ILWU Extends Labor Contract through 2022

August 7, 2017 | The International Longshore Warehouse Union (ILWU) has announced that its membership voted in favor of a three-year extension of its West Coast labor contract. Initially set to expire in 2019, the contract with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) will now expire on July 1, 2022, staving off negotiation-related labor disruptions for the foreseeable future.

The Toy Association signed onto several industry letters in support of the contract extension and the vote. In 2014 through 2015, the West Coast ports became significantly backed up as a result of ILWU/PMA contract negotiations, causing delays during peak shipping season that had a detrimental impact on many toy companies.

“The Toy Association applauds the news of the ILWU-PMA contract extension. The approval signals greater stability for U.S. toy companies that rely on the West Coast ports to ensure that their products are delivered on time,” says Rebecca Mond, senior director of federal government affairs at The Toy Association. “Our hope is that this vote will put pressure on the East Coast ports to finalize a deal of their own, as their coastwide contract expires in 2018.”

Members will be kept apprised of developments. Questions on this topic may be directed to Rebecca Mond.