Shipping clerks expand strike, temporarily shut down terminal at Los Angeles, Long Beach ports

LA, Long Beach port workers’ strike expands

LOS ANGELES — Striking clerical workers at the nation’s busiest port complex expanded their walkout to a fifth terminal Friday, temporarily shutting down loading and unloading operations when dockworkers at the facility refused to cross the picket line.

The disruption ended after an arbitrator ruled the clerks’ union had bargained in bad faith and ordered the longshoremen back to work, said Stephen Berry, who represents 14 shipping companies at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach negotiating new contracts with the union.

“They’re obviously intent on shutting down the ports, which would be devastating not only to the harbor community and Southern California but all of the United States,” Berry said. “We hope that they change course.”

He said talks were continuing Friday.

John Fageaux Jr., president of the local Office Clerical Unit of the International Longshore Warehouse Union, confirmed the strike’s expansion but was not available to comment further.

He had warned about expanding the strike if he believed the talks weren’t progressing.

The arbitrator’s decision followed a similar ruling last week when clerical workers began striking at four terminals and longshore workers at those locations refused to cross picket lines. An arbitrator declared that the picket was “not bona fide” and ordered the dockworkers to return to their jobs.

The ILWU has appealed the ruling.

It wasn’t immediately known how many of the 900 unionized clerks were striking. There are 16 container terminals at the ports.

The strike, which began when the clerks’ contract expired July 1, appears to have caused no significant disruptions in shipping. The clerical workers process paperwork for the shipment of cargo, but managers at the struck terminals have been handling the workload, Berry said.

The shippers want to use new computer programs giving customers access to shipping schedules, a move that the union has said would endanger jobs. The union is seeking contract provisions against outsourcing.

Berry said the shippers have offered protections against layoffs and transferring of work. He accused the union of unreasonably demanding guarantees that would force the shippers to hire temporary and permanent workers whether or not there is work for them to do.

“They continue to refuse flexibility with respect to staffing,” he said. “They’re escalating action to coerce us to drop our demands.”