PORTLAND — Longshoremen at grain terminals in Portland and Vancouver went to work Thursday under the contract terms they soundly rejected last weekend.
The terminal owners implemented the terms of their “last, best and final” offer at 6 a.m. after declaring talks to be at an impasse.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union could have called for a strike. Instead, the employees showed up for work as the union decides its next move. Options other than a strike include accepting management’s offer, filing an unfair labor charge or working under the terms while seeking further talks.
An ILWU spokesman, Jennifer Sargent, declined to discuss union strategy.
The last contract expired Sept. 30, and a disagreement over workplace rules has been the obstacle to a new deal. The pro-management terms implemented Thursday eliminate some employee perks and grievance procedures while giving employers more discretion in hiring and staffing decisions. Management, for example, can expand shifts to 12 hours, if needed, and use elevator employees to help load ships.