The West Coast Dock Crisis: What Happened, What's Next

The West Coast ports of the U.S. returned to full operations over the weekend after the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents management, and the 20,000-member International Longshore and Warehouse Union reached a deal Friday on a five-year contract, ending nine months of talks. It will take six to eight weeks to relieve cargo congestion at ports from San Diego to Bellingham, Washington, where productivity has been reduced by as much as half since November.

U.S. retailers aren't yet seeing the West Coast ports as a viable option and will continue to divert shipments to other ports. The workers themselves haven't yet approved the agreement, and the cargo backlog will take time to clear, according to the National Retail Federation, a Washington-based trade group representing retailers, grocers and wholesalers. The ports are at risk of losing some business permanently.