West coast port dispute settled !

[swedish weave]

Secretary Perez announced that the PMA and ILWU have reached an agreement to end the West Coast port dispute and will resume work "full bore" on Saturday. They have agreed on a new five year contract.

[sail7seas]

Good news. Thanks for sharing with us. :)

[CruiserBruce]

Cruise ships were exempted from the issue.

[swedish weave]

Cruise ships were exempted from the issue.

 

That may be the "official" position, but many (including myself) have posted about the wet or damaged luggage and the cruise ship delays associated with the labor dispute.

[dhill]

That may be the "official" position, but many (including myself) have posted about the wet or damaged luggage and the cruise ship delays associated with the labor dispute.

 

But the strike is over now:confused:

[swedish weave]

But the strike is over now:confused:

 

I am not sure I understand the reason for your comment. As information --- No strike was ever called.

 

I started this thread to inform CC posters that the dispute was settled and a new five year contract was agreed upon.

 

That does not change the fact that a lot of nonsense was fausted upon cruisers while the dispute was happening.

Edited February 21, 2015 by swedish weave

[Sam.Seattle]

The (strike) or... work slowdown was port labor loading and unloading CARGO ships, not the passenger luggage on a CRUISE ship...

 

Anyone else agree?

 

I don't think the trike the OP is referncing had anything to do with CRUISE ships.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Sam.Seattle

[Ashland]

The (strike) or... work slowdown was port labor loading and unloading CARGO ships, not the passenger luggage on a CRUISE ship...

 

Anyone else agree?

 

I don't think the trike the OP is referncing had anything to do with CRUISE ships.

 

I agree with you 100%...not only that but the comment about "wet" luggage....that's been almost impossible here...other than on a very rare occasion lately ;)

[swedish weave]

I agree with you 100%...not only that but the comment about "wet" luggage....that's been almost impossible here...other than on a very rare occasion lately ;)

 

The occurance of lugaage dunmped into the ocean was not a rare occurance. It happened too often to be accidental. If you choose to make excuses for the stupid acts of the dockworkers, you can do that, but they made a very negative impression on the cruisers who suffered form their stiupid acts of vandalism.

[Ashland]

The occurance of lugaage dunmped into the ocean was not a rare occurance. It happened too often to be accidental. If you choose to make excuses for the stupid acts of the dockworkers, you can do that, but they made a very negative impression on the cruisers who suffered form their stiupid acts of vandalism.

Cruise luggage "dumped" in the ocean on purpose :confused:

 

Details of your dumping statement and some facts to back it up please.

 

And why would you "assume" I would make excuses for them.:mad:

[pris993]

Hurray.... glad it is over.

 

Only saw once luggage that ended up in the bay, in San Francisco, got off a Princess ship, noticed all this wet luggage, very sad, apparently the cage the luggage was in opened accidently... I felt sorry for the folks it belonged too what an unpleasant surprise at the end of a cruise... can you image facing such a mess before you headed to the airport.

[CruiserBruce]

Cruise luggage "dumped" in the ocean on purpose :confused:

 

Details of your dumping statement and some facts to back it up please.

 

And why would you "assume" I would make excuses for them.:mad:

 

I agree. The OP offers no proof it was intentional, seems hasn't witnessed it personally, but certainly takes the opportunity to union bash.

[swedish weave]

I agree. The OP offers no proof it was intentional, seems hasn't witnessed it personally, but certainly takes the opportunity to union bash.

 

Please read the posts on CC and believe me. I personally saw lugggage bening sorted out AFTER BEING RETRIEVED FROM THE WATER. I also had my luggage damaged and ITEMS MISSING.

 

These stupid acts by dockworkers have left an indelible image of their antics and I will not let them handle my lugggage in the future.

 

If you doubt my statements, check NCL, Carnival. and Princess boards and you will see reports of the same type of incidents. I personally saw it on NCL AND EXPERIENCED MY LUGGAGE BEING DAMAGED ON PRINCESS.

 

What proof do you have that it DIDN'T happen ??

Edited February 22, 2015 by swedish weave

[Sam.Seattle]

Hurray.... glad it is over.

