throughout a information convention later within the day, his first because the talks started in May.

A administration supply who spoke on situation of anonymity mentioned the union added new calls for throughout the previous week, complicating negotiations. The supply mentioned talks have been ongoing and McKenna would possible define the businesses’ newest contract proposal.

A union spokesman, Craig Merrilees, mentioned he had no quick touch upon the newest developments.

The two sides beforehand have adhered to a strict information blackout on particulars of negotiations besides to announce final week’s tentative deal on cargo chassis and an earlier settlement on healthcare advantages in August.

The events as a substitute have engaged in a disagreement blaming one another for the waterfront cargo gridlock that started in October, disrupting shipments of a variety of merchandise by way of the ports.

McKenna’s newest assertion continued in that vein, saying the union “has conducted slowdowns, walkoffs and other actions” that he mentioned have aggravated delivery delays.

The congestion has been most pronounced at Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation’s two busiest delivery hubs. During the previous two days, port authorities there reported greater than 20 freighters left idled at anchor, ready for berths to open. (Editing by Will Dunham)