Two-Day Strike Had Little Effect on Port of Los Angeles

Published Aug 25, 2006 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

The Executivre director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, Capt. Manny Aschemeyer, said Thursday that a two-day strike by the Engineers and Architects Association in Los Angeles had extended to the docks, causing longshore workers to halt work for four hours on Tuesday. Union members returned to work on Thursday August 24th.

The 7,400-member Engineers and Architects Association staged a two-day walk-out in Los Angeles August 22nd and 23rd in order “to get noticed.” The union was seeking wage increases beyond those offered other Los Angeles city workers. When picketers spread out to the docks of the Port of Los Angeles, on Tuesday morning, longshoremen ceased work reportedly because they believed they were crossing picket lines. An arbitrator was called in and ruled that the longshoremen (and the terminals where they were working) were not part of the strike, and they returned to work after a four-hour shutdown at container terminals. Port officials said no ships were affected by the work stoppage.

Reportedly, 1,600 of the 7,400 members of the Engineers and Architects Association stayed off work on Tuesday & Wednesday and, aside from the temporary stoppage by longshoremen, they could not convince other city workers to join them. The union workers, whose contract expired in 2004, were offered the same 6.25% wage increase over three years that was part of a contract with Los Angeles city workers, but they reportedly sought 3.25% to 6% per year.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa refused to revisit the city contract which covers 17,000 city workers, as well as the engineers and architects. Union officials said further action may be possible. On Thursday afternoon, local sources reported that dock operations were running smoothly, in the terminals and with all arriving and departing vessels at LA/LB Harbor.