 

Only saw once luggage that ended up in the bay, in San Francisco, got off a Princess ship, noticed all this wet luggage, very sad, apparently the cage the luggage was in opened accidently... I felt sorry for the folks it belonged too what an unpleasant surprise at the end of a cruise... can you image facing such a mess before you headed to the airport.

Oh NOOO..... I might exceed the 65-pound per bag if my clothes took a swim upon arrival.

[greatam]

Secretary Perez announced that the PMA and ILWU have reached an agreement to end the West Coast port dispute and will resume work "full bore" on Saturday. They have agreed on a new five year contract.

 

BETTER READ THE FINE PRINT. An agreement was reached-yes. BUT the union has to vote AND TEAMSTERS who are not covered by the MASTER FREIGHT AGREEMENT-those that "shag" the containers from the cranes to the inside the port warehouses were NOT covered. So that leaves the entire Teamsters union with a separate b**ch. Will the freight come off the cargo ships in a more expedient fashion IF THE UNION VOTES the contract? Yes but a BIG MAYBE because even if they are off the ships, they may not move anyplace.

 

Will it clear out the ports? NO-will just expedite getting the containers off of cargo ships. And believe me, as tightly tied as Teamsters and ILWU are together, I still expect port slowdowns, dumped luggage, crappy service from the Longshoreman whether it is cargo or cruise ships. There are no happy people in this agreement.

 

I own a trucking company. We have had fish shipments from Japan and other parts of Asia tied up for well over 3 weeks. Thank goodness, it is FROZEN fish. I am thoroughly on top of this situation-not just something that was in the newspaper that made splashy headlines. My fish is STILL waiting to be transported from the containers to some of the warehouses that are UNION warehouses in Long Beach. No one wants to touch them for fear of being called SCABS.

 

Don't count your chickens before they hatch. There is a lot under the surface that the weight of Perez CANNOT fix. And add in California CARB which wiped out about 65% of the truckers that were hauling out of the port-still a total mess. And once our fish contracts from Asia are over, I am not renewing. Thanks to all the union people, EPA and California CARB that want to put my small business OUT OF BUSINESS.

 

This is probably sh**ty to say and I don't mean to offend but I hope cruise ships are delayed, luggage goes missing and various other things happen to cruise ship passengers (me being one of them). MAYBE THEN someone will take a stand for the overwhelming FEDERAL and California regulations and the crap that keeps getting thrown at small and large businesses for absolutely NO REASON on earth. Stand up, people. It is your right to have a pleasant cruise without the IMPOSITION of the FEDS FORCING something down both the port owners and the ILWU's throat.

[greatam]

But the strike is over now:confused:

 

 

There was never a strike. Port owners locked out ILWU for a couple of weekends and a few days. Would YOU pay for a full days work at about $55.00 per hour and get $20 worth of work? That doesn't include overtime or DOUBLE time on the weekends.

 

The general public INCURS those charges in the cost of goods. Since when is someone with a clipboard scheduling which container comes off of which ship or which person ties up which cruise ship entitled to a salary of $147,000 per year plus all the bennies and almost a full salaried pension? Please answer me that!!!!

[swedish weave]

There was never a strike. Port owners locked out ILWU for a couple of weekends and a few days. Would YOU pay for a full days work at about $55.00 per hour and get $20 worth of work? That doesn't include overtime or DOUBLE time on the weekends.

 

The general public INCURS those charges in the cost of goods. Since when is someone with a clipboard scheduling which container comes off of which ship or which person ties up which cruise ship entitled to a salary of $147,000 per year plus all the bennies and almost a full salaried pension? Please answer me that!!!!

 

I also spent many years in the transportation business, and we went through the problems that some of the unions presented.

 

The teamsters became too greedy and ended up out of jobs because of their demands.

 

I fully understand your position, and hope that someday the people will realize they are trying to price themselves out of the market.

 

The teamsters have weakened themselves by demanding too much and have brought about the "owner operator" system. That will serve to help clear out the port situation somewhat.

Edited February 22, 2015 by swedish weave

[greatam]

I also spent many years in the transportation business, and we went through the problems that some of the unions presented.

 

The teamsters became too greedy and ended up out of jobs because of their demands.

