Dockworkers give formal consent to a contract agreement with employment association Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced yesterday, bringing to a close a period of significant industrial unrest.
The vote brings to an end more than a year of uncertainty that has had major impacts on the U.S. container shipping market as the two sides failed to reach an agreement for nearly a year after the previous contract expired.
The new six-year contract is retroactive from July 1, 2022. The deal includes a 32% pay increase over the span of the contract as well as a one-time bonus for working through the early days of the covid pandemic.
“This contract provides an important framework for the hard work ahead to overcome new competitive challenges and to continue to position the West Coast ports as destinations of choice for shippers worldwide,” said PMA president and CEO Jim McKenna.