Labor Law and the West Coast Dock Dispute

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The two-month West Coast dock dispute was settled in late November, but not until after President Bush obtained an injunction to halt the shutdown that was underway at all 29 ports from Seattle to San Diego. The injunction imposed the full 80-day "cooling off" period permitted by Sections 206 through 210 of the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act. The settlement, however, came about a month before the injunction would have expired.

This labor dispute pitted the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) against the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). The ILWU represents all 10,500 non-management workers in all 29 ports. Apart from management, there is no such thing as a non-union worker …