Workers Walk Out in WTO Protest

Port of Hueneme longshore workers staged a three-hour work stoppage Tuesday to protest the World Trade Organization, which is meeting this week in Seattle.

Local representatives of the International Longshore Warehouse Union said they were joining their compatriots in other West Coast ports in protesting “everything the WTO stands for,” including the WTO’s approach to child labor practices and environmental laws. Local 46 representatives also accused the WTO of anti-unionism.

“They want to dictate to the world how they want to do trade,” said Oscar Loya, a secretary dispatcher for the local union.

About 175 longshore workers quit working at 10 a.m. and didn’t resume until after their lunch break at 1 p.m., said Kam Quarles, director of marketing and trade zone services for the Port of Hueneme.

“Since we’re one of the ports being swept up in an entire coastwide action, it’s frustrating,” Quarles said. “We have to take our lumps along with other sister ports.”

The Port of Hueneme saw unusually light traffic Tuesday, he said, which minimized the impact of the work stoppage. But he said, the longer the ship stays idle, “the greater the cost.”

Union officials reported two Latin American vessels docked at the port to unload bananas Tuesday. Such vessels can cost between $10,000 and $15,000 to operate per day, Quarles said.

“I don’t know what the actual cost is,” Loya said. But, he added, “It’ll send a message.”

Port officials are encouraged by WTO steps to open trade with China, Quarles said. Those developments could result in Port of Hueneme workers loading Ventura County-grown citrus each week onto a vessel bound for China. A ship containing county fruit already leaves the port once a week for Japan, Quarles said.