Labor negotiations threaten recovery at CA ports
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Good morning - summer is almost officially here. ☀️
This summer, approximately 22, 000 West Coast port workers’ labor contracts are set to expire. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union have been deep in negotiation talks with about 70 employers represented by the Pacific Maritime Association since early May, and have yet to land on a mutually satisfactory resolution.
Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain Brain for what could happen if negotiations fail before the labor contract expiration date and what it could mean for the already-strained supply chain ☕️
Season 7 Episode 3 GIF By SpongeBob SquarePants via GIPHY
Featured Article:
What West Coast Ports' Labor Negotiations Mean for Supply Chains | SupplyChainBrain
“As the U.S.’s largest ports in California moved record amounts of cargo amid pandemic-induced supply chain bottlenecks, union dockworkers strengthened their indispensable role in the nation’s logistics network.”
Water Cooler Topics
🛻 Ford CEO Jim Farley says that the automobile manufacturing industry is currently facing the transition of a lifetime into electric vehicles. This transition period is going to force automakers to collaborate and work together for the industry’s sake. He relays many small companies will likely be acquired by larger companies in order to absorb the capital required to advance EV technology.
⏰ The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) has extended the time allotted for Covid-relief hours of service to carriers. The 90-day extension includes direct assistance to support the logistics involved with Covid-19 supplies. Commodities included are gasoline, food, vaccines, and more.
👩🏭 The cost of metal is causing another setback in the EV market. While many consumers want to buy an electric vehicle, it is still a cost-prohibitive vehicle - especially now with inflation issues. According to BloombergNEF, growing metal prices to make the EV batteries mean that obtaining an electric vehicle for most American families will still be financially a few years off.
Cargo theft value jumped 73% in Q1, according to freight security company, Cargonet
While the number of thefts did not increase, the value of cargo theft skyrocketed.
The numbers indicate that thieves are getting more strategic with their crime, targeting higher-value cargo like automobiles and electronics. Cargonet data also relays that organized crime rings are setting their sights on cargo theft and there has been an uptick in thieves impersonating freight brokers.
Americans grow more worried by the day as inflation continues
Record-high gasoline prices were just the beginning. According to a new Gallup poll, Americans are as worried about the economy as they were in March of 2020, at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, public confidence is at the lowest it’s been since early 2009, at the end of the Great Recession.
18% of the poll’s respondents specifically cited inflation as the most important issue Americans are facing today. 46% rate the economy as “poor” and 36% rate it as “only fair”.
Regulations ⚖️
EMA Lawsuit: CARB Emissions Rule Violates Clean Air Act - Equipment - Trucking Info
“More than half of the commercial vehicles on the road in the U.S. are advanced clean-diesel technology models, according to the Diesel Technology Forum.”
CARB taken to court over new emission standards - Land Line
“The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association has filed a lawsuit against the California Air Resources Board for not providing enough notice before implementing new emission standards.”
Trade & Border Issues 🗺
“There are two main factors that has Dimon worried: So-called quantitative tightening, or QT, is scheduled to begin this month and will ramp up to $95 billion a month in reduced bond holdings.”
Retail 🛍
Walmart, Gap and Others Amass $45 Billion in Extra Stuff to Sell | SupplyChainBrain
“Big retailers rushed to build up inventories last year amid soaring consumer demand and transportation bottlenecks — going so far in some cases as to rent their own cargo ships.”
New Report - Apparel Manufacturers Face Host of Supply Chain Disruptions (flexport.com)
“The apparel industry has weathered multiple disruptions since the onset of COVID lockdowns, and there are new challenges on the horizon.”
Retailers' troubles sound the alarm for rest of economy | AP News
“The fastest inflation in 40 years squeezed retailers during the first quarter, alarming investors worried about the broader economy’s outlook.”
Business Strategy 💡
Optimizing the Last Mile - Inbound Logistics
“Complexities and constantly changing demands impact last-mile delivery.”
5 Ways to Recession Proof Your Business Now | Nav
“If you’re worried about the potential impact of a recession on your small business, you’re not alone.”
Leadership 🏆
“Just like last year, 3PLs continue to face a host of critical and pressing issues that challenge their skills at managing a client’s supply chain.”
Personal responsibility | Seth's Blog (seths.blog)
“It’s complicated. Because we made it complicated.”
Ports 🚢
Full steam ahead on Port of Oakland Turning Basins widening study | AJOT.COM
“The Port of Oakland Turning Basins Widening Study reached a key milestone.”
North Europe Container Ports at Capacity Ahead of Peak Season (gcaptain.com)
“With a wave of import containers expected from Shanghai’s reopening and peak season just around the corner, North Europe’s box port hubs, worryingly, remain severely congested.”
Covid-19 😷
Shanghai braces for long road to recovery as lockdown ends | AJOT.COM
“Shanghai faces weeks, if not months, of slow recovery until economic activity can fully bounce back from the crippling Covid lockdown that began in March.”
Driver Issues 🚛
3 Changes to FMCSA's Driver Qualification File Rules Fleets Need to Know - Drivers - Trucking Info
“Motor carriers should make sure documents are compliant once a change to a DQ file requirement is learned.”
An argument for speed limiters in cars | Overdrive (overdriveonline.com)
“Several times over the last couple of decades truckers have expressed concerns on how dangerous differential speed limits, or separate limits for cars and heavy trucks, can be for our nation’s highway users.”
School Prepares Students for Transportation Careers | Transport Topics (ttnews.com)
“When several hundred delegates to the recent Metrans International Urban Freight Conference met just a few miles from the sprawling Port of Long Beach, there were more than a dozen young invited guests watching the transportation leaders, and pondering what the industry will be like when they’re running things, quite likely in a few years.”
Inflation 💸
“Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNBC that the White House has several strategies that will reduce inflation she conceded is too high for Americans.”
Fuel ⛽️
Diesel Sheds 3.2¢ to $5.539 in Third Straight Decrease | Transport Topics (ttnews.com)
“The national average price for diesel dropped 3.2 cents to $5.539 a gallon, according to Energy Information Administration data released May 30.”
Focus on fuel taxes—and prospects for a VMT | FleetOwner
“Unease over historically high diesel prices has translated into haphazard government relief and more debate over the fuel taxes that trucking pays, what these levies do for the industry and the country, and a VMT fee's potential.”
Tech 📟
How AR and VR Can Cut Waste in the Supply Chain (allthingssupplychain.com)
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses and consumers have struggled to access affordable materials.”
“With the right tech, manufacturers can manage approvals, inventory, credits and returns, and automate reconciliation for both inventory depletion and revenue posting.”
Insurance ✍️
Occupational accident insurance in Colorado (landline.media)
“A new law in Colorado is touted to address coverage requirements for occupational accident insurance.”
Shortages 🛒
Biden to meet with baby formula makers on easing shortage | AP News
“President Joe Biden is set to meet with infant formula manufacturers as his administration works to ease nationwide shortages by importing foreign supplies and using the Defense Production Act to speed domestic production.”
Quote of the Day:
“Money is like gasoline during a road trip. You don’t want to run out of gas on your trip, but you’re not doing a tour of gas stations.”
— Tim O’Reilly, founder, and CEO of O’Reilly Media
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.