US West Coast labour deal clears final hurdle

The deal marks a turning point for US west coast ports, which have struggled over the past 10 months as a result of labour stoppages which caused major congestion and proved costly for the ports.

Long Beach Board of Harbour Commissioners president, Doug Drummond, says the approval of the new labour contract is “terrific for management and labour, and proves that by working together, we can build a partnership that will continue to help to improve this economy and provide jobs all across the United States”.

In a statement, Mr Drummond added: “On behalf of the Port of Long Beach and the Long Beach Board of Harbour Commissioners, this is a job well done. We all look forward to many years of strong and fruitful efforts to keep trade moving.”

Elsewhere, Gene Seroka, executive director at the Port of Los Angeles said: “The approval of this labour contract allows us to move full speed ahead sharpening our competitive edge. In the last 90 days, labour and management throughout the San Pedro Bay supply chain have made excellent progress eliminating the backlog of ships, getting services back on schedule, and improving cargo flow in and out of terminals.”

“Our port teams are working with supply chain stakeholders on a series of initiatives that will take cargo efficiency and velocity to the next level here in San Pedro Bay. Mayor Garcetti and I look forward to working with the ILWU and the PMA terminal operators to make that happen,” he concluded.