For Immediate Release:   September 27, 2002

Contact:  Steve Stallone 415-775-0533 x114 or 510-390-4748
           or Jeremy Prillwitz 415-286-0555


PMA rejects tech agreement, Closes West Coast ports

To divert attention from its rejection of the ILWU's reasonable
technology proposal, the PMA announced today it will shut down all West
Coast ports with false claims of union
slowdowns.

The PMA walked out of negotiations this afternoon after its CEO Joseph
Miniace launched into a tirade, attacking the union as an institution
and saying he doesn't want to deal with it anymore.

"Miniace showed the same disrespect for the union he has since the
beginning of these talks," ILWU International President James Spinosa
said. "He is unilaterally taking the action of closing all ports and
bears full responsibility for its effects on the American economy."

The PMA implemented the lockout even though the union made expansive
proposals for new computer technology the employers have been saying for
three years was their top priority. But PMA refuses to guarantee that
the remaining jobs and all the new jobs created by the new technology
will be ILWU jobs.

"PMA's slanderous allegations of slowdowns during the biggest speedup in
ILWU history that coincides with a record number of on-the-job deaths is
literally adding insult to injury and making any progress toward a
contract more difficult," Spinosa said. "Still the ILWU is prepared to
go back to the table and seek a negotiated settlement."