Dockers and shipping companies reach deal to end west coast port dispute

Two sides agree terms to end backlog of freight at 29 ports which could have ended up costing the US economy billions of dollars

Shipping companies and terminal operators clinched a tentative deal with the dockworkers union on Friday, settling a labor dispute that led to months of cargo backups at ports on the west coast of America.

The deal, confirmed in a joint statement by the two sides, was reached after the US labor secretary arrived in San Francisco this week to help broker negotiations that had dragged on for nine months between the shippers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.