West Coast Union Demands

[Hancle704]

How much do West Coast longshoremen earn?
ILWU workers receive a compensation package that is “among the most lucrative among all blue-collar workers in the United States,” according to the PMA. Full-time workers earn an average of $142,000 annually in wages, along with a non-wage benefits package costing more than $82,000 per active worker per year. Pay ranges depend on the job, with regular longshoremen earning less than clerks and both of them earning less than foremen. According to the 2013 Pacific Maritime Association Annual Report, most of the 9,985 “Class A” longshoremen working that year, which comprised those who worked 2,000 or more total hours, earned roughly $137,000 per year, though many earned less and a few of the highest paid longshoremen, those who worked an average of more than 50 hours per week, earned over $200,000. Most clerks earned roughly $147,000, while the highest-paid earned well over $200,000 per year. Walking bosses, or foremen, are the highest-paid ILWU workers, many of them earning well over $200,000 and some more than $300,000. Nearly 13,600 ILWU workers are employed at West Coast ports. In 2013, the total payroll for the nearly 13,600 ILWU members was roughly $1.4 billion.



At the JOC’s TPM conference in March, PMA President James McKenna indicated that negotiators may decide to postpone the issue of who — dockworkers or employers — must pay for an estimated $150 million per year Obamacare tax on the union’s premium health care plan under which employers pay 100 percent of premiums in the ILWU health and dental care plan for members and their families, and union members pay just a $1 co-pay per prescription for medicine. Such “Cadillac” plans are subject to tax under Obamacare. Employers have indicated that a cost-sharing formula can be worked out, while the ILWU, in its traditional “no-give-back” strategy, does not want to pay any taxes on its health care plan. Since the tax takes effect in 2018, some have the idea that by then Congress will change Obamacare to eliminate the tax. If not, the union and employers can revive the issue then as part of a separate negotiation.

Source: US West Coast Labor Negotiations: Frequently Asked Questions | JOC.com (http://www.joc.com/port-news/longshoreman-labor/international-longshore-and-warehouse-union/us-west-coast-labor-negotiations-frequently-asked-questions_20140523.html)

After reading this, it is fair to ask a few questions

What kind of education is needed to do these jobs?

How much do these salaries and benefits wind up adding to the prices the rest of us pay for goods brought into the west coast?

What kind of deal does the union have with politicians in exchange for their support?

Why do some say that big corporations are the greedy villains?

[CFrance]

How much do West Coast longshoremen earn?
ILWU workers receive a compensation package that is “among the most lucrative among all blue-collar workers in the United States,” according to the PMA. Full-time workers earn an average of $142,000 annually in wages, along with a non-wage benefits package costing more than $82,000 per active worker per year. Pay ranges depend on the job, with regular longshoremen earning less than clerks and both of them earning less than foremen. According to the 2013 Pacific Maritime Association Annual Report, most of the 9,985 “Class A” longshoremen working that year, which comprised those who worked 2,000 or more total hours, earned roughly $137,000 per year, though many earned less and a few of the highest paid longshoremen, those who worked an average of more than 50 hours per week, earned over $200,000. Most clerks earned roughly $147,000, while the highest-paid earned well over $200,000 per year. Walking bosses, or foremen, are the highest-paid ILWU workers, many of them earning well over $200,000 and some more than $300,000. Nearly 13,600 ILWU workers are employed at West Coast ports. In 2013, the total payroll for the nearly 13,600 ILWU members was roughly $1.4 billion.



At the JOC’s TPM conference in March, PMA President James McKenna indicated that negotiators may decide to postpone the issue of who — dockworkers or employers — must pay for an estimated $150 million per year Obamacare tax on the union’s premium health care plan under which employers pay 100 percent of premiums in the ILWU health and dental care plan for members and their families, and union members pay just a $1 co-pay per prescription for medicine. Such “Cadillac” plans are subject to tax under Obamacare. Employers have indicated that a cost-sharing formula can be worked out, while the ILWU, in its traditional “no-give-back” strategy, does not want to pay any taxes on its health care plan. Since the tax takes effect in 2018, some have the idea that by then Congress will change Obamacare to eliminate the tax. If not, the union and employers can revive the issue then as part of a separate negotiation.

Source: US West Coast Labor Negotiations: Frequently Asked Questions | JOC.com (http://www.joc.com/port-news/longshoreman-labor/international-longshore-and-warehouse-union/us-west-coast-labor-negotiations-frequently-asked-questions_20140523.html)

After reading this, it is fair to ask a few questions

What kind of education is needed to do these jobs?

How much do these salaries and benefits wind up adding to the prices the rest of us pay for goods brought into the west coast?

What kind of deal does the union have with politicians in exchange for their support?

Why do some say that big corporations are the greedy villains?

According to the International Longshoreman Association, which included 14,500 union members in 2013, longshoremen earn $20 per hour at entry-level, as of April 2013. The ILA states that after obtaining six years of experience, longshoremen in the union are paid $35 per hour, as of April 2013.

