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Port of Portland Container Terminal Open for Business Again After Weekend Halt by Molly Harbarger Oregonian, February 9, 2015

The Port of Portland is expecting Terminal 6 to be back in business Monday, after a weekend halt.

The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents West Coast port operators, told longshore workers that they were closing 26 ports on Saturday and Sunday. That included the Port of Portland, whose operator is ICTSI.

"It's our hope that we'll see normal business operations resume today without any disruptions," said Port of Portland spokesman Josh Thomas.

Port officials are prepared for a lockout or strike, though, as labor negotiations continue. The Pacific Maritime Association announced an offer for a new contract that includes 3 percent annual raises over five years.

According to the association, the average dock worker makes $147,000 per year in salary, $35,000 a year in employer-paid health care and an annual pension of $80,000. The association's offer would raise the pension by 11 percent.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union officials say they are close to a new contract agreement.

On Friday, a Hanjin Copenhagen container ship sat at the terminal, waiting to be unloaded. Longshore workers said they were not moving containers off it because they were demonstrating a grievance over several incidents at the terminal.

Then, the workers were sent home for the weekend.

Hanjin comprises the majority of Terminal 6's business. In the last few weeks, two ships rerouted to the Seattle and Tacoma ports because slow work in Portland would have kept the ships waiting too long.