Oakland Port Action After SSA Attacks ILWU Local 10 Members In Violation of Their Contract

Oakland Port Action After SSA Attacks ILWU Local 10 Members In Violation of Their Contract
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29694612/port-oakland-cargo-opera...
Port of Oakland cargo operations snarled by labor-management dispute

Oakland Port Action After SSA Attacks ILWU Local 10 Members In Violation of Their Contract
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29694612/port-oakland-cargo-opera...
By George Avalos, gavalos@bayareanewsgroup.com
POSTED: 03/28/2016 10:15:58 AM PDT
UPDATED: 03/28/2016 06:50:57 PM PDT

OAKLAND -- A labor dispute linked to a group of dismissed dock workers disrupted cargo handling at the Port of Oakland on Monday, and completely halted operations at one of the terminals at the East Bay cargo hub, port officials said.

The turmoil involved Stevedore Services of America, commonly known as SSA Marine Terminals.
"Daytime operations were suspended" at SSA Marine's Oakland International Container Terminal, said Michael Zampa, a spokesman for the Port of Oakland.
The terminal involved is the largest at the Port of Oakland, which has five terminals.
"It's a labor-management dispute," Zampa said.
The cause or nature of the work disagreement wasn't immediately disclosed.
"We have heard work has temporarily stopped," Zampa said. "Operations are expected to resume on the evening shift." That evening shift was due to begin at 8 p.m.

The disruption caused trucks drivers picking up or dropping off containers to become stuck in long lines of vehicles.
Officials with International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10, the principal representative of rank-and-file workers at the Oakland port, said the work stoppage was connected with the firing of 22 dock employees at the port.

"The ILWU called in an arbitrator, who ruled that the company acted improperly by dismissing 22 workers," said Craig Merrilees, an ILWU spokesman. "The workers were made whole" under the ruling.

The 22 workers were dismissed for the day, but the arbitrator determined that they could return to the job Tuesday and be paid for Monday's hours.

"The company wanted to change the workday and the start times, in violation of the contract," Merrilees said. SSA sought to start the workers' shifts 15 minutes earlier.

SSA Marine Terminals and Oakland International Container Terminal didn't return phone inquiries about the situation on Monday.

The arbitrator also determined that 44 dock workers who stopped working to show support for the dismissed workers acted improperly.

"The company can't just tear up the contract on its own," Merrilees said.

Contact George Avalos at 408-859-5167. Follow him at Twitter.com/georgeavalos.