NW longshoremen work despite unpopular contract

December 27, 2012 @ 3:57 pm

Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Longshoremen at grain terminals in Portland and Vancouver, Wash., went to work Thursday under the contract terms they soundly rejected last weekend.

The terminal owners implemented the terms of their "last, best and final" offer at 6 a.m. after declaring talks to be at an impasse.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union could have called for a strike. Instead, the employees showed up for work as the union decides its next move. Options other than a strike include accepting management's offer, filing an unfair labor charge or working under the terms while seeking further talks.

An ILWU spokesman, Jennifer Sargent, declined to discuss union strategy.

The last contract expired Sept. 30, and a disagreement over workplace rules has been the obstacle to a new deal. The pro-management terms implemented Thursday eliminate some employee perks and grievance procedures while giving employers more discretion in hiring and staffing decisions. Management, for example, can expand shifts to 12 hours, if needed, and use elevator employees to help load ships.

More than a quarter of all U.S. grain exports move through nine grain terminals on the Willamette River and Puget Sound. The dispute initially involved six of those terminals that operate under a single collective bargaining agreement with the ILWU: Columbia Grain, based in Portland; United Grain, based in Vancouver; Louis Dreyfus Commodities, which has grain elevators in Portland and Seattle; and Temco, which has elevators in Portland and Tacoma, Wash.

Longshore workers at Columbia Grain and United Grain, both Japanese-owned, arrived for work Thursday, and officials from both ports said there were no slowdowns or workplace disruptions.

"Everything seems to be working just fine," said Theresa Wagner, a Port of Vancouver spokeswoman.

The issue was moot for longshoremen at LD Commodities. The company's terminal in Portland, which handles wheat, is not operating this week because of construction to upgrade its elevator near the Steel Bridge. Its Seattle terminal, which handles corn and soybeans, has been idle for months.

The terms under which Temco employees are working remained a mystery Thursday. The U.S.-owned firm broke away from the alliance earlier this month and it's believed to be negotiating separately with the union.

Farmers from as far away as the Midwest have been keeping abreast of the situation. Besides the labor dispute in the Northwest, they must contend with low-water levels on the Mississippi River, which could impede barge transportation.

"We like to pride ourselves as being the lowest-cost provider, and that's predominantly due to our transportation superiority compared to South America," said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Iowa-based Soy Transportation Coalition.

Steenhoek said 78 percent of U.S. soybean exports go down the Mississippi and the rest go through the Pacific Northwest. The harvest season runs inversely to South America so these are the important months for growers and their customers in Asia.

"We're the lowest cost and the most reliable," Steenhoek said. "That's a reputation that's been hard-earned and we don't want to see that challenged."


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (16)


