The International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced Thursday that it reached a tentative agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association on certain key issues. Still, negotiations remain ongoing until an agreement is reached. The news marks the first deal publicly announced since July 26, when the two sides said they had reached a tentative agreement on the maintenance of health benefits. However, the PMA also said “several key issues remain unresolved” in negotiations. Last week the ILWU leaders dismissed fears of disruption related to upcoming contract negotiations in a pre-recorded interview last week. However, PMA noted a local chapter of the longshore union, ILWU Local 13, continued to disrupt operations at key marine terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Thursday.
