The Journal of Commerce’s take on congestion at the Port of Oakland:
Skilled longshoremen are not showing up for work in the numbers they should be at the Port of Oakland, contributing to vessel backlogs and longer truck turn times, president of the Pacific Maritime Association said.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union contends the port’s problems are due to an overall shortage of workers caused by PMA’s delay in promoting part-time workers to full-time status.
“If employers have more work now, they simply need to hire enough full-time workers and provide sufficient training for them to work safely, instead of trying to cut corners,” said ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees.