The International Longshore and Warehouse Union ratified a new five-year contract with their employers on Friday. An overwhelming majority of union members — 82 percent — voted in favor of the deal.
The contract covers some 20,000 dock workers at 29 West Coast ports.
"The negotiations for this contract were some of the longest and most difficult in our recent history," said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath.
The agreement runs retroactively from July 1, 2014 until June 30, 2019.
It’s the final step in a months-long process that brought West Coast ports to a standstill earlier this year.
Members of the Pacific Maritime Association announced on Wednesday they approved the contract.
In a statement, the group said the new contract gives ILWU members a wage and pension increase, as well as an “enhanced arbitration system.”
PMA President and CEO Jim McKenna said West Coast ports are vital to the U.S. economy.
“The disruptions that occurred during negotiations, and the inconvenience and hardship created by them, were regrettable,” he said in a statement. “We look forward to building upon the incredible advantages West Coast ports offer and winning back the trust and confidence of the shipping community.”
Copyright 2015 Oregon Public Broadcasting
