One has to wonder when the International Longshore and Warehouse Union will run out of explanations for the slow pace of work at the Port of Portland – and how many people will be hurt before that happens. The union has taken new credibility hits in the past two weeks. First, The Oregonian’s Richard Read reported details of the union’s contract with the Pacific Maritime Association, which stipulates that some senior union members are paid by employers even when they don’t work. The provision has been applied during lockouts imposed by United Grain Corp. in a dispute at some Northwest grain terminals. Where does all of this leave the Port? Not in a good place. Kitzhaber and Wyatt are running out of options. If the ILWU doesn’t like the results of the Kitzhaber-ordered review, it has signaled its intention to claim the review is biased. The Port has established an incentive program, based on number of containers shipped through Portland, to try to entice container carriers to continue using the Port, but there’s little else it can do.
www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/03/longs...river
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