ILWU’s Olvera says Longshore Union is also industry guardian

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing West Coast Longshore workers, is transforming itself to be not just a union but also a guardian of the maritime supply chain, according to Bobby Olvera, Jr., ILWU President.

Olvera spoke to the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AGTC) annual conference that took place on May 20th in Tacoma, Washington.

Olvera explained: “We are guardians of this industry. That's what we are. We're going to continue to do that, and we're going to shoulder these responsibilities to advocate. We're going to pick up the phone when people call and say, ‘Hey, I can't get a hold of my terminal operator, and I'm being told this, and it's on this website.’ What can you do?”

Olvera urged farmers and AGTC members “to establish those relationships with the ILWU. We will help you get your container. We'll find it in the yard. Humans can do that. Now, while we may not have the power to patrol a trade policy and regulations, we're going to continue to advocate for all of those things.”

Role of Technology

Olvera said he would not discuss the automation question, but did say that ILWU workers deserve decent wages for providing quality work moving the nation’s imports and exports. The ILWU contract expires in 2028, and so contract negotiation preparations are in process.

Olvera did add that the ILWU supports the role of technology: “I think the technological issues are a lot easier. Look … there are already agreements in place in both the Master Agreement with the longshoreman and the clerk's agreement that provides for the implementation of technology. Where we get into the problem is when our work but it's being done in another country, or across town. … So, the technology agreements are already there. There are already apparatuses both for marine clerks and longshoremen, for the technology to be brought in for individuals to be trained on that technology repair that technology that's already being done. We've got mechanics in LA that are diagnosing with laptops and tablets and upgrading software ….”

Pacific Maritime Association

Olvera was critical of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) that he said used to represent American companies but now represents foreign owned companies:” There was a time when PMA was focused and directed by predominantly American stevedoring companies … that ran a business contracting for cargo and ships, moving that cargo on and off the docks and delivering and receiving cargo, making sure it got on the vessels and hiring the labor to make that happen …But things have changed. At that time, PMA was a guardian of this industry. They were out there advocating for American stevedoring companies that were active in our communities, who engaged in the process of labor relations, and understood that, as customers, this is a customer-driven business. ‘We need to do things like open up a gate for a couple of extra hours. Because six containers are coming… Well, who are they now? The PMA board, which is their board of directors, sets the policy and directs their officers, is … dominated by foreign shipping companies … And now they're subsidiaries that have taken over the roles that have moved American stevedores out and moved foreign entities in. Now their business models are plain and simple, and I'm not going to pull any punches. They want to control as much of the supply chain as possible. You can go online, you can look at whether it's … CMA/CGM, whether it's MSC, whoever it is, they'll tell you it's about controlling the supply chain as much as possible. Well, this is the United States of America. And these ports are ours. These docks are ours. Our community, our tax dollars. So, what they've done is they've, in my opinion, they've turned PMA into a one-trick pony. All they do is advocate for tax incentives and tax breaks and our tax dollars and federal funds.”

Support for Shipbuilding & Jones Act

Olvera said the ILWU strongly supports US shipbuilding and the Jones Act. The Jones Act mandates that ships transporting cargoes between US ports must be US-owned, built, and manned, and employs an estimated 100,000 American workers. The Jones Act is under threat by the Trump administration, which has extended a waiver of the Act to allow foreign-flag and crewed vessels to transport petroleum products between U.S. ports to reduce gasoline prices:” We're actively supporting and restoring U.S. shipbuilding, protecting the Jones Act. This world needs more quality jobs for our kids, not fewer. The US seafaring industry has suffered tremendously. The majority of our ships are not flagged with US flags, their foreign crews, and a mixed bag at that. So, we need to build more US vessels, train more youngsters to become the next generation of US seafarers, and take those existing seafarers and make sure they're being trained on what is to come technologically in their industry to continue to work. We've highlighted with both state and federal officials and the Federal Maritime Commission, and I'm glad they're here today.”

Outreach

The ILWU is expanding its labor role by supporting more outreach to associations and governmental entities: “So we've taken trips to the state capitals to Washington DC We've got a crew of over 20 legislative reps that are rank and file workers that work on the docks one day. And then I'll send them to DC for two or three days to talk specifics about the things that they know. Not sending somebody from Los Angeles to talk about grain, not sending somebody from Longview to talk about what comes into Los Angeles. So, what are we talking about?”

Tariffs

Trump administration-imposed tariffs have been cited by the ILWU for unfairly increasing prices that impact poor and working families: “We are talking about tariffs. The impact it has, and I, I heard that nobody's bringing up that boogie word, but I will. Tariffs. Tariffs. This is volatility. It brings volatility to the market. It brings volatility to the industry. So, we've been back there talking to both Republicans, Democrats, and independents about the impacts of those tariffs. And we're a public institution. So, you guys can see the statements that have been made that are based on not my sole beliefs, but the democratic process of our union …That the union came together and made statements about those tariffs…”

Support Supply Chain Resiliency

Connectivity to the rail, getting containers to the facilities, getting containers out of the facilities, and down the road to a final point of destination. We've talked about supply chain resiliency and how important that is. We've talked about the regional export asset availability. And what I mean by that is we used to have ag facilities where you could take your commodity and take your product to a centralized place and know that it was going to get to market. But we don't have that anymore. Because let's be real, people are chasing 40-foot chassis. They're chasing gensets. They're chasing refrigerated containers. And then when you find that they're chasing a truck, and that's before it even gets to the port.”

Threat To Port of West Sacramento

Olvera said he is very concerned about any attempt by localities to curtail maritime and cargo-handling operations and jobs and sees a threat of this happening at the Northern California Port of West Sacramento near the State capital: “We've gone back to DC and the state capitals to talk about protection and promotion of small ag dependent ports like the Port of West Sacramento, where we currently have active litigation against that city for fleecing, the port of its funds. And that affects the rice growers in … California tremendously. But nobody's there to advocate … We filed litigation, we're moving in the state to position the Port of West Sacramento for more funds … And in the case of West Sacramento being micromanaged by those that want to put up condos and dog parks and care nothing about farmers and the ag industry … So, the ILWU is protecting that port and protecting the growers and the farmers of the region so that that port is not fleeced and that the revenue from the port is put back into the port infrastructure to provide for more business opportunities.

Lithium Battery Fire Hazard

He said the ILWU “has been actively partnering with fire departments around the nation, both the departments themselves and … their professional union to talk about lithium batteries, to talk about the safe transport, the handling, and emergency response methods. Because, regardless of what you hear, the truth is there is no plan.”

Relaxing Ag Fumigation Permitting

The ILWU supports farmers by “urging state and federal officials to strongly look at and reconsider the relaxation of local and state dock Ag fumigation policies and licensing. That's a problem. That's a problem. Getting products to market. It's a problem in our communities when we need to find existing fumigation permits.”