As many of you know, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association have been engaged in heated contract negotiations since May 2014. The dispute has caused major delays in cargo shipments along the West Coast, including those carrying recycled materials. Many of our members are facing a backlog of recycled material and feedstocks, and if a resolution is not reached soon, there is a risk that these materials will be landfilled instead of recycled.

AOR recently sent a letter to Dick Pederson, Director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, urging him to encourage a timely and mutually acceptable resolution under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, who have recently agreed to assist the parties with contract negotiations surrounding the labor dispute. A timely resolution to this dispute is critical for our members’ operations as well as AOR’s ability to continue to fulfill our goal of a sustainable materials management system in Oregon.

The port dispute is impacting many of our members, and we want to hear from you. If you have ideas on how AOR can help the recycling community with this issue, please email AOR's Chair, Ali Briggs-Ungerer. We may also address this topic at Sustainable Oregon 2015, AOR's annual conference, in June, and your input will help us shape future discussions.