Port of Oakland Applauds Call for Federal Mediator in Labor Talks
Agreement seen as first step in breaking eight-month waterfront negotiating impasse
The Port of Oakland applauded a decision to bring federal mediation to stalled West Coast waterfront labor talks. It called the action a key first step in breaking an eight-month negotiating impasse between employers of the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Representatives from both sides asked Jan. 5 for outside help in negotiating a contract to replace one that expired last July.
“The announcement shows that both sides understand the importance of arriving at a contract settlement,” said Port of Oakland Executive Director Chris Lytle. “The impasse has affected port operations up and down the West Coast and the sooner it’s resolved, the sooner we can resume the normal flow of trade in and out of the U.S.”
Ports from Los Angeles to Seattle reported productivity declines in the fourth quarter of 2014 that slowed trade flows. Labor-management disputes were cited as one of the principal causes. A new contract for dockworkers is expected to help restore the flow of containerized cargo.
The Port of Oakland is not part of the waterfront labor talks. As a landlord port, it leases its facilities to private-sector operators who manage terminals and hire longshore workers. Nevertheless, the Port and terminal operators have taken an active role in addressing the impact of stalled negotiations. The steps include:
- Night and weekend gates to help ease a cargo buildup at marine terminals;
- Express lanes to speed the movement of containerized imports out of the Port; and
- Daily status updates for customers that include reports on waterfront staffing levels.
Mediation is just the first step in producing a new contract for dock workers. The goal is to craft a deal that can be ratified by employers and the full union membership. Both sides have remained mum on the issues that stand in the way an agreement.
Heightened activity continues at Port of Oakland
West Coast ports – including Oakland – have unfinished business entering 2015: a new waterfront labor contract. Longshore workers and employers continue to operate without one after the previous agreement expired last July. A Federal mediator has been requested.
The negotiating impasse continues to affect Port operations from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. Productivity levels remain less-than-optimal. Terminal transaction times have increased as have the waits at terminal gates. The Port of Oakland has urged both sides to reach agreement on a new contract.
While the stalemate continues, the Port is working through an extraordinary cargo influx. Import volume increased in the fourth quarter of 2014 as cargo diverted from congested Southern California ports. The added cargo on top of labor-management disputes stressed marine terminal operations. This was the situation for much of the past month in Oakland:
- up to nine container ships a day at anchor on San Francisco Bay awaiting berths;
- moderate-to-heavy gate waits for harbor truckers attempting to enter marine terminals;
- periodic chassis shortages.
Volume should moderate with the conclusion of peak season and the Port has implemented measures to improve throughput. These include weekend gates, dedicated lanes for simple transactions, and a daily status report to aid supply chain planning. Hundreds of additional containers are being discharged from terminals each week thanks to the Saturday/Sunday gates.
Here’s a snapshot of Port conditions:
Labor availability: Longshore gangs have not been at full complement in recent weeks due to holiday schedules and vacations. Full work gangs were dispatched to terminals in the first week of the new year.
Transaction times: Turn times vary from terminal-to-terminal. For dual transactions, they range from 30 minutes to several hours. Variables include sufficient yard labor, chassis availability and off-schedule vessel arrivals from congested Southern California ports.
Chassis: Periodic shortages of 20-and 40-foot chassis continue at larger terminals. The pinch is expected to ease as throughput improves and more trucks with chassis can be processed daily.
Gate waits: Another variable. At some terminals the wait to enter a gate is less than 15 minutes. During peak times at large terminals the waits have lasted several hours. The Port is emailing status updates to stakeholders every morning to assist with trucker dispatch.
Productivity: Crane productivity has declined in the past six weeks. Settlement of the longshore labor contract will be a key factor in restoring optimal productivity.
Daily operations status update introduced
The Port of Oakland has taken new steps in its effort to manage the increase in cargo activity including daily updates to help keep customers and stakeholders informed about the operational status of the Port’s marine terminals. The Port is doing this because import cargo has increased and operations have been hampered by off-schedule ships and recent labor-management disputes on the docks.
The updates cover which terminals are open, street wait time, vessels at berth and anchor, labor order status, and details such as chassis availability and whether fulls and empties are being accepted at terminals. The Port encourages all parties to check with the applicable Marine Terminal Operator, Logistics Provider or Ocean Carrier for any specifics.
Dramatic reductions noted in air emissions at port
Researchers say they’ve measured “dramatic reductions” in diesel emissions at the Port of Oakland. The result, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, should be cleaner air.
“At the Port of Oakland we measured reductions of nitrogen oxides and black carbon PM (particulate matter) which should translate into local improvements in air quality,” said Berkeley Lab air quality scientist Dr. Thomas Kirchstetter in a Laboratory announcement released in December.
Dr. Kirchstetter, also an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said that between 2009 and 2013:
- The median emission rate from diesel trucks operating at the Port declined 76% for black carbon, a major portion of diesel particulate matter and a pollutant linked to global warming.
- The average emission rate for nitrogen oxides, which leads to the creation of ozone and particulate matter, went down 53%.
The Berkeley Lab findings show that a clean truck program initiated at the Port of Oakland in 2009 is paying off. Known as the Comprehensive Truck Management Program, it requires harbor truckers to comply with state air quality regulations. It also bans rigs that don’t meet 2007 US Environmental Protection Agency engine emission standards. The Port took part in a $22 million grant program to help drivers make their trucks compliant.
Dr. Kirchstetter’s research team noted two significant improvements in the truck fleet serving the Port: 1) the median age of truck engines has declined from 11 to 6 years since 2009; and 2) the percentage of trucks equipped with particulate filters has increased from 2% to 99%.
The findings are important because diesel trucks make thousands of trips annually transporting Port of Oakland imports and exports. The UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory team, which also included Rob Harley, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Berkeley, and Phil Martien of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, monitored fleet emissions in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
The full announcement from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is available here: http://1.usa.gov/1yX3lBU
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