Bargaining Update

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JULY 16, 2008

Contract Talks Continue; Progress Being Made

Since the contract expired on July 1, the Negotiating Committee has
continued pushing hard to get a good agreement for ILWU Longshore
Division members.

On July 14, International President Bob McEllrath provided a bargaining
update to more than 100 delegates at the Longshore Caucus who gathered in San Francisco.

“We’re making progress and moving in the right direction, but it’s going to take awhile longer before we have something ready for you,” said McEllrath in a report on behalf of the entire Negotiating Committee.

McEllrath thanked all ILWU members for maintaining discipline and unity, and urged everyone to continue seeking information from union officers and official communications – and to ignore any rumors.

“The key to getting a good contract is to honor the strategy and program developed by our Negotiating Committee,” said McEllrath. “We’re entering the final stage where it’s important to stay disciplined and take direction from the Committee.”

Delegates recessed their Caucus meeting on July 15, but will reconvene when an agreement and “Memorandum of Understanding” have been reached by the Negotiating Committee.

L.A. Coffee Break Shows Unity

ILWU members at the Ports of LA and Long Beach are now taking their breaks together, a longstanding ILWU practice known as “unit breaks”
which are allowed under the contract. This moderate and measured response by workers to the lengthy negotiations is sending a message to the companies: it’s time to reach a fair agreement! Workers at other ports should continue to listen to their local officers and Negotiating Committee representatives.

Tacoma Sends a Message

Local 23, like other ILWU locals, is now working with PMA to reach agreement on local issues at their port, by negotiating a “Local Supplemental Agreement.”

When a local PMA official came to the talks on July 11 unprepared, unable to respond to union proposals, and then walked out of the talks, Local 23 took action after checking with the Negotiating Committee to protest management’s bad faith bargaining. Within hours, management agreed to continue negotiating the local supplement and operations returned to normal.

Wildcats on the Docks?

When contracts expire, some people are tempted to take matters into their own hands. Let’s respect the Negotiating Committee strategy and our elected union officials by discouraging talk about wildcats. We’re stronger when we stick together!

JULY 1, 2008

Pacific Coast Longshore contract expired July 1

Members will continue working at the ports, union negotiators committed to reaching an agreement

West Coast dockworkers will continue loading and unloading cargo to keep ports operating while their union Negotiating Committee continues to meet with company officials on a new longshore and clerks agreement.

The contract covering 26,000 West Coast dockworkers at 29 ports expired Tuesday, July 1st at 5pm and was in effect for six years.

ILWU’s Negotiating Committee will continue working hard to reach a fair and reasonable agreement. Talks have been productive so far, with terms already reached on health care benefits. The union and company representatives continued meeting last night after the contract expired, and resumed talks today.

On July 1, the Daily Breeze published his update:

Dockworker negotiations continuing

A contract is not likely to be signed today between West Coast shippers and the union representing some 26,000 dockworkers, but negotiations are expected to continue running smoothly.

Both sides acknowledged that talks will likely continue past today’s deadline as they try to hammer out a three-year labor pact covering longshore workers, marine clerks and foremen working at 29 ports in California, Oregon and Washington.

“Everyone is continuing to work as hard and as quickly as possible to reach a contract,” said Steve Getzug, a spokesman for the Pacific Maritime Association, a consortium of 72 West Coast shipping companies.

“What’s important here is that the PMA and the union are committed to resolving the outstanding issues at the table,” he said. “We intend to keep the ports open and running smoothly.”

The current six-year contract between the PMA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union expires today.

The contract covers about 20,000 unionized workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. PMA and ILWU officials said they hope to avoid a repeat of the bitter 2002 labor dispute that eventually led to a 10-day lockout and shutdown of the ports that ended only when President Bush intervened.

The ILWU will not call for a strike authorization vote if a deal is not reached today, according to union spokesman Craig Merrilees.

“We intend to look for a peaceful resolution and a contract that is fair to everyone,” Merrilees said.

Negotiations began March 17 and a tentative agreement was reached earlier this month on health-care benefits. Unionized dockworkers currently have full medical coverage and a $1 co-pay for prescriptions. Differences remain on pensions, pay and job security, according to union officials.

About 100 ILWU members are expected to meet July 14 to review the terms of any proposed contract before sending it to the full membership for a final vote.

JUNE 17, 2008

ILWU’s Longshore Negotiating Committee has achieved an important goal by reaching a tentative agreement with PMA that maintains health and welfare benefits in the new Longshore contract which is currently being negotiated.

The announcement came on Tuesday morning, June 17, as the Committee continues to negotiate other important issues.

