West Coast port terminals to suspend vessel operations four of next five days
PMA said ships will not load or unload cargo Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday due to continuing ILWU slowdowns.
By Chris Dupin |Wednesday, February 11, 2015
The Pacific Maritime Association said it will suspend vessel operations at West Coast port terminals on four of the next five days, rather than pay premium salaries to members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The four dates affected by the suspension of vessel operations are Thursday, 2/12 (Lincoln’s Birthday); Saturday, 2/14; Sunday, 2/15; and Monday, 2/16 (Washington’s Birthday). PMA spokesman Wade Gates said the longshoremen are continuing slowdowns “that will soon bring West Coast ports to gridlock. What they’re doing amounts to a strike with pay, and we will reduce the extent to which we pay premium rates for such a strike.”