Possible Strike Has Shippers Looking Skyward

The possibility of the first dockworkers strike on the U.S. West Coast in 28 years has shippers looking to air cargo as a back-up. The Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) began negotiations here last week on a new three-year contract for 14,500 West Coast dockworkers. To date, though, the tone has not been positive.