ILWU Blames PMA for Hijacking Talks, Threatening Commercial Flow

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union put the blame for the West Coast labor impasse squarely on its counterpart in the crisis, the Pacific Maritime Association, on Feb. 12, hours after PMA shut down work at the ports for that day, as well as Feb. 14-16. PMA, an association of employer companies at the ports, is sabotaging the talks in order to "gain leverage," said an ILWU statement. The association cut ILWU work for those days in protest over paying premium rates for slowdowns and "diminished productivity" (here).

Meanwhile, the ILWU continues to try to negotiate the terms of a new contract, but PMA negotiators canceled a Feb. 12 meeting between the two sides, said the ILWU statement. “They are not just hurting workers, families and communities," said ILWU President Robert McEllrath, "what our employers are doing is bad for the industry and the US economy.”

The union refused a PMA contract proposal before the port operators shut down work on Feb. 7-8, PMA said (see 1502080001). PMA says its offer is 14 percent above the average $147,000 per year that full-time ILWU employees currently make, on top of strong benefits. An ILWU spokesman said that salary figure is wrong. The PMA offer gives ILWU contracts for truck chassis maintenance and repair truck chassis, the port operators said in multiple statements.

Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the ILWU statement.