New York City Area Ports to Reopen
Full operations at Port Authority terminals are being restored, and gates opened as scheduled Feb. 1, the agency said in e-mail alert. Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents port workers, had halted work. An emergency contract board meeting was held Jan. 29.
An arbitrator issued an award finding that the work stoppage was a violation of the no-strike provision in the contract and ordering the officers of ILA and its constituent locals in the port to inform their members of the same, the New York Shipping Association said in a statement. The association represents the terminal operators, ocean carriers and stevedores. NYSA negotiates labor agreements with ILA.
Full operations at the Port of NY & NJ (@PortNYNJ) are being restored. https://t.co/Sbp0jKggYV
— Port Authority NY&NJ (@PANYNJ) January 30, 2016
During this time, discussions took place between ILA and NYSA with regard to outstanding issues concerning chassis, jurisdiction, hiring and technology, NYSA said. It was agreed to seek solutions to these issues, the association said.
ILA spokesman James McNamara said earlier that workers told him they walked off because of interference by the Waterfront Commission in the collective bargaining agreement between ILA and NYSA. The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor is a bi-state agency that investigates and combats crime on the waterfront. It was set up in 1953.
Last week was difficult for the New York area ports, which were closed for two days because of a snowstorm, said Jeffrey Bader, president of the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers. Trucking companies were surprised by the dockworkers walk-out, he said.
“To the industry, this week was a devastating week,” he said. “Three days of not a container moving.”
While known for its airports, bridges and Times Square bus terminal, the Port Authority owns the busiest port on the Eastern Seaboard and the third-largest in the United States. More than 3 million containers are unloaded at its six terminals each year, serving 23 million customers.
A prolonged labor conflict, such as the one that slowed West Coast ports last year, could “wreak havoc” with spring deliveries to stores, the Retail Industry Leaders Association said in a statement Jan. 29.
“A long-lasting strike would ultimately impact thousands of jobs along America’s supply chain,” said Kelly Kolb, vice president of government affairs for the group. “Given recent unrest in the markets, a self-inflicted wound like this is also the last thing the economy needs.”
The Port Authority functions as a “landlord” and is responsible for port planning and coordination. Private-sector leaseholders are responsible for terminal operations as well as the development of terminal facilities and infrastructure covered by the lease.
