LOS ANGELES, CA – After months of unrest, federal mediation is set to begin for negotiations between West Coast dockworkers and their employers.
As we previously reported, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) asked for the mediators to help in negotiations after months of contract gridlock.
"We are hopeful that the involvement of a federal mediator is the missing piece needed to get [a contract] signed," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in a joint statement.
This request for help from the workers and employers is representative of a major shift from the increasingly hostile nature of the contract talks, which have now dragged on for eight months.
“This is the first positive news from the West Coast ports in some time,” said Jonathan Gold, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy at the National Retail Federation, in a statement.
The LA Times is reporting that the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said it assigned a mediator to the case and that negotiations “will continue as soon as possible.” Spokesmen for both the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and employers declined to comment.
Hopefully this mediation will lead to successful negotiations. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest updates on this ongoing situation.
