Ship to be unloaded after labor dispute settled

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/31/state/n070509S77.DTL

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A ship carrying steel parts for the Bay Bridge will finally be unloaded after a union labor dispute was settled.

The Chinese ship that had pulled into port Friday had sat idle after longshore workers said they had an exclusive right to unload ships in Oakland.

State transportation officials, the contractor for the Bay Bridge project and longshore workers reached a deal Tuesday evening on how to get the steel parts off the ship.

As part of the compromise agreement, longshore workers will untie and release the ship from the pier.

Iron workers and operating engineers will then use cranes to unload the steel while the ship is anchored in the bay.