Ocean cargo: Longshore labor tightens its grip on West Coast port operations

Patrick Burnson, Executive Editor -- Logistics Management, 7/14/2008

SAN FRANCISCO—Contract talks between the The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) appeared to be at standstill today, with both sides mum on what specific issues are being contested.

Meanwhile, reports that a ILWU local “walked off the job” at the Port of Tacoma last Friday may suggest that the two sides are far from an agreement two full weeks after the new contract deadline.

“Since we lease our terminal operations, we only have anecdotal information about the incident,” said Port of Tacoma spokesman, Mike Wasem. “And we stay away from any involvement in those talks.”

But the PMA noted in a statement that the “walk out” occurred at the same time workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continued taking coordinated unit breaks that have affected productivity.

“These unilateral actions by the ILWU are of heightening concern to us, because they are occurring and escalating at a sensitive time during negotiations on a new West Coast waterfront labor agreement,” said the PMA.

Spokesmen added that cargo activity is brought to a temporary halt during these periods.

“Although the time periods are brief, their cumulative impact can be measurable: productivity has fallen at some terminals by 10 percent to 15 percent.”

According to the PMA, unit breaks can be taken only if the employers agree to them.

“That is not the case at these two ports,” said the PMA. “It is also worth noting that this is the kind of action that has been found to be an illegal work stoppage in the past, according to arbitration awards.”

Spokesmen added that because the previous waterfront contract expired July 1, and the union refused to extend it as negotiations progress, there are currently no means to arbitrate this matter.