As unions representing more than 22,000 West Coast dockworkers begin contract negotiations, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition raised concerns the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers hang in the balance.
“In the current environment, there is no such thing as a ‘minor’ disruption. Any disruption will have a debilitating impact on all exports and imports, none more than agriculture exports,” the Agriculture Transportation Coalition reportedly stated.
The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) kicked off a first round of talks on Tuesday, May 10, in San Francisco. The collective bargaining agreement for the ILWU is set to expire on July 1. Failure to reach a deal could impact 29 West Coast ports, including the country’s two largest — the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach.
Union negotiators and management have something of a rocky track record. In 2002, Maritime Association workers were reportedly locked out of ports spanning from San Diego to Seattle for 10 days. In 2014-2015, discussions became bogged down, and so did work at West Coast ports.
“We ask that labor and employers not forget what’s at stake for the ag exporters (and importers) who depend upon the West Coast gateways,” an Agriculture Transportation Coalition statement urges. “In addition to financial injury, the human toll on those who attempt to keep their ag products moving is heartbreaking.”
Following the 2014-2015 slowdowns, Coalition leaders reportedly sat down with union officials. The fruitful discussions articulated the fact farming families and ranchers rely on trucks to deliver goods and materials to ports, and union workers to ensure they get loaded on ships. Any further breakdown in the current supply chain could devastate ailing agricultural outfits.
“Any disruption would be debilitating to the U.S. economy. We and the ILWU need to stay at the table and bargain, without any impacts on West Coast marine terminals,” PMA President Jim McKenna reportedly said.
One of the potential stumbling blocks of the current contract renewal talks involves automation. PMA president McKenna appears open arms to increased automation, saying it expands “work opportunities.” Officials at the ILWU are not on the same page.
“The bottom line is that automation has killed jobs at the ports. The shipping companies have masked job losses at the automated terminals by diverting cargo from other terminals. But the result is the same. There are fewer boots on the ground and fewer American workers receiving a paycheck,” ILWU Coast Committeeman Frank Ponce De Leon reportedly said.
It appears the Agriculture Transportation Coalition has a reason for concern as union leaders stake out their positions early in the process. Another worry involves reports that California’s largest ports have yet to cure the bottlenecks that made national headlines. Recent reports indicate as many as 35 cargo ships experience docking and offloading delays and are told to idle 150 miles offshore in what appears to be an effort to avoid attracting attention.
Truckers aligned with the Agriculture Transportation Coalition would likely pivot to hauling other loads if union workers went on strike. But the families of working farms and ranches could suffer immeasurable.
Sources: cbsnews.com, star-telegram.com, ajot.com
Don’t waste your breath. The ILWU has a decades-long track record of only worrying about themselves. They steal mechanics from the Machinist Union and totally ignore the sorry bastards hauling containers. Why would they care about farmers?
I get a kick that they gave up driving jobs (it’s in their contract) and agreed to automation (it’s in their contract) but choose to cry about it to placate their members and try to point the finger away from their own incompetence.
More like a chamber of commerce than a union. Harry Bridges is rolling over in his grave.