Obama sending labor secretary to assist West Coast Port Negotiations
President Obama is sending U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez to California to meet with ILWU & PMA negotiators to help them reach a contract.
“The negotiations over the functioning of the West Coast Ports have been taking place for months with the Administration urging the parties to resolve their differences,” the White House said in a statement on Saturday. “Out of concern for the economic consequences of further delay, the President has directed his Secretary of Labor Tom Perez travel to California to meet with the parties to urge them to resolve their dispute quickly at the bargaining table.”
The National Retail Federation, which has been urging Mr. Obama to take a more active role in the dispute.
“We welcome the administration’s attention,” Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, said in an e-mail. “The slowdowns, congestion and suspensions at the West Coast ports need to end now.” Members of the Washington-based trade group include department stores, grocers and chain restaurants.
From Bloomberg:
Bottlenecks are creating headaches for scores of U.S. companies, including McDonald’s Corp., Macy’s Inc., ConAgra Foods Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co. The port congestion could cost retailers as much as $7 billion this year, according to the consulting firm Kurt Salmon.
Honda Motor Co. said Friday that it may halt some U.S. production because of the labor dispute. All West Coast ports are shut down through the Presidents Day holiday on Monday.
Stay-tuned with Superior Freight Services to provide the latest on the West Coast port negotiations.
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