ASSOCIATED PRESS / JUNE 2002 James Spinosa, the chief negotiator for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, shifted emphasis in talks, raising security issues.

ILWU and shippers
resume bargaining

The 2 sides have met
twice since late July

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By Justin Pritchard
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO >> Negotiators for West Coast dock workers and shipping lines returned to the bargaining table yesterday, only they second time they've met since late July.

The union representing 10,500 longshoremen at all 29 major Pacific ports said it wanted to focus on port security -- an important issue, but not one of the major disagreements that has brought the sides to a deadlock.

"We will raise these issues again at the table until we can create an effective plan to secure our ports," said James Spinosa, president and chief negotiator for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Following an afternoon of talks, a spokesman for the Pacific Maritime Association reported no major new proposals and called the port security issue a "red herring" to distract from negotiations on benefits, wages and other flash points.

Since their contract officially expired July 1, the union and association of shipping lines have focused on compensation, as well as how to make the waterfront more efficient without stripping union jobs.

Since talks began, the union and shipping lines have renewed their contract on a stopgap basis.

The document covers Pacific ports which handled $320 billion worth of goods between June 2001 and June 2002, according to association statistics.

With so much at stake, the Bush administration has been monitoring talks and convened a task force to explore federal intervention.

Each side has accused the other of offering proposals that are designed to be rejected, of bargaining in bad faith over job security, and of refusing to compromise on wage and benefits proposals.