 

I fully understand your position, and hope that someday the people will realize they are trying to price themselves out of the market.

 

What are you speaking of-CF became Con-Way (price something for shipment on Con Way-just about the same price as CF). RoadWay became Yellow and their non union subsidiaries. ABF is still union, Estes is union in everything except a contract (come on-who ever gets paid for SNOW TIME???). Old Dominion basically operates as a union company without the Teamsters contract.

 

So what has changed? NOTHING that I can see.

[swedish weave]

What are you speaking of-CF became Con-Way (price something for shipment on Con Way-just about the same price as CF). RoadWay became Yellow and their non union subsidiaries. ABF is still union, Estes is union in everything except a contract (come on-who ever gets paid for SNOW TIME???). Old Dominion basically operates as a union company without the Teamsters contract.

 

So what has changed? NOTHING that I can see.

 

The teamsters that had an agreement to service our facility were replaced with a company that was non-union and the company that had the contract with the teamsters was disbanded. Therefore, the teamsters had an agreemsnt with a non existant company. Some were offered job with the new company at a wage below the teamsters scale, and some were not offered jobs. It depended on their work history.

They picketed oour facility for a while, but it was ineffective.

Edited February 22, 2015 by swedish weave

[greatam]

The teamsters have weakened themselves by demanding too much and have brought about the "owner operator" system. That will serve to help clear out the port situation somewhat.

 

And 65% of the Owner/Operators can no longer haul from either Long Beach or LA. CARB rules REQUIRE a 2007 (this year-2009 in 2016) tractor to haul out of either port. When you are making about $500-600 per day spending an entire day doing ONE LOAD (pickup at the port and spend the next 6-8 hours trying to get unloaded), who are you kidding?

 

A 2007 tractor (Freightliner-cheapest you can get) is somewhere between $33-55,000 with payments of about $1400 per month. Insurance is another $1000 per month. A 2009 is in the neighborhood of $55-60.000 with a LOT of miles on it (ready for a major overhaul at about $18,000), there is NO money to pay for insurance and the tractor and have anything left over for a wage which should be at least $45-50,000 per year.

 

If my owner operators made that kind of money, they would all park their trucks. If you can't gross $15,000 per month on short haul, daily runs, you have no money for a salary for yourself.

[swedish weave]

And 65% of the Owner/Operators can no longer haul from either Long Beach or LA. CARB rules REQUIRE a 2007 (this year-2009 in 2016) tractor to haul out of either port. When you are making about $500-600 per day spending an entire day doing ONE LOAD (pickup at the port and spend the next 6-8 hours trying to get unloaded), who are you kidding?

 

A 2007 tractor (Freightliner-cheapest you can get) is somewhere between $33-55,000 with payments of about $1400 per month. Insurance is another $1000 per month. A 2009 is in the neighborhood of $55-60.000 with a LOT of miles on it (ready for a major overhaul at about $18,000), there is NO money to pay for insurance and the tractor and have anything left over for a wage which should be at least $45-50,000 per year.

 

If my owner operators made that kind of money, they would all park their trucks. If you can't gross $15,000 per month on short haul, daily runs, you have no money for a salary for yourself.

 

I don't doubt your figures, but the ports are not the only game in town. We had contracts with about 2000 trucking companies and most were owner operators. They were able to survive and do quite well. NAFTA helped water down some of the Calif restrictions.

[greatam]

I don't doubt your figures, but the ports are not the only game in town. We had contracts with about 2000 trucking companies and most were owner operators. They were able to survive and do quite well. NAFTA helped water down some of the Calif restrictions.

 

You truly have no idea what you are talking about. The ports were the biggest game in town in CA if you were an owner operator and wanted a local job where you were home every night. There is very little local work for the 3000+ owner operators who pulled containers out of the port daily on a local basis and are or will be out of work just due to CA CARB.

 

CA CARB (California Air Resources Board) has put in such stringent regulations which are ONLY applicable to CA that owner operators are quitting left and right if they have to go into CA. I have 27 owner operators and 5 are selling their trucks at the end of the year and getting out of the business just due to CARB regulations. One has an absolutely beautiful 2008 Peterbilt, immaculately maintained. His CSA score is 93%, almost unheard of for an owner operator. But to continue to go into CA (he lives in Riverside) as of Jan 2016, he has to either put a $7400 catalytic converter on his truck or buy a new truck.

