Federal Mediator Enters West Coast Port Talks
Federal mediators are stepping into the protracted West Coast port talks at the request of labor and management that have been unable to reach an agreement after nearly eight months of bargaining.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service announced the step involving the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union. Management was seeking federal intervention for nearly a month.
In a separate development, BNSF Railway said it is imposing an embargo on westbound international intermodal freight received from other railroads because of port congestion arising from the labor dispute.
The talks involve shipping lines, terminal operators and representatives for nearly 20,000 workers, who handle more than half of international ocean freight arriving and leaving the United States.
“In response to a joint request for assistance from the parties, collective bargaining between ILWU and PMA representatives will continue as soon as possible,” the agency’s statement said. “We are prepared and ready to render prompt assistance. Deputy Director Scot Beckenbaugh, a senior FMCS mediator with extensive collective bargaining experience in this industry, has been assigned to help the parties bring these important negotiations to a mutually acceptable resolution.”
East and Gulf Coast labor talks, which dragged on more than a year, weren’t resolved until 2013, after FMCS became part of the talks.
