Spokesman for striking Los Angeles-Long Beach port clerks says contract talks may resume

Talks could resume in SoCal port clerk strike

LOS ANGELES — Negotiators for the striking clerical workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have agreed to restart contract talks with shippers and terminal operators soon, a union representative said.

John Fageaux Jr., president of the International Longshore Warehouse Union local that represents the workers, said negotiators for both sides could return to the table as early as Friday afternoon, although the talks may not restart until Saturday.

“We have not determined exactly when that will be, but it’s going to be soon,” he said.

Stephen Berry, a negotiator for the Harbor Employees Association, which represents shippers and terminal operators, confirmed that his group was working to arrange for another meeting.

Members of the 900-member union representing clerical workers who handle critical paperwork for the nation’s busiest port complex struck Thursday morning after their contract expired, with some members picketing outside some terminals.

Fageaux said the picketing would continue until a new contact agreement had been reached.

Los Angeles port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said about 30 picketers had been spotted and they hadn’t caused any disruptions.

Berry said the shippers and terminal operators rejected the latest proposal received from the clerical workers’ union late Wednesday, which called for a wage increase of 21 percent over three years.

Under the expired contract, the clerical workers had an average salary of $96,900 a year, full medical coverage, at least 21 paid holidays, and 13 sick days and four weeks of vacation per year, he said.

Berry said the shippers countered with a proposal that includes a 10 percent increase in monthly pension payments and protection from layoffs.

The clerks process export bookings and other transport documents for shippers and terminal operators.

The shippers want to use new computer programs allowing customers to access booking information. The workers are worried that may lead to their jobs being outsourced.

“We’re not opposed to technology that will create more efficient processes, but we do not agree if it allows others to do our work,” Fageaux said.

Berry said shippers must have more flexibility in staffing because of the economic downturn.

“When business was booming, there was sufficient work for the employees to perform,” Berry said. But now, “the workload is not steady. It’s not sufficient to keep all those people busy,” he said.

Workers threatened a walkout three years ago, but talks continued after the deadline. Both sides ultimately reached a deal in which the workers got a raise and an agreement that allowed monitoring of whether any of their job duties were being outsourced.