RILA urges ILWU and employers to reach contract deal

   A retail trade association has once again called on the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) to reach an agreement on an new contract to replace their agreement which expired July 1.
   Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) President Sandy Kennedy urged the two groups to “remain focused on securing a new, long-term contract in the immediate future to ensure stability at the west coast ports.”
   “Without a finalized contract, the chief concern of a possible repeat of the 2002 shutdown remains,” Kennedy wrote. During a 2002 port shutdown, hundreds of ships were prevented from discharging and loading cargo at 29 West Coast ports and when the ports finally did re-open, they were snarled for weeks.
   RILA said the fact that talks are still ongoing nearly two months after the contract expired means “the long-term stability of the West Coast ports as a reliable channel in the global supply chain unsettled.” 
   “Retailers continue to exercise contingency plans throughout their massive supply chain operations despite the fact the west coast negotiations have not reached an impasse,” Kennedy said. “While goods continue to move at an efficient rate through the west coast ports of entry, each day without a finalized agreement jeopardizes the movement of goods destined for shelves during the all-important Holiday season.”