By Gwen Davis

After nine months of back-and-forth labor disputes, James McKenna, president and CEO of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) publically announced in a video on Wed. that an offer was made to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) to raise full-time worker wages to $160,000 a year, up from the current $147,000. Pensions will be raised by 11 percent to $88,800 per year. Health care will continue to be covered, which includes all premiums, copays and deductibles. The registered workforce will be guaranteed 40 paid hours per week.

The PMA is making the offer and salary information public in order to put pressure on the ILWU to settle.

Last May, labor contract talks between the PMA and ILWU began, since the contract was to expire in July. However, no deal was reached. By October, months after the deadline, the ILWU instigated worker slowdowns. According to McKenna, vessel productivity went down by 40 to 60 percent.