Dockworkers strike over modernization plans

[charrison]

Linkage

...
The shippers want to modernize ports, which would eliminate hundreds of union jobs. The dockworkers want any jobs involving new technology to be under union control.

The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents shipping companies, offered to keep 100 percent health-care benefits if the dockworkers would cut a deal on the technology issues.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 10,500 dockworkers, rejected such a deal.

...

In the Netherlands, unmanned vehicles move cargo containers around the port. Workers in Singapore run four cranes at a time by remote control. In New York and New Jersey, ports have computers and sensors to track cargo.

...

At the Port of Oakland, marine clerks confirm deliveries with clipboards and some computers. They then obtain information about the cargoes from the truck drivers, instead of scanning a bar code like at many ports.

...

"If you put all this technology together ... you can take a one-hour or one-and-a-half hour transaction down to 15 or 30 minutes," said Tom Ward

Sounds like the docworkers want to lose their jobs one way or another. If they run innefecient ports they will close anyway.

 

[JellyBaby]

I'd heard it was mainly due to modernization but I hadn't heard it was "only hundreds of jobs". For some reason I was under the impression it was far more.

 

[ObiDon]

I'm surprised the article didn't mention a little more about how the situation occurred.
Maybe I'm misinformed but I think the ILWU declared strike last Friday and then later they went back to work but with one small change. The Union randomly assigned jobs to the Union workers instead of having them do the jobs they were trained for.
So, when the Union workers went back to work on Monday, they found that they were locked out by the Pacific Maritime Association. <--- Edit -- for purposeful work slowdown

I believe the current situation was the PMA's call. So, it's not a strike. It's a lockout. I still accidentally refer to it as a strike sometimes though.

 

[yakko]

This is why I love living in Florida. We don't have these stupid ass unions to deal with. I say fire them all and hire some of the guys from Taco Bell to replace them and train them on the new technology.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: ObiDon
I'm surprised the article didn't mention a little more about how the situation occurred.
Maybe I'm misinformed but I think the ILWU declared strike last Friday and then later they went back to work but with one small change. The Union randomly assigned jobs to the Union workers instead of having them do the jobs they were trained for.
So, when the Union workers went back to work on Monday, they found that they were locked out by the Pacific Maritime Association.

I believe the current situation was the PMA's call. So, it's not a strike. It's a lockout. I still accidentally refer to it as a strike sometimes though.

The PMA did the right thing if the union was sending routing operators to crain operaters jobs. Unions become very dangerous when they get a monopoly status. One union should not be in control of all the ports, just like one union should not be in charge of all the autoworkers.

 

[Red Dawn]

I say fire them all and hire some of the guys from Taco Bell to replace them and train them on the new technology.

Looking for a change of occupation Yakko?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

I say fire them all and hire some of the guys from Taco Bell to replace them and train them on the new technology.

Looking for a change of occupation Yakko?

It would not be a bad career change for all taco bell workers.

Taco bell worker: minimum wage.
Docker worker: 120K/year.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

i think i heard that the dispute is over 200 jobs. 200 jobs >> 2 billion dollars a day? mmmkay.

no matter, some people are cashing in on this strike, especially people with stockpiles of merchandise.

 

[Red Dawn]

[QTaco bell worker: minimum wage.
Docker worker: 120K/year.
[/quote]

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

 

[tcsenter]

I'd heard it was mainly due to modernization but I hadn't heard it was "only hundreds of jobs". For some reason I was under the impression it was far more.

It is estimated that the automation and tracking technology will eliminate between 150 - 300 positions. However, the shipping companies have assured the union in writing that no one will actually "lose" their job. The company will rely upon natural turn-over from retirement to eliminate the positions.

So nobody will be out of a job due to the proposed changes. As for those who may have filled those positions when they become open, but will not be able to when the positions are eliminated, you cannot "lose" what you never had to begin with.

 

[Yossarian]

Unions suck, this one in particular. They totally stand in the way of progress. They think that some clerk should make $100k a year manually entering shipping info rather than having it done automatically by computer. Boneheads.

I'm taking flying lessons and have been flying over the Long Beach port for the last couple weeks. You should see how many container ships are stacked up there, there were about 60 earlier this week. This is seriously fzcking up our economy.

 

[Red Dawn]

Unions suck, this one in particular

Not if you are a member!

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
[QTaco bell worker: minimum wage.
Docker worker: 120K/year.

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?[/quote]

Nope, but i am sure that guy makes more.

 

[yakko]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

I say fire them all and hire some of the guys from Taco Bell to replace them and train them on the new technology.

Looking for a change of occupation Yakko?

The only reason I left Taco Bell was because I wanted more money. The free food was great.

 

[tcsenter]

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

 

[MrHappyMonkey]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

WOW. What exactly does a longshoremem do where they make that much $$$?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MrHappyMonkey

Originally posted by: tcsenter

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

WOW. What exactly does a longshoremem do where they make that much $$$?

Unload container ships onto trucks/trains.

 

[ObiDon]

Originally posted by: MrHappyMonkey

Originally posted by: tcsenter

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

WOW. What exactly does a longshoremem do where they make that much $$$?

They join a Union. :|

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: ObiDon

Originally posted by: MrHappyMonkey

Originally posted by: tcsenter

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

WOW. What exactly does a longshoremem do where they make that much $$$?

They join a Union. :|

Bingo.

I hope that somewhere, some management team finally is able to teach unions (and their members) that you can't get rich by demand.

 

[Red Dawn]

hope that somewhere, some management team finally is able to teach unions (and their members) that you can't get rich by demand

Yeah they should follow the Enron Business model.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MrHappyMonkey

Originally posted by: tcsenter

120K a year? You sure that isn't just the Sicilian Union Rep?

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

WOW. What exactly does a longshoremem do where they make that much $$$?

Unload container ships onto trucks/trains.

WTF

WAHT KINDA EDUCATION DO YOU NEED FOR THIS

WHY AM I STILL IN SCHOOL WTF

 

[T2T III]

Bottom-rung port workers commonly make more than $85,000 per year. That is the lowest paid unionized dock worker. The highest paid unionized longshoremen make in excess of $120,000 per year. That doesn't include a benefits package that would make a UAW autoworker envious.

One report that I read, indicated the "average" salary was $80,000 for these individuals. It appears the numbers are all over the place.

 

[tcsenter]

One report that I read, indicated the "average" salary was $80,000 for these individuals. It appears the numbers are all over the place.

No, not really. $80,000 per year is the average salary of a typical full-time port worker. It is not uncommon for them to exceed $85,000 with overtime and whatnot.

The jobs at issue are in fact the union's most coveted and high-paying positions that can be held by longshoremen, averaging $120,000 annually.

 

[Red Dawn]

In Northern California $80,000 make for a decent living.