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CNN Live At Daybreak
Longshore Lockout; Contract Talks Break Down Indefinitely
Aired October 07, 2002 - 06:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(AUDIO GAP)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Now in its second week. The number of cargo ships stranded at 28 West Coast ports has grown to 200. The labor dispute, which lead to the lockout of more than 10,000 dock workers, is estimated to cost the U.S. economy up to $2 billion a day. Among the hardest hit, plants that ship supplies overseas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our paper is backed up. We ship anywhere from 10 to 15 containers per day. We're backed up right now probably about 900 ton of paper here in our yard.
KIM: So far, dock workers and the Pacific Maritime Association have agreed on only one thing, to resume shipping essential items to Alaska and Hawaii. But talks regarding a new contract are slow going. The key issues, the introduction of new technology and union control of new jobs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're at least a decade behind in other major terminals, whether it be Rotterdam, Singapore or Hong Kong, in the type of technology that is used.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We endorse technology, but what we don't endorse is to have our work go elsewhere.
KIM: With predictions of job losses and plant closures, business groups are now pushing the president to intervene. Under the Taft- Hartley Act, Bush could force ports to open up for up to 80 days. It's a move that would free up millions of dollars of goods currently stuck at sea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KIM: There are no immediate plans to resume talks. But even if the ports reopen anytime soon, officials say it would take at least a month to clear the backlog freighted by the shutdown.
Reporting live from Long Beach, California, I'm Lilian Kim.
Carol, back to you.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Lilian, how likely is it that the president might intervene? KIM: No word yet on that, Carol. We do know that he is considering it and his spokesperson, Ari Fleischer, did say that the president is adamant about the two sides coming to an agreement. He is hoping that he doesn't have to step in, but he is considering it if he -- if he has to.
COSTELLO: Yes, it's becoming quite a mess.
Lilian Kim, thank you very much, reporting live from Long Beach, California this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 7, 2002 - 06:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(AUDIO GAP)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Now in its second week. The number of cargo ships stranded at 28 West Coast ports has grown to 200. The labor dispute, which lead to the lockout of more than 10,000 dock workers, is estimated to cost the U.S. economy up to $2 billion a day. Among the hardest hit, plants that ship supplies overseas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our paper is backed up. We ship anywhere from 10 to 15 containers per day. We're backed up right now probably about 900 ton of paper here in our yard.
KIM: So far, dock workers and the Pacific Maritime Association have agreed on only one thing, to resume shipping essential items to Alaska and Hawaii. But talks regarding a new contract are slow going. The key issues, the introduction of new technology and union control of new jobs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're at least a decade behind in other major terminals, whether it be Rotterdam, Singapore or Hong Kong, in the type of technology that is used.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We endorse technology, but what we don't endorse is to have our work go elsewhere.
KIM: With predictions of job losses and plant closures, business groups are now pushing the president to intervene. Under the Taft- Hartley Act, Bush could force ports to open up for up to 80 days. It's a move that would free up millions of dollars of goods currently stuck at sea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KIM: There are no immediate plans to resume talks. But even if the ports reopen anytime soon, officials say it would take at least a month to clear the backlog freighted by the shutdown.
Reporting live from Long Beach, California, I'm Lilian Kim.
Carol, back to you.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Lilian, how likely is it that the president might intervene? KIM: No word yet on that, Carol. We do know that he is considering it and his spokesperson, Ari Fleischer, did say that the president is adamant about the two sides coming to an agreement. He is hoping that he doesn't have to step in, but he is considering it if he -- if he has to.
COSTELLO: Yes, it's becoming quite a mess.
Lilian Kim, thank you very much, reporting live from Long Beach, California this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
