ILWU dockworkers returned to work late Tuesday after Oakland's Mayor brokered a deal between the port authority and the union. The SEIU union, which has been negotiating a new contract for port maintenance workers for more than a year, picketed Oakland's marine terminals early Tuesday over charges that the port was not bargaining in good faith. ILWU dockworkers refused to cross the lines, essentially shutting the port for much of the day.

Normal operations were resumed today and the port and the union are scheduled to hold fact-finding hearings on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3. The situation at this port, however, remains tenuous.

In addition to the challenge in Oakland, talks broke off Tuesday between office clerical workers and employers in Los Angeles-Long Beach after weeks of negotiations, raising the specter of a labor action at the nation's largest port complex. The president of the Office Clerical Unit of the ILWU warned that, "We'll have to take economic action at some point."

The trade takes such threats seriously because a recent waterfront arbitrator's decision ruled that ILWU dockworkers will not violate their contract if they refuse to cross picket lines established by the OCU. A strike by the OCU in itself would not have a significant impact on cargo-handling at the ports. However, if the OCU posts pickets at the terminals, and ILWU dockworkers refuse to cross the picket lines, the ports would be shut down.

Now that talks have broken down, and no new talks are scheduled, the employers association said, "further OCU-initiated disruptions in the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports is likely."