EMPLOYERS APPEAL TO DOCKWORKERS IN WEST COAST PORT FIGHT

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

BY JUSTIN PRITCHARD

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Cargo companies have gone straight to West Coast dockworkers with what they call their "last, best and final" offer in a contract crisis that has choked off billions of dollars in international trade.

In a move very likely to upset union leaders who were negotiating behind closed doors under a media blackout, the employers distributed letters with the contract offer to rank-and-file longshoremen at ports from Los Angeles to Washington state.

At a marine terminal in Tacoma, Washington, foremen handed dockworkers the letter from the president of the association that represents companies that own, load and unload massive ships.

It detailed a third, comprehensive contract offer employers made Feb. 12 - more recently than has been publicly disclosed.

FULL story at link.



Loaded container trucks line-up at a gate at the Port of Seattle Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015, in Seattle. Seaports in the U.S. West Coast that were all but shut over the weekend because of a contract dispute are reopening as the nation's top labor official tries to solve a stalemate between dockworkers and their employers that already has disrupted billions of dollars in U.S. international trade. U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez plans to meet Tuesday in San Francisco with negotiators for both the dockworkers' union and the maritime association, which represents shipping lines that carry cargo and port terminal operators that handle it once the ships dock. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PORT_LABOR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[jtuck004]

1. A living man can be enslaved and reduced to the historic condition of an object. But if he dies in

refusing to be enslaved, he reaffirms the existence of another kind of human nature which refuses to be classified as an object.

Camus

[C Moon]

2. +1

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Wonder if this will affect price of beef,pork and chicken...

Since meat exports are so slowed down, maybe the meat companies have a glut.

That's assuming that normal economic rules of supply and demand still apply.

[fredamae]

4. I stand with Unions.

I have enjoyed Many Benefits from their efforts as most other workers have...Especially Before reagan started destroying them......

[christx30]

5. So what happens if the employees

like management's offer, despite what the union is wanting? Can they tell the union to accept it? Can they accept it themselves?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

6. This is a classic managerial tactic

used over the centuries by military strategists. They are attempting to divide, then conquer.
It seems to me when bargaining is occurring going directly to the workforce is illegal. After all the union has elected its own leadership to negotiate with management. This is meant to make the leadership look out of touch and unreasonable. I hope it fails.

[Omaha Steve]

8. Unions are democracy in action

They could vote to take it. I doubt like hell they will.

Meanwhile Perez is pissed I'm sure: With port talks gridlocked, White House move ramps up pressure for a deal: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports-slowdown-20150215-story.html#page=1

[Wellstone ruled]

7. Dumb Asses,

just tripped a NLRB rule in negotiations. Good luck with that one. They just Poed any Federal Mediator with that move. It's called poisoning the well or coming to the table with dirty hands.