US government backs ICTSI Oregon

ICTSI Oregon said that the ruling by The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has brought it one step closer to normalising its activities and encouraging shipping companies to return to service the local economy.

ILWU Local 8 and ILWU Local 40 have been ordered to cease and desist from a variety of activities at the terminal that violate federal labour laws including engaging in slowdowns and work stoppages, and using threats and coercion to disrupt operations.

Elvis Ganda, CEO of ICTSI Oregon, said: “We are gratified by the NLRB’s ruling, which rejected all of the ILWU’s legal arguments. Hopefully, this decision will bring us one step closer to ending the ILWU’s orchestrated and illegal campaign to undermine the success of Terminal 6 and to convincing the shipping companies to return to the Port of Portland.”

He added that a fully functioning, productive Terminal 6 is critical to the regional economy and benefits local businesses, importers, exporters, and workers across various industries—including rank-and-file ILWU longshoremen who have suffered a substantial loss of work as a result of the union’s actions.

ILWU labour action back in April (www.portstrategy.com/news101/world/americas/ictsi-oregon-speaks-out-over-terminal-6-carrier-losses) resulted in the carrier losses of Hanjin and Hapag-Lloyd which adversely affected the terminal.

The troubles have been going on for more than three years. In 2012 ILWU leaders apparently tried to grab work involving the handling of refrigerated containers from port electricians represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers who had performed the work since 1974.

It was hoped that the new five-year contract agreement (www.portstrategy.com/news101/world/americas/ictsi-pleas-for-union-punishment-to-stop) reached by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the ILWU, would help the situation, but ICTSI Oregon warned at the time that the situation at Portland was much more complicated.