What does the ILWU want?

Appearing ever more desperate, International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) President Robert McEllrath has issued a video pleading with his membership to “remain united and remain strong.”

He also used strong language (a vulgar expletive) to describe the recent information provided by the Pacific Maritime Association on current negotiations.

Addressing his constituents as “brothers and sisters,” McEllrath maintains that the PMA is trying to influence public opinion by distorting the details of ongoing contract negotiations. He fails to counter, however, with any information on what the ILWU expects to achieve. 

Again, here’s what the PMA is saying about its “all-in” offer:

*Ongoing maintenance of their health benefits – which feature no worker premiums, no co-pays and no deductibles for in-network benefits
*Jurisdiction over maintenance and repair of truck chassis
*Generous cost-of-living raises over the course of a five-year contract
Without addressing PMA allegations of “work slowdowns” or the underhanded removal of arbitrators, one still must ask the question:

What does the ILWU want?

There’s some speculation among industry analysts that the union is ultimately demanding a shorter contract so that it can leverage yet more pressure on future negotiations. If that is not true, the ILWU should deny it.

Pandering to his “brothers and sisters” (it was “comrades” in the old days) will not bring any clarity to the issue. Shippers need to know what the union is demanding, and how it will inform their future supply chain decisions.