New York-Area Ports Shut Down as Longshoremen Walk Off the Job

Longshoremen have apparently walked out today at the New York/New Jersey ports.

Article doesn't say exactly why.

And looks like trucks are being halted.

What's going on here?

Labor issues? Working conditions? Non-Union work happening?

Strange.

Anybody know any "inside" info?


New York-Area Ports Shut Down as Longshoremen Walk Off the Job
Thousands of longshoremen in New York and New Jersey walked off the job on Friday, grinding activity at the busiest ports on the East Coast to a halt and threatening to disrupt the delivery of goods across the region.

The walkout surprised many involved in the operation of the ports, according to officials, and the reasons behind the move were not immediately clear.

News of the work stoppage came in an alert issued by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which acts as a landlord for the ports but does not control daily operations.

“Due to the current work stoppage in the port, no new trucks will be allowed to queue on port roadways,” the alert said. “Do not send trucks to the Port at this time.”

? ? ?

I would imagine labor issues, like workers striking for better wages and what not.

originally posted by: Teddy916
I would imagine labor issues, like workers striking for better wages and what not.

Longshoreman are hardly underpaid... many make in excess of $100k. Sure it is a tough job, but I don't think they are hurting too much.

They are probably tired of getting treat like # by their bosses like most people in the modern workplace.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: Teddy916
I would imagine labor issues, like workers striking for better wages and what not.

Longshoreman are hardly underpaid... many make in excess of $100k. Sure it is a tough job, but I don't think they are hurting too much.

I was thinking the same thing. How many people working for minimum wage who are not afraid of hard work would enter the gladiator arena for a chance to make what these people do?

Fire them all. Lots of people without work would love these relatively high paying jobs.

The International Longshoremen’s Association, the union representing port workers, also could not be reached for comment, but a representative of the union told a local radio station that the dispute centered on hiring practices.

mobile.nytimes.com...://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+longshoremen&prmd= nisv&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbwYqP8s_KAhXLHD4KHfQXAywQ_AUIBygB

a reply to: Edumakated

Money does not equal quality of life, perhaps they are walking out to try and improve their working conditions ?

But many don't care because they advocate paid slavery

originally posted by: ButsDuge

The International Longshoremen’s Association, the union representing port workers, also could not be reached for comment, but a representative of the union told a local radio station that the dispute centered on hiring practices.

mobile.nytimes.com...://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+longshoremen&prmd= nisv&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbwYqP8s_KAhXLHD4KHfQXAywQ_AUIBygB

Who owns the company that hires the employees the union or the company? One reason I no longer take union talk seriously !

If Unions are so great at running a Corporation, why in the hell haven't we seen a Union create a profitable business? Anyone know of one that exists?

originally posted by: seeker1963

If Unions are so great at running a Corporation, why in the hell haven't we seen a Union create a profitable business? Anyone know of one that exists?

General Motors.

a reply to: xuenchen

The NY time article mentions:

the use of no-show jobs and organized crime's involvement on the docks.

This is a problem that has been going on for years, they made a wonderful film about it:



It is called On The Waterfront. Made in 1954, but about the same issues.

Interesting find and thanks for sharing. Hope this does not affect prices here on the east coast too much.

originally posted by: Discotech
a reply to: Edumakated

Money does not equal quality of life, perhaps they are walking out to try and improve their working conditions ?

But many don't care because they advocate paid slavery

Never claimed money equals quality of life.

originally posted by: Discotech
a reply to: Edumakated

Money does not equal quality of life, perhaps they are walking out to try and improve their working conditions ?

But many don't care because they advocate paid slavery

In the trades it sort of does.
The more skilled you are, or the higher the risk of the job generally equals higher pay. And some people will take that quality of life to get the big pay.
It's not like an office worker who basically needs to build a portfolio or work their way up the food chain building upon their career. For example, under water welders careers are very, very short 5 - 8 years usually, and it's also probably one of the most physically demanding jobs. But guess what, when you make more than a doctor in 4 months, who cares.

As someone said before, let them walk. But they are protected by unions, so they can basically do what ever they want. But I can guarantee there are hundreds of people who would kill for that job. If safety was a concern, it should be out of the unions hands and be taken up with authorities. It's most likely something to do with the company they work for hiring new people, or changing shifts. I am in a union, and they would go on strike with the drop of a hat or slightest inclination of something that will threaten seniority members jobs.

originally posted by: seeker1963
Who owns the company that hires the employees the union or the company?

