Dock
workers tell port employers
Don’t let irresponsible SSA undermine bargaining
Calling on other port employers to end the tyranny of one company at the bargaining table, union members will march on facilities owned by Stevedoring Services of America Wednesday, Sept. 18.
In actions in
“Seattle-based SSA is the primary roadblock to an effective West Coast longshore contract settlement, said James Spinosa, International President of the ILWU. “While most employers want to work with us to implement new technologies, SSA is undermining negotiations because their primary interest is breaking the union.”
For more than seven years SSA has been systematically moving hundreds of
jobs away from the ports and creating new companies to avoid union contracts. At
the same time they have made a dramatic play to dominate the 79-member PMA. As
the largest stevedoring company in the country, SSA has partnerships and
agreements with many of other employers and they have used those relationships
to bolster the r
“SSA hand picked Miniace and now he is their puppet in blocking an agreement,” Spinosa said. “For years Miniace has told the press that his primary goal for this contract was to get technological innovation. We have a proposal on the table that would allow the employers to implement all the latest technology he has been saying he needs. All we are asking for is guarantees that the remaining jobs and all the jobs created by the new technology will be ILWU jobs. But SSA and Miniace are more concerned about using technology to outsource the work than in making a deal.”
Many of the PMA members that are integrated shipping companies responsible for transporting goods worldwide are eager to forge a contract agreement about implementing new technologies to improve productivity, security and safety on the docks. They have indicated that they are willing to share the benefits of the increased productivity with union members. Stevedoring companies like SSA that simply load and unload ships have worked to stop a technology agreement that would benefit the shipping companies.
The actions against SSA will be held at the following locations:
For more information contact ILWU Communications Director
cwa39521