IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 108 

Expressing the sense of the House relating to the dispute between the Pacific 

Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse 

Union impacting operations of West Coast ports. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2015 

Mr. REICHERT (for himself, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. NEWHOUSE, and Mr. COSTA) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House relating to the dispute 

between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union impacting operations of West Coast ports. 

Whereas the ongoing contract negotiation between the Pacific 

Maritime Association and the International Longshore 

and Warehouse Union, relating to a collective bargaining 

agreement, has impacted the operations of 29 West Coast 

ports, where 20,000 dockworkers work; 

Whereas the parties began negotiating a new contract in 

May, 2014, and the previous contract expired in July of 

2014; 


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•HRES 108 IH 

Whereas this negotiation and its impact on the movement of 

goods has sent harmful economic reverberations far beyond the shipping industry and the West Coast to farms, 

manufacturing plants, retail establishments, and communities across the country; 

Whereas the efficient flow of goods is critical to the regional 

and national economy; 

Whereas, in 2013, according to the Department of Commerce, imports and exports comprised 30 percent of the 

Nation’s gross domestic product, as the Nation’s total 

trade reached $5 trillion; 

Whereas over 12 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic product travels through those ports and the flow of goods in 

and out of those ports is critical to the operation of businesses, farms, and factories, to both retailers and consumers, and to millions of jobs all across the United 

States; 

Whereas the impacted operations of all West Coast transport 

by sea has already prevented farmers from selling their 

crops overseas, resulted in layoffs, slowed manufacturing 

production, idled trucks and trains, increased costs on 

businesses, and forced small businesses to shut their 

doors; 

Whereas, due to the interruption of the flow of commerce 

caused by the dispute, manufacturers, farmers, retailers, 

and other stakeholders are losing customers, market 

share, and millions of dollars a week; 

Whereas a shutdown of these ports in 2002 cost the Nation’s 

economy over $1 billion a day and estimates suggest another shutdown would be even more costly; and 


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•HRES 108 IH 

Whereas, if there is a shutdown of those ports, the shutdown 

will present a serious threat to the Nation’s safety and 

health: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the Pacific Maritime Association and the 

4 International Longshore and Warehouse Union 

5 should swiftly conclude their contract negotiations 

6 with the assistance of a Federal mediator; and 

7 (2) if the Pacific Maritime Association and the 

8 International Longshore and Warehouse Union do 

9 not reach a settlement and a shutdown occurs, the 

10 President should use all tools at his disposal to end 

11 the dispute, including his authority under the Labor12 Management Relations Act, 1947 (commonly known 

13 as the Taft-Hartley Act) to intervene in the matter 

14 to protect the Nation’s economy. 

Æ 


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