Catherwood LibraryILR School

Less than two weeks after a lockout was narrowly avoided at two major West Coast ports (see WIT for Sep. 20, 2002), highly confrontational contract negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have shut down half of America?s nautical trade. Accusing the ILWU of slowdowns throughout the week, the PMA locked workers out for thirty-six hours starting Friday night, and reopened Sunday morning only to resume the lockout late last night. With the holiday retail season fast approaching and the economy already suffering, both the Bush administration and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) are pushing the two sides to return to the bargaining table---moves which the union has condemned as impairing its ability to press for its job security demands.