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Lubbock, Texas | take this for what it is worth I read it on a boating website, but a member on there (that apparently is in the ILA) send out a heads up that they are being told from high up that they will strike on Oct 1.
talks with the USMX broke down yesterday when the USMX gave a take it or leave it proposal......the USMX is attempting to finally break the inefficiency at the Port of NY/NJ and that will be a fight for sure, but the USMX handles negotiations for 13 ports on the east cost all the way around to Houston on the gulf coast and New Orleans as well
http://usmxlaborupdates.com/
http://usmxlaborupdates.com/fast-facts/
I am far from a shipping expert and I believe that in Houston at least not all facilities are union operated and on the USMX site it looks to be mostly container carriers listed
still as the USMX site says they deal with 14,500 ILA jobs so something is going to slow down somewhere if that many people go on strike
I ask on that forum if that strike would specifically include grain handling especially in Houston and New Orleans and the person responded back that they were not sure as they were on the east coast, but they thought there was a good chance yes.....I then ask them if the ports they were familiar with had their grain handled by union labor and of those facilities handled significant amounts of grain....I am awaiting a reply to this
for those with a cruise coming up from Miami or any of the other ports on the USMX list there is a good chance it could be an issue for you as well since cruise ships will most likely not be having their supplies loaded and unloaded (the person giving this heads up specifically mentioned cruise ships)
again I believe (but am far from positive) that there is some non-union labor at the Port of Houston and Port of South Louisiana.......but when 14,500 people go on strike at 13 different major ports even if it is not grain handling facilities specifically you can be positive that other things will NOT flow smoothly and that is without the union even trying to make things not flow smoothly
and again they could come back and settle this tomorrow.....but this is a heads up anyway.....from another forum on the WWW.....so take it for what it is worth to you
also one other thing....I put this up mainly because of what I feel it COULD do to grain exports.....but if you need parts and supplies and common wear items for your Euro built machinery...I would say there is an even better chance this could be an issue in that case
again this all could get settled tomorrow, next week, or next month......but the ILA members are being told to prepare for a strike on Oct 1. was the WWW rumor I read
Edited by rodrod5 8/23/2012 07:03
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International Longshoremen's Association being told they will strike starting Oct. 1
