Currently, three global companies, made up entirely of foreign companies, control almost all of ocean freight shipping. My goal is to move the union forward in a militant, progressive manner, he said. A contract between shipping companies and 22,000 West Coast dockworkers expired on Friday, July 1, 2022, but both sides continue to talk and said they want to avoid a strike. Port of Grays Harbor Commission President Tom Quigg. The ILWU represents dockworkers at West Coast ports in the U.S. and Canada, including Los Angeles and Long Beach. Westshore Terminals has changed its management style in the past years, directly affecting our members quality of life, it said. According to Vilsack, agricultural shippers over the past two years have continually dealt with broken export contracts, canceled bookings, inadequate receiving windows, and shortages of empty containers and other equipment. "Everything is gonna stop. Published May 9, 2022 Edwin Lopez Managing Editor Mario Tama via Getty Images It's official: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union will begin its long-anticipated contract negotiations with the Pacific Maritime Association on May 10. These issues, he noted, reduced prices paid to producers, compromised bottom lines for ag companies, and damaged U.S. agricultures standing with global customers. Read more about cookies here. The current contract between the two . This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. March 4, 2022. But when PMA asked for another extension last year, ILWU members declined. Officials said the port inspects rail infrastructure on a regular basis and has been gradually replacing its older rail infrastructure. That ought to be a relief for consumers. Read more about the program and the 41 projects across 22 states here. Feb 28, 2023 7:49 PM by More at the Vancouver Business Journal, For the first time, two cruise ships can now simultaneously use shore power in San Diego rather than running their diesel engines while at berth. SAN PEDRO, Calif.- May 11, 2021 - Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka met with the membership of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Locals 13, 63 and 94 to thank the dockworkers, clerks, and foremen for their unwavering commitment to processing the nation's essential cargo throughout the . Officials at the Port of Seattle-Tacoma told CNBC that last week there was a small number of picketers at Seattle's Terminal 5 protesting the terminal over using the Machinists Union instead of the ILWU to perform "cold ironing", a process where ships can use shore power while docked. . Measured by this standard, we can all appreciate the policys success, and best of all, the fee was never implemented. The contract talks, which start Tuesday, take place in San Francisco on behalf of 22,000 dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports, including the nation's two busiest ports the Port of LA and the Port. Dockworkers should form a rank-and-file committee to challenge and mobilize opposition to the corporatist policies of the ILWU and to campaign for support from workers in other industries. More at The Dispatcher, A conveyor fire at a Port of Vancouver USA grain elevator operated by United Grain Corp. was reported the morning of Oct. 13 and brought under control by emergency responders after more than 90 minutes, The Columbian reported. Say you have a good like grain, for example, and we might have a bad year of crops. The parties remain focused on and committed to reaching an agreement.. budget help, tap here to see other videos from our team, Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account and fewer ads, Get exclusive access to the National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on, Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists, Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists, Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword, Access articles from across Canada with one account, Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments, Get email updates from your favourite authors. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. The letter stressed that the groups are entering their peak season for imports as retailers stockpile goods for the fall holidays and back-to-school items. OAKLAND, Calif. - The Port of Oakland faces looming problems amid labor unrest and a sudden work stoppage Wednesday. Westshore Terminals Investment Corp has a market cap of $1.86 billion. The picket line is beyond a security access area for the GCT Deltaport, which is also located on Roberts Banks. Conversely, to keep dockworkers on the job would also hurt the position of workers in related industries such as trucking, the railroads and warehouses. Last month, Biden signed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act meant to make shipping goods across oceans cheaper and blasted the concentration of corporate shipping in the hands of nine foreign-owned companies. 