Tentative tech deal reached in West Coast port labor talks

SAN FRANCISCO -- West Coast longshoremen and shipping companies reached a tentative agreement Friday on computer technology that would make hundreds of union jobs obsolete, the major sticking point in their bitter contract talks.

Both sides hailed the deal to track waterfront cargo more efficiently as the first tangible progress since a 10-day lockout of dockworkers last month shut down 29 major Pacific ports.

"The parties have worked long and hard," said federal mediator Peter Hurtgen. His statement said only that the deal concerned "the key issues of new technology and retention of union's jurisdiction for marine clerk work."

Shipping companies are seeking to modernize ports to use computerized records of what cargo is stacked where on each vessel and in each yard. Often that information is already in electronic form when the cargo is loaded at another Pacific Rim port, but clerks now retype the data -- slowing the movement of cargo but preserving union positions.

The dockworker's union and the association representing shipping lines were compelled to restart talks after a federal judge granted President Bush's request for an 80-day "cooling-off" period.

The technology agreement, which was reached before dawn Friday after all-night talks, clearly entailed compromise on both sides.

Though the short-term job loss numbers weren't clear Friday, both sides have said around 400 clerk positions would be eliminated under various technology proposals that have been floated since talks began in the spring.

Like Hurtgen, union spokesman Steve Stallone emphasized the deal on technology hasn't been the only issue separating the two sides -- and if talks break up over issues such as pensions and arbitration of disputes, the technology deal could be moot.

The talks were continuing on these other issues Friday.

A Pacific Maritime Association spokesman acknowledged that the deal could prove to be an important breakthrough, but had no further comment.