ILWU CAUCUS ON NEW CONTRACT BEGINS DEC. 9

ILWU CAUCUS ON NEW CONTRACT BEGINS DEC. 9    A caucus of selected members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union will today begin reviewing a new collective bargaining contract negotiated by the ILWU with the Pacific Maritime Association.
   ILWU spokesman Steve Stallone told Shippers' NewsWire Friday that the caucus would review the contract for four days, and would publicly announce on Dec. 13 its recommendation as to whether the full ILWU membership should accept or reject the work of ILWU and PMA negotiators.
   On Dec. 16, rank-and-file ILWU members will begin assessing the contract. The caucus will set a date, likely to be in mid-January, 2003, for the entire union to vote on the proposed pact. The outcome should be known by Feb. 1, Stallone said.