Cattle Producers Cheer as Longshoremen Return to Work

Washington, D.C. (October 9, 2002) – In the aftermath of a judge’s ruling ordering West Coast longshoremen back to work, cattle producers maintain hope that relationships with exporters will not suffer irreparable damage from the lockout, which closed 29 Pacific ports for 10 days. 

The labor dispute prompted President Bush to intervene Tuesday, making him the first president in a quarter-century to use the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which allows a president to ask a federal court with jurisdiction over the dispute to stop a strike or lockout.

The President’s action comes on the heels of a Senate resolution and pressure from key Senate leaders on both sides of the aisle.  In a statement to the Administration, Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wrote, “Work should resume at all 29 ports and both sides should return to the bargaining table.” 

“We are so relieved that the President intervened in this matter,” says Wythe Willey, Iowa producer and president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).  “But this is just a temporary fix.  NCBA will continue to monitor this situation and urge bipartisan support for a permanent resolution of this dispute so we don’t have to deal with this again in January.”

U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup will hold a follow-up hearing on October 16 when he will consider ordering a 60-day cooling off period with an additional 20 days of negotiation as authorized by Taft-Hartley.

Some estimates predict it may take as long as six weeks to clear the backlog of goods, and say the lockout may have cost the fragile U.S. economy $2 billion each day. 

 “This is not just a beef issue, or even an agriculture issue.  This is a threat to our overall national economy,” says Willey. “We’re pleased with progress to date, but we will continue to urge both parties to negotiate a final resolution.”

###