Port clerical union negotiations continue today
By SwizStick • Jul 18th, 2007 • Category: UncategorizedVia the Daily Breeze:
All sides expressed positive sentiments about prospects for negotiations. John Fageaux Jr., president of Local 63 of the Office Clerical Unit of the International Longshore Warehouse Union, said before the one-day postponement that “We’re as close as we have been. We’re hopeful that on Wednesday, we can get this done.”
Longshoremen have said they will honor picket lines if clerical workers go on strike, which would effectively shut down the nation’s largest port complex. The neighboring ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle around $275 billion of cargo annually, more than 40 percent of the nation’s waterborne trade.
Under a contract that lapsed on June 30, full-time port clerical workers earn about $37.50 an hour, or $78,000 a year, while receiving a pension, health care benefits and 20 paid holidays a year.
The union is seeking $53 per hour in increases by the last year of the contract, however employers have only offered raises that would bump hourly pay to $39.50 over the life of a three-year contract.
If things go sour, the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach could get shut down if the ILWU keeps their promise of honoring the picket line. Some operators have already diverted some services to other west coast ports, but that’s no guarantee either. The ILWU has honored work slowdowns and stoppages at other ports to show their solidarity with other union workers. This could have an adverse affect on Oakland and other ports along the coast. But hopefully, as indicated by the public comments made by both parties, things can get resolved today with no lingering issues.
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