US Labor Secretary Turns Up the Heat on West Coast Contract Talks

zoom The US Labor Secretary Tom Perez told the two sides negotiating a new contract for dockworkers at the US West Coast seaports that they need to reach an agreement by Friday, otherwise the talks would be moved to Washington. Perez has been sent to California by the White House to help bring labor talks on a new contract between shipping companies and longshore workers to the right track. The deadline was given on Thursday, and according to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, should it fail to be met, Perez will call the two sides  to continue talks in Washington, the Associated Press (AP) writes. The talks, launched nine months ago, have been resumed with Perezs arrival and are reported to had lasted late Thursday evening. The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) remain silent on the latest developments. The ongoing contract dispute has had a horrendous impact on the productivity of the US West Coast ports, which have recorded significant drops in their monthly cargo volumes. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Long Beach and Oakland reported dwindling cargo volumes in January. What is more, after a four-day shutdown at West Coast ports, Oakland marine terminal operations halted on Thursday as longshore workers took the day off for a union meeting. World Maritime News Staff