 

And the fancy CA CARB required systems break down all the time. I have 35 company owned trucks and 27 owner operators. At least one is in the shop WEEKLY for the filter and regen systems. If it is a Cummins ISX engine, it is a 2 day repair that costs about $1900. This is NOT normal maintenance. This is because the filters, which were supposed to be so efficient, plug up with soot and ROAD SALT long before the normal scheduled by the manufacturers maintenance guidelines. And the EGR valves go out about every 6 months. $750 for the part, another $750 if you have to have a shop install it. Not only that, you now have to buy DEF at about $3.00 per gallon. Most trucks have a 20 gallon DEF tank which will last about 6000 miles. So an additional expense of $150 per month just to buy DEF. And ALL for CA CARB.

 

"NAFTA helped water down some of the Calif restrictions." Pray tell, how has NAFTA watered down some of the CA restrictions? NAFTA has only made it worse on US Owner Operators. The produce trucks that are now allowed to roam the US freely instead of having to stay within the 100 mile radius as before come across the Mexican border with about 700 gallons of diesel fuel-300 gallons in the saddle tanks, another 2-300 gallon tank on the deck plate and a 100 gallon reefer tank. ALL purchased for about $2.25 per gallon where US diesel is about $3.00 per gallon US average. And that 700 gallons of fuel will get a truck from the Mexican border to Hunt's Point Market, Bronx NY without buying any US fuel. Wonder how many of the Mexican trucks are paying the IFTA fuel tax truthfully? Another cost forced onto US truckers and US taxpayers.

 

I will say that as of January 2015, Mexican diesel was allowed to "float" at market prices, so the price as a general rule went up. BUT stations are free to set their own prices and particularly in areas like Brownsville/McAllen, Juarez, Nogales and Otay Mesa where there is a lot of cross border trade, the price is still at least $.40 per gallon cheaper than US diesel.

 

And if you want a picture of how little truckers are making hauling produce right now, the average load coming across the border Friday from Nogales, Mexico to the East Coast paid about $5500. Thank goodness, we are not produce haulers or we would not survive.

 

For a US trucker, $2500 of that $5500 went into fuel tanks and tolls. Just to get to Hunt's Point across the GW Bridge is a $102.50 toll, not counting the market entrance fee which is never reimbursed. Even at $.30 per mile (which is poverty wages for over the road drivers), $750 for wages. You are barely making ends meet.

 

Full loads of freight to either AZ or CA off the East Coast Friday paid an average of $3300. You DIDN'T make ends meet as a general rule. You had to take some of your Eastbound money left over after paying for fuel and wages to even make your truck/trailer and insurance payments. And van freight is running about $8-1000 LESS for the same run than produce rates right now Now tell me how much NAFTA has helped.

 

This is one time I hope the Teamsters hold out (and I RARELY wish for this). Won't let many of the owner/operators drive their own trucks unless they invest heavily to meet CA CARB but it may open up a few local jobs.

 

We have drug this thread far enough off topic. I'm done.

[swedish weave]

You truly have no idea what you are talking about.

 

We have drug this thread far enough off topic. I'm done.

 

Having spent my entire adult life in the transportation business, I should have learned something, but since you have determined I know nothing, it is time to end this discussion.

 

If this business is so devastating, I wonder why so many are getting into it ???????

Edited February 22, 2015 by swedish weave

[Sam.Seattle]

Having spent my entire adult life in the transportation business, I should have learned something, but since you have determined I know nothing, it is time to end this discussion.

 

If this business is so devastating, I wonder why so many are getting into it ???????

Would you mind being very specific about your job in the transportation business? The person you have replied to was very specific and provided excellent background and explantions.

 

Being in the "transportation business" as a dispatcher, driver, dock worker or ??? would be very different from being an "owner / operator.

 

Knowing your specific past employment would be much more insightful and interesting than just some ending comment not supported by any facts.

 

Just curious.....

