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.