4 min read . A similar impasse would have severe consequences for trans-Pacific shipments to the USWC and potential knock-on effects for the global container shipping industry. More at World Grain, The Port of San Diego is set to begin its busiest cruise season since 2010, with all sailing at or near full capacity and a 45% increase over last year expected to see a total of around 460,000 passengers, officials said. Matching last years record setting pace, the port has handled over 5.4 million TEUs as of June 2022. Were on the side of America and good jobs over automating away jobs for the sake of foreign profits, he said. The union counters that management improperly awarded work to another union. Its a relief to see it has worked out the way it has, said Nick Hoekendorf, a member of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 32. The rail upgrade is expected to replace 1,975 feet of existing track. The port moved 785,843 twenty-foot equivalent units last month, topping the previous July mark, set last year, by .13%, data released Tuesday by the port showed. We are confident that we will reach a coastwide agreement as we have for nearly 90 years.. "The lockout lasted some 10 days." . . Their current contract expires July 1 and theyve been bargaining since May. This year they delayed efforts at automation by a Port of Long Beach terminal operator, TTI, and before that also opposed efforts by AMP at the Port of Los Angeles. "We've been faithfully working, even through the pandemic, without any stoppage," said Shanklin. 28 June 2022 International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 19 President Herald Ugles (center) speaks with US Secretary of Labor Marty J. Walsh during a tour of the Port of Seattle. Wabtec Corp., one of largest freight and transit rail equipment and services providers, disclosed Friday it was the target of a cyberattack discovered in June The threat actor later posted sensitive data on an online leak site. This fee was conceived as an incentive to ease congestion, keeping imported goods flowing to stores across America, said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. All rights reserved. The Port of Portland, which oversees Oregons only marine container terminal, has received a $24.36 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve port infrastructure. Longshoremen are incensed and their refusal to work without a contract is not illegal. The plans include upgrades to its current facilities at Terminal 2, including the construction of additional storage, and the addition of a new state-of-the-art ship loader at POGHs Terminal 4. These carriers made $190 billion in profit in 2021, seven times higher than the year before, Biden said. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. The pamphlet said that the ILWU Local 502 has worked at Westshore Terminals since the terminal opened in 1970 and in 52 years, the union has never had to strike at Westshore. In a letter to Biden issued hours before the latest contract expired, about 150 trade groups ranging from truckers to agricultural, chemical and toy industries urged the administration to work with both parties to extend the current contract, negotiate in good faith and agree to avoid actions that further disrupt the ports. It added that since the beginning of 2021, Westshore Terminals has increased its dividend three times and issued two special dividends with the total dividends paid in excess of $220.5 million. How a 1934 waterfront strike was a major turning point for West Coast labor By Nadine Jelsing (OPB) July 11, 2022 11 a.m. Eighty-three days during the summer of 1934 will be honored forever. He points to a ship waiting to be unloaded. What do you think dock workers should be fighting for? The Port of San Diegos cruise business is definitely experiencing a rebound and we expect continued growth, Port of San Diego Chairman Dan Malcolm said. ", "The ILWU is working and negotiating, and we've done both successfully for nearly 90 years" said ILWU Coast Committeeman Cameron Williams. Published May 9, 2022 11:48 PM by The Maritime Executive. The ILWU Coast Longshore Division represents 22,000 ILWU workers at 29 ports on the West Coast. And in 2002 Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) employers locked out workers of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU . A Thursday, Oct 27, report from the Marine Exchange of Southern California said a new record low was set with just one container ship "backed up" as of noon that day. From a general perspective, PMA President and CEO Jim McKenna said then, I think the relationship between the two sides is very healthy., The two parties, which have seen their share of contentious negotiations in the past, had overcome obstacles, McKenna said, and that has solidified our ability to work together.. Feb 28, 2023 10:48 PM by The playbook was already established earlier this year in the refineries, when the United Steelworkers blocked a strike by US oil workers and pushed through a contract that was worked out in close collaboration with the Biden Administration. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) The Associated Press. On February 21, as the vessel was transiting several hundred nautical miles off the Brazilian port of Recife, the vessel's second and third engineers were found dead in their cabins. The month of June has already seen port strikes in Germany and Greece, a truckers strike in South Korea, which virtually shut down the countrys ports, as well as the first national railway strike in decades in Britain. A contract between shipping companies and 22,000 West Coast dockworkers expired on Friday, July 1, 2022, but both sides continue to talk and said they want to avoid a strike. MONTI: Those jobs would all be gone. Tags: Associated Press, infectious diseases, inflation, prices, international trade, economy, California, business, health, Coronavirus, lung disease. APM is a part of A.P. The proposed terminal includes heavy-lift wharves supporting large cranes to receive and handle large offshore wind components and construct the worlds largest floating offshore wind turbine systems, the port said. All rights reserved. The PMA also alluded to the fear in the industry that contract negotiations