President Gordienko’s Report on ILWU US Pacific Coast Negotiations

I have just spent a few days with Local 500 Business Agent Rino Voci in San Francisco at the ILWU Longshore Caucus.  As usual our American Brothers and Sisters treated us very well.

The bargaining is going very slowly and they have been dealing with health care issues, but are not finished that yet.  The American system is so different from what we know in Canada that it is hard to understand when they start talking about care providers and options that workers have to select.  One thing that is easy to understand is that the main driver of these conversations is money, who is going to pay and how much.

These talks are advancing and are not any further behind than in past years.  Their Agreement expired July 1 and they are hopeful they will be able to get a deal in the near future.

The one issue that is not being discussed in their bargaining, but is front and centre in everyone’s mind is the Northwest Grain Contract and the two elevators that have locked out the ILWU and continued working with scabs.  The bargaining committee has already taken one break to travel north and will take another trip there next week to attempt to get an Agreement.  Since Washington State has stopped the practice of having police escort the federal grain inspectors across the picket lines in Vancouver Washington they have not been loading any grain, so there is pressure building.

I spoke at the caucus and offered any help we can give.  We already have our program in place for visiting scab loaded ships and talking to the Captains and Crew members, and making sure all our people are aware of the problems down south.  I mentioned that we have visited their picket lines several times and sent some money to help in their campaign.

I also spoke of our message to our own employers about bringing cargo here if there is a strike or lockout in the US.  We have warned them not to bring their labour problems here if they want to retain our good relations here.

A very good trip and we will continue to update you on both issues as we get more information.