CONECT Counsel Provides East Coast Labor Update

CONECT's DC counsel, Peter Friedmann has issued this update:

"Yesterday, a group of 20 representatives of importers and exporters met with senior US DOT officials; we explained the impact of a potential strike and requested that the Administration take action. One proposal we made was to have the Federal Mediation Service quietly get parties together to negotiate seriously and promptly. 

Today, the International Longshoremen's Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) have agreed to resume negotiations during the week of Sept. 17 at the request of a federal mediator.

The American Shipper reported that; "In a statement this morning, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director George H. Cohen said "the parties have agreed to resume negotiations under our auspices during the week of September 17, 2012. Due to the sensitivity of this high profile dispute and consistent with the agency's longstanding practice, we will not disclose either the location of the meeting or the content of the substantive negotiations that will take place."

What are the issues remaining to be resolved? None of the following is certain, as the parties are not discussing all the details, but this is what I have gleaned from conversations with some who are close to the negotiators.

The ILA raised four issues:

1. Jurisdiction over chassis repair and maintenance, now that the ocean carriers are getting out of the chassis ownership
2. Jurisdiction over weighing containers
3. Automation
4. Protecting jobs that will could be lost due to implementation of automated marine terminal systems

Our understanding is that these four issues were addressed and resolved during negotiations in July.  Then the USMX presented its issues, some of which were addressed in the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor report, highlighting pay and work practices for New York longshoremen.

At that point negotiations ended: August 22.  Those issues include: 

1. Work rules
2. Royalty payments to longshoremen
3. Wages/benefits

We will continue to dialogue with the impacted importers and exporters representatives here in DC, with those who are close to the negotiators, and with the Administration, and keep you updated." 

Liberty would like to thank Peter Friedmann for his continued great work on behalf of the New England trade community.