February 12, 2015 | Industry Insights

NEWS ALERT: PMA to Suspend Vessel Operations Again at West Coast Port Terminals

Share This:
Featured Image

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) announced today that vessel operations will be suspended at U.S. West Coast ports. The seaports, which handle some $1 trillion in trade per year, will close on Thursday, 2/12; Saturday, 2/14; Sunday, 2/15; and Monday, 2/16. However, yard, gate and rail operations will continue at terminal operators’ discretion.

According to American Shipper, PMA spokesman Wade Gates said the longshoremen are continuing slowdowns “that will soon bring West Coast ports to gridlock. What they’re doing amounts to a strike with pay, and we will reduce the extent to which we pay premium rates for such a strike.”

“In light of ongoing and costly ILWU slowdowns, PMA members will temporarily suspend premium-pay weekend and holiday vessel operations on four upcoming dates, while yard, gate and rail operations will continue at terminal operators’ discretion,” the PMA said in an announcement Wednesday afternoon.

PMA, which represents about 70 shipping companies, has accused dockworkers of conducting slowdowns, walk-offs and “other actions at key ports, aggravating congested conditions and disrupting cargo movement” in a bid to influence the ongoing contract negotiations.

The union denied the claims and said “cessation of vessel operations was initiated by employers, and is NOT a strike by workers.”

“This is an effort by the employers to put economic pressure on our members and to gain leverage in contract talks,” ILWU President Robert McEllrath said. “The union is standing by ready to negotiate, as we have been for the past several days.”

The shipping firms said it was not logical to pay union workers premium holiday and weekend rates “for severely diminished productivity while the backlog of cargo at West Coast ports grows.”

Sources: American Shipper, CNBC

Share This:

Related


2023 NCBFAA Scholarship & Application Announcement

Roanoke Insurance Group is delighted to once again sponsor a $5,000 scholarship to students intending to join the trade industry. The National Customs Broker and Forwarder Association of America (NCBFAA) offers this $5,000 scholarship award yearly and will be presented to the winner at the NCBFAA annual conference in April 2023. The topic for this year’s scholarship will be “U.S. Trade Embargoes – Are They Effective Tools to Promote Change?” This $5,000 Scholarship Award is available to any employee (or an employee’s child) of an NCBFAA Regular member. High school seniors or undergraduate students at an accredited college or university, […]

Industry Insights

Roanoke Appoints a New Regional Vice President and Head of Sales

Roanoke has appointed two key leaders to new roles, effective November 1, 2023. Please join us in congratulating Patrice Lafayette for accepting the position of Regional Vice President, Western Region, and Grant Goldsmith, who has accepted a position as Head of Sales. Patrice has been a steadfast leader of Roanoke’s Western Region for more than 17 years. She started her career as a Bond Account Manager and has held several roles during her tenure, including Bond Manager and Director of Sales for the Long Beach Sales team, and most recently, has been responsible for managing relationships with many of our […]

Industry Insights

How to Protect Your Company from Nuclear Bodily Injury Verdicts

The liability landscape for the trade and transportation industry is changing. Carrier accidents on the road resulting in bodily injury and property damage (BIPD) claims pose a real financial threat to brokers, forwarders, and other transportation intermediaries. Recently, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes and the resulting jury awards have skyrocketed. Inconsistent application of the law has put the burden of these “nuclear verdicts” on not just the carriers but also the broker-forwarders responsible for hiring the carriers. This volatile litigation landscape and the rise in “nuclear verdicts” has specifically led to two related issues for transportation […]

Industry Insights

Roanoke is the leading provider of insurance and surety solutions for transportation and logistics providers. In fact, we are recognized as the most reliable source for U.S. customs bonds.

Contact

If you have any questions or need help, feel free to contact with our team.

800-762-6653

US CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS

1501 E. Woodfield Road

Suite 400W

Schaumburg, IL 60173


CANADA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS

390 Bay Street

Munich Re Centre, 22nd Floor

Toronto, ON M5H 2Y2

Solutions that Go the Distance.

© 2024 Roanoke Insurance Group Inc.

Better Business Bureau logoCoverholder at Lloyd's logo