Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/466315
16 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2015 JOURNAL NEWS T he International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association are receiving federal assistance in contract nego- tiations after both requested help. The U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said it agreed to help after receiving the joint request. Unrest over labor negotiations has made the already overly jammed ports even more inefficient in the last year and a half, and analysts have said the slowdowns at the ports contribute to inefficiencies in freight flow nationwide. PMA, which represents West Coast port employers, began nego- tiations in May with the dock and clerical workers union. The union agreed to a temporary con- tract extension after their contract expired July 1 but refused another extension late last fall. Many business organizations have requested federal help in resolving the issue. PMA said the union began with- holding critically skilled workers from their shifts in November. It estimated that qualified crane opera- tor shifts have decreased from more than 110 per day to less than 35 per day and that productivity at Pacific Northwest ports has declined as much as 60 percent. ILWU said that key PMA members needed to participate in negotiations. Meanwhile, truckers for Shippers Transport Express began collective bargaining negotiations after 88 of its 111 drivers signed union authoriza- tion cards with the Teamsters. The trucking and logistics company announced Nov. 24 it would transi- tion its business model from indepen- dent contractor to employee on Jan. 1. Drivers who had leased the Carson- based company's trucks had until Dec. 8 to apply for employee jobs. STE general manager Kevin Baddeley said an employee-based business model is a "crucial step" toward becoming more efficient and reducing port congestion. The company had remained neutral on unionization, but its leadership anticipates greater operational effi- ciency and a more stable workforce following "productive dialogue" with the Teamsters, Baddeley said. STE agreed to not interfere in unionization, while the Teamsters agreed to not disparage the company or disrupt the workplace with strikes, picketing or work actions. – James Jaillet and Jill Dunn P enske Logistics on Jan. 6 filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal of a federal appeals court decision requiring carriers to grant truck drivers in California paid meal and rest breaks. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in July to over- turn a lower court ruling that had exempted carriers from the California law that requires employers to grant employees paid 30-minute meal breaks every five hours and paid 10-minute breaks every four hours. The legal question is whether the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act preempts state law. Lower courts had ruled it does, but the Ninth Circuit appellate court ruled the California law was Penske asks Supreme Court to hear driver break case Feds assisting in labor talks at West Coast ports Productivity at some ports has declined as much as 60 percent due to ongoing labor- related slowdowns, the Pacific Maritime Association said.