With $260 billion in annual trade hanging in the balance, contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) ground to a halt last night. The two sides traded blame for the deadlocked negotiations, each accusing the other of ignoring significant efforts at compromise over major issues including job security and implementation of new technology (see WIT for July 18, 2002). Although no new talks are planned currently, the PMA and ILWU have agreed to the twenty-second one-day extension to the expired contract and continue to play down the possibility of a strike or lockout.
See "Dockworkers? Talks Break Off", The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, July 21, 2002