Photo courtesy of Port of Long Beach.

According to City News Service, the tentative agreement reached in February between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association, representing 29 West coast ports, including the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, has been recommended for approval by the Union today, Friday.

The proposed five-year contract, which covers about 20,000 dockworkers, was reviewed by 90 delegates at the Coast Longshore Caucus held this weekend in San Francisco, which recommended passage by a 78 percent majority, according to the ILWU.

“We secured a tentative agreement to maintain good jobs for dockworkers, families and communities from San Diego to Bellingham (Washington),” said ILWU International President Bob McEllrath in a statement.

According to CNS, copies of the agreement will be mailed to longshore union members on the West Coast, who will discuss the proposal at local union meetings, then take a secret ballot membership ratification vote. These ballots will be counted on May 22.