No end in sight for West Coast dispute

Talks are reportedly on hold pending resolution of a hearing to determine jurisdiction of shore-based power work at an SSA-run terminal at the Port of Seattle. A decision is expected early in November although JOC.com reports that a lengthy appeals process might mean a final decision takes up to two years.

This issue has led some to conclude that contract negotiations, which began in May between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are unlikely to conclude this year.

“I don’t see it getting resolved in the next couple of weeks,” Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told JOC.com. “We’re probably months away.”

The ILWU and PMA have locked horns over an alleged failure to support dockworkers in jurisdictional disputes with over unions. That commitment from employers, say workers, led them to agree to the installation of automated cargo-handling technology at three terminals at Los Angeles-Long Beach.

Delaying a resolution even further is a specific issue related to maintenance jobs at the SSA-operated T-5 terminal in Seattle leading to talks dragging on for more than five months. That issue has been escalated and is now with officials in Washington, DC.