Read more : What Is the Average Salary of a Longshoreman? | eHow (http://www.ehow.com/facts_7300753_average-salary-longshoreman_.html)

They can become longshoremen with a high school education. My son is a merchant marine with a college degree. He worked as an able bodied seaman before landing his first job as a deck officer on an outsourced naval supply ship. He will tell you how difficult that able bodied job was physically, and how much harder the longshoreman's job is. It is telling that there are only 14,000 of them. You would have no goods if it weren't for the people who do this back-breaking work.

I haven't heard anyone on this forum label AlL big corporations as greedy. Just the ones that truly are, and these statements were backed up with facts.

[KayakerNC]

According to the International Longshoreman Association, which included 14,500 union members in 2013, longshoremen earn $20 per hour at entry-level, as of April 2013. The ILA states that after obtaining six years of experience, longshoremen in the union are paid $35 per hour, as of April 2013.

Read more : What Is the Average Salary of a Longshoreman? | eHow (http://www.ehow.com/facts_7300753_average-salary-longshoreman_.html)

They can become longshoremen with a high school education. My son is a merchant marine with a college degree. He worked as an able bodied seaman before landing his first job as a deck officer on an outsourced naval supply ship. He will tell you how difficult that able bodied job was physically, and how much harder the longshoreman's job is. It is telling that there are only 14,000 of them. You would have no goods if it weren't for the people who do this back-breaking work.

I haven't heard anyone on this forum label AlL big corporations as greedy. Just the ones that truly are, and these statements were backed up with facts.

Well said. :mademyday:

[redwitch]

I don't know about the rest of the docks on the West Coast, but it was common knowledge that San Franciscco docks were run by the mob. Guys would either have to know someone or pay a hefty fee to get into the union. Those who could, jumped at the chance to get into the union. While the work was physically demanding, the pay and benefits more than made up for it. Regardless of who runs the union, the workers earned their money in my opinion.

[Shimpy]

[QUOTE=CFrance;1009733]
He will tell you how difficult that able bodied job was physically, and how much harder the longshoreman's job is. It is telling that there are only 14,000 of them. You would have no goods if it weren't for the people who do this back-breaking work.
QUOTE]

What is their pay compared to our military who risk their lives every day and can't come home every night to their family......if they are lucky to survive the day? I'm not convinced that longshoremen are getting what the job is really worth.

[chuckinca]

I don't know about the rest of the docks on the West Coast, but it was common knowledge that San Franciscco docks were run by the mob.


I lived in the Bay Area for 40 years working in and around SF as a construction manager for union firms. Not common knowledge to me.

It should be noted that the Oakland docks do 10 times (+/-) the business than the SF docks. I would bet the most of the 14,000 Union Stevedores work in Oakland. Being on the mainland and with rail access is a big plus for Oakland.

(make that about 35 times. 2008 vessels; SF = 58, Oakland = 1928)

.

[CFrance]

[QUOTE=CFrance;1009733]
He will tell you how difficult that able bodied job was physically, and how much harder the longshoreman's job is. It is telling that there are only 14,000 of them. You would have no goods if it weren't for the people who do this back-breaking work.
QUOTE]

What is their pay compared to our military who risk their lives every day and can't come home every night to their family......if they are lucky to survive the day? I'm not convinced that longshoremen are getting what the job is really worth.

I Don't think the military are paid fairly. That opens up a whole different discussion of what different fields are paid for what they do or the risks they take. Take ocean pilots, for example... 350,000K for riding along as a captain steers a ship out of port or brings it back in. You have to practically inherit that job. Piece of cake, wear a suit and carry a briefcase. A few miles out you get on a chaser boat and go back to port. Ever seen a video of what ocean fishermen do? One of the most dangerous jobs in the world for not much gain.

But we're talking about longshoremen.

[dotti105]

The cost of living in the bay area is the highest in the nation. I am sure that is one reason the wages are so high. Everything is unionized there, I was a RN in a union. All the hospitals are unionized. The unions serve their purpose when employed by large corporations. Your position and experience are recognized, which does not mean that you don't work hard. On the contrary, you will find union workers often put in more than 50 hrs a week. Long hard hours in a very, very expensive region. I do not find the salary mentioned high at all for the Bay area.

[dotti105]

And YES, OUR MILITARY IS GROSSLY UNDERPAID!!!

[CFrance]

The cost of living in the bay area is the highest in the nation. I am sure that is one reason the wages are so high. Everything is unionized there, I was a RN in a union. All the hospitals are unionized. The unions serve their purpose when employed by large corporations. Your position and experience are recognized, which does not mean that you don't work hard. On the contrary, you will find union workers often put in more than 50 hrs a week. Long hard hours in a very, very expensive region. I do not find the salary mentioned high at all for the Bay area.
I think you make a good point, Dotti. When my husband was working for a large corporation, there was an automatic 10% raise in salary for working on the east coast! and 15% for working on the west coast, due to higher costs of living. And that was across the board, mgt. and union.

[Biker Dog]

And YES, OUR MILITARY IS GROSSLY UNDERPAID!!!

Totally Agree :clap2: