Leather and meat bodies pleased as $85 million-per-w - leatherbiz: Lea Leatherbiz

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Leather and meat bodies pleased as $85 million-per-week dispute nears end

23/02/2015
Leather and meat bodies pleased as $85 million-per-week dispute nears end
The US Hide, Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA) and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) issued a joint statement on February 21 to say both organisations were gratified to hear the news that negotiations have finally concluded in the nine-month labour dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) that has held up the flow of goods at west-coast ports in the US.
 
The dispute and resulting slowdowns have cost the meat, poultry, hide, skin and leather industries an estimated $85 million a week. While the deal between the two sides is a crucial step to ending this slowdown, the impact will continue to be felt as it will take an estimated 30-45 days to clear the backlog of containers that has built up at ports along the west coast.
 
“NAMI and USHSLA urge ILWU membership to quickly ratify the deal and both parties to pledge to return to regular working conditions immediately during the ratification period,” the statement said.

NAMI president and chief executive, Barry Carpenter, said: “It is time to put this crisis behind us and reopen the lines of trade with our partners around the world.”
 
Both organisations also called on the White House to look for ways to avoid this situation in the future, otherwise the situation will be repeated in both 2018 and 2019 when both coasts’ labour contracts expire once again.
 
Image shows containers being loaded at the port of Long Beach in California.

 

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