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Union
Warns: Lack of Manpower at US West Coast Ports
West Coast ports are under pressure from
increasing trade flows and will not be able to handle cargo in a timely
manner unless more workers are hired, say union leaders at the ports of LA
and Long Beach.
The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU)
recently suggested that as many as 10,000 new workers would be needed on
California docks, the Associated Press reported.
The ILWU estimates that up to 50 gangs, each
comprised of 12 to 14 persons, are necessary to deal with the increasingly
larger loads coming off of ever bigger vessels mainly from Asia. In
addition, workers are needed to transport goods from wharves to trains and
trucks.
David Arian, president of Local 13 of the ILWU,
said: "The last time I saw this many ships sitting in the bay was when the
employer locked us out in 2002.
"I don't believe this is a short-term crisis.
It's because of an infrastructure meltdown."
The US government, ports, union and
manufacturers have been discussing what should do done about the situation
for some time.
A few of the solutions bandied about by those
parties include extending port operation hours, removing empty boxes to
offsite areas to lessen congestion for trucks, and making freight easier
to transport on trucks and trains. |
