Posted on 09/13/2012 6:01:28 AM PDT by ThirdMate
When it comes to protecting job turf, few unions are as ferocious as the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). And the union isn't about to compromise that reputation, with its collective bargaining agreement set to expire September 30. "It looks like we're going to have a strike," said ILA President Harold Daggett (see photo). On August 22, talks in Delray Beach, Fla. between the ILA and a shipping industry trade group, the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), broke down. At this writing, they remain at an impasse, though each side has agreed to meet soon. The ILA, which represents about 65,000 employees at East Coast, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and other cargo ports, is insisting employers drop plans to institute cost-saving technologies and labor practices. The contract would cover 14,500 of those workers. USMX counters that reforms are overdue and that a strike could seriously damage the economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at nlpc.org ...
“One wonders about the next efficiency increase.”
Long-range railguns to shoot the cargo towards its destination.
“One wonders about the next efficiency increase.”
The biggest change in the pipeline is the expanded Panama Canal. A large percentage of cargo now handled at West coast ports will soon be diverted to Gulf of Mexico ports.
Ballistic cargo. I like it.
Who will catch it on the receiving end?
No they are not. They are demanding a 30% rise.
16% is not good enough for these shrill, ludicrously well-paid puddings.
I remember their strike in 1971. I was 14 years old at the time. Todos Santos Bay in Ensenada was filled with cargo ships as Datsun, Toyota, and Volkswagen automobiles were unloaded and trucked up north. The Mexicans were able to unload the cars manually quicker than the longshoreman in Long Beach, CA could with machinery.
It was fun watching the caravans of cars run from the harbor to staging areas a few miles north.
Hussongs was packed with merchant marines. My buddy, who was 15, would arm-wrestle them for beer. He never lost and we never went thirsty.
I’m thinking some kind of giant bean-bag type target to absorb the kinetic energy without bouncing the payload back into the atmosphere.
Or... we could set up the container to deploy a parachute and drift back to earth, but for that you’d probably need to fire into the ocean, with a splashdown recovery, because it wouldn’t land in any exact spot.
Reading this thread makes me think all the Public Service Announcement radio and tv commercials URGING everyone to have water and food available for three days is MORE about these impending strikes than any kind of “attack” from enemies of the U.S.——of course, WE know the worst enemy of the American people IS the enemy within.
It is no accident of timing the unions are all jumping into crisis negotiating mode.
Remember Wisconsin, unions went int overdrive trying to negotiate contracts before the law was changed.
The back story should be if unions have lost “hope” of a second obama term. If they were confident they would not be doing this all at once.
(see also Hawaii Nurses strike where they won but lost long term because hospitals have now staggered all their nurse union contract expirations)
Just to be accurate, did not the teachers demand a 20% raise and that 16% represents the compromise?
More information from Fox news:
Ports in a Storm: Looming Strike Could Cost Billions
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