President Joe Biden has acted, dispatching his labour secretary to California in a bid to thrash out a pay deal between employers and dockworkers amid an escalating ports crisis along the west coast of North America.
Sporadic walk-outs over the past 11 days have damaged productivity at many terminals in the US after unions, exasperated at 13-month long pay negotiations, decided to take action, a situation which has now worsened following news north of the border where members of the the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada have voted overwhelmingly to proceed with a 72-hour strike at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, industrial action which is likely to take place before the end of this month. Growing congestions south of the border, especially at the drought-hit Panama Canal, is also bringing concern to supply chain executives (see map below).
