The international president of the longshore union praised the Biden administration’s acting labor secretary for helping dockworkers and their employers reach a tentative labor deal, and discussed the ratification process in a 10-minute video interview with the Port of Long Beach’s CEO on Thursday, June 22.
Willie Adams, the head of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, also recognized the hard work of his members while POLB leader Mario Cordero expressed relief that there’s a tentative labor contract.
“The true heroes of this whole thing,” Adams said, “is the (ILWU) membership.”
ILWU members worked throughout the pandemic years, Adams said, losing several members to COVID-19 as port ship traffic surged to record numbers. Union officials frequently used dockworkers’ steadfastness during the pandemic as a major reason for why they were fighting for the best possible contract.
Negotiations between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritim Association over a new contract for West Coast dockworkers lasted more than a year, often with frayed tensions that caused skittishness among shippers.
That’s why officials at the ports of LA and Long Beach have expressed relief at reaching a tentative agreement.
“We welcomed the news of the agreement,” Cordero said, “and sincere thanks goes to both parties.”
Separately, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka also made brief comments about the deal during Thursday’s LA harbor commission meeting.
“Now,” he said, “it’s on to bringing the cargo back.”
In the course of 13 months of negotiations, the twin port complex, the busiest in the nation, has seen cargo diverted to ports on the Gulf and East coasts as companies worried about the protracted talks impacting work efficiency.
In the Port of Long Beach video, Adams said acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su provided a helpful push in the final three days.
“She had the bully pulpit of President Biden,” he said. “She…
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