Deal Reached In Labor Dispute At West Coast Ports Bulk Vending Commodities Expected To Flow Smoothly Again

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract for workers at all 29 West Coast ports.

The breakthrough came after nine months of negotiations that became contentious in the fall, when dockworkers and their employers began blaming each other for problems getting imports to consumers and exports overseas.

The vending and coin-op industries are expected to welcome the news as good. The labor dispute had caused major disruptions in the supply chains of imported merchandise, including capsule novelties, plush items and toy fashion accessories, among other vendable merchandise. Bulk vending suppliers, who rely heavily on smoothly functioning supply chains, feared the situation would have turned ugly. | SEE STORY

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that is good for workers and for the industry," said PMAs president James McKenna and ILWU president Bob McEllrath in a joint statement. "We are also pleased that our ports can now resume full operations."

According to the brief joint statement, the deal was reached with assistance from U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Deputy director Scot Beckenbaugh.

While details of the agreement were not revealed, the deal is still subject to ratification by both parties.