Longshore labour and employers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have reached agreement on manning requirements for non-automated terminals, overcoming a major hurdle that could accelerate a deal on a new coastwide contract as negotiations near the one-year mark. Journal of Commerce sources indicate that a deal between Local 13 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents terminal operators and shipping lines, was reached Tuesday and involves manning requirements for cargo-handling equipment at conventional container terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach. The two sides reached agreement on manning needs at the three automated terminals in Southern California several weeks ago. Job action at LA-LB terminals as ceased and coastwide negotiations in San Francisco will now turn in earnest to the two major issues yet to be settled — wages and pension benefits.
