On Friday, June 10, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) met with President Joe Biden aboard the Battleship U.S.S. Iowa in San Pedro, California. 

The parties discussed with the President several issues, including supply chain congestion and their shared commitment to reach a collective bargaining agreement that is fair to both parties.

The collective bargaining agreement is between employers who operate marine terminals and shipping lines represented by the PMA and the dockworkers represented by the ILWU. The contract covers more than 22,000 dockworkers at all 30 U.S. West Coast ports, from San Diego, California, to Bellingham, Washington. The current collective bargaining agreement expires at 5:00 p.m. on July 1, 2022. Talks for a new agreement began on May 10 in San Francisco and will continue until the parties reach a new agreement.

Both the PMA and the ILWU agree that they are unlikely to reach a deal before the July 1 expiration of the current agreement. This timing is typical, and cargo operations continue beyond the expiration of the contract. Neither party is preparing for a strike or a lockout, contrary to speculation in news reports.  The parties remain focused on and committed to reaching an agreement.