WASHINGTON, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) issues this statement on the contract impasse between TTD member International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 63 Office Clerical Unit (OCU) and the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Employers Association:
“The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO stands in full support of the 800 striking office clerical workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach who are waging a valiant battle to save good-paying jobs that drive our nation’s economy.
“These workers have gone 30 months without a contract and are drawing a line against the steady and irresponsible outsourcing of their jobs to the lowest bidder. Too many transportation workers have seen their jobs disappear in an epidemic of outsourcing and cost-cutting that has weakened our economy and the middle class. We must not let that happen here.
“Instead of negotiating in good faith, industry representatives have asked the federal government to intervene in this legal strike. These efforts must be soundly rejected. Instead, management officials must negotiate a fair and balanced contract that will preserve these jobs now for future workers. Until that happens, we will stand solidly behind the working men and women of ILWU Local 63 who walk a picket line in the name of economic justice.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 31 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at www.ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.