In 2002, a bitter 10-day lockout at a number of West Coast ports caused an estimated $15 billion in losses.
In a statement released midday Thursday, the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Employer Association said "the strike has already had a severe impact on the flow of cargo and on jobs in the harbor community."
The association, which represents the terminal operators at the ports, went on the offensive, saying it had offered to enter into mediation with the Office Clerical Unit but was met with "unreasonable demands" and now "uncompromising and disruptive tactics."
Members of the unit are the "highest paid clerical workers in America," with annual compensation in the $165,000 range, the employer association said. A spokeswoman for the association clarified that workers make an average of $40 to $41 per hour, or about $83,000 per year in salary, with the remaining compensation covering benefits.
But the unit's leaders have said the strike is not about salary or benefits.
"Everyone agrees these are good-paying jobs," ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees told the Daily Breeze."The difference is here that the companies resent providing those good-paying jobs in the long run and have taken steps to steadily ship them elsewhere to the detriment of the local communities around the harbor."
The clerical workers have been in a contract dispute for 2 1/2 years with 14 shippers. Talks between the parties broke off Monday, and the strike followed. No new talks have been scheduled.
"We're prepared to strike as long as it takes," ***eaux said late Thursday morning.
An arbitrator had ruled Tuesday that the clerical workers' walkout was invalid, but the strike expanded Wednesday and was continuing Thursday.
The shippers contend the union wants contract language to allow "featherbedding" – meaning the employers must pay temporary employees and hire new permanent employees even when there is no work to perform.
"It is only a matter of time until the damage to our local economy has major national implications. The time for you to act is now," Villaraigosa added.
The National Retail Federation, meanwhile, called on President Barack Obama to step in to end the stalemate.
"A prolonged strike at the nation's largest ports would have a devastating impact on the U.S. economy,'' NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay wrote in a letter to Obama. "We call upon you to use all means necessary to get the two sides back to the negotiating table.''
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Ridiculous.