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Possible Dock Worker Strike Could Worsen Supply Chain Disruptions (.PDF Download)

April 6, 2022

With the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s contract for 29 West Coast ports expiring at the end of June, port disruption and supply chain delays could grow if the two sides don’t come to an agreement.

As if procurement professionals didn’t have enough supply chain-related issues on their plates right now, a possible dock worker strike impacting more than 22,000 union employees at 29 West Coast U.S. ports could bring ocean freight and logistics operations to a grinding halt if successful negotiations don’t happen soon.

At issue is an International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) contract that will expire at the end of June 2022. According to The New York Times, nearly three-fourths of the union members work at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the primary gateways for shipments coming to the U.S. from Asia.