Date:          Thu, 13 Mar 1997 18:08:05 +0000
Subject:       (Fwd) [61] JAPANESE DOCKWORKERS STRIKE TO PROTEST U.S. PRESSUR


------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Tue, 11 Mar 1997 23:39:28 -0500
From:          NewsHound-AT-sjmercury.com (NewsHound)

Subject:       [61] JAPANESE DOCKWORKERS STRIKE TO PROTEST U.S. PRESSURE

Selected by your NewsHound profile entitled "STRIKES". The selectivity score was
 61 out of 100.

Japanese dockworkers strike to protest U.S. pressure
By SETH SUTEL

Associated Press Writer

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- Dockworkers across Japan went on strike Wednesday to 
protest U.S. pressure to open up Japanese ports to greater competition.

The 24-hour strike, which was expected to shut down about half of Japan's 96 
ports, was called by two major unions last week following proposed sanctions on 
Japanese shippers entering U.S. ports.

The unions are also striking to demand better conditions and benefits for their 
50,000 members.

The U.S. demands, which include asking ports to operate for longer hours, ``go 
against the labor agreements we have here,'' said Muneo Kishi, chairman of the 
Yokohama Dockworkers Unions Association.

About 200 striking dockworkers, chanting and carrying banners, protested in 
front of a Transport Ministry office in Yokohama, home to one of Japan's biggest
 ports.

Despite the work stoppage, many shipping companies were able to reroute ships or
 speed up their arrivals in order to minimize the impact of the strike. But 
delays were inevitable.

At least 60 ships from Japan's 12 biggest shipping companies will be unable to 
land Wednesday, resulting in a total of $1 million in extra costs, the Japan 
Shipowners' Association said.

Foreign ships were also affected, but the exact number remained unclear, said a 
spokesman for the Japan Foreign Steamship Association.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission last month announced sanctions in 
retaliation for Japanese ports requiring shippers to negotiate with dockworker 
unions before providing new shipping services or changing their port of entry 
for existing services.

The commission said it would impose $100,000 levies April 14 on three Japanese 
shippers -- Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. and Nippon 
Yusen K.K.

With those companies' cargo vessels averaging 34 arrivals a month in U.S. ports,
 the agency estimated the new levies could total $45 million a year.

The striking unions, the National Council of Dockworkers' Unions of Japan and 
the All Japan Harbor Transport Labor Union League, represent dockworkers at 50 
ports in Japan that handle foreign ships.

AP-WS-03-11-97 2049EST


This material is copyrighted and may not be republished without permission of 
the originating newspaper or wire service. NewsHound is a service of the San 
Jose Mercury News. For more information call 1-888-344-6863.



     --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---