Cargo Business Newswire

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Top Story

NRF: Expedite labor contract talks at West Coast ports

The National Retail Federation encouraged port and the union officials on the U.S. West Coast ports to wrap up negotiations and come to an agreement on a new dockworker contract well before the current one expires June 30.

The NRF said a quick resolution to negotiations would give shippers and retailers the confidence they need to use the West Coast ports during the holiday shipping period, which starts in July. The pending contract covers almost 14,000 ILWU workers at 29 container ports on the California, Oregon and Washington coasts.

"We urge you to begin contract negotiations now and to attempt to reach agreement on a new contract before the June 30 expiration," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "These negotiations are important to all of the import and export and related industries who rely on these ports to move the nation's commerce."

According to NRF's Global Port Tracker report, major West Coast retail ports handled 11.2 million TEUs in 2013, or 69 percent of the total cargo processed at U.S. retail container ports covered in the report.

Shay asked for the parties to begin contract negotiations now in a letter to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association, who have scheduled talks for mid-May.

"NRF's members, as well as other stakeholders, have already begun contingency planning to ensure their cargo does not get caught in potential disruptions," Shay said. "Any kind of disruption at the ports would add costly delays to our members' supply chains and other industries relying on U.S. West Coast ports, and it likely further threatens the fragile economic recovery."

The NRF letter pushed the union and employers to publicly commit to stay in talks leading up to the June 30 contract deadline and to maintain service at the ports by continuing to negotiate even after the contract is signed.