President Obama made a move this weekend to speed along a resolution to the current labor dispute between West Coast port operators and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union that represents port workers. This comes after activity on West Coast ports reached a standstill late last week.On Saturday, the President sent Thomas E. Perez, the secretary of labor, to urge both parties to find a resolution to the current labor dispute which has slowed the processing of cargo across West Coast ports. It's hoped that his presence can help bridge the divide between port operators and the ILWU. The end of last week highlighted the state of the current dispute as a shutdown of 29 West Coast ports began on Thursday. The shutdown will run through the long weekend.
The dispute has taken a toll on fresh produce importers and exporters, and it could get worse as some of the big shipments of South American fruit are set to arrive in the coming months.
“If the situation isn't resolved, we will send our shipments through the East Coast ports,” said Addie Pobst of Viva Tierra. Pobst said they import organic pears from South America, and though the cost of trucking fruit across the country is not insignificant, it will be a necessity to ensure that they can supply their customers.
“We can't find ourselves waiting for containers full of a perishable product,” said Pobst. “We're keeping our fingers crossed everyone can come to a resolution, but we don't have time for delays.”