Strike Talk Sweeps Docks

By John P. McDermott, The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.

Jun. 19–The maritime industry was awash in speculation Monday that the hundreds of longshoremen who work at the Port of Charleston were preparing to go on strike, but their union denied it was considering a walkout.

Industry officials, meanwhile, were not overly concerned about the possibility of an immediate labor stoppage.

Ken Riley, president of International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422, said word had quickly spread to him about heightened waterfront labor tensions. He said he had “no idea” as to the origin of the strike talk.

“I’m getting calls from everywhere,” he said. “I think folks are just trying to read into my mind on certain things.”

Riley also denied that he was planning to seek authority to call a strike at a special ILA membership meeting Monday night. “We’re just talking about some other stuff,” Riley said. “I would have put a strike meeting on the board if something like that is true.”

A second closed-door meeting, set for tonight at Local 1422′s Morrison Drive headquarters, concerns a contingency fund that ILA members can dip into in the event of, among other instances, a work stoppage.

There are signals that labor tensions are flaring up on the local docks.

Earlier this month, Riley filed a “charge” with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of the ILA. In the one-page document, the union said the South Carolina Stevedores Association had “breached its duty to bargain in good faith by failing to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement for the Port of Charleston” with Local 1422.

The two groups have been in on-and-off talks since late 2004 to resolve local issues in their work contract, including contributions to the ILA pension plan.

Riley downplayed the significance of the June 5 filing. “There are always normal grievances back and forth,” he said.

Billy Adams of the Mount Pleasant-based Stevedores Association declined to comment on the merits of the labor board filing.

Adams said “it was business was as usual at the Port of Charleston” Monday. “There are no stoppages that we can report,” he said. “We don’t expect any.”

The State Ports Authority declined to comment on relations between the union and stevedoring firms, which hire ILA members in the loading and unloading of container ships. “We don’t insert ourselves in contract negotiations,” said SPA spokesman Byron Miller.

John Hassell, president of the Maritime Association of the Port of Charleston, said the ILA rumors appeared to be just that for the moment. “As of today, I don’t think there’s anything to it at all,” Hassell said.

Even so, the port buzzed with talk of a strike Monday. Some maritime industry observers handicapped the likelihood of a walkout, while others debated the economic impact.

It’s been more than six years since the last major work stoppage at the Port of Charleston.

“Anytime, of course, there’s any talk of that, it immediately becomes a hot topic on the waterfront,” Hassell said. “I just don’t think there’s anything to it and I certainly hope not. Business is strong right now and we want to keep it going.”

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