West Coast ports are stuck in gridlock. Earlier this week, truck drivers were waiting for as long as seven hours (http://www.presstelegram.com/business/20141108/ports-of-los-angeles-long-beach-congestion-worsens-labor-talks-escalate/1) at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to try to retrieve single containers of cargo. The backup at these ports, which handle the majority of shipments from Asia, is threatening the timely delivery of billions of dollars’ worth of holiday goods.
The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents the docking companies at ports along the West Coast, blamed the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) for the initial slowdown, accusing the union of refusing to dispatch skilled workers at the ports, creating backups that are part of an attempt to gain leverage in contract negotiations. The union—whose workers have been without a contract since July (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ports-labor-strife-threatening-holiday-deliveries-26756236)—has denied that they are intentionally clogging the port’s flow of goods.


More... (http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17366/california_port_gridlock_contract_disputes_may_cost_economy_billions/)

Meanwhile the clowns at WSWS say the ILWU is in collusion with the owners:

http://www.thebellforum.com/showthread.php?t=125161&p=467547#post467547

It's one thing to throw asparagus at the Teamsters whose leadership does suck but ILWU? Bunch of middle class idealists who got solidarity with nobody.

Meanwhile the clowns at WSWS say the ILWU is in collusion with the owners:

http://www.thebellforum.com/showthread.php?t=125161&p=467547#post467547

It's one thing to throw asparagus at the Teamsters whose leadership does suck but ILWU? Bunch of middle class idealists who got solidarity with nobody.

Yeah, I'll take the ILWU any day - wish they were the union where I work (state university, so no union, at all)...