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It's my opinion. I thought that the fact that I posted it made it clear it was my opinion. My opinion is based on the fact that after working for private industry, cities, states and the Federal government, the controlling entity usually has some say in who does the hiring. Please post your proof that the controlling company doesn't have any influence over who gets hired.

I, nor anyone else can prove a negative. My position is based on the facts at hand. If those facts change, so will my opinion. But you will not find me siding with Chuckie Schumer on anything. If that guy said the sky was blue, I might have my doubts. Seriously though, I think the people responsible for making this UAE decision have taken the facts into account and made a decision that is more informed than you and I are on the subject.

The labor contracts aren't signed with the Port Operator of a dock.

So , again, you're wrong.

Labor on the East Coast is represented by the ILA. Management is represented by the USMX. That's it.. just those two parties.

Here's an article about the most recent contract.

ILA AND USMX PLEASED WITH NEW SIX-YEAR CONTRACT
The President of the International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO (ILA), John Bowers, and the Chairman/CEO of the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX), James A. Capo, are pleased to announce that they have executed the Memorandum of Settlement for the new six year Master Contract, which was ratified by the ILA membership on June 8. The new contract, which had been previously ratified by the membership of USMX, becomes effective on Oct.1 and expires on Sept.30, 2010.

Mr. Bowers and Mr. Capo both praised the efforts of the labor and management negotiating committees that engaged in bargaining for more than one year before the contract was finally settled in March of 2004.

Both leaders cited the six year term of the agreement and the resultant labor stability as a strong indication of the continuing commitment of the ILA and USMX to the uninterrupted flow of commerce through the ports on the East and Gulf coasts.

While considered by some to be the costliest contract in the history of coastwide bargaining between the parties, the main provisions of the new agreement will help the ILA in dealing with both non-ILA and non-union competition up and down the coast.

The new agreement also provides for increased funding of ILA's national health care program, MILA, without which longshore workers and their families in some ports could have been facing a loss of healthcare benefits.

Mr. Bowers and Mr. Capo both expressed optimism that individual port negotiations on local conditions will be successfully concluded prior to the effective date of the new Master Agreement.