Officers of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) recently filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in a Northern District Court of California. The ILWU seeks relief after a lengthy legal dispute with terminal operator ICTSI.
“We intend to use the chapter 11 process to implement a plan that will bring this matter to resolution and ensure that our Union continues to do its important work for our members and the community. The Officers are confident that we are taking the right step to put our organization on the best path forward – and we are optimistic for all that is ahead.’’
Willie Adams, President | ILWU
DECADE-LONG LEGAL DISPUTE
The nearly decade-long clash between the organizations stems from union labor practices that included work stoppages, slowdowns, “safety gimmicks,” and other actions ILWU and ILWU Local 8 engaged in from 2013 to 2017. The November 2019 jury trial found ILWU at fault for engaging in unlawful labor practices and awarded ICTSI $93.6 million in damages. ILWU disputed the amount and a judge reduced the damages to $19,061,248 after a 2020 review of the case. ICTSI continues to pursue legal action requesting between $48 million and $142 million in damages.
BANKRUPTCY RELIEF SOUGHT
ILWU is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief as a result of the ongoing litigation indicating the nonprofit cannot afford to engage in the lengthy legal process. ILWU affirms its commitment to maintaining normal operations. The union will persist in delivering support to their locals and affiliates, offering education and training, sustaining our organizing programs, and undertaking all the essential activities that have been part of their operations.
ABOUT ILWU
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is an international labor union that represents a wide range of workers on the West Coast of the United States, in Hawaii, and in British Columbia, Canada including dock workers, warehouse workers, tourism and hospitality workers, agricultural workers, miners, and others. The Union is comprised of over 40,000 members and has over 50 local unions and affiliates throughout California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii, and Canada. The ILWU was established in 1937 after the 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike, a three-month-long strike that culminated in a four-day general strike in San Francisco, California, and the Bay Area.
ABOUT ICTSI, INC.
ICTSI is the world’s largest independent terminal operator across six continents. The operator builds and operates efficient and sustainable origin and destination gateway terminals which are fully equipped to handle international containerized dry cargoes, containerized refrigerated cargoes and non-containerized cargoes.
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