WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senator Braun (R-IN) and 14 Senate colleagues in sending a follow-up letter calling on President Biden to engage with stakeholders and Congress on the ongoing contract negotiations at America’s West Coast ports. While negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) started on May 10, 2022, it has been reported that contract talks have already been suspended once. 

In March, Senators Cramer, Braun and 18 other Senators originally wrote that they feared that delayed contract negotiating will result in additional supply chain disruptions, exacerbated freight congestion, and further harm manufacturing in the United States. To date this letter has not received a response.

The latest letter, addressed to President Biden, highlights how the U.S. Congressional Representatives are urging the President to work with both the ILWU and PMA, to guarantee contract negotiations are successfully completed before the contract expiration date on July 1, 2022. 

“We are concerned by the lack of response to the previous letter that your Administration does not share the same urgency raised by stakeholders and Congress,” wrote the senators. “If the negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are not completed before the contract expires on July 1, experience shows that there are likely to be additional disruptions to our nation’s supply chain, which would exacerbate freight congestion and harm manufacturing and agriculture in our states. We strongly urge you to work with both the ILWU and PMA, and engage with stakeholders and Congress, on this critical issue.”

Background:

  • If the negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are not completed before the contract expires on July 1, experience shows that there are likely to be additional disruptions to our nation’s supply chain, which would exacerbate freight congestion and harm manufacturing and agriculture in our states.
  • Historically, negotiations between the ILWU and PMA have created gridlock, even during times of economic prosperity.
  • These negotiations encompass 22,400 dockworkers, 70 employers, and 29 ports. In 2002, there was a breakdown in negotiations that resulted in a lockout of 11 days and an estimated cost of $1 billion a day.
  • In 2014, negotiations lasted 10 months leading to billions in increased costs for American businesses.