Oakland Dock And Airport Workers Authorize Strike

Oakland Dock And Airport Workers Authorize Strike 
KTVU.com, CA

POSTED: 7:34 pm PST March 2, 2004

OAKLAND -- Oakland airport and Port of Oakland marine
terminals voted Tuesday by an 81-19 percent margin to
authorize a strike that could cripple Bay Area
commerce.

However, Larry Hendel, East Bay director of Local 790
of the Service Employees International Union, said
there are no immediate plans to strike and union and
management negotiators will return to the bargaining
table Tuesday night.

He said the union would stay at the bargaining table
as long as necessary to get a good contract. 

But Hendel, noting that 22 months of talks have been
unsuccessful so far, said that if there isn't positive
movement at the bargaining table soon, going on strike
"is a question of days, not weeks."

Port of Oakland spokeswoman Marilyn Sandifur confirmed
that the two sides will be back at the table tonight
and said, "We will be at the table as long as it takes
to get a reasonable contract."

Sandifur appeared to be more optimistic than Hendel
that there's a good chance an agreement can be reached
soon, stating that "there's some good momentum going"
and that a port negotiator told her she is
"optimistic" about the chances of achieving a
settlement.

Local 790 represents more than 300 custodial,
maintenance, clerical and security workers at the
airport and the marine terminals.

Union workers staged a "sickout" at the airport and
marine terminals on Feb. 11, but there have been no
job actions since then.

Hendel said that the Alameda Central Labor Council has
authorized a strike and if it goes forward, it would
be the first strike of port employees in 33 years.
According to the union, the Alameda County Building
Trades Council, the Teamsters and the International
Longshore and Warehouse Union would honor its picket
lines.

"It would have a huge impact on ships and trucks and
the airport," Hendel said.

But Sandifur said Port of Oakland management has
developed a contingency plan in case of a strike to
try to minimize any disruptions.

"We're confident our contingency plan would work," she
said. 
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