ACTU news release
Wednesday October 2, 2002

US docks lockout hits sea trade

Australian sea trade with the United States is threatened by a massive anti-union lockout by shipping managers, which has closed 29 ports on the US west coast.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said millions of dollars worth of exports could be jeopardised unless the shipping and port authority employers quickly ended the lockout of more than 10,000 workers.

"Australian unions have experienced the kind of extremist and irresponsible actions of shipping and stevedoring employers that are now paralysing trade on the US west coast.

"Unions around the world are alarmed by the behaviour of the employers in the US and are working to support the efforts of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to get the ports working again, particularly to transport perishable goods.

"The US unions have offered to work for free on urgent cargoes, but the shipping and stevedoring employers are refusing to let them in the gates," Ms Burrow said.

Australian unions are sending a delegation to the US this week to support the ILWU.

Officials from the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) of employers are continuing talks on the lockout, which is costing more than $1.5 billion a day.

The PMA has refused to negotiate on the terms of a new employment agreement with the ILWU since May this year.

The extremist tactics of employers in the dispute have been likened to those used by Patricks stevedores in its confrontation with maritime unions in Australia in 1997.

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