ANAHEIM, Calif. — An official with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union told the nation's largest shipper group Monday he is "cautiously optimistic" that West Coast ports will have a labor contract by the end of the year.

Lindsay McLaughlin, legislative director for the ILWU, told the National Industrial Transportation League here that the recently announced technology agreement between dockworkers and waterfront employers was a major step toward a contract settlement.

"My prediction is the two sides will come together and sign an agreement before the 80-day cooling-off period of the Taft-Hartley Act ends," he said.

The Bush Administration in October sought an injunction under the Act, ending a 10-day lock-out of longshoremen by the Pacific Maritime Association that shut down 29 West Coast ports and paralyzed trans-Pacific shipping. Under the act, the ILWU and PMA are prohibited from calling any lock-outs, strikes or work slowdowns. The injunction ends Dec. 27.

McLaughlin's scored a major public relations coup for the union when he agreed to speak to the business session of the NIT League, which represents many of the nation's largest importers and exporters.

The PMA declined at the last minute to send a representative to the group's annual meeting.

The tentative framework for introducing technology on the waterfront announced two weeks ago has been the high point in bitter contract negotiations that began May 13. McLaughlin said since the talks began the ILWU presented a basic contract proposal dealing with wages, pensions and medical benefits. All demands that would revolutionize the waterfront workplace were made by employers, he said.

By agreeing to a "free flow of information" at marine terminals, the ILWU opened the door to a successful conclusion to the negotiations, he said.

The main issue remaining in the talks is the union's demand for significantly increased pensions. McLaughlin said the ILWU's pension demands would allow its members to retire "with dignity." Although federal mediators have imposed a media blackout during the contract talks, sources said that the PMA has proposed a pension scheme of $150 per month per year of service for dockworkers, or about $63,000 per year for a longshoremen with 35 years on the job. Pensions currently total about $95 per month. Sources said the ILWU is demanding more than the PMA's offer.

By Bill Mongelluzzo