In this case there are numerous companies in shipping, stevedore and warehouse work. It appears that the port authority allocates the work for these companies through the Longshore union (ILA). The problem seems to stem from the port commission.

ILA spokesman Jim McNamara said there is some anger by the rank-and-file over what they see as interference by the waterfront commission in their collective bargaining agreement

Source
It doesn't sound like an issue over money but rather the ability to control hiring which could mean the survival of the ILA and those worker's jobs.

a reply to: seeker1963

Who owns the company that hires the employees the union or the company? One reason I no longer take union talk seriously !

The company hires the employee and the Union represents the employee.

If Unions are so great at running a Corporation, why in the hell haven't we seen a Union create a profitable business? Anyone know of one that exists?

In the skilled trades unions the companies are very profitable. Maybe not so much as the non union companies that make millions while their employees eek out a living.

Resolved

Longshoremen will be back to work after they had walked off the job at the Port Newark/Port Elizabeth terminals in Newark Friday morning as part of an ongoing labor dispute. The Port Authority said they were forced to close all its terminals to incoming truck traffic following the 11 a.m. walkout. The Port Authority said as of 7:38 p.m. the work stoppage had been resolved and normal operations would resume.

You mean I'am not going to get my Walmart Swanson TV dinners anymore?

a reply to: seeker1963

How many people working for minimum wage who are not afraid of hard work would enter the gladiator arena for a chance to make what these people do?

All they have to do is apply. I have heard it is hard to get into that union but there are many others out there. So why don't they?

a reply to: tinner07

I worked as an electrician in the Washington, DC area in the 1980's. The DC area IBEW Union had a classification of R-Wireman, ostensibly Residential Wireman. RW's didn't go through the apprentice program, but had to have at least one local journeyman's license. Our wage scale was significantly lower than the A wiremen, the ones who went through the apprenticeship program.

But having that classification allowed the local Union shops to compete in the residential wiring market. On the other hand, the prevailing A wireman's rate was also concurrent with the US Government's scale wage for the area. (For those not familiar with the term, scale wage is what the contractor must pay its workers when working on a government job.) So the Union shops were quite competitive and profitable in the DC market.

The nice thing about R Wireman classification was that the electricians got a lot of the benefits of the other Union employees. Healthcare, retirement, insurance, etc. The pay was also competitive, if not a little better, than the non-union shops.

Unions have a lot of flexibility when it comes to optimizing a company's profitability.

-dex

Didn't see this one before I posted my thread, moving my info here...

Strike shuts down third-biggest U.S. port
A labor dispute has shut down one of America's busiest ports.

More than 1,000 union dock workers in New York City walked off the job Friday, halting business at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shipping terminals. The bi-state agency operates a vast complex of terminals in Newark, Elizabeth, Brooklyn and Staten Island and rents those facilities to 40 different shippers.

In a statement, the Port Authority confirmed the walkout and asked members of the International Longshoremen Association (ILA) to return to work. "As the agency that oversees the largest port complex on the East Coast, we strongly urge the ILA members to return to work immediately and resolve their differences after they return," the agency wrote. "In the meantime, Port Authority Police are actively working to ensure public safety for all of the stakeholders at the port."

A spokesperson for the New York Shippers Association (NYSA), which represents the port's shipping companies, told CBS MoneyWatch the group believes the job action constitutes an "illegal strike" because the ILA is operating under a current and binding contract.

The AP is reporting they are going back to work.

Longshoremen Set to Return to Ports in New York, New Jersey
Longshoremen are expected to return to the job at ports in New York and New Jersey after a surprise walkout on Friday put a halt to the unloading of ships at the nation's third-busiest port.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday night that operations would resume and the International Longshoremen's Association told its members to return to work as it continues working on their concerns.

A spokeswoman for the New York Shipping Association said that after an emergency contract board meeting was called Friday afternoon, an arbitrator ruled that the work stoppage was a violation of a no strike provision in the contract with the longshoremen....

Probably a non-story, but maybe somebody more familiar with the area could comment.
Thought this was interesting...

A spokesman for the International Longshoremen's Association said the walkout took many union officials by surprise.

Would a shut down, even as brief as this one appears to be, affect security at this port? Anybody else having trust issues with the Port Authority after 9-11 will find this interesting as well...

Source
Port Authority police were sent to the terminals to ensure public safety, according to the statement.