PMA went public with their “best offer” this afternoon. They make a pretty good case for their move and want the members to know that there is a good offer on the table, contrary to what they are being told by their negotiators.
The ILWU negotiation team has a leak, or leaks, and they are trying to figure out who it is.
What about Bobby O, who invited the news cameras into the Dispatch Hall and is taking to any press that his new PR guy can get him in front of? No gag order for Bobby?
Last week Bobby was giving his buddy Mayor Garcetti a tour of the docks and shooting his mouth off about a settlement being reached before the SuperBowl.
What about Mike Dimon, who gave an interview with the Daily Breeze? No gag order for him either? Who knows what he said.
Do not forget Local 23 President, Dean mcGrath, who is also giving interviews to TV and newspapers. Another no gag order politician trying to make hay for himself? Who knows what he said.
Last and not least, what about Ray Ortiz and his buddy Peter Friedman back in DC, this guy seems to know everything?
My money is on Bobby O. He is a con man and a politician who is more interested in being the Big Union Boss than dong what is right for his membership.
Can’t wait to hear Bobby’s explanation of how the Greek and Scary Jerry got on the payroll the day they attended Mayor Garcetti’s luncheon.
How about the Union quit worrying about the leaks and do your jobs?
Bobby O Jr. found out today; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Today “the Greek” filed a Trial Committee Charge of Conduct Unbecoming against Bobby O, for bypassing the Dispatch Hall and using his position as Local 13 President to have his buddy at PASHA put both himself and “Scary Jerry” on the payroll as ghost lashers, in return for watching his mother while they all attended a Luncheon at City Hall.
What Bobby O did is way more that a simple dispatch matter, he violated the LMRDA in a big way.
The day after the ILWU Political rally/Union marches in Los Angeles and Tacoma, both sides continue to try and negotiate in the press.
The day of the rally, the JOC printed an article that explained the purpose of the march was to urge the PMA to resolve the jurisdiction over chassis M&R. The article is the first to explore the M&R issue and to explain that the M&R work in dispute is work now done by IAM mechanics under the exception in the PCLCD.
At the rally, and publicly, Local 13 is saying very little about the M&R issue, they seem more interested in making noise about PMA’s decisions to limit vessel work and stop 2nd shift work.
While the ILWU was marching around, for reasons that are not clear or the same in both Ports, PMA was using their media connections to make their case related to the Union’s slowdowns, in another JOC article published on the 23rd.
In Los Angeles, the Union claimed to be marching to get the Employers to hire night shift workers and to capture M&R repair work that is done by the IAM, and the work done by the new NON-PMA chassis leasing companies.
Also on the 23rd, the Union tried to take their case to the public using their media connection an the Press Telegram to have them print an article about Local 13, along with the Clerks and Walking Boss Locals, complaining to the Port about 2 PMA members allegedly being fined for violating PMA’s rules.
The Union said nothing about the M&R work, they simply denied the Employers claims without providing any explanation, and accused PMA of refusing to order, to pressure the dockworkers.
The more information that becomes public, the harder it is to understand why the ILWU is refusing to present the PMA’s offer to their Caucus, and exactly what the problem is.
Maybe if the Union spent less time talking to people who have nothing to do with the negotiations, and more time doing their jobs, they could git er done.
Last night the ILWU Community Support March started out in typical longshore fashion, when Local 13 President Bobby Olvera Jr., with his son at his side, kicked it off by waving his middle finger in the air and shouting FUCK PMA.
Great example for his son, and perfect behavior for those that think longshoremen are a bunch of over paid thugs.
Most of the estimated 5,000 who showed up are good people who believe in their Union, however, as usual a couple of bad actors, this time International Vice-President Ray Familethe and his party, including Coast Committeeman Ray Ortiz and past Local 13 Secretary/Treasurer Frank Ponce de Leon, got into an argument with the owners of the Acapulco Restaurant who refused to post the ILWU Support poster, and decided to leave without paying their $500 bill.
Police were called, but Bobby O’s connections with the Mayor payed off when the cops talked the owner out of filing charges by telling him, “I’ll look into it, but it would hurt you more.”
Check out the FaceBook posts by a couple of Local 13 members.
What’s next Bobby, are you going on Jerry Springer?
The war of words continues, with Local 13 putting ILWU-pacific-maritime-deception-2 on their website, along with their new wall of supporters.
The music did not make me feel like crying, like part 1 did, this time it is just plain irritating. They should have used the Jaws, shark going to bite you music, or the theme from a spaghetti western like The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly.
I for one, can hardly wait for part 3; Bringing Back The Steady Men.
The JOC must not be getting the right message from the new ILWU representative, Adan Ortega, Government Affairs Consultant.
The JOC lays blame at the doorstep of the Union, accusing longshoremen of hard-timing the Employers since early November.
Bobby O and his PR consultant have launched their latest campaign; beg the ILWU supporters for testimonial letters, so he can post them on Local 13’s website. Read his letter for yourself.
Bobby thinks his Facebook style, wall of supporters complete with testimonial letters, will make the Employers “like” him, and give him everything he wants.
Bobby’s latest PR move is to write to the Executive Director of both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach to complain about a rumor that 2 PMA companies were fined and suspended from membership in PMA, for breaking one of the Employer’s club rules.
What does Bobby expect to get from writing to the Ports? Does he even know that they are not members of the club, and have no say in anything PMA does.
Is Bobby trying to protect his buddies at PASHA? The ones that ghost payroll his mother’s babysitters?
Why did Bobby lie about getting approval from the Publicity Committee to hire his new PR buddy?
He claims they approved his request at the December 31, 2014 meeting. Problem is they did not attend, because they were not told about the meeting.
This is kinda like the E-Board meeting where his transfer was approved, even though there is nothing in the minutes to indicate his request was sponsored or approved.
All the noise Bobby makes is not going to change the fact that he and Frank caused all the “PMA night shift” problems when they instituted their 8.51 program to only dispatch “certified” drivers.
PMA will find it amusing that Bobby is so willing to protest something he thinks is happening to PASHA, when he did nothing to to protest his member, Eric, getting 2 years off work for a cartoon after they said there was no violation of the contact.
How about another letter to Macy’s, it will have the same effect as your letter to the Ports?
Why would Bobby O hire some Government Affairs Consultant who knows nothing about the waterfront, and pay him $30,000 per month, when he has member and Publicity Committee Chairwoman Vivian available to do the job for free?
Vivian knows the waterfront, and clearly has the writing skills, what is Bobby’s problem?
