West Coast ports have seen a decline from U.S. importers that have soured on their gates of entry after a year of uncertainty around port union worker contracts, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Ports from southern California to Seattle, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), have been marred by uncertainty following a year of negotiations with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), with a deal being reached just last week for a six-year contract, according to the WSJ. Both importers and exporters that previously utilized the ports have been shifting business toward East Coast and Gulf Coast ports to avoid potential disruptions, with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach container volumes falling almost a quarter in the first six months of 2023 year-over-year. (RELATED: California Lawmakers Push Bill To Give Striking Workers Unemployment…
