An arbitrator ordered the union that represents dockworkers at West Coast ports to tell its members they must report to work today and not take the day off to protest U.S. military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It’s the second such ruling in less than a week.

Coast arbitrator John Kagel issued the latest order Wednesday after holding a hearing by phone with the employers’ group, the Pacific Maritime Association, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. An arbitrator is a third party chosen by the union and employers to rule on contract disputes.

The PMA – which represents cargo carriers, terminal operators and stevedores – says there’s strong evidence that the dockworkers will rally against the wars in lieu of working the day shift.

“It’s clear to us that the ILWU is saying one thing and doing another,” said Steve Getzug, the PMA’s spokesman in San Francisco.

The ILWU began planning in February for a coastwide protest of the wars today. May 1 is traditionally a day that celebrates labor and workers’ rights.

A majority of delegates from each local voted in favor of a protest and notified the PMA more than a month ago that the union members wanted to stop work on today’s day shift to express their opposition to the wars.

Such an event could have an impact beyond the port, including on truck drivers, distribution centers and other businesses that depend on imported and exported goods.

The union contract allows “stop work” meetings to discuss union affairs as long as it notifies the PMA in advance. But such meetings are usually held during evening shifts, and a daytime work stoppage requires the PMA’s approval. The PMA denied the union’s request for the meeting, and the ILWU withdrew the request.

‘A SPECIAL DAY’

Talk of a May Day rally during work hours today has been rampant up and down the West Coast, including in Tacoma.

Craig Merrilees, an ILWU spokesman, didn’t make promises either way, but did say there are strong feelings among union members that the wars are wrong and need to stop.

“The most important thing is that the union made an extra effort to let employers know that May 1 is a special day and that they may want to do some extra planning,” he said Tuesday.

The News Tribune was unable to reach Merrilees on Wednesday.

The president of Tacoma’s ILWU Local 23 didn’t return phone messages Tuesday or Wednesday from The News Tribune.

According to documents from Wednesday’s arbitration ruling, the PMA said that terminals in Tacoma had been informed that many of their steady employees – longshore workers who work routinely at the same terminal versus being dispatched wherever workers are needed – would not show up for work today.

Terminal management in Seattle, Oakland and Los Angeles/Long Beach ports had similar reports.

Kagel ordered the union last Thursday to inform its locals and members that today will be a normal workday.

On Wednesday, Kagel said the union hadn’t complied with his first order, and he ordered the union to again inform its members to report to work as they normally do. He noted that a concerted effort to not work today would violate the ILWU-PMA contract.

‘WE’LL DO WHAT WE CAN’

Tacoma container terminal managers said they were planning for a regular workday, though they anticipate it might not be business as usual.

“If you are a stevedore, you always plan to work,” said Steve Bassett, manager of the port’s Husky Terminal.

The PMA’s Getzug said it’s tough to speculate on the effects of a coastwide stop-work meeting held during the ports’ busiest hours, though he noted that such an event would ripple out past the port terminals to truck drivers, distribution centers and other businesses tied to port traffic. West Coast ports typically load and unload 10,000 containers during the eight-hour day shift.

“Any disruption at the port works against the interests of those whose jobs are directly or indirectly tied to cargo,” he said.

Just in case, the Port of Tacoma has put up signs alerting truck drivers that there might be no work on the docks during today’s day shift from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. due to an ILWU May Day rally.

“We’ll do what we can to minimize any disruption and keep business humming,” said Tara Mattina, the port’s spokeswoman.

Anti-war and workers’ rights events are planned around Puget Sound today in recognition of May Day.

Seattle’s ILWU Local 19 has endorsed an anti-war march along the waterfront. Fliers for the march read “No Peace – No Work.” The rally will call for an end to the wars and highlight the struggles of workers, according to information at the Washington State Labor Council Web site.

In Tacoma, America in Solidarity, a workers’ advocacy group, will host an evening program focused on effects of the Iraq war on working families. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 at the Washington State History Museum, to be followed by a candlelight vigil.

Vance Lelli, president of the Pierce County Central Labor Council and a longshore member, is one of the featured speakers. He plans on attending events in Seattle today. As for whether the Tacoma longshore union will be having any sort of daytime rally of its own, he said he didn’t know.

“They haven’t informed (the labor council) of anything or asked for any help,” Lelli said.

Kelly Kearsley: 253-597-8573

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