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Republican bill to ban docker union slow-downs debuts in the US Senate
THE Prevent Labour Union Slowdowns (PLUS) bill has been launched on the floor of the US Senate, reports American Shipper.
The PLUS Act (S702) is sponsored by Senators Jim Risch, R-Idaho; Mike Crapo, R-Idaho; and David Perdue, R-Ga, and aims to prevent union slowdowns at US ports.
"Experience has demonstrated that frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry in the form of deliberate and unprotected labour slowdowns at the ports of the United States have led to substantial and frequent economic disruption and loss, interfering with the free flow of domestic and international commerce and threatening the economic health of the United States, as well as its citizens and businesses," the bill said.
"Such frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry hurt the reputation of the United States in the global economy."
Said Senator Crapo: "Idaho farmers, ranchers, producers and manufacturers suffered significant losses due to the West Coast port slowdown in late 2014."
Work slowed at US west coast ports in 2014 and 2015 when the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and employers were negotiating a new labour contract.
The Pacific Maritime Association, which negotiated the contract with the ILWU, said the ILWU's actions "needlessly brought west coast ports to the brink of gridlock," and temporarily suspended weekend vessel operations in February 2015.
The bill would change the National Labour Relations Act, defining a labour slowdown by maritime workers as an unfair practice, and would prevent massive financial damage to the food and other industries.
The PLUS Act (S702) is sponsored by Senators Jim Risch, R-Idaho; Mike Crapo, R-Idaho; and David Perdue, R-Ga, and aims to prevent union slowdowns at US ports.
"Experience has demonstrated that frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry in the form of deliberate and unprotected labour slowdowns at the ports of the United States have led to substantial and frequent economic disruption and loss, interfering with the free flow of domestic and international commerce and threatening the economic health of the United States, as well as its citizens and businesses," the bill said.
"Such frequent and periodic disruptions to commerce in the maritime industry hurt the reputation of the United States in the global economy."
Said Senator Crapo: "Idaho farmers, ranchers, producers and manufacturers suffered significant losses due to the West Coast port slowdown in late 2014."
Work slowed at US west coast ports in 2014 and 2015 when the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and employers were negotiating a new labour contract.
The Pacific Maritime Association, which negotiated the contract with the ILWU, said the ILWU's actions "needlessly brought west coast ports to the brink of gridlock," and temporarily suspended weekend vessel operations in February 2015.
The bill would change the National Labour Relations Act, defining a labour slowdown by maritime workers as an unfair practice, and would prevent massive financial damage to the food and other industries.
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