His name has been changed to protect his identity.Īndy explained how work has drastically decreased since last year, as shipping companies have redirected traffic towards the East Coast. The WSWS spoke to Andy, a casual worker in the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, about these issues. Both ILWU and PMA have declined to comment. Once again, workers are being kept completely in the dark about the manning requirements for those non-automated terminals affected by the accord.

On automation, one of the most burning issues, which could cost hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs, another secret agreement was reached on May 2 by ILWU Local 13 (Los Angeles) and the PMA, according to the Journal of Commerce. The experience of railroad workers is a warning to all dockworkers: last December, the Biden administration requested that Democrats and Republicans in Congress block a railroad workers strike and ram through an agreement that workers had rejected. The ILWU has been working hand in glove with the PMA, producing carefully drafted joint statements illustrating the conspiracy between the union, the employers and the Biden administration to avoid a strike and force through a sellout. It would paralyze the entire logistic chain of the US economy and embolden workers in other key industries, including 340,000 UPS workers, whose contract expires July 31. Although the stoppage ended after 24 hours, both the ILWU and the PMA worry that the rank-and-file opposition of dockworkers is threatening the “no strike” agreement under which talks have taken place for ten months.Ī strike on the West Coast docks would be extremely powerful. This complete behind-closed-doors secrecy is fueling anger and frustration among dock workers, who have been forced to work without a contract since July 2022.Īn initial expression of this pent-up anger was a 24-hour work stoppage last month which shut down four of the six terminals at the Port of Long Beach and all seven containers at the Port of Los Angeles. įour weeks after the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced it has reached a “tentative agreement” on “certain key issues” with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for a new contract covering 22,000 West Coast dockworkers, no details have yet been released to the rank-and-file.

Incoming container ships line up outside the Port of Los Angeles as they wait for dock space.

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