US ports labour contract not a done deal

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The tentative labour deal reached between The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) may be in jeopardy with reports of the union having to fend off efforts by militant members to jettison the deal

Shaky ground: The tentative labour agreement at US west coast ports still has to approved by the full force of the ILWU

JOC reported that the group, called the Transport Workers Solidarity Committee, has been rallying outside the ILWU headquarters in opposition to the tentative five-year labour agreement which was reached with assistance from US government officials in February.

Apparently, the Committee has accused the union of flouting the fight for democratic principles in its Ten Guiding Principles using “top-down controls control to direct longshore workers to cross picket lines and keep contract negotiations secret.”

Its main worry is that the tentative agreement is similar to the contracts negotiated by the ILWU and grain terminals in the Pacific Northwest back in 2012. They made it virtually impossible for the ILWU to engage in work slowdowns.

The ILWU refused to comment on the issue further, but Craig Merrilees, communications director, told Port Strategy that the tentative agreement reached on 20 February had the unanimous support of all union negotiating committee members.

He said: “We are a democratic union with a long history of rank and file so the negotiating committee members each have the overall say of their union. The contract is one of the most important decisions a union can make and in this union it’s made democratically through a process that provides a strong voice for all members.”

The next step is for the tentative agreement to be reviewed by 90 delegates of the Coast Longshore Caucus who meet for a week beginning on 30 March. If the Caucus votes to recommend the tentative agreement for consideration by the full membership, copies of the agreement will be mailed to all members, who will then have an opportunity to discuss the proposal with co-workers at local union meeting, before participating in a secret ballot election.

It’s likely a final decision will be made in April.