Category: Default

Today just before noon, the ILWU responded to PMA’s request for federal mediation.

ILWU-news-release-on-negotiations-Dec.-29-2014

Big Bob’s big move is to ask to negotiate with the PMA Board of Directors. Wow.

Does he not understand that in the world of big time negotiations; they field their team and you field yours?

Which one of the Directors would he like to talk with, because they will all say the same thing as their representative, Jim McKenna?

Does he not get it? The message will be the same no matter who delivers it.

Time for the PMA to get on with it, unless they want to dance with Big Bob for 2 years like the Grain Employers.

Unfortunately, apparently PMA is content to play footsy with the ILWU, based on their response to the above news release.

PMA-Renews-Call-for-Federal-Mediation

PMA can renew their call for Federal Mediation till the cows come home, it ain’t going to happen.

PMA Employers are still making lots on money and so are the longshoremen.

What will it take to get PMA to make the next move, and implement or lockout and bring this to conclusion?

Implementation, sounds very reasonable based on PMA’s “no takeaways” robust compensation package.

What are they waiting for? Permission from the ILWU?

 

The PMA employers will gladly tell everyone who will listen how much money is paid to longshoremen, both in wages and in benefits.

Will the employers tell us how much money is being spent to to install the computer driven equipment?

I bet they are spending billions to save millions. The same old story, lose a little on each sale but make it up in volume.

How much is being added to the cost of transportation because of the money they are spending to get rid of the ILWU?

Why does no one question the “need” to automate the docks?

Seems like a bunch of MBAs hard at work, trying to justify their huge salaries. How much do they make?

 

If the negotiations were not secret, businesses involved would be able to assess risk and make alternative plans, but that is not the way that PMA and the ILWU wanted it.

PMA (The Employers) agreed to keep everything secret.

PMA has let the ILWU dictate the pace and demeanor to the negotiation, because the PMA management does not know what they are doing.

The PMA member companies are screwing their customers by choosing to deny them the information they need to conduct business. It is no wonder they are pissed off.

The Wall Street Journal has now jumped into the fray, claiming the ILWU is stealing Christmas.

With out the PMA’s assistance the ILWU would not be doing what they are doing.

We will have to wait to see what Big Bob has in mind, because PMA has nothing, nada, zip.

How about a change at the top of PMA?

 

It dawned on me while eating my Thanksgiving kosher turkey, maybe no information about what is being discussed in San Francisco is leaking out, because they are not talking about anything.

It is like they are sitting around trying to pick fly shit out of pepper.

What could they possibly be talking about, that is so complicated, that they have been unable to figure it out in the last 6 months?

Either they are really good at keeping secrets, if so that is impressive, or they are actually talking about nothing.

Well, the paper bag is wet, and they are back negotiating again today.

Come on boys, git er done.

 

This inside artist’s rendering of what the ILWU elected officials do when they are not negotiating cost the member who put it out, 2 years off work even though PMA said no violation occurred.

Nurse Chris got his buddy, Industry Arbitrator “Judge Roy Bean” Miller (not in the rendering), to give the member who used it in his election flier 1 year off for slander. Then Nurse Chris got his buddy to give the member a 2nd year off for retaliation, after incident in the alley.

If you want to know who is who, ask any Local 13, or International officer, or the Port Medical nurse, Chris Viramontes.

GET ER DONE.

 

Did the ILWU think that we would forget that they walked away from the “big” negotiating table, if they re-print a picture of some scrap yard chassis and point out something that everyone already knows?

What makes the chassis discussion interesting, is that I heard that when the shipping lines decided to get out of the chassis business, it was some longshoremen who were trying to convince others, including teamster officials, to invest in the new chassis leasing businesses that were forming. Don’t know if any did, now I am even more curious.

Does Local 13 think that pictures of scrap chassis will negate the fact they unilaterally cut 100 crane operators, by deciding to dispatch only “certified” crane drivers?

For the last 3 years Local 13 has been dispatching up to 200 crane jobs per day, filling 100 of them with “qualified” (but not “certified”) crane drivers. Even when they only take 100 orders, they are still dispatching “qualified” (but not “certified”) drivers.

