CALIFORNIA Democratic Congresswoman Janice Hahn is urging the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to investigate the Pacific Maritime Association's "unilateral" curtailing of dockers' night, weekends and holiday work during recent west coast longshore contract negotiations.
The PMA suspended hiring of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) workers for premium-pay shifts in response to what employers said were slowdowns during recently completed contract negotiations.
"I would like to see a full investigation so that in five years from now, when we go back into contract negotiations, we don't have that kind of lockdown of our ports on the west coast," said Ms Hahn, who represents the Los Angeles-Long Beach port area and previously criticised the PMA.
FMC chairman Mario Cordero didn't respond directly to Ms Hahn's demand for an inquiry, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce.
Mr Cordero noted that the FMC has been seeking solutions to port congestion problems, which he said aren't restricted to the west coast or to the United States.
He said causes of congestion include chassis supply, larger ships and carrier alliances that have overwhelmed ports.
Mr Cordero said the commission is continuing to look into congestion-related issues including demurrage charges for late pickup of containers that can't be removed from gridlocked terminals.
Said Ms Hahn: "I really feel like something fishy was going on at our ports with the PMA not allowing the workers to load and unload the cargo, meanwhile charging folks for the storage of the containers on the docks which weren't able to be loaded and unloaded."
PORTS
03 March 2015 - 21:15
Congresswoman seeks probe into employers refusal to hire holiday gangs
CALIFORNIA Democratic Congresswoman Janice Hahn is urging the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to investigate the Pacific Maritime Association's "unilateral" curtailing of dockers' night, weekends and holiday work during recent west coast longshore contract negotiations.
PORTS
03 March 2015 - 21:15
Congresswoman seeks probe into employers refusal to hire holiday gangs
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