Union Busters In Charge in NW Longshore-CHS, Cargill split from foreign grain terminals, still negotiating with ILWU but implementing union busting contract on union members

Union Busters In Charge in NW Longshore-CHS, Cargill split from foreign grain terminals, still negotiating with ILWU but implementing union busting contract on union members

CHS, Cargill split from foreign grain terminals, still negotiating
http://journalstar.com/ap/business/chs-cargill-split-from-foreign-grain-...
December 27, 2012 9:02 am  •  By staff and wire reports(2) Comments
White House urges shippers, union to make a deal
WASHINGTON — The White House is urging dockworkers and shipping companies to reach agreement "as quickly as possible" on a contract extension … Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Foreign owners among a group of Pacific Northwest grain export terminals have informed the longshore union they are at impasse, but will not lock them out of their jobs. Instead, they were implementing terms of their final contract offer Thursday. 

The terminal owners are now split, as a joint venture of Cargill and CHS, the privately held company and the cooperative familiar to Nebraskans, has split away from the foreign-owned terminals and is negotiating separately with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. 

More than a quarter of all U.S. grain exports and nearly half of U.S. wheat exports move through grain terminals on the Willamette River and Puget Sound.

Under federal law, employers can impose their final offers when parties reach a bargaining impasse. The last contract expired Sept. 30 and negotiations have stalled.

The companies informed the union that (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) members are welcome to come to work under the new terms and conditions of employment," the employers said in a statement.

The union's options include accepting the offer, calling for a strike or seeking more bargaining while working under the new terms.

The union was reviewing the owners' letter, ILWU spokeswoman Jennifer Sargent said in a statement. For now, employees "intend to continue working despite the substandard provisions of the employer's last offer," she said.

The joint venture of Cargill and CHS Inc., which has elevators in Tacoma and Portland, has broken away from the consortium. It was not included in the letter the other owners emailed Wednesday to Leal Sundet, an ILWU coast committeeman, informing him of their decision to implement the terms of the last offer.  

Both sides have said workplace rules and management rights have been the sticking point during talks.  Terminals in Longview and Kalama, Wash., operate under separate agreements with the ILWU. Terminal operators in Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, Wash., say they are at a competitive disadvantage. 

Although it's unknown for how long the longshoremen will work under terms they oppose, each day without a strike or lockout is good for farmers and their customers in Asia.

The terminals imposing new terms are:

* Marubeni Corp., a Japanese company that owns Columbia Grain in Portland.

* Mitsui & Co., a Japanese company that owns United Grain in Vancouver, Wash.

* Louis Dreyfus Commodities, a Dutch company that owns grain elevators in Seattle and Portland.

CHS, Cargill split from foreign grain terminals, still negotiating
http://journalstar.com/ap/business/chs-cargill-split-from-foreign-grain-...
December 27, 2012 9:02 am  •  By staff and wire reports(2) Comments
White House urges shippers, union to make a deal
WASHINGTON — The White House is urging dockworkers and shipping companies to reach agreement "as quickly as possible" on a contract extension … Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Foreign owners among a group of Pacific Northwest grain export terminals have informed the longshore union they are at impasse, but will not lock them out of their jobs. Instead, they were implementing terms of their final contract offer Thursday. 

The terminal owners are now split, as a joint venture of Cargill and CHS, the privately held company and the cooperative familiar to Nebraskans, has split away from the foreign-owned terminals and is negotiating separately with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. 

More than a quarter of all U.S. grain exports and nearly half of U.S. wheat exports move through grain terminals on the Willamette River and Puget Sound.

Under federal law, employers can impose their final offers when parties reach a bargaining impasse. The last contract expired Sept. 30 and negotiations have stalled.

The companies informed the union that (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) members are welcome to come to work under the new terms and conditions of employment," the employers said in a statement.

The union's options include accepting the offer, calling for a strike or seeking more bargaining while working under the new terms.

The union was reviewing the owners' letter, ILWU spokeswoman Jennifer Sargent said in a statement. For now, employees "intend to continue working despite the substandard provisions of the employer's last offer," she said.

The joint venture of Cargill and CHS Inc., which has elevators in Tacoma and Portland, has broken away from the consortium. It was not included in the letter the other owners emailed Wednesday to Leal Sundet, an ILWU coast committeeman, informing him of their decision to implement the terms of the last offer.  

Both sides have said workplace rules and management rights have been the sticking point during talks.  Terminals in Longview and Kalama, Wash., operate under separate agreements with the ILWU. Terminal operators in Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, Wash., say they are at a competitive disadvantage. 

Although it's unknown for how long the longshoremen will work under terms they oppose, each day without a strike or lockout is good for farmers and their customers in Asia.

The terminals imposing new terms are:

* Marubeni Corp., a Japanese company that owns Columbia Grain in Portland.

* Mitsui & Co., a Japanese company that owns United Grain in Vancouver, Wash.

* Louis Dreyfus Commodities, a Dutch company that owns grain elevators in Seattle and Portland.