West Coast Ports Still Running In Spite of Teamsters
Though both sides have agreed to keep negotiating with no strike, the Teamsters union (in the long drawn out effort to organize port truckers) is trying to take advantage of this critical time in contract negotiations with the PMA & ILWU to set up pickets against three drayage companies operating at the two ports of Los Angeles & Long Beach.
The cleverly timed action by the Teamsters has added a new component to this labor situation that has been free of disruption during the negotiations. Though some planned for disruptions, it was not anticipated that an action by another union like the Teamsters might be the trigger.
From JOC;
Without a contract with the PMA, ILWU workers have no grievance procedure through which an arbitrator could determine whether the Teamsters’ picket is legitimate and should be honored, or whether a picket line constitutes a health and safety risk to the longshoremen. Thus if the longshoremen at Los Angeles or Long Beach refuse to cross a picket line, they will not get paid. Furthermore, without grievance machinery available, terminals affected by an ILWU refusal to cross the Teamsters’ pickets cannot seek relief.
The threat by the Teamsters union to launch a strike today at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach did not happen as truck drivers are passing out informational flyers in the harbor. They are not setting up picket lines. As a result, ILWU members were able to work and did not have to consider whether to honor picket lines.
Read JOC
To keep abreast of the latest information regarding the potential dock strike or related news keep checking here and:
Leave a Reply