West Coast ports and dockworkers are negotiating a new labor contract and If things don’t go well there could be delays that undermine U.S. competitiveness. Since July 2022, more than 22,000 dockworkers, at nearly 30 ports across the West Coast, have been working without a contract.
While the dockworkers aren’t on strike, the unions have engaged in disruptive work actions since June 2. Twenty-nine West Coast ports and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), who represent approximately 15,500 dockworkers, are in the final stages of negotiating a new labor contract that covers pay and operational work rules.
The West Coast ports – which include the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle-Tacoma, and Oakland – are critical economic gateways and are responsible for over 50 percent of all U.S. imports.
The longer the dispute goes unresolved, the greater the potential impact on the country’s supply chain. We are watching this situation closely and will advise our customers accordingly.
