Longshoreman Strike NJ/NY ports

Go on strike=no paycheck
Go on strike=pointless picketing about wages which the 1% doesn't care. They will find immigrants and put them on work visas to replace you.

 

Pretty ignorant stuff in this thread. Yawn.

 

They are already picketing on an existing contract. Wait until negotiations begin and you will really see a mess.

 

The other ports will love you guys!

 

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/surprise_walkout_by_ila_shuts_down_the_nj_and_ny_p.html
Surprise walkout by dockworkers shuts down the N.J., N.Y. ports


Workers walk out of the Maher Terminals in Elizabeth where members of the International Longshoremen's Association walked off the job today. 1/29/16 Elizabeth, NJ (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com


By Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

on January 29, 2016 at 12:54 PM, updated January 29, 2016 at 9:19 PM

UPDATE: Dockworkers expected back at work after arbitrator's ruling

NEWARK—More than 4,000 longshoremen unexpectedly walked off the job this morning, shutting down the port terminals both in New Jersey and New York, causing truck traffic to immediately start backing up throughout Port Newark and Port Elizabeth.

Port officials were taken by surprise by the labor action, and were unsure what precipitated it.

"We do know it's an illegal walk-off," said Phoebe Sorial, general counsel for the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. "We did not hear about it beforehand and we don't know why it's happening."


Port hiring dispute intensifies, even as more hires are authorized

Cheered by hundreds of longshoreman, ILA President Harold Daggett calls for putting the Waterfront Commission "into remission."

The New York Shipping Association, which represents the terminal operators, ocean carriers, and stevedores, was also in the dark.

"I can tell you we don't know why they walked off," said spokeswoman Beverly Fedorko. "It came as a surprise to everyone. We're trying to ascertain just what is going on."

She said the NYSA was not currently negotiating with the International Longshoremen's Association, which has been working under an existing collective bargaining agreement.

Road Salt arrives at Port Newark
Road salt arrived at Port Newark today and began unloading this afternoon. This ship arrived three days before the barge carrying emergency salt from Maine is scheduled to arrive. (Video by Ed Murray/The Star-Ledger)

And even the ILA was uncertain about that sparked the wildcat strike. Union spokesman Jim McNamara said there is some anger by the rank-and-file over what they see as interference by the waterfront commission in their collective bargaining agreement, but added that he was also still looking into the matter.

"They see the commission as a threat to their livelihood, making life miserable for longshoremen," McNamara said. "They have gone way beyond their role of licensing to break down the gains of the ILA."

At the APM Terminal in New Jersey, a large group of dockworkers gathered outside the gates of the shipping company, but none would talk about why they had walked off the job at Port Elizabeth.

Late in the evening, the ILA put out a statement urging its members to return to work.

"We have heard your voices, we have heard your concerns, and we have taken action on your behalf," the union said in a statement. ""We urge all ILA members to return to work and will continue to report to you on the progress we make resolving all concerns of our hard working and dedicated ILA workforce."

The NYSA said it saw the statement, but declined to comment on it.

The port was effectively shot down after Port Authority of New York and New Jersey moved to stop incoming truck traffic, although police reported that local access roads throughout the morning were a standstill, with thousands of trucks idled. Officials said no ships were being unloaded.


Why is truck traffic up? Port handled record number of containers

The Ports of New Jersey and New York are on track to beat 2014's record breaking year for the number of containers handled, but increased truck traffic is the by-product of that success

"As the agency that oversees the largest port complex on the East Coast, we strongly urge the ILA members to return to work immediately and resolve their differences after they return," said the Port Authority in a statement. "In the meantime, Port Authority Police are actively working to ensure public safety for all of the stakeholders at the port."

The busiest port on the eastern seaboard, the combined terminals of New York Harbor at Port Newark, the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal, the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, the Brooklyn-Port Authority Marine Terminal, the Red Hook Container Terminal, and the Port Jersey Port Authority Marine Terminal, handle more than 3.3 million cargo containers a year, moving $200 billion in goods.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

There are thousands upon thousands of unemployed workers who would gladly replace the workers on strike.
Who can blame them, they need the jobs to feed, clothe, and house themselves and their families!

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!