West Coast Dockworkers Still Negotiating After Contract Expires

A contract between shipping companies and 22,000 West Coast dockworkers expired at the end of June. But both sides continued to talk and said they want to avoid a strike that could savage an economy already stressed by soaring inflation and supply chain woes.

The contract covered workers at ports from California to Washington state that handle nearly 40% of U.S. imports.

“While there will be no contract extension, cargo will keep moving, and normal operations will continue at the ports until an agreement can be reached,” said a joint statement from the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Both sides said last month that they weren’t planning any work disruptions, but U.S. industries are clearly worried.