Post the last picture you took on your phone

**djunkie** · 10-17-2014, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by MrDenton

Same general area. He's ILWU local 13, he works all over both LA and Long Beach Harbors. I'm IAM local 1484. I work for a company called ITS, I'm a mechanic, basically we fix what he and his brothers break.

Oath Keeper

Pretty much. Although I'm steady with a company now so no more running around working at all the other crap holes that I used to have to go to.

**MrDenton** · 10-17-2014, 09:02 AM

Congrats!!!!
So what's up with the labor shortage? We had 1 ship last night and 3 today sitting idle because of "lack of labor". Is this a fact or is it a ploy? Wouldn't mind getting a casual card if their truly short handed. But we also heard that there could be a lock out. The harbor is like no other place on earth.

Oath Keeper

**djunkie** · 10-17-2014, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by MrDenton

Congrats!!!!
So what's up with the labor shortage? We had 1 ship last night and 3 today sitting idle because of "lack of labor". Is this a fact or is it a ploy? Wouldn't mind getting a casual card if their truly short handed. But we also heard that there could be a lock out. The harbor is like no other place on earth.

Oath Keeper

The problem is there's so much work there's not enough people to cover the skilled labor. There's been record amounts of cranes and top handlers being ordered and not enough trained people to cover them. So pma is actually limiting the companies on how much labor they can order per day so that ships with priority can get the labor to work them. So basically new ships that are showing up are being held back till they get moved up on the allocation list. Filling the basic and utr jobs isn't a problem cause the casuals can take them. It's the cranes and top handlers that are the problem. So obviously the media and companies will use this against us to say we're staging some bullshit slow down. It's totally false. There's just not enough trained people to cover the crazy amount of work there is. Then to go on top of it all, the yards are full. The cargo can't get out of the yards fast enough to make room for the other stuff that's waiting to come in. For months now we've been trying to stuff 10lbs of shit into our yard that's only capable of holding 2 lbs of it. It's nuts. Reminds me of back in 2002. I've been hearing rumors they've hit a wall with our contract negotiations with the implementation of automation. So don't be surprised if we end up in another lockout again.

**MrDenton** · 10-17-2014, 09:28 AM

I know we're operating at capacity too. We actually ran out of operational equipment last Friday. As for us mechanics, I started at ITS in '05, I was the #103 in the seniority list out of 110 mechanics. 9 1/2 years later I'm now #62 out of 69. Can you imagine reducing your work force by 1/3, maintaining the same work load with a crew that's average age is 53 years old. We've been working 7 10's for over a year now. Management doesn't seem to care. I tore my ACL at work 2 years ago. They said "see you in 8 months. Come back strong, we need you". I'm just another piece of equipment that breaks down every now and then. They run us till we break, we heal and they run us again. Pays good but that's about it.

Oath Keeper

**djunkie** · 10-17-2014, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by MrDenton

I know we're operating at capacity too. We actually ran out of operational equipment last Friday. As for us mechanics, I started at ITS in '05, I was the #103 in the seniority list out of 110 mechanics. 9 1/2 years later I'm now #62 out of 69. Can you imagine reducing your work force by 1/3, maintaining the same work load with a crew that's average age is 53 years old. We've been working 7 10's for over a year now. Management doesn't seem to care. I tore my ACL at work 2 years ago. They said "see you in 8 months. Come back strong, we need you". I'm just another piece of equipment that breaks down every now and then. They run us till we break, we heal and they run us again. Pays good but that's about it.

Oath Keeper

That's how it is. Use you up until they don't need to you. Then they tell you adios.

**MrDenton** · 10-17-2014, 09:32 AM

As for the lock out, I hope if they do it, it'll be between Oct 25 and Nov 5, I'll be fly fishing the Eastern Sierras, hate to use vacation time if I don't need to.

Oath Keeper