Workers at West Coast ports staged an informal labor action, beginning on Friday, that caused shutdowns of terminals at major ports and slowdowns at others, as negotiations continue on a new contract between port operators and the International Longshoremen Warehouse Union.
The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents West Coast port operators, released a statement on Friday reporting the action. "Today, the ILWU is staging concerted and disruptive work actions that have effectively shut down operations at some marine terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Union is also staging similar work actions that have shut down or severely impacted terminal operations at the Ports of Oakland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Hueneme."
Negotiations on a new contract, which will cover some 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports, have been ongoing since May 2022 (see "Supply Chain Challenges"); members of the union have been working without a contract since the old one expired July 1, 2022. Union President Willie Adams emphasized that negotiations are continuing. "Any reports that negotiations have broken down are false," he said in a statement. "We are getting there but it’s important to understand that West Coast dockworkers kept the economy going during the pandemic and lost their lives doing so. We aren’t going to settle for an economic package that doesn’t recognize the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce that lifted the shipping industry to record profits."
The U.S. West coast ports affected are the gateways for games, comics, books, merch (and many other products) coming to the U.S. from Asian manufacturers.

As Contract Negotiations Continue
Posted by Milton Griepp on June 5, 2023 @ 1:13 am CT

MORE COMICS
From Dynamite Entertainment
September 29, 2023
Here's a preview of Alice Cooper #1, published by Dynamite Entertainment.
Coming from Oni in March 2024
September 29, 2023
Oni Press will publish the original graphic novel in March 2024.
MORE NEWS
Bringing Marvel's First Chapter to a Close
September 29, 2023
The omnibus collects the second half of the first chapter of Marvel’s return to Star Wars.
Gallery Series Accessories
September 29, 2023
Ultra Pro has announced the Shimmering Skyline Gallery Series Accessories for use with Pokemon .