1 - American Memory

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The meeting was historic in that It was the first time many of these union
ofScials had sat down together in many years. It was hlBtoric l)ecau8e every tinion
connected with shipping, both shore-side and off-shore, were In attendance.
Being the first meeting, no one was aslced to make a firm commitment How-
ever, the discussion clearly indicated some areas around which a solution could be
fashioned. There appeared to be general agreement that collective bargaining for
the entire West Ck>a8t, Hawaii, and Alaska should take place at the same time.
They seemed to feel that longer term contracts with common expiration dates
were desirable and that those contracts contain some type of mediation-arbitra-
tion or arbitration clauses.
An ad hoc committee was established with Mr. Morris Weisburger as chair-
man, to carry on future discussions regarding the problem of shipping interrup-
tions. It was suggested that the next immediate step would be to call together the
representatives of the managements concerned to discuss with them the ideas
put forth in the San Francisco meeting. I will proceed to do this In the next
several days.
It might be advantageous if during the course of the hearings on H.R. 7189
the witnesses were asked their attitude toward the suggestions outlined above.
Please have this communication entered In the ofildal record of the proceed-
ings of the subcommittee on H.R. 7189.
Thank yon.
Sincerely,
DAVIS C. MCCLUMO,
Pretident.
STATBMEKT ON BEHALF or HON. CARLOS G. CAMACHO, GOVERNOR OF GUAM
Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, this statement is sub-
mitted in support of H.R. 7180 on behalf of the Honorable Carlos G. Camacho,
Governor of Guam.
U.S. flag ocean transportation is Guam's lifeline. More distant from the West
Coast of the United States than Japan, Guam is the most distant Territory of
the United States. Guam is American in every sense. Its people pride themselves
upon their status as American citizens. Their Interests are inextricably linked
with those of the residents of mainland United States and of the residents of
the offshore State and the other offshore Territories.
In common with the people of Hawaii and the Western Islands, the people
of Guam are overwhelmingly dependent for their economic well-being upon
uninterrupted ocean transportation of goods from the West Coast of the United
States. In addition, a significant part of the economic activity on Guam Is tied
to the exportation of merchandise and property to the United States. An impor-
tant part of the economic activity which provides employment for the people
of Guam is based upon the major function of the Commercial Port of Guam in
serving as a transshipment point for goods from mainland United States and
from Hawaii destined to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Statistics for the most recent fiscal years where the flow of commerce was not
significantly Interrupted by West Coast longshoremen's strikes or shipboard
union strikes are for 1970 and 1971. According to the international trade statistics
maintained by the Economic Research Center of the Department of Commerce,
Government of Guam, in fiscal year 1970, 65% of all ocean cargoes arriving at
Guam originated in the United States and were transported to Guam by U.S.
flag carriers. In 1971. the comparable figure was 60%.
With such a high proportion of the goods essential to Guam's economic activity
and the well-being of its citizens fiowing through the U.S. fiag carriers' ocean
transportation lifeline to Guam, the interruption of that supply for long periods
causes great hardship upon our people and severe damage to our economy. The
West Coast shipyard strikes in 1946, 1948. and 1971-1972, and the West Coast
shipboard union strikes in 1948, 1952, 1962. and 1972 made every resident of
Guam acutely aware of the fact that they are almost totally dependent upon
mainland United States and Hawaii for the goods and materials essential to
their daily life and to the economic functioning of the Territory.
Guam's citizens do not significantly participate in the employment provided
longshoremen on the West Coast of the United States nor that provided .seamen
on U.S. fiag vessels plying between the West Coast of the United States and
Guam. Nor are the U.S. steamship companies who serve Guam based upon Guam,
nor substantially staffed in their executive offices by citizens of Guam. Accord-
ingly, the people of Guam have no direct participation in the decisions which
result in longshoremen or seamen strikes. The people of Guam have no partisan
position on the side of either the labor or management interests which become