Details about the health and welfare package will be announced when all of the negotiations are completed and presented to the ILWU Longshore Caucus. The next Caucus is scheduled to meet the week of July 14.

The Committee decided it was important to share this news about maintaining health care benefits with ILWU members.

The Committee is working hard to resolve the remaining issues.

MAY 21, 2008

Negotiations continue the week of May 19 at the ILWU International headquarters in San Francisco. This leaves just five weeks until the contract expires on July 1.

The Safety Committee continues to push for a stronger Safety Code to protect members from deadly accidents that have taken the lives of more than a dozen members who have been killed while working at the docks since 2002.

Maintaining good health and retirement benefits is a top priority for all members of the Longshore Negotiating Committee. We know the industry can afford to maintain the health and retirement benefits that support good jobs for working families in our community.

Don’t listen to Rumors…

All sorts of rumors get started and create distractions during negotiations. Sometimes they come from management; sometimes they don’t. But don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked and misled. Let’s all stay strong and united by sticking with the facts and ignoring any rumors and speculation.

For the latest contract information, keep checking the Contract 2008 web site and talk to your local union officials.

APRIL 21, 2008

Brother Carlos Rivera died April 4 at the Port of Long Beach, another tragedy on our West Coast docks. More than 12 Longshore workers have been killed on the docks during our current 6-year Contract.

By looking at statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, and comparing the Longshore death rate with that of other jobs, we can now confirm that Longshoring is among the most dangerous work in America.

During the past six years, Longshore workers have suffered a fatality rate of 17.3 deaths per 100,000 employees, compared to 16.6 deaths for firefighters and 14.9 deaths for police officers.

Tell us your safety story

Have you had, or witnessed, a workplace injury or near miss? The ILWU might want to interview you for materials we are printing to show the dangers of Longshore work. Please call Craig Merrilees at 415-775-0533 or email your story to safety@ilwu.org.

APRIL 3, 2008

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) issued the following statement on April 3 regarding their negotiations on a new waterfront labor contract:

“Over the past three weeks, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore Warehouse Union (ILWU) have exchanged documents, asked clarifying questions about them and continued formal discussions aimed at reaching a fair and reasonable agreement before the current six-year contract expires on July 1, 2008.”

The current waterfront contract covers 25,000 ILWU-represented longshore workers at 29 west coast ports in California, Oregon and Washington. The PMA represents cargo carriers, terminal operators and stevedores operating on the west coast.

For media inquiries on the post above, please contact Craig Merrilees, ILWU, (415) 775-0533, ext. 113 (o), (510) 774-5325 (c) or Steve Getzug, PMA, (310) 633-9444 (o), (213) 219-8990 (c).

MARCH 19, 2008

Negotiations for the new longshore contract kicked off Monday morning, March 17, in San Francisco. The ILWU negotiating team arrived in force at the headquarters of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), taking their seats at a large conference table across from dozens of employer representatives.

ILWU President Robert McEllrath told employers that the ILWU was looking forward to negotiating a new contract that was fair for workers.

PMA President Jim McKenna said in an earlier press statement that employers would be seeking to “increase efficiency, implement technology and other workplace innovations.”

After preliminary remarks that included agreement on some basic ground rules, McEllrath passed the ILWU’s demands across the table to management. Both sides agreed to meet again the following afternoon, when PMA President McKenna presented management’s proposals to the ILWU negotiating team.

Coast Committeeman Ray Ortiz, Jr. said, “We’re off to a good start with a union team that’s united to win a contract that moves the industry forward with good jobs for working families.”

Both sides agreed to meet as often as their schedules will allow.

Safety Committee: ILWU’s 8-member Safety Committee came to the opening Negotiating session where they made arrangements to begin meeting with PMA officials immediately. The ILWU Safety Committee put together a set of demands designed to improve the Safety Code and reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries.

“We’re making demands that will save lives and protect families from losing their loved-ones,” says ILWU Safety Chair Tim Podue, a Longshore worker from Local 13.

Safety Committee members met several times with management during the first week of negotiations.

When can I read more details about the contract negotiations?

The Negotiating Committee has requested that details about the new contract now being negotiated should remain confidential until they complete their process and have a chance to present their report to the democratically-elected delegates of the Longshore Caucus. One hundred members of the Caucus will then meet in San Francisco to review the proposed agreement and decide if it should be presented to the membership for a vote, and be sent back for further negotiation. No contract goes forward until it is reviewed by the membership and unless it is approved. In the meantime, the Negotiating Committee is releasing general updates from the bargaining table, such as the recent announcement that an agreement had been reached to protect family health care benefits. They continue to outline other important issued that need to be addressed, such as safety and retirement security.