Posted on 07/16/2007 3:50:54 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot
LOS ANGELES - Negotiators for a clerical union and some of the world's largest shipping lines and terminal operators worked past a strike deadline Monday to try to reach a contract deal and avert a shutdown of the nation's largest port complex.
The union's deadline had been 12:01 a.m. Monday, but negotiations continued. Workers remained on the job Monday morning and there was no disruption of port operations.
John Fageaux Jr., president of the office clerical unit of Local 63, a division of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said the 750 clerks would strike if talks with employers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach collapsed.
"We're in the process of presenting our last, best and final offer," he said. It could take several hours for the employers to review the offer after it is submitted.
Steve Berry, lead negotiator for the 14 marine terminal operators and other firms who employ the office clerks, wouldn't predict a timetable.
"We're working hard. We just keep going," he said.
The 15,000-member ILWU has indicated that longshoremen would honor picket lines if the clerks strike. That would effectively shut down loading and unloading operations at the neighboring ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The port complex accounts for 40 percent of all the cargo container traffic coming into the United States.
A work stoppage could create ripple effects throughout many industries that depend on timely movement of cargo. It also would come as the ports enter their busy pre-holiday season, when shippers depend on the facilities to handle imports.
The clerks work at marine terminals and handle bookings for the export of cargo and other transport documents.
Under their most recent contract, full-time, port clerical workers earned about $37.50 an hour, or $78,000 a year. They also receive a pension, health care benefits free of premiums, and 20 paid holidays a year.
Berry said Monday that employers' latest offer included raises that over the life of a three-year contract would bump the employees' hourly pay to $39.50; the union is seeking increases that would equal $53 per hour by the last year of the contract.
In 2002, longshore workers across the West Coast were locked out for 10 days over a contract dispute. The shutdown cost the nation's economy an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion a day.
___
Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed to this report.
If you can't afford it now, you better come up with another plan because tuition is out pacing your income at a faster rate than ever. Keep spreading the wealth, even though they hate us I'm sure they do appreciate your support.
If we listen to you and raise prices, I'll be able to save less, not more.
because tuition is out pacing your income at a faster rate than ever.
Well, let's crush the economy, that'll help my income rise.
You have any other good ideas? LOL!
And if we continue on this path more will be worth less.
Raise prices now so we don’t have to raise prices later? Is that your “point”? Are cheaper goods somehow inflationary? That’s funny!
Hmmm.... My cost of living continues to rise, does that fit your definition of inflation?
Sure. Now will raising some prices more reduce your cost of living?
As a wise individual once said (yesterday), "Markets always tend to correct themselves."Or something along those lines.
Took you long enough.
while imports decrease gradually
How high do you want to raise the tariff on imports?
At the same time their will be pressures on employment creating healthy competition between employers and skilled workers.
How many new jobs will be created by these higher tariffs? Where will we find additional workers? You know that 4.5% unemployment means there isn't a lot of slack.
Wages and benefits will rise
How much? How do you know?
I’ll let you fill in the blanks.....
Here's a question for you, if imports of a certain product have their prices raised by 30% or whatever number you fantasize about, will the domestic manufacturer raise his prices also?
I guess you don't mind widespread inflation?
I could be mistaken, but I believe there are lots of Angelinos, willing to do the Jobs these Americans won’t do.
For a ton less money.
Great, how long do we have to suffer these economy wide higher prices before we get this new investment? And what good is foreign investment in America anyway? It's all owned by foreigners.
Ummmm, why don't you think about my question? And bring some facts to the thread, anecdotes get old fast.
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