Crashing the party
“Today we are beginning phase two of our bargaining, making the companies accountable,” said Dave Arian, the alternate negotiator for Local 13.
“Maersk says they’ve been good to us. But if they’re our friends, where’s our maintenance of benefits?” Arian asked. Though Maersk supports PMA’s proposal to cut the union’s healthcare plan, the company reportedly blew more than a half-million dollars on its party.
Maersk built a wall of containers between the rally site and the party, but the demonstrators roared their demands loud enough to be heard.
“What do we want? CONTRACT! When do we want it? NOW!”
Two small planes flew low overhead with banners reinforcing the message reading, “ILWU wants a contract now.” Eight boats cruised near the new docks, carrying banners with the same slogan.
“We were almost outnumbered by the two Coast Guard boats and two Port Police boats,” said ILWU Local 13 member and ITF Inspector Rudy Vanderheider. “But when we went across the bow of the Coast Guard cutter, two ensigns stood at attention and saluted us. That’s cool, these guys are behind us.”
Adding international pressure to the ILWU’s cause, members of the
Danish dockers union Specialarbejderforbundet
i Danmark (SiD) delivered a letter to Maersk Sealand executives at their
headquarters in Copenhagen the same day. “We strongly urge you to speak to the
PMA to resolve the outstanding negotiation issues with the ILWU,” said the SiD.—S.S.