Bulletin #02-15
1-13-2015
Brothers& Sisters:
Today’s bulletin includes the Union’s correspondence with PMA and an International Press Release condemning the unilateral actions of PMA with regard to eliminating all vessel gangs on the nightside. PMA is using a strategy to divide and conquer, rather than fair and ethical collective bargaining.
This singular tactic of PMA should be viewed for what it is…a deceptive ploy to strike fear in union workers.
We will stand united and persevere.
Sent Via Email & U.S. Mail
January 12, 2015
Chad Lindsay, Vice President
Steve Fresenius, Director, Contract Administration & Arbitration
Ron Merical, Area Manager
Pacific Maritime Association
300 Oceangate, 12th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90801
Dear Gentlemen:
On December 31, 2014, we wrote to you requesting a meeting because we had been informed that the Pacific Maritime Association (“PMA”) had made the decision to reduce the vessel gangs down from three to one on the night side. As we expressed to you in our letter dated December 31, 2014 and in our meeting with you on January 2, 2015, this elimination of manning on the night side will only exacerbate the current Port congestion. During our January 2, 2015 meeting, you stated that part of PMA’s justification for reducing the number of gangs ordered per vessel was to reallocate labor to the dockside in order to clear out the congested terminals. Yet, since January 2, 2015 there has been no increase in orders for dockside labor.
Now we have learned that PMA is going to completely eliminate all vessel gangs on the night side. This decision to completely eliminate manning, coming 10 days after the initial decision to reduce the gangs down to one per vessel, cannot be justified. There is no evidence that there has been any effort to reallocate labor to clearing out the yard. We ask you to reconsider this unilateral action. It is not a sound management decision and will inflict direct damage on the industry and retailers large and small. In the interim, ILWU Locals 13, 63 and 94 will continue to fill any orders for night side vessel gangs that it receives.
Sincerely,
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACTS: Craig Merrilees, 510-774-5325 or
January 12, 2015 Jennifer Sargent, 503-703-2933
PMA OFFICIALS ADMIT TODAY THAT WEST COAST
CONGESTION CRISIS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY MANAGERIAL
MISTAKES AND NOT PRIMARILY DUE TO DOCKWORKERS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – In contract negotiations this afternoon, officials from the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) told a federal mediator and longshore negotiators that West Coast ports have reached a point where there is little space available for additional import containers arriving on the docks – and no space for export and empty containers returning to the docks.
The PMA made it clear in the negotiating session that they were not blaming union workers for the primary causes of the congestion crisis, explaining that the lack of space for returning empty and export containers was exacerbating the existing chassis shortage – because the export-bound containers are a key source of desperately needed chassis that have become the #1 choke-point, ever since shipping lines recently stopped providing a chassis for each container arriving to West Coast ports.
After explaining how the lack of dock space for containers and shortages of chassis were crippling the ports, the PMA announced an illogical plan to eliminate night-shifts at many ports. In addition to cutting shifts at major container ports, the PMA cutbacks would also apply to bulk and break-bulk operations – for no apparent reason other than as a cynical tactic to generate anxiety among workers.
The union has noted that cancelling night shifts and reducing bulk operations will do nothing to ease the congestion crisis. The PMA appears to be abusing public ports and putting the economy at risk in a self-serving attempt to gain the upper hand at the bargaining table, and create the appearance of a crisis in order to score points with politicians in Washington.
“Longshore workers are ready, willing and able to clear the backlog created by the industry’s poor decisions,” said ILWU President Bob McEllrath. “The employer is making nonsensical moves like cutting back on shifts at a critical time, creating gridlock in a cynical attempt to turn public opinion against workers. This creates an incendiary atmosphere during negotiations and does nothing to get us closer to an agreement.”
Fraternally
Bobby Olvera, Jr. Mondo Porras Mark Williams
President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer