New legislation is being introduced to potentially protect the importers, exporters, and OEMs that were held hostage by the debilitating labor slowdowns at the West Coast Ports earlier this year.
The introduction of the Comprehensive Transportation and Consumer Protection Act was prompted by contentious labor negotiations between the PMA and ILWU that significantly impacted the U.S. economy from November to May. Things got so bad that U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez was forced to get involved before an accord was reached.
This six-year bill would require the Department of Transportation to work with the appropriate authorities in establishing a program to submit reports to Congress on the performance at each of the nation’s key ports. These reports would be required before and after the expiration of labor contracts to help keep the public informed as to the impact of labor discussions on port operations.
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