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Workers Say They Are Hurting In West Coast Port Slowdown

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The West Coast port slowdowns are hurting workers as well as retailers this holiday season.

The NBC affiliate in Seattle reported that many of those who work for the ports can’t afford utilities or Christmas gifts for their families because the slowdowns have delayed their paychecks.

The work slowdowns are the result of a seven-month labor dispute between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). Each side of the dispute blames the other.

Vicki Raiter, the mother of one of the Port of Tacoma workers, told the local NBC affiliate, “If the shipments aren’t coming, then they have no work and they tell them not to come in today.”

“My son says he can get the electricity on in two weeks, but I don’t know that we can hold out that long,” said Raiter. “We’re trying.”

The situation has prompted many involved to seek federal assistance to resolve the dispute. In the past week, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma wrote a letter to President Obama urging him to intervene.

The PMA is also asking for Washington’s help, noting, “It is clear that the parties need outside assistance to bridge the substantial gap between us.”

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