[dhill]

You truly have no idea what you are talking about. The ports were the biggest game in town in CA if you were an owner operator and wanted a local job where you were home every night. There is very little local work for the 3000+ owner operators who pulled containers out of the port daily on a local basis and are or will be out of work just due to CA CARB.

 

CA CARB (California Air Resources Board) has put in such stringent regulations which are ONLY applicable to CA that owner operators are quitting left and right if they have to go into CA. I have 27 owner operators and 5 are selling their trucks at the end of the year and getting out of the business just due to CARB regulations. One has an absolutely beautiful 2008 Peterbilt, immaculately maintained. His CSA score is 93%, almost unheard of for an owner operator. But to continue to go into CA (he lives in Riverside) as of Jan 2016, he has to either put a $7400 catalytic converter on his truck or buy a new truck.

 

And the fancy CA CARB required systems break down all the time. I have 35 company owned trucks and 27 owner operators. At least one is in the shop WEEKLY for the filter and regen systems. If it is a Cummins ISX engine, it is a 2 day repair that costs about $1900. This is NOT normal maintenance. This is because the filters, which were supposed to be so efficient, plug up with soot and ROAD SALT long before the normal scheduled by the manufacturers maintenance guidelines. And the EGR valves go out about every 6 months. $750 for the part, another $750 if you have to have a shop install it. Not only that, you now have to buy DEF at about $3.00 per gallon. Most trucks have a 20 gallon DEF tank which will last about 6000 miles. So an additional expense of $150 per month just to buy DEF. And ALL for CA CARB.

 

"NAFTA helped water down some of the Calif restrictions." Pray tell, how has NAFTA watered down some of the CA restrictions? NAFTA has only made it worse on US Owner Operators. The produce trucks that are now allowed to roam the US freely instead of having to stay within the 100 mile radius as before come across the Mexican border with about 700 gallons of diesel fuel-300 gallons in the saddle tanks, another 2-300 gallon tank on the deck plate and a 100 gallon reefer tank. ALL purchased for about $2.25 per gallon where US diesel is about $3.00 per gallon US average. And that 700 gallons of fuel will get a truck from the Mexican border to Hunt's Point Market, Bronx NY without buying any US fuel. Wonder how many of the Mexican trucks are paying the IFTA fuel tax truthfully? Another cost forced onto US truckers and US taxpayers.

 

I will say that as of January 2015, Mexican diesel was allowed to "float" at market prices, so the price as a general rule went up. BUT stations are free to set their own prices and particularly in areas like Brownsville/McAllen, Juarez, Nogales and Otay Mesa where there is a lot of cross border trade, the price is still at least $.40 per gallon cheaper than US diesel.

 

And if you want a picture of how little truckers are making hauling produce right now, the average load coming across the border Friday from Nogales, Mexico to the East Coast paid about $5500. Thank goodness, we are not produce haulers or we would not survive.

 

For a US trucker, $2500 of that $5500 went into fuel tanks and tolls. Just to get to Hunt's Point across the GW Bridge is a $102.50 toll, not counting the market entrance fee which is never reimbursed. Even at $.30 per mile (which is poverty wages for over the road drivers), $750 for wages. You are barely making ends meet.

 

Full loads of freight to either AZ or CA off the East Coast Friday paid an average of $3300. You DIDN'T make ends meet as a general rule. You had to take some of your Eastbound money left over after paying for fuel and wages to even make your truck/trailer and insurance payments. And van freight is running about $8-1000 LESS for the same run than produce rates right now Now tell me how much NAFTA has helped.

 

This is one time I hope the Teamsters hold out (and I RARELY wish for this). Won't let many of the owner/operators drive their own trucks unless they invest heavily to meet CA CARB but it may open up a few local jobs.

 

We have drug this thread far enough off topic. I'm done.

 

I disagree with you I drive a 2010 Kenworth got it when it was brand new it has a Cummings ISX motor in it. There are 16 trucks where I work and very rarely does one have trouble with the regen system had a few filters clog that's a couple hour job and how does road salt get into the filters when its a closed system?We

have not had much problems with egr valves a few have gone out but are mechanics can change one pretty quickly.Theses are off road logging trucks so they get worked a lot harder then your highway trucks:)