Cargill grain terminal in Seattle. ILWU members have worked for 80 years in Pacific Northwest grain terminals with no interruptions.
On Monday, leaders from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and representatives of the Pacific Northwest Grain Elevator Operators opened negotiations for a new labor contract.
Both sides are guardedly optimistic that the negotiations will be smooth and productive and result in the continuation of their working relationship, which dates back to the 1930’s. The existing contract expires on October 1, 2011, and both sides have given notice of their intent to modify the expiring contract.
The ILWU represents 4,000 men and women on the docks and in grain terminals in Oregon and Washington. The Pacific Northwest Grain Elevator Operators consists of owners and operators of grain export terminals owned and/or operated by Cargill, Columbia Grain, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, CLD Pacific Grain, and United Grain Corporation. For decades, the companies have negotiated on a coordinated basis with the ILWU for labor in their grain export terminals.
From a September 13 joint news release by the ILWU and the Pacific Northwest Grain Elevator Operators.