The waterfront arbitrator in Southern California ordered longshoremen back to work over the weekend, ruling they could not honor picket lines established by striking office clerical workers at marine terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach.
The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents the terminal operators, asked the area arbitrator to rule on the validity of the pickets. The arbitrator, appointed jointly by the PMA and ILWU, ruled the OCU demonstrators did not constitute a “bona fide” picket line, said Stephen Berry, the attorney who represents the employers negotiating with the OCU.