July 1, 2002

A group of Democratic Senators and Congressional representatives have written letters weighing in on the West Coast longshore contract negotiations.

Senator Edward Kennedy and all seven Democratic Senators from the states where the ILWU works the waterfront (California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii) sent a letter to President Bush June 28 telling him that they believe his administration should stay out of the contract talks.

"We urge you not to intervene in this ongoing labor negotiation. We believe that any such intervention would be harmful to the swift resolution of this negotiation," the Senators' letter read.

Another group of 45 Democratic Congressional representatives, led by California's George Miller, sent a letter June 28 to both PMA CEO Joseph Miniace and ILWU International President James Spinosa urging them to bargain in good faith "without using bargaining strategies that may take advantage of current national security concerns or that rely on hoped-for government intervention."

The letter goes on to say "We are disturbed by reports that the PMA. is manufacturing a 'labor crisis and undermining prospects for a contract settlement. This apparently is being done to secure the U.S. government intervention to, in turn, leverage economic gains the PMA may not be able to achieve in contract negotiations with the ILWU."

For more information contact ILWU Communications