Jerry Owens, ILA General Organizer, Ray Familathe, ILWU Coordinator of International Relations, Richard P. Hughes,Jr., President of ILA, Willie Adams,ILWU Secretary-Treasurer and Mark Jurisic, ILWU Local 13 Executive Board Membber
Richard Hughes (at right) President, International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO congratulates Willie Adams,(at left) Secretary-Treasurer, International Longshore and Warehouse Union, following unanimous passage of International Transport Federation resolution calling on world-wide support for current ILWU negotiations with Pacific Maritime Association. The resolution was passed during recent ITF Dockers Section meetings in Stockholm, Sweden. ILA Assistant General Organizer John D. Baker is at center.

Support for the ILWU Contract Negotiations

06/27/2008

The ITF Dockers’ Section Conference held in Stockholm on 16-17 June 2008 representing more than 190 dockers’ unions in 100 countries organising some 400,000 dockers and port workers: And the FPC on 19th June.

Note that the ILWU and its locals on the West Coast of the USA are currently in contract negotiations with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) who represent shipping lines and terminal operators;

Notes with concern that the current collective bargaining agreement between the ILWU and PMA will soon expire on 1 July 2008;

Further notes that the ITF Dockers’ Section Conference and dockworkers worldwide can’t forget the fact that the PMA who represent shipping lines and terminal operators locked out the ILWU for 10 days during its 2002 contract negotiations;

Supports the ILWU on the West Coast of the USA and its negotiating committee which is working to achieve a tentative agreement to bring to its 15,000 members rank and file dockworkers for approval by 1st July when the current collective bargaining agreement with PMA expire;

Calls upon the PMA and its member companies to exhaust all means and to negotiate in good faith with the ILWU in order to avoid any conflict like the one in 2002 that led to the PMA’s employer lockout of the ILWU for 10 days forcing the intervention of the US government;

Resolves that the ITF Secretariat monitors the developments of the ILWU and PMA contract negotiations with extreme attention up to the 1st July expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement and to pledge all lawful means of international solidarity.