Health Benefit Deal at Port
Contract negotiations between longshore workers and shippers took a positive turn when the two sides announced they had reached an agreement on health-care benefits.
The two groups have been meeting regularly since March to work out a new contract to replace the current one, which expires July 1. The contract is between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 26,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports, and the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents shipping lines and terminal operators that employ the workers. The health-care agreement was announced on June 17.
“While the pace and tone of the talks have been productive, important issues remain, with work left to be done. Our negotiating committees will continue exchanging and modifying proposals. Both sides are committed to resolving outstanding issues at the table and to keep West Coast ports running smoothly,” the two sides said in a joint statement.
Access to health-care benefits was considered to be one of the key issues. In the past, longshore workers have not had to pay anything for their health benefits. Other issues that remain to be resolved are technology and wages.
When the last contract expired in 2002, a bitter labor dispute shut down all West Coast docks for 10 days during prime shipping season in late September and early October. The strike left hundreds of ships stranded and tons of cargo backed-up for weeks. —D.B.
