What We Do
From negotiating the labor agreement with West Coast dockworkers to providing world-class safety and training programs, PMA performs a range of tasks to strengthen the maritime industry.
Collective Bargaining
PMA negotiates the coastwise labor agreements with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) on behalf of our member companies. One of the most important labor contracts in the United States, this agreement covers wages, employee benefits, and employment conditions for longshore workers, marine clerks and foremen throughout the West Coast.
We are committed to engaging in good faith negotiations, delivering world-class wages and benefits, and always prioritizing safe and sustainable operations.
The current contract was negotiated and ratified by the ILWU in 2023 and is in place through 2028.
About the ILWU
PMA members employ more than 16,000 ILWU registered workers at the 29 West Coast ports from San Diego to Bellingham. PMA and the ILWU collaborate closely to promote a safe and successful waterfront.
Safety and Training
Ensuring a safe and healthy workplace is a top priority for PMA. We take a collaborative approach to safety and training at marine terminals, working with our member companies and the ILWU.
PMA provides comprehensive safety training to all workers as part of their initial orientation, and we maintain Joint Area Accident Prevention Committees with the ILWU throughout the West Coast to continually improve our approach to workplace safety.
We also work to advance worker training together with the ILWU to help Union members keep pace with our evolving industry. We operate training facilities in Los Angeles, Oakland, Tacoma, and Portland that offer a range of classes to enhance job skills, improve safety, and promote worker development.
New Training Center at Port of L.A.
Recently, PMA partnered with the ILWU and the Port of Los Angeles to create a first-of-its-kind training facility to provide up-skill and re-skill training to position ILWU members for current and future work on the waterfront. The $16.4 million facility graduated its first class in January 2025.
Payroll and Benefits Administration
PMA oversees administration of the coastwise contract, managing billions of dollars in pay and benefits for ILWU workers.
PMA processes weekly payrolls for more than 16,000 ILWU members and manages healthcare benefits, provides pension payments for retirees, and administers other elements of PMA’s generous pay and benefits package.
Hiring and Dispatch
PMA submits daily orders for waterfront labor at 29 ports and works in partnership with the ILWU to dispatch workers on day, afternoon, and night shifts.
PMA compiles dispatch summaries in Los Angeles/Long Beach, Seattle, Tacoma and Oakland.
Dispute Resolution
As established in the collective bargaining agreement, PMA collaborates with the ILWU to implement and manage a comprehensive coastwise dispute resolution system that helps ensure any disputes are addressed swiftly and fairly, and helps to keep West Coast ports running smoothly.
