West Coast ILWU Contract Campaign

Weekly Member Update:  Nov. 1, 2002

Negotiation Update:   At 5:00 a.m. on November 1, we reached a tentative agreement on the technology package.  We had bottom line concerns about jurisdiction and the employers met those concerns. This is a major victory for the union and the first real progress we have made in these negotiations.  Under an agreement with the federal mediator, details of the technology package will not be released until the entire contract package has been negotiated.  Connected to that technology agreement is the issue of pension plans.  Our negotiating committee will now begin bargaining on the pension package as we continue to work on securing a fair contract for all ILWU members.

ILWU Files Response to Bush Administration/PMA Attacks:

As mandated by the Department of Justice, we filed paperwork on Tuesday at noon responding to PMA claims of slowdowns.  Our response notes that the Department of Justice has shown favoritism to the PMA, and has given far too much credence to the PMA’s wholly unsubstantiated slowdown claims.  The issue, our attorneys note, is whether the ILWU has violated the preliminary injunction of the Federal Court requiring us to return to work under the old contract.  On this central issue, the PMA presents absolutely no evidence.  We briefed reporters Tuesday in order to disseminate our message that the PMA and Bush Administration are colluding to find a way to blame the ILWU for the problems that were created by the PMA.  That message appeared in media accounts up and down the Coast.  The DOJ now has the information it has requested, and will make a decision in the near future on how to proceed with the PMA complaint.  The agency’s claim of impartiality will be tested as it considers how to move on these poorly documented claims by the PMA.

ILWU Files Freedom of Information Act Request to Learn Details of Bush/Employer Collusion:

In a letter sent yesterday to Attorney General John Ashcroft, the ILWU called on the Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation into the apparent collusion between the Bush Administration, shipping companies and associations during the West Coast ports contract dispute.  In particular, the ILWU asked the Department of Justice to release the names of individuals who attended secret meetings with the Administration regarding the PMA’s dispute with the union. 

Monitoring Port Safety:  The ILWU is focusing heavily on port safety.  The following is the message we are sending at the major ports regarding the purpose of our port safety oversight efforts:  “The vitality of our cities’ ports is of great importance to our community.  As community leaders, we want to ensure that the conditions on our docks lead to a safe and productive working environment.  We have assembled a unique group of individuals from the safety and health experts, economists, academics, industry experts, and religious and political leaders to help monitor the situation on the docks and report back to the public.  In the coming weeks, we will be examining such critical issues as safety and health, the state of technology in the industry, port congestion. We will also conduct site visits to observe first-hand what is happening at our docks.  As community leaders, we are committed to doing all we can to make our ports safe and efficient so that goods can get to consumers across our country.”

Trumka Continues to Show Leadership, Commitment to ILWU:

Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, addressed 2,000 Los Angeles-area ILWU members earlier this month to drive home the message that we must elevate the struggle and stay strong in the face of assaults by the PMA and the Bush Administration. At the meeting, Trumka and ILWU International President James Spinosa updated members on the latest developments and outlined the strategy we are pursuing to secure a good contract.  Trumka, a veteran of many crucial labor fights, has joined our negotiating team in meetings with federal mediators and the PMA, and continues to speak passionately on our fight at every opportunity.  Trumka and the AFL-CIO  have shown a serious commitment to our struggle, and pledge to fight with us until we have achieved our goals. 

ILWU Members Fighting to Protect U.S. Senate from Anti-Labor Republicans:

The ILWU has sent more than 30 of our members to five key states to help the AFL-CIO in its efforts to keep control of the U.S. Senate in the hands of Democrats.  A Republican takeover could seriously jeopardize the future of the ILWU and the national labor movement in general.  Our members are spending the final two weeks of the campaign in the trenches in those battleground states to ensure that the voice of ILWU working people is heard throughout the nation.  These committed ILWU members will return after the November 5 election with memorable experiences to share, and a wealth of new connections with others on the forefront of the national labor movement.

Web Site Updated Daily:  It is extremely important that ILWU members stay up to date on the important developments in the ongoing campaign to secure a fair contract for our members.  This is why we urge all members to check the web site frequently.  We update the site on a daily basis with the latest details on the status of the bargaining campaign.  Please go to www.ilwu.org on a regular basis for the latest news.  And don’t forget to pick up the latest copy of The Dispatcher for more information on major issues affecting ILWU members.

URGENT NOTE ON DISTRIBUTION OF THIS DOCUMENT:  Officials at each ILWU local should ensure that copies of this update are distributed widely to the membership each Thursday promptly after it arrives.  Thank you for your active participation in this process.