Key US Ports Brace for Expiration of Dockworker Union Contract
- ILWU, PMA: Deal is unlikely by July 1, no disruptions in sight
- US faced nine months of slowdowns during 2014 negotiations
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are struggling to clear pandemic-era congestion.
Photographer: Bing Guan/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks Covid-19’s impact on trade. Sign up here, and subscribe to our Covid-19 podcast for the latest news and analysis on the pandemic.
A labor contract for 22,000 US West Coast dockworkers is on the verge of expiring, opening the door to strikes, lockouts or work stoppages -- but both sides still appear willing to avoid such disruptions amid the busiest season of the year for shipping.