Shippers can breathe a sigh of relief now that labor and management have reached a deal that will ensure the continued flow of ocean shipments through 29 West Coast ports for at least the next six years.

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have settled on a six-year contract that was approved last month by local union caucuses. At press time, the contract was awaiting ratification by more than 10,000 ILWU rank-and-file members.

The PMA, which represents terminal operators and shipping lines, had sought to introduce new cargo-tracking technology to increase throughput at some of the nation's busiest ports. Dockworkers wanted assurances that they would win the right to keep any jobs associated with that technology.

On Sept 29, 2002, PMA locked out dockworkers for some 10 days when neither side could reach an agreement on a new contract. On Oct. 7, President Bush invoked a provision in the Taft-Hartley Act that reopened the ports and sent longshoreman back to work during a cooling-off period.

With the help of federal mediators, the two sides struck a deal that calls for labor to accept some technology enhancements. In exchange for the introduction of modernizing technology such as bar-code scanners and electronic data transfer, which will avoid the need to rekey shipping information, the ILWU has received pension protection for workers and retirees as well as rights to any new technology-related jobs.

In addition, the pact provides for extended health-care benefits, increased wages and stricter safety provisions. Despite the various job protections in the new agreement, the pact is expected to eliminate some 400 existing jobs.