L.A.-Long Beach clerks return to work

L.A.-Long Beach clerks return to work    Employers said members of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63A Office Clerical Unit (OCU) resumed contract negotiations on Monday and said they would return to work, dropping strikes against three of its members that operate five terminals in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
   The Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor Employers Association said however, that the OCU is maintaining what it called “unacceptable ‘featherbedding’ demands despite employers’ continuing offers of job security, work guarantees and pay and benefits increases.”
   The employers association, which represents 14 firms negotiating individual contracts with the union, said “a decision late Sunday by the OCU to drop pickets unconditionally at five terminals at the Southern California port complex is being viewed cautiously.”
   It said the OCU “gave no reason for dropping the pickets, which have disrupted port operations,” and said the union has “threatened to shut down port operations completely.
   “Pickets and the ongoing strike since July 1 have generated concern within a harbor community fearful that OCU actions have set back a nascent recovery on the waterfront and put tens of thousands of other jobs connected to the ports at risk,” it added.
   Terminals picketed have included the Yusen Terminal, West Basin Container Terminal and Seaside Transportation Service Terminal in Los Angeles and Total Terminals International and Pacific Container Terminal in Long Beach.
   Employers agreed that picketing workers could return to work.