ICTSI Oregon leads effort to end West Coast labour slowdowns

The Preventing Labor Union Slowdowns Act of 2015 (PLUS Act) was introduced last Thursday (18 June) in the US Senate to help prevent the type of maritime labour slowdowns at the Port of Portland and 28 other West Coast ports that disrupted domestic and international trade and nearly brought the US economy to a standstill earlier this year.

The PLUS Act, was the result of efforts by ICTSI Oregon (IOI), the terminal operating company for the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6, to focus congressional attention on the ongoing problem of maritime labour slowdowns.

The measure would amend the National Labour Relations Act (NLRA) to make intentional slowdowns by maritime unions an unfair labour practice. Offending labour organisations would be subjected to federal court injunctions against slowdowns as well as damage claims to injured parties.