Author: Jim Tessier

Yesterday, PMA issued their 2nd News Release regarding the work safely slow down program implemented by the ILWU last week.

It is very serious, except for the part they refer to their industry arbitrators as “independent”. Two x-PMA employees and two ILWU members, are not independent, no matter what PMA claims.

ILWU-slowdowns-spread-to-Southern-California

PMA has, however, set the stage for their next move by claiming the actions of the union are adversely affecting the Commerce of the United States.

PMA is now set to pull the trigger on another lock-out and Taft-Hartley intervention by the government. Do you remember 2002?

PMA has made it clear, if the Union does not stop their slow down/work safely program and resume “normal” operations, the contract negotiations will be severely adversely affected.

For those who do not understand Employer speak that means, if the Union does not make nice and get back to normal production, the shit will hit the fan, i.e. LOCKOUT.

Last night in front of a packed house at the Local 13 Union meeting, Bobby O Jr. told the membership that they know what they are doing, they have 70 years of experience, and everything will ok.

At the best attended Union meeting of the year, there was no discussion of bringing the steady men back to the hall, and there was no discussion of returning to normal operations.

The message to the rank-and-file was to keep on doing what you are doing, it is working.

Right, it is working so well that yesterday several vessels working in the Port of Tacoma fired their ship gangs at 10 am.

If the Union keeps doing what they are doing they will be locked out, it is just a matter of when.

 

Last night Local 13 failed to fill orders for 40 transtainer and hammerhead operators, until second dispatch.

The 40 jobs hung, because “Diamond” Dave and his partner blocked the window, with Dave telling people on his own megaphone not to take the trans or hammerhead jobs.

Seems like someone thinks they can put pressure on the PMA by refusing to fill orders for transtainers and hammerhead cranes.

There are qualified operators checked in on the hold board that have been taking these jobs, and would have taken these jobs last night, until the Local’s self appointed enforcers were in the hall telling members not the fill the trans and hammerheads.

After the enforcers took their jobs and left the hall, the transtainer and hammerhead got filled at second dispatch.

Who decided to refuse to fill these jobs and why?

Does the ILWU think that if PMA can hang the hook on the ships in Seattle and Tacoma, they can cause it to hang in LA/LB?

Why in the world would the Union refuse to fill orders and open themselves up to all the negative ramifications associated with their refusal?

If the Union wants to make a statement: call all the steady men back to the hall and fill every order from the hall.

Play smarter.

 

The LA/LB Employers who use transtainers to load and unload trucks have decided to man 5 transtainers with 6 operators, hoping no one will  say anything about the 4 missing hall men.

Even though the contract says the Employer can order 6 operators for 5 transtainers, for years they have ordered 10.

Yesterday, using the claim of an order screw up the Employers started using only 6 steady men for 5 transtainers hoping the hall won’t notice the change. Even if they do notice, what are they going to do, there is no contract grievance machinery.

The Employers have been waiting for the union to make a dumb move, and they finally did, however the steady men are still being being assigned by pairs to run their hammerheads. Why do the steady crane drivers always get the sweetest deal?

The Employers have implemented their manning reduction for hall men and are now ready to set into motion their Taft-Hartley plan to beat down the Union.

Working without a contract is more fun than they imagined.

Time to bring all the steady men back to the hall?!

 

Bobby Olvera Jr. and the entire leadership of Local 13, including Mondo, Mark Williams both LRC Reps and all the Business Agents appeared at dispatch this morning in LA/LB and told the members what was happening in Tacoma then instructed them to work safely as well. Just to be sure everyone understood what he meant, Bobby said “and you know what that means.”

Bobby also got his rant on about telling people not to record what was being said because he did not want to see it on Facebook, and told everyone to be at the Union meeting on Thursday.

Apparently, last Thursday the PMA slid the same proposal they made in May back across the table and that upset Big Bob and his crew.

Were they expecting, that PMA would slide back a proposal that gave them everything the wanted, and more? Right.

The bargaining has now started, and it looks like the Union is out to get locked out again.

Interesting plan Big Bob.

Check out the PMA News Release to see how it is working in the Pacific Northwest.

PMA-News-Release-Pacific-Northwest-Slowdowns-110314

How long before working safely in LA/LB results in another PMA News Release?

