West Coast longshore workers complete vote; early returns show contract extension passing
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (JULY 28, 2017) – West Coast longshore workers at 29 ports in California, Oregon and Washington have completed voting on whether to extend their collective bargaining agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for three years. Early reporting from local unions indicates the contract extension will pass by 67%. The union’s Coast Balloting Committee will announce the official results on August 4. If ratified as expected, the extended ILWU-PMA agreement, which was scheduled to expire on July 1, 2019, will now expire on July 1, 2022.
Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) voted on the employer’s unprecedented contract extension proposal after a year-long debate and democratic process in which every registered longshore worker from Bellingham, Washington, to San Diego, California, had a vote. The contract extension will raise wages, maintain health benefits, and increase pensions.
“The ILWU was founded on principles of democracy, and the rank and file always have the last word on their contracts,” said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath. “There was no shortage of differing views in the year-long debate leading up to this vote, and members didn’t take this step lightly. In the end, the rank and file made the final decision to extend the contract for three years.”
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s Coast Longshore Division represents approximately 20,000 longshore workers on the West Coast of the United States.