California Ports Continue Affected by Clerical Workers Picketing

APM Terminals' Pier 400 in Los Angeles remained shut-down due to the picketing by Office Clerical Unit Local 63, which was being honored by members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, APM said Thursday morning (here). And there were reports that the picketing was spreading to other terminals, and even to the Port of Long Beach.

The 800-person OCU unit has been working without a contract since June 30, 2010, and refused to honor an arbitrator’s decision that they should return to work, APM said: "We continue to address this issue through the PMA/ILWU grievance process."

The OCU said it reached a contract bargaining impasse with various employers in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The ILWU said it would respect the picket lines, pending processing by the grievance machinery. The union also is protesting what it says is the continued outsourcing of clerical jobs by major terminal operators and shipping companies.

Meanwhile, the president of the International Longshoremen's Association condemned employers at the Port of Los Angeles who he said reportedly bugged the phones of members of the ILWU (here). "We are outraged to hear of this possible breach of union members privacy," said ILA President Harold Daggett.