If Big Bob and his crew spent half the energy they are exerting playing their blame game, on negotiating a contract, they could have finished before turkey day.

Perhaps the rank-and-file could send a message to Big Bob and his crew – GIT ER DONE, we are tired of your games, DO YOUR JOB.

Call the ILWU International and let them know how you feel.

Call Big Bob at 415 775-0533, or fax him at 415 775-1302.

Tell him to GIT ER DONE.

 

Remember – don’t post anything, except this, on the internet.

If you are a union member and you are reading this, you are just like everyone else.

Members in good standing who have outstanding fines or assessments are allowed to read, just don’t tell Bobby.

 

After their normal nasty exchanges, both the ILWU and the PMA have decided to take a break from “big table” negotiations until the Monday after Thanksgiving.  ILWU-Extended-Thanksgiving-Break-Release

According to Twitter, the ILWU offered to work up to November 27th and PMA did not reply, so they decided to leave yesterday.

If you are sitting across the table from each other, how do you not get an reply?

PMA is sitting on their thumbs and doing nothing to force the ILWU to continue to bargain.

Where did these guys learn to negotiate?

Actually this is sort of interesting, now the whole world can see how the PMA deals, or doesn’t deal, with the mighty ILWU.

Why are the “little table” guys still working, while the “big table” guys go home?

Most of the longshoremen, no, all the longshoremen, I know, feel none of their negotiators should leave any of the tables until they have an agreement. They feel Big Bob should lead by example and work non-stop until he gets an agreement.

Be that as it may, all the longshoreman will do what ever their Union leaders ask of them, whether they agree or not. That is why the ILWU is a powerful force.

Maybe some guidance is in order?

 

During a November 13th radio interview on KCRW News discussing the congestion in the ports of LA/LB, the ILWU admitted to slowing down.

The interview is mostly 2 PR guys spinning their respective positions, but near the end Craig Merrilees admits that longshoremen are working slowly and explains that is their way of demonstrating their dissatisfaction and frustration related to the progress of the negotiations, and port congestion.

http://t.co/51Wh5Zo9rJ

It is what it is.

Mean while back at the ranch, the negotiators are negotiating, although it is hard to tell when everything is secret except for the income of longshoremen and the fact they have $1 prescription co-pays.

PMA should stop trying to do selective negotiating using their press releases and get down to business.

PMA should implement their last and final offer and/or lock the gates.

It will all be over in 2 weeks.

Just say’n.

 

The PMA and the ILWU have left the playing field, so the normal rules of the game no longer apply.

Based on PMA’s latest “update”, it looks like PMA is feeling the pressure from retailers and politicians.

PMA-Update-Statement-11-13-2014

Two interesting points.

PMA is asking to have the “contract extended” just like they did the last time right before the teamsters sent pickets, before the Mayor cut a deal to keep them away from the docks. Are they asking because they are concerned that the teamsters are going to reappear or are they setting the Union up for a lockout and Taft-Hartley intervention by the Government?

Why would PMA highlight the “most lucrative” wages and benefits the the ILWU receives, when they know that it will just piss off the Union and the membership? Are they trying to negotiate in the press, or are they trying to make the Union angry in hopes they will do something dumb so they can lock them out and initiate Taft-Hartley intervention by the government?

In LA/LB the Union is telling workers to ignore trucker pickets (non-teamsters), because there is no contract, and to keep working safely. It’s working. Bobby seems more interested in getting a certain caucus delegate kicked out of his elected position, and what is being posted on Facebook, than telling his members what is happening at the secret negotiations in San Francisco.

In Tacoma, at last night’s Union meeting, Dean mcGrath told his members nothing about what is happening at negotiations. He told them to keep doing what they are doing, it is working. He and Conrad Spell spent most of their time complaining about members who are talking to “the guy who has that website” and threatening to get who ever it is, when this is all over.

Interesting that Dean and Conrad had no problem with the PMA update, but are freaked out about what they read here.

Glad to know you guys have your priorities in order.

There are no secrets on the waterfront.