Transportation Secretary tours ports, thanks ILWU leaders and workers for delivering through pandemic
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with ILWU leaders, port officials, and area lawmakers and toured the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on January 11th. The Biden Administration remains focused on long-term solutions to the issue of the pandemic-induced supply chain bottlenecks.
In June of 2021, President Biden launched a Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force that is focused, in part, on transportation and logistics bottlenecks. The Administration also created a “Joint Ports Action” industry supply chain advisory group that meets three times a week to address the ongoing supply chain issues and help coordinate supply policy. Coast Committeeman Frank Ponce De Leon is the ILWU representative on that advisory group.
The event was attended by ILWU International President Willie Adams, ILWU International Vice President (Mainland) Bobby Olvera, Jr., Coast Committeemen Frank Ponce De Leon and Cam Williams, Local 13 President Ramon Ponce de Leon, Local 63 President Joe Gasperov, Local 94 President Danny Miranda, former Local 63 President Mike Podue, and Local 13 member Sal DiCostanzo.
In prepared remarks at a press event held after touring the ports, Secretary Buttigieg thanked the ILWU workforce for moving cargo through the ports during the difficult holiday season. The ILWU delivered Christmas despite the challenges of the pandemic and supply chain congestion outside of the ports.
“We want to thank ILWU President Willie Adams, and the longshore workers that I had an opportunity to spend time with earlier today, truly the people who we have counted on in so many ways, who every single American depends on, whether you know it or not, and who very much do not have the opportunity to come to work by video conference,” Secretary Buttigieg said. “We appreciate everything that you’ve done and the sacrifices that your members have made.
“Ports here processed 14% more containers than the previous record. People received almost 99% of their packages on time or with minimal delays from major shippers. And I would add that not only is this about presents under the tree, but this is about essential goods like medical goods that are needed in this moment of continued public health challenge.”
The group discussed Long Beach’s Pier B on-dock rail facility, which will receive a $52 million grant Buttigieg announced in December, and a partnership to facilitate infrastructure improvements.
Secretary Buttigieg said that federal funding for ports would go hand-in-hand with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed $2.9 billion funding for the state’s ports. “We’re partnering with the state of California, and I’m delighted to team up with Gov. Newsom on the emerging projects’ agreements that will lead to a fast track for access to financing of over $5 billion for infrastructure projects that bear on our supply chains,” Secretary Buttigieg said.
President Adams said, “We appreciate Secretary Buttigieg for coming to tour the ports of LA and Long Beach and for meeting with ILWU members who have worked so hard to keep stores’ shelves stocked and commerce flowing through our ports during the pandemic. We’re glad that the Biden-Harris Administration has sought, and been receptive to, our ideas on how to improve national supply chain issues. Solutions such as more on-dock rail will ensure that ILWU workers will continue to deliver these remarkable results for generations to come.”