The U.S. Labor Secretary on Thursday told the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association that they have until Friday to reach a contract or they’ll have to negotiate in Washington D.C. The move is the latest sign of how the White House is ratcheting up pressure on both sides, as marine terminals and carriers warn West Coast port congestion is nearing gridlock. The Associated Press first reported Tom Perez’s ultimatum to both sides.
The White House has held back for months from getting directly involved in talks between both sides, saying it was confident the ILWU and PMA could work out a deal. But in the ninth month of talks and with shippers’ frustration with delays caused by alleged ILWU slowdowns at a boiling point, President Obama dispatched Perez to negotiations in California on Tuesday.
Source: Journal of Commerce