Office clerical workers at Port of Los Angeles go on strike to stop outsourcing good jobs

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.ilwu.org/?p=4269

LOS ANGELES, CA – Clerical workers went on strike today at 12-noon at Pier 400 in the Port of Los Angeles to stop international corporations from outsourcing dozens of good-paying jobs that support working families in the Harbor community.

“We’re drawing the line against corporate greed and outsourcing that’s destroying the good-paying jobs that support working families in our community,” said Trinie Thompson, a Logistics Clerk who works at the Port. “The jobs here come with excellent wages and benefits – but they’ll eventually disappear if companies keep outsourcing them to India and Taiwan.”

The 800 workers who belong to ILWU Local 63’s Office Clerical Unit (63-OCU) have been trying to negotiate an agreement with big international carriers and terminal operators for more than two years, since their three-year contract expired on June 30, 2010.

“We’ve been meeting with the companies for more than two years, but they’re still concealing their outsourcing – even when they’ve been caught red-handed,” said 63-OCU President John Fageaux. “These employers seem to have an insatiable appetite for outsourcing,” he said, noting that the Harbor community has lost at least 51 permanent positions during the past 5 years, and that the companies have announced plans to take away another 76 in the future.

FULL story at link.