could lead to disruptions for carriers at ports that are already overwhelmed by the surge in imports. U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh remained optimistic about contract negotiations between workers and shipping companies for some of . That diversion of containers to Long Beach, in addition to the continued re-routing of containers to the East Coast, led to the Port of New York to take the No. In March, four U.S. senators, all Republicans, sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concerns about the talks, suggesting that a lingering process could impact costs and the nations supply chain. Even before the current round of backlogs and congestion at the ports, the union had been posturing for a new contract. Containers that used to dwell for eight or more days are now waiting four to five days on average. A similar project to upgrade a different track cost around $358,000 and was approved in May of 2022 after port officials stated that it would improve the railroad's overall . Last week, multiple reports say that several U.S. soybean producer groups are planning to help fund the construction of the terminal that would be used to ship soybean meal exports. In an open letter explaining ILWU . LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The union and employers negotiating a new labor contract for more than 22,000 U.S. West Coast port workers said high-stakes talks that are being closely watched by industry . The workers prevailed, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has been a powerful force on the docks ever since. The long-anticipated labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and their employers represented by the Pacific Maritime . They're Here Here We Go Again We have entered into the final year of the current ILWU/PMA master contract, which will expire July 1st, 2022. The port said that having two shore power outlets at the cruise ship terminals will result in at least a 90 percent overall reduction of harmful pollutants(while the ships are docked) such as Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In 1934, they embarked on an 83-day strike that plunged San Francisco into a state of anarchy and crippled the regional economy. Westshore is described as the largest coal export terminal on the west coast of North America, taking coal from B.C., Alberta, as well as the Powder River Basin and Montana. In fact, in a joint statement with the PMA released two weeks ago, the ILWU declared that it had no intention of even preparing for a strike.While the ILWU and PMA are unlikely to reach a deal before the July 1 expiration of the current agreement, the statement says, [n]either party is preparing for a strike or a lockout, contrary to speculation in news reports.. The Jim Pattison Group owns more than 40% of WTIC shares. Cordero said he hadn't seen any work slowdowns at the port and was optimistic that the current negotiations would end with a fairly quick resolution. Meanwhile, the ILWU claims that SSA Marine, a member of the Pacific Maritime Association, "circumvented the assignment of work" by having the National Labor Relations Board get involved and award the cold ironing jobs to another union, work that should have gone to their members according to contract terms. Hear the full broadcast at NPR, In March it was announced that Ag Processing Inc (AGP) had approved a major expansion and upgrade of its export facilities in Aberdeen, Washington. The ILWA declined the PWAs recent proposal for the one-year extension citing the important role of collective bargaining to maintain the attractiveness of the profession. That $400-million increase represents just over a. In 1971, a 134-day strike paralyzed West Coast ports. An official said the change was made so longshoremen could celebrate the Juneteenth holiday, which is June 19, a . Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, will reportedly be used to strengthen and upgrade pavement used for cargo storage at Terminal 6, located near Kelley Point. The port has now set records in six of the last seven months. West Coast longshore, employer contract talks, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), West Coast longshore, employer contract talks hit a snag, impacting LA, Long Beach ports, San Pedros Fish Market on fast track for long-term temporary West Harbor spot, Port of LA oil terminal project will get full environmental review. The ports net income totaled $10.1 million for the quarter, continuing a positive trend in the last few years that has seen revenues beat expectations. Norfolk Southern finds success with new ideas for supply chain bottlenecks, has been accused of using slowdown tactics, using the UP to Norfolk Southern rail route, How small, diverse, and female-led e-commerce businesses are finding warehouse space, Saltbox CEO Tyler Scriven on the massive, untapped small business logistics market, UN urged to help foreign seafarers, ships stranded in Ukraine since start of war. Profits, he said across 22 states here in 2021, seven times than! Management style in the U.S. and Canada, including Los Angeles and Long Beach about the program and International... All appreciate the policys success, and we might have a bad year of crops some of '' said.... For some of protect itself from online attacks a militant, progressive manner, said... The current round of backlogs and congestion at the ports, the union had been posturing for a contract... Replacing its older rail infrastructure on a regular basis and has been a powerful force on the West ports. 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