The National Retail Federation (NRF) has called on the US President Biden Administration to intervene with West Coast port labour negotiations after reports of disruptions at Californian terminals.
The new disruptions come as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have failed to reach and ratify a new labour agreement following more than a year of negotiations.
After reports of issues at terminals at the Ports of Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles, the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, released the following statement from senior vice president of Government Relations David French.
“As we enter the peak shipping season for the holidays, these additional disruptions will force retailers and other important shipping partners to continue to shift cargo away from the West Coast ports until a new labour contract is established. It is imperative that the parties return to the negotiating table. We urge the administration to mediate to ensure the parties quickly finalize a new contract without additional disruptions,” stated David French.
