They love their jobs, but just want to keep them? They were guaranteed they get to keep their jobs, just no promises for future hires, so what´s the problem? More union outrage, and it seems nothing was learned from recent events. Go on, strike yourselves out if a job.

They could easily fire you all, replace with now legal illegals, hire loads of security to make sure no property leaves the property to get shipped home to Mexico with the paychecks, and double their profits from the reduction in payroll and be rid of the unions. Idiots.

The politicians and unions want a government forced settlement. One that would of course grant 100% of the strikers demands.

But it suits me if they keep striking. Or if more workers go out.

So far the strike hasn´t lasted cost enough to put any public or media pressure on the politicians. They just dodge and keep calling for negotiation, mediation, good faith, etc.

But as time passes those politicians, roughly 100% Democrats, will have to explain why their union pals are 100% right.

Fire them all and replace them with the thousands of people trying really hard to find work.

Any one who strikes during our national depression should be fired. There is a jobless rate in CA above 18%.

Just imagine the vigor and attitude of people anxious to have work...as opposed to people who bide their time according to the clock, their union bosses and their benefits.

Just think of the postal system...go to a post office and nothing but "tude" every day. Go to Fed Ex and DHL, great people who love their jobs, act and look professional and are compensated by their work effort.

In my opinion every public service should be privatized. Better run and a lot less expensive as in the private sector results matter. With government it is simply the lowest common denominator (with the exception of our military).

Just wait until we have full Obamacare...your medical care will be as efficient as the DMV (round, fat, angry people with a serious chip on their shoulder, who lost your paper work) and the computers are down). Plan on never getting sick.

Between astronomical tax increases, incoherent energy policies and out of control unions, our economy is doomed. Welcome to the beginning of the Greatest Depression.

California needs to pass "Right to work" rules.

But of course the Dems and their Union buddies would never let it happen.

Would be good to get it on the ballot !!!

#2, theoretically you have a good point, but all the Democrat politicians will do is blame Republican "fat cats," the media will blare that as the message and it will be the Republicans who will get hurt. And as always, the Republicans will be too feckless to mount a coherent response.

They have had the guarrentee in writing for 4 months. They just want more money.

#6 correct. The employers will be blamed by the media. So will the GOP which has no influence at all in this matter.

But gradually the public notices details such as $150K for clerical work with 11 weeks vacation.

We all know it must be settled. Until then the pols will try to avoid blame and not discuss specifics. IMO that means trying to get Washington to force a settlement.

One item, perhaps important, is not mentioned. It is my understanding that a lot of these unionized port jobs are passed on to the next generation. Your children get hired first.

If that is true it would explain the tremendous resistance to a settlement that gives you a job for life but does not guarantee the job slot will exist after you retire.

Toil? How about you union folks get up off your lazy behinds and work like you want to keep your freekin Job. What a bunch of whining cry babies...Oh, it´s hot, it´s cold, my sammich is dry, my boss is mean...SHUT UP!

I grew up near there and so have long ago made my peace with the ridiculous amount of money they get compared to people with (much) more education and/or training.

They are positioned in an extremely profitable sector - that is why they can command the $ they do. Sometimes even a housekeeper for the super rich people makes more (tax free) than an engineer who had to take a job as a technician while his former company lobbies for more H1-B visas. This is the same reason some traders who do not have high finance degrees can command insane amounts - they are positioned in the middle of a huge artery of $$$$ flow.

So as as an adult, I understand it, and in fact wish them well because their standing up for their rights from their position of relative strength actually protects the rights of other US workers - even though it hurts to witness in a down economy. The economy got this down for precisely the reasons they are fighting against - management wants to phase them out as they age and retire, and not hire new people, but instead take the jobs offshore.

If you´re unhappy with your job and/or salary, don´t demand your employer give you more money and perks. Get a better education and make yourself more marketable.

I have no sympathy for strikers.

This is why all strikes should be illegal. Strikes don´t hurt just the employer; their effects spread out to many others. How is it fair for many, many innocents to suffer because of a few stupid clerks?

BTW, the clerk strike by itself means nothing. It´s the Teamsters refusing to cross the picket line that´s the problem.

Working in this industry myself, I guarantee these jobs are not offshored. More like ´inshored´ to other parts of the US or replaced by technology to make the operations more efficient and competetive. US Ports are technologically 20-30 years behind many other ports worldwide. The reason we can´t successfully implement new technology is the complete unreasonableness of the Union. Even when all current Union members are guaranteed a job for life, regardless if its replaced by technology, the still turn these cushy contracts down. I have NO sympathy for them.

#8 - I know a kid who graduated college and then married the daughter of a (unionized) harbor pilot in Baltimore, whose father promptly got him hired on at $100K+ annually. Nice work if you can get it - which you or I never will.

They get (not earn) $150-200K a year shuffling paper and they are unhappy? @@