Caucus delegates and longshore leaders: Ninety Longshore Caucus delegates who met in San Francisco on December 15-16 received an update on contract negotiations from ILWU International President Bob McEllrath (top left), Vice-President (Mainland) Ray Familathe (bottom left), Coast Committeeman Ray Ortiz, Jr., (bottom center) and Coast Committeeman Leal Sundet (bottom right).
When the Coast Longshore Caucus recessed last July, most delegates assumed the contract with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) would be put to bed before Christmas. Instead, delegates who gathered in San Francisco on December 15 heard a sobering report from ILWU International President Bob McEllrath.
“We’re now entering our 8th month of talks, which is completely new territory. This is the longest set of negotiations in recent history – at least since 1971, when there was a 134-day strike,” said McEllrath.
“I told our Negotiating Committee when we got started that these negotiations would be much more difficult, and now we can see that’s the case.”
In explaining some of the challenges, McEllrath pointed to industry restructuring schemes and new business models that have triggered massive industry-induced congestion at Pacific Coast ports. These include:
· Outsourcing work on the docks that was previously done by longshore workers, including the management, maintenance and inspection of tens of thousands of container chassis units.
· Creating new companies, twice removed from PMA-member employers, who are receiving subcontracted work that was formerly done by longshore workers.
· Failing to provide sufficient training for current and future dockworkers to improve safety and protect ILWU jurisdiction.
Other factors contributing to massive congestion are increased container volumes, use of new “mega-ships” carrying up to 14,000 containers, shortages of port truckers, tighter railroad capacity and a host of other factors that have caused the crisis due to corporate greed and poor planning.
McEllrath declared that the ILWU would not be intimidated by industry efforts to blame workers and the union for company-caused port congestion problems. He thanked members for remaining strong and united.
“We’re not going to roll-over for the employers,” he said. “We’ve already reached terms on a tentative agreement that will maintain our health benefits – and we’ve made progress on some other important areas – but there’s still a lot more to do before this can be settled in a way that protects our jobs and jurisdiction down the road.”
In addition to reviewing the contract negotiations, other Caucus business included an update from the Longshore Legislative Committee, delivered by Local 52’s Max Vekich along with International Secretary-Treasurer Willie Adams, Local 34’s Sean Farley, Local 19’s Dan McKisson, Local 10’s Adam Mendez, Local 63’s Mike Podue and Local 8’s Jeff Smith.
Area reports were delivered by William “Baba” Haole of Hawaii’s Longshore Division, President Chuck Wendt of the Alaska Longshore Division, and Local 502 President Tim Farrell who represented the ILWU Canada delegation for ILWU Canada President Mark Gordienko who had to return early. Brief updates were provided by Coast Committee officers Ray Ortiz, Jr., Leal Sundet and International Vice- President (Mainland) Ray Familathe.
Ortiz noted that dialogue with employers has become much more difficult in recent years – making it harder to solve problems that arise on the job. Familathe reported about his experience at an industry conference on new technology where company officials spoke openly about their quest to eliminate longshore jobs.
Local 23’s Conrad Spell proposed a resolution supporting the ILWU’s Negotiating Committee, which read:
“The rank-and-file membership of the ILWU and this Caucus unequivocally support the Negotiating Committee and President McEllrath in the pursuit of our contract.”
The statement was unanimously approved by delegates who recessed on December 16, agreeing to reconvene when the Negotiating Committee has reached a tentative agreement that will be subject to a Caucus recommendation and membership vote.