(LOS ANGELES) — The longshoremen’s union and employers of 22,000 dockworkers at U.S. West Coast ports said on Wednesday they have reached a tentative deal on a new six-year contract, Reuters reported. The agreement ends 13 months of talks and eases supply chain worries.
The deal was reached with assistance from Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) employer group.
The agreement, covering workers at ports from California to Washington state, is subject to ratification by both parties. The ILWU and PMA declined to provide details on the deal.
Workers covered by the agreement are based at some of the nation’s busiest seaports, including Los Angeles/Long Beach — the busiest ocean trade gateway in the United States. They have been working without a contract since July 1 and have been seeking a share of pandemic cargo surge profits and retroactive pay.
