12.28.12
US Congress and the President can't get it together to avoid the Fiscal Cliff, but dockworkers and their bosses somehow manage to work out their problems. The International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance have agreed to a 30-day extension of their labor negotiations, averting a potential strike of East and Gulf Coast ports this weekend, and have apparently reached a tentative agreement on the issue of container royalty fees that put the talks at an impasse last week.
George H. Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said Friday, “I am extremely pleased to announce that the parties have reached…agreements…as a result of a mediation session conducted by myself and my colleague, Scot Beckenbaugh, deputy director for Mediation Services, on Thursday.
The container royalty payment issue has been agreed upon in principle by the parties, subject to achieving an overall collective bargaining agreement. The parties have further agreed to an additional extension of 30 days (until midnight, Jan. 28, 2013) during which time the parties shall negotiate all remaining outstanding Master Agreement issues, including those relating to New York and New Jersey.
George H. Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said Friday, “I am extremely pleased to announce that the parties have reached…agreements…as a result of a mediation session conducted by myself and my colleague, Scot Beckenbaugh, deputy director for Mediation Services, on Thursday.
The container royalty payment issue has been agreed upon in principle by the parties, subject to achieving an overall collective bargaining agreement. The parties have further agreed to an additional extension of 30 days (until midnight, Jan. 28, 2013) during which time the parties shall negotiate all remaining outstanding Master Agreement issues, including those relating to New York and New Jersey.