Corporate
greed hurting economy
When I first heard about the West Coast
ports being closed, I didn’t really understand
how such a feat could be undertaken. Then
I started to read the newspapers and listen
to the local news on television. No help.
No one seemed to be holding anyone completely
accountable for wreaking havoc on our economy.
Who owns the ports, I wondered. Who has
such power as to completely halt any sea
borne trade with the entire West Coast of
the United States? You might guess the government,
right? Wrong.
An alliance of corporations and shipping
companies, known as the West Coast Waterfront
Coalition, whose long list of members include
such stores as Wal-Mart, Target and Mervyns,
have banded together with the Pacific Maritime
Association to take a stand against one
of the strongest unions in America.
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer,
has created an image that incorporates a
“good-ol’ boy” façade and working-man
American values that are in direct opposition
to its importation of sweatshop produced
goods from overseas. This and many other
companies are attempting to slowly phase
out the use of the International Longshore
and Warehouse Union workers for certain
kinds of jobs.
The affect that the port closure is having
on the U.S. economy is phenomenal. The Los
Angeles Times reported that $19.4 billion
will be lost if the lockout continues for
10 days. Americans are in danger of losing
their jobs all over the nation. Longshoremen
have reported that they are applying for
unemployment, adding another 10,500 people
that taxpayers will have to support. All
this is because of corporate greed.
Before 1971, the manufacturing base of America
was in America. In order to acquire cheaper
labor and avoid environmental laws the corporations
moved their manufacturing bases to developing
countries. Now, with the ports closed, our
economy is in a crisis.
The corporations’ profit-raising strategy
has caused us to become almost completely
dependent on imports from other countries.
They not only control the making and distribution
of our so called “necessities” like electronics
and toys, but also the jobs of thousands
of seemingly unrelated workers.
The ports are owned by the individual cities
where they are located. The PMA’s members
are the shipping companies that loan out
the docks from the city. Every shipping
line that uses the Long Beach/Los Angeles
harbor is foreign owned. These companies
use what they term a labor slowdown as an
excuse to shut down the ports to force the
pro-corporate federal government to intervene.
No one is questioning the integrity of the
PMA and its blatant disregard for Americans
in the name of their own profit. The news
media is instead focusing on such questionably
significant issues as how much ILWU workers
make. Most sources are publishing only the
highest figures for the highest paying jobs
within the union.
Yes, ILWU workers are paid well. Their union
has fought long and hard for living wages
and has been much more successful in this
regard than other unions. The jobs are dangerous
and strenuous. Why condemn these people
for getting what they deserve? One should
instead question why teachers, gardeners
and housekeepers are not making as much;
they deserve the same. The ILWU is a good
role model for other organizations and companies
dealing with similar struggles.
Alternet media reported that in 1953, 35
percent of the workforce in America was
unionized. Today, only 13 percent enjoy
that luxury. The power struggle between
corporate America and working Americans
is being fought between the PMA and the
ILWU right now. The one phrase that was
shared consistently among supporters of
union workers at a rally last Thursday was,
“we just want to get back to work.”
Tina Page is a journalism major at Cal
State Long Beach.
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