  • Add A Comment

  • jstumbo wrote...
    Work rules...?
    November 26, 2012 4:47 pm
    So probably the owners want to make changes to make things more efficient, and the union wants things to maximize jobs and pay.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    jstuwhatever
    November 26, 2012 7:37 pm
    Never been in a union? Thought not. Enjoy your minimum wage.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jhereg wrote...
    Longwayhome...
    November 26, 2012 11:48 pm
    You think the only way to earn a decent wage is to be in a union? Not real smart are you. You might not make it on your own without a union protecting you. In the real world skills count for more than seniority. You saw what happened when the garbage guys went on strike. Kind of got their butts handed to them, and a LOT of people let them know they needed to just shut up and enjoy their high wage jobs and get back to work. Real black eye for their union. Hostess just went under because of a union who got too big for their britches. All those union members out of a job now too. Times are tough and you need to just be happy to HAVE a job right now and wait till the economy is recovered more before asking for more money, because as you know from your last strike... There are a LOT of people who would not have an issue crossing the lines to put food on the table.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    Far from minimum wage...
    November 27, 2012 9:41 am
    Nope, never been in a union but have had to deal with many of them. I actually have marketable skills that are in demand that keep me employed, instead needing a union to strong arm the company. Great pay, really great benefits. Used to have to deal with union when I worked at Boeing in IT. When we were investigating a new system that stored all the drawings electronically instead of on big sheets of paper. It would make finding and printing the documents much quicker and would have allowed one worker to do the work that took three at the time. Response from the union was that they would not allow the system to be implemented because it would cause the loss of union labor. My manager made the off the cuff comment to them that Boeing would still be making biplanes if it was up to the union because it would take more workers to build two wings instead of just one. A couple of days later he received a complaint lodged against him for harassing the union members for his comment.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    Then dont
    November 26, 2012 8:44 pm
    In a economic downturn, you should stop protesting a proposed NBA venue, and instruct your union leaders to strike a deal. We are thankful for what you do, but you should be glad to be working!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dexterjibs wrote...
    As a member of the ILWU
    November 26, 2012 9:46 pm
    we really get paid alot with great benefits. The tail wags the dog in the Ports across this country. Longshore get paid a ton of money for what we do. A strike is not justified.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    I'm a Teamster
    November 28, 2012 7:29 pm
    And have lost work because my employer outsources work to "minority" contractors who aren't really minorities. The owner of the "minority" company has a million $ plus home, a Grand Banks Yacht and his brother owns KLB construction who gives him all the minority work he can handle. Is this fair? Check out the lawsuit against Grady construction. KING 5 news had a big deal on this lately, I hope it doesn't end up with the rich guy winning again.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CupofJoe wrote...
    I hope it does go in favor of the "rich guy"
    December 9, 2012 1:44 am
    right now the unions are acting like a rotten bunch of spoiled bullies disrupting an already fragile economy with their tantrums. Are you good at your job? Do you enjoy your work? Do you get paid well? If you can answer two out of three, then shut up! Now if your overlords are taking a disproportionate amount of your take home bread via union dues, then maybe some in-house negotiations are in order...For Pete's sake, one should aspire to be rich/successful..sheesh!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    1974, I earned 12.75 per hour
    November 29, 2012 6:00 pm
    Paid medical, one week paid vacation, paid pension as a cook. Today, 10 bucks max per hour and that's it for part time offered hours. Nope, I don't speak Mexican.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    Sounds like we were co-workers...
    December 26, 2012 7:17 pm
    ...back then. The difference is I got out of food service because 12.75 was nearly the top of the scale. Food service is great- I really do want people to work in that industry. I also want the same people to mature and realize there are few opportunities for a living wage job in that industry. If you want to be a cook for 40 years, be my guest. Just don't blame anyone but yourself for staying in a low-wage job.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SnakeBite wrote...
    Unions
    November 29, 2012 6:16 pm
    Labor Unions are pure evil. They were fine in the 1850's during the Industrial Revolution, but have out-lived their usefulness. Just look at the Boeing Machinists. Boeing has to be one of the finest companies on the planet yet they can do nothing to please the Machinists. Nothing. The Machinists live to strike. It amazes me how they want to damage a company that gives them so much, including fine pay, retirement, bonuses, medical and on and on and on. Just look at the negotiator for Boeing's SPEEA union. If I recall correctly he flat-out said they have a way to shut Boeing down right quick, if they so choose. What!!?? How can these people even start to think like that, let alone adopt such a militant, destructive and self-serving attitude. If Boeing isn't thinking about building their marvelous aircraft and shipping jobs overseas maybe they ought to. Can anybody say: "Hostess"???
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • murr wrote...
    As the payoff is in the works
    December 7, 2012 2:46 pm
    Behind closed doors.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    has anyone tried interviewing fyou csucker about this?
    December 21, 2012 4:47 pm
    or are we trying to avoid getting trespassing?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    All of the union members live comfortably on their pensions . . . .
    December 24, 2012 5:24 pm
    laughing at the nonunion people trying to get by on Social Security that the Republicans are trying to take away. Most nonunion workers are Republicans Munchkins. Recap of the GOP 2012 election http://youtu.be/XOEq-ImGWJ0
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    CH-ud
    December 26, 2012 7:19 pm
    Sounds like you are counting on SS for retirement. God help you if you are under 50. The way things are going with this administration, you will be lucky to get enough to pay the bills, and forget about traveling or vacations. Quit relying on government- you can't count on them- republican or democrat. Also sounds like you don't read much.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }