PRESIDENT Barrack Obama has been urged by the heads of the two largest US ports to pressure on the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) to end the contract impasse that is crippling west coast ports and threatening the nation's economy.
Chief executive of the port of Long Beach, Jon Slangerup, told a dinner meeting that "enough is enough" and that "these guys have to get back to work".
Executive director of the port of Los Angeles, Gene Seroka, said that the mayors of Los Angeles and Long Beach are in constant contact with the White House and are demanding federal pressure to achieve quick results.
A White House spokesman said in mid-November that the US president was confident the two sides could reach a deal. The ILWU and PMA would both have to request a federal mediator to get the process going, but the president could pressure them to seek one.
The ILWU's members are working, but very slowly. The PMA said that beginning in late October, workers in Seattle and Tacoma reduced crane productivity from 28 container moves per crane per hour to less than 20, the reports Newark's Journal of Commerce.
The Marine Exchange of southern California issues daily reports showing containerships at anchor in Los Angeles-Long Beach range from four or five to more than 10, depending upon the day of the week.
The PMA said the ILWU is filling only 50 per cent of the work orders for skilled equipment operators needed for yard work.
The ILWU and PMA began contract negotiations in May. The ILWU has been working without a contract since July 1, and with no contract there is no grievance machinery in place. That means employers are helpless in preventing work slowdowns.
The one development that needs no explanation is the increasingly bitter public exchanges that have taken place between the PMA and ILWU since October.
"It has gotten worse," Mr Slangerup said. The stalemate should send a clear signal to the White House that it is time for action. "The President has to act. It is long overdue," he said.
Mr Seroka said the ILWU-PMA contract impasse has created an environment of inertia that is preventing all of the port stakeholders, including shipping lines, terminal operators and labour from addressing the pressing operational issues that are contributing to the congestion.
These conditions have clearly resulted in a loss of cargo in what should have been a banner year at the ports. Mr Seroka noted that Los Angeles' volumes are up 7.5 per cent even with all of the problems. "Where would we have been without this?" he said
WORLD SHIPPING
10 December 2014 - 21:43
LA, Long Beach urge Obama to break west coast dock impasse
PRESIDENT Barrack Obama has been urged by the heads of the two largest US ports to pressure on the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) to end the contract impasse that is crippling west coast ports and threatening the nation's economy.
WORLD SHIPPING
10 December 2014 - 21:43
LA, Long Beach urge Obama to break west coast dock impasse
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