MEMBERS of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) shut down a container terminal in Oakland after management sent dockers home when not enough were supplied by the union to make gang sizes fit for work.
Such obstacles were erected by the ILWU in Tacoma and Seattle to pressure management to conclude labour contract in the dockers favour, but nothing like this had yet come to California ports.
The ILWU responded by saying SSA Marine Terminal in Oakland, across from San Francisco, did not follow correct procedures, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce.
Increasingly tense talks between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have fueled labour disruptions, which have contributed to port congestion along the US west coast for weeks.
Congestion is also caused by the peak season, the arrival of mega ships dumping masses of cargo all at once, the lack of a available truck trailers to take it away, a lack of drivers who now have federally mandated to have rest periods that prevent them working when work is to be done.
All this leaves ships riding at anchor outside major ports waiting for berths and trucks and trains waiting for cargo to be unearthed from under stacks on containers in vast yards just as management and labour are in saber rattling mode, edging towards a strike or lockout.
ILWU-PMA talks began in May and dockers have been working without a contract since July. With no contract in place, grievance procedures are suspended, and with that, no recourse to services of a local arbitrator.
So much for the macro level. On the micro level, consider the plight of apparel importer Shook Kumar waiting in Los Angeles for six to eight containers of sweaters and jackets to stock his local VIP Fashion stores.
But the ships he is waiting for have been diverted to other ports because there is no space for them to dock at the Long Beach or Los Angeles, reports California Apparel News.
It will be several days before they return to the Los Angeles area and then several days or weeks to unload. In addition, Mr Kumar has another container still sitting in Hong Kong that won't arrive until after Christmas.
And he now faces a congestion charge of US$1,000 per FEU on top of a $125-a-day demurrage fee for cargo sitting on the docks awaiting pickup.
"We are getting screwed left and right," said Mr Kumar, adding that by his estimate the experience will cost him "at least $1 million" in lost orders and sales during this critical holiday season.
"This is so stressful," he said.
Thursday's walkout of truck drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach compounds the problem for inland workers in the logistics sector, reports The Associated Press.
"It's really hitting everybody," said BJ Patterson, CEO of Pacific Mountain Logistics LLC and chairman of the Inland Empire Logistics Council. "We're seeing it as customers are struggling to get product to retailers. It's been quite the mess."
After threatening a strike last week, dozens of demonstrators set up outside eight of the twin ports' 15 terminals. Quite apart from long waits for which they are not compensated, being paid per trip, they want to be recognised as employees and not as "independent contractors".
That independent status is conferred on them because they are compelled to rent their trucks from trucking companies and bear the expenses of their upkeep.
PORTS
15 November 2014 - 08:19
Dockers shut Oakland box shop, crisis sparks congestion fees, demurrage
MEMBERS of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) shut down a container terminal in Oakland after management sent dockers home when not enough were supplied by the union to make gang sizes fit for work.
PORTS
15 November 2014 - 08:19
Dockers shut Oakland box shop, crisis sparks congestion fees, demurrage
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