Big business calls on Bush to invoke Taft-Hartley against West Coast dockworkers

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Industry Asks Bush to End Port Shutdown; Talks Resuming
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE


AKLAND, Calif., Oct. 2 - Industry groups representing hundreds of businesses
called on President Bush today to use his emergency powers to reopen 29 West
Coast ports closed in a contract dispute, as the longshoremen's union and
port operators agreed to meet with a mediator on Thursday.
The West Coast Waterfront Coalition, which represents companies that rely on
imports, including Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Toyota and Panasonic, sent Mr.
Bush a letter calling for immediate action to open the ports, which handle
$300 billion in cargo a year. "We implore you to take whatever steps are
necessary to reopen the nation's West Coast ports," the coalition wrote.
"While we have always favored mediation, we believe some action must be
taken before the economy suffers further damage. We strongly urge you not to
delay in your actions, as each day imposes hardships and costs on a wide
range of American industry, their customers, their employees and their
shareholders."
Under the Taft-Hartley Act, the president can order work to resume in an
80-day cooling-off period in labor disruptions that endanger "the national
health or safety."
With the ports shut since last weekend, many businesses say they are already
hurting. Chiquita is worried about a boatload of bananas that has not been
unloaded, while political leaders in Hawaii are voicing fears about
obtaining basic supplies from the mainland. Officials at an auto assembly
plant run jointly by General Motors and Toyota in the San Francisco Bay area
said it would shut down on Thursday, idling 5,100 workers.
A federation of trucking groups also wrote to Mr. Bush today, urging him to
reopen the ports, a day after the National Retail Federation made the same
request. Officials with the American Farm Bureau Federation said they were
asking other farm groups to sign a draft letter, to be sent to the White
House that urges the president "to pursue all options available to you to
reopen the ports and force a resumption of shipping."
Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/03/politics/03PORT.html?todaysheadlines


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