Deal Improves But Still No Real Wage Bridge. LWC Opposes Deal

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The Wage Scale Committee recommended on 9/30 to send a master contract offer to the membership. A vote has been scheduled for November 17.

Thanks to ILA rank-and-file mobilization & the many calls made to ILA President Hughes and USMX Chairman Capo in the last few days this offer is an improvement on an earlier offer. But it is still not good enough. The USMX & ILA is hoping that members won’t read between the lines.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF OFFER (see lwcjustice.com in next few days for an in-depth analysis of the offer):

* $57million giveback to USMX in 2009. This is money we already negotiated. Meanwhile, the employers plan on expanding. We will regret this giveback in 2012 when they are earning profits.

* Members get Oct. 1 wage increase, but will pay for it out of deferred contributions to the Container Royalty Fund.

* Top tier gets $1 increase in 2011, but no raise for anyone else until end 2012, when most members will get partial wage bridge. Since 2003 the Longshore Workers’ Coalition has fought for a real wage bridge: current workers get top pay immediately & new hires get top pay after three years or 3,000 hours, whichever is first. This contract brings wages up to top pay in 2012 for members who have nine years in the industry. New hire pay will be $20/hr. This means that many members will have waited 14 years or more to get top rate.

* Container royalty cap lifted, but members aren’t likely to see extra money for several years because of the way the Oct. 1 increase is funded. Contract would also divert money from our MILA health care fund and other royalty funds to pay for lifting of cap.

* MILA contributions and increases will be frozen. This will likely impact the quality of benefits and the stability of the fund in 2012.

* Appointed subcommittee on technology. The LWC has been fighting for job security & controlling the impact of labor-saving technology since 2003. This contract will not protect ILA members from technology.

ILA President Hughes has rushed through a deal a year before the expiration. He did not keep his promise of a democratic bargaining process. On the first day of negotiations he disbanded the delegate-elected Wage Scale Subcommittees. He then met with USMX with an appointed committee that was not fully representative of the membership.

(Information updated 10/1/09)

The ILA rank-and-file must organize against this deal. We must send the ILA and USMX back to the bargaining table.

***If you would like to get text message updates, please call Marsha at 718-865-8782 or email unity2010@lwcjustice.com (provide your name, ILA local and cell phone number).***