CHARLESTON, S. C. – The International Longshoremen’s Association has settled into an uneasy truce at Charleston, the scene of a Jan. 20 riot over the use of non-union dockworkers.
ILA members have obeyed a court order prohibiting mass picketing or interference with Nordana Line’s ships at Charleston. A Nordana ship was worked without incident last week, although 600 city and state police were on hand just in case.
Charleston longshoremen engaged in two violent protests last month against Nordana’s use of nonunion Winyah Stevedoring Co. of Georgetown, S. C. In the second one, a crowd of up to 400 longshoremen engaged in a melee with police before being dispersed with tear gas, concussion grenades and anti-riot guns that fired beanbag-like projectiles.
The union had hoped to pressure Nordana into resuming a two-decade relationship with the ILA. But for now, Nordana remains committed to its nonunion stevedore, though local ILA leaders have vowed to win back the business. “I don’t believe anyone at the port thinks the issue has been resolved, ” said John Hassell, executive director of the Maritime Association of the Port of Charleston. “The ILA has clearly taken a step back at this point, and they need to polish their image a bit after what happened, but I think most people believe the ILA will press their position in the future. ”
A nasty union conflict such as this is rare in South Carolina, which has the nation’s second-lowest percentage of unionized workers.
“What happened was unacceptable and very un-Charleston-like, ” said Robert New, owner of Charleston Line Handling Corp.
Before the Jan. 20 disturbance, which left 10 people hospitalized and produced nine arrests, ILA longshoremen were routinely praised by local business and civic leaders for their productivity and cooperation with management. “The ILA has been a productive part of the port’s success and has been a welcome member at the table, ” said Hassell, whose group includes union and management leaders, as well as representatives from the South Carolina State Ports Authority. But he added: “Thirty years of progressive, peaceful relations certainly have been shaken up. ”
Kenneth Riley Jr. , president of ILA Local 1422, has sought to reassure employers. He called the riot “an unfortunate situation, and one we do not believe will happen again. ”
He promised there would be no further violence, and that the union wouldn’t engage in slowdowns, as some in the industry have feared. “We don’t want to hurt the people who are faithful to us, ” Riley said.
Bernard S. Groseclose Jr. , chief executive of the port authority, has tried to mediate a settlement between the ILA and Nordana. “The parties are talking, and I think that’s an improvement, ” he said. “All sides have made a good-faith commitment to work toward a solution. ”
He said the ILA issue hasn’t affected other port customers, though he worries that the ugly dispute has changed perceptions about the port.
Groseclose said the situation has left people concerned about “whether it has changed the general climate of the Port of Charleston. And we’re fortunate that it has not.
“But I think everyone realizes that the current situation is not workable in the long term. ” he said.
The port authority has twice closed its Columbus Street Terminal since the disturbance so that ILA and nonunion dock workers didn’t work side by side. The port authority wants to maintain good relations with the ILA and its employers, but it can’t ban nonunion stevedoring firms from the port.
“Because they are a state agency, they must adhere to the right-to-work laws and let union and nonunion workers on the docks, ” Hassell said.
The controversy at Charleston was cited in debate last week over legislation to strengthen South Carolina’s right-to-work law, which prohibits use of union membership as a condition of employment.
The House of Representatives voted 83-32 to require the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to monitor compliance with the existing law and allow department officials to enter a workplace without receiving a complaint. The bill clarifies that employers must have written authorization by a worker to deduct union dues from paychecks. It guarantees the right to sue for actual and punitive damages if a worker who does not want to join a union is denied work or intimidated while seeking a job.
“This bill is especially important in light of what is happening with our port, ” House Majority Leader Rick Quinn said.
Lawmakers said they intend this week to introduce a bill to prevent union representation on the port authority board. Gov. Jim Hodges wanted to appoint Riley to the board last year but backed down after pressure from the Chamber of Commerce.
