United States

Port operators in Southern California are coming under fire after preventing workers from unloading ships. Representatives from the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) say the order was given to allow shore workers to clear out containers from already congested terminal yards, a condition that the PMA blames on the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) for not sending enough crane operators to work. Both the PMA and the ILWU have been engaged in an arduous debate over a new labor contract.(Long Beach Press Telegram)
 
Many U.S. apparel retailers are pressuring President Barack Obama to reinstate trade preference programs approaching expiration as a measure to protect jobs in the United States. According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), U.S. companies have been losing US$2 million a day since the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) was suspended in July of 2013. In a letter to President Obama ahead of his State of the Union address, the AAFA insisted that trade programs like the GSP and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefit workers both domestically and around the world. (The Daily Star)