Catherwood LibraryILR School

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union began contract talks today with shipping companies represented by the Pacific Maritime Association at such West Coast ports as Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two busiest in the nation. Major retailers and manufacturers including Gap Inc., Nike Inc. and Best Buy Co. will be keeping a close eye on the negotiations covering 10,000 dock workers and over $300 billion in trade, as a slowdown like that experienced when negotiations ran past deadline in 1999 would cost the companies billions. Major issues in the negotiations are likely to be the Association?s push to automate certain jobs, and the union?s goals of maintaining benefits and improving pensions while extending the job descriptions covered by the contract.