An auto ship at the Port of Portland
The Port of Portland so far has yet to see any tangible impact from the Toyota recall, but it may be a different story for the workers on the docks. … This week, two ships docked, each bringing in 3,000 Toyota vehicles. Those ships were on their way to Oregon before the recall was announced. That meant work for the union members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 8. Jeff Smith, president of the union, said if those vehicles do not leave Terminal 4 because of the recall and there are not be any other ships bringing Toyotas in anytime soon, that means less work for the union members. “We’re the first one impacted,” he said of the 500 union members who depend on ships landing. Smith said the financial impact of the recall will affect as many as 20,000 workers in the Portland area, such as companies that feed the dock workers, Toyota car dealers and the truckers and railroad workers who transport the vehicles across the country.