PMA gives seal of approval to labour contract that ended dock disruption

San Francisco: The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which employs dockworkers at the US west coast’s 29 ports, has overwhelmingly approved the proposed five-year contract that ended a widespread labour dispute back in February.

Most of the association’s 70-plus members gave the thumbs up to the deal, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Now it just needs the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s (ILWU) approval for the contract to be officially ratified.

Dockwork along the western seaboard was seriously disrupted for months by the dispute, which saw a great slowdown in cargo processing and backlogs of freight, virtually halting supply chains in the western states. Many client shipping firms took their business elsewhere.

The ports have been gradually getting back up to speed and clearing container logjams.

ILWU leadership has endorsed the contract and votes cast by members will be counted on Friday.

The San Francisco-based PMA is a non-profit organisation which represents employers of the shipping industry on the Pacific coast, including cargo carriers and terminal operators.