On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing American producers, farmers and agribusinesses, wholesalers, retailers, eating places, importers, exporters, distributors, transportation and logistics suppliers, and different provide chain stakeholders, we’re writing to induce each the Worldwide Longshoremen’s Affiliation and america Maritime Alliance to return to the bargaining desk with the purpose of reaching a brand new labor contract earlier than the brand new Jan. 15 contract expiration date. It’s crucial for the events to renew negotiations and stay on the desk till a brand new contract is reached.
We all know important points stay between the events. Nevertheless, we proceed to imagine the one technique to resolve these points and are available to an settlement is to really keep on the negotiating desk. The persevering with begin and cease of the negotiations results in additional uncertainty within the provide chain, which continues to trigger challenges. The three-day strike in October had a big impression on provide chain stakeholders that depend on the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The extra prices from mitigation efforts in addition to post-strike resumption are nonetheless being felt. Corporations have continued to implement mitigation methods due to the continuing risk of one other strike in mid-January if a brand new contract will not be achieved.
We perceive that automation and expertise continues to be the largest difficulty of disagreement between the events. We proceed to imagine there’s a path ahead for the events to deal with this difficulty. It’s crucial that our ports and terminals have the flexibility to modernize their programs and processes so as to stay globally aggressive and be capable of deal with the persevering with rise of commerce volumes, each imports and exports, by our ports. Modernization can solely occur by true partnership between labor and administration, in addition to the opposite provide chain stakeholders that depend on these ports. Modernization efforts will profit all events and are important to deal with present and future throughput points.
We firmly imagine the remaining points can solely be resolved by returning to the negotiating desk and remaining till a closing deal is full.
Sincerely,