Not long.

 

 

Longshoremen working at Port of Tacoma’s WUT and several other terminals (but not SeaLand or TOTE) were sent home this morning between 11 and 11:30 am.

Yesterday, workers in Tacoma were told by their Union leaders that PMA had walked away from the bargaining table and that they should work very safely.

Working safely resulted in 2 mile long truck lines and about 8 moves per hour against the ships.

Longshoremen in Oakland and LA/LB reported normal production with no reports of slow downs due to working safely.

Longshoremen in Oakland and LA/LB were told the parties agreed not to meet on Friday, for reasons unrelated to the negotiations.

Who is lying to the Local 23 Tacoma longshoremen by telling them PMA walked away form the table related to a technology issue?

Is it the same people telling them to work safely, or is it someone from San Francisco? Leal?

PMA is taking orders for tonight and tomorrow.

What happens next? Roger?

PMA-News-Release-Pacific-Northwest-Slowdowns-110314

 

Seems like ILWU/PMA Southern California Area Arbitrator David Miller aka “Judge Roy Bean” is worried about the fact that Eric was elected as one of the 10 Local 13 Caucus Delegates.

Why would Miller call Eric’s representative, Andy, and ask if Eric is still off work and then upon hearing that he is, say that it is time to put him back to work claiming concern about Eric’s medical benefits being lost?

Yes, “Judge Roy Bean” Miller called Andy and told him it was time to put Eric back to work, and suggested a meeting should be held so the JPLRC could agree he has done enough time off, and put him back to work.

Looks to me like Miller is worried about the fact that Eric is now a Caucus Delegate and in a position to ask why the ILWU and PMA refused to implement the agreement from 2008 that calls for the Area Arbitrators to be replaced by “neutral professional” Arbitrators for hearing Section 13 Discrimination cases, like those where he gave Eric 2 years off work.

How do you agree to replace the Industry Arbitrators with “neutral professionals” in 2008, then do nothing because you cannot agree on how to find the “neutral professionals” that you agreed to hire? Guess no one told the ILWU or PMA about the American Arbitration Association.

If either the PMA or the Union was being adversely affected by decisions like Miller’s in Eric’s case, they would have been replaced 6 years ago.

The ILWU and PMA have done nothing because they are not being adversely affected, and the hook is not hanging.

That is what pathetic leadership looks like, on both sides of the table.

When Andy asked Bobby for a meeting to discuss what Miller had suggested, Bobby said that he had called Miller with 4 witnesses (unnamed) in the office and Miller denied that he called Andy to suggest Eric be put back to work. Just as we expected.

This is more interesting now because Local 13 announced at a Executive Board Meeting that they were allowing longshoremen on no-dispatch to work during the period of no contract with PMA.

The ILWU and PMA continue to have JPLRC meetings and are able to conduct training, while allowing longshoremen on no-dispatch to work, without a contract.

Wonder what Judge Roy Bean Miller will do next?

Probably what ever he feels like, just like Bobby O Jr. and the rest of the Local 13 Officers.

 

Bobby O Jr. is telling everyone that will listen that he has negotiated the new Dock Automation Agreement with TraPac, and it is super.

Yes, it is a super agreement, and like all super agreements it is secret.

Bobby keeps telling everyone how great his new dock deal is, but he will not discuss the details, like how many men the Union lost as a result of the computer automation that TraPac is implementing.

We are hearing it is a great deal for the clerks and the foremen, but we have not heard how it is great for the longshoremen who have been replaced by robots.

Come on Bobby, tell us how beautiful the Emperor’s new cloths are, because to us he looks naked.

If you signed the agreement, and your members are working under it, why is it not available in Ray’s office?

http://www.ilwu13.com/index.php/bulletins-main-menu/bulletins/4092-tri-party-bulletin-01-14

According to the bulletin, “The Union received a complete ‘operating procedure’ for automated operations that include additional safety protocols for ILWU Mechanics, Longshoremen, Marine Clerks and Foreman. Every item the Union was fighting for was attained; this is a great achievement for the ILWU.”

Why does the Union refuse to give a copy of the safety protocols to the longshoremen who will be working the operation? Isn’t that a safety violation?

More of Bobby O Jr.’s secrets, lies and deceptions?

Come on Bobby, give us the details.