1 - American Memory

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problem—our unique vulnerability to surface transportation stoppages
involving the west coast-Hawaii trade
In 1971,1 had introduced S. 2836, the Hawaii Public Interest Pro-
tection Act. This subcommittee held 3 days of hearings on that measure
in January 1972 in Honolulu.
Those hearings demonstrated the extent of the problem—they pro-
vided ample documentation of the acute need for relief from such
stoppages in the future. They demonstrated that even the threat of
stoppages caused deep and enduring damage to the people of Hawaii.
The problem cried out for solution.
Those hearings also demonstrated that the proposed solution pro-
vided in S. 2836—Government operation of the Hawaii-west coast
shipping with ships and workers not involved in the dispute, was not
a workable solution.
As a result, on January 6 of this year, I introduced S. 231, which
would have placed a 60-day moratorium on the imposition of any west
coast stoppage of the Hawaii trade.
The measure under consideration here today, S. 1566, is a refine-
ment of those earlier measures. It is the result of numerous comments
on the earlier proposals and of our continuing efforts to find a workable
measure which would do the job and command the unanimous support
of Hawaii's congressional delegation as well as that of the other polit-
ical and economic interests in Hawaii.
It is also faithful to several principles which I consider essential
to any solution to our problem.
It recognizes that our problem is unique. It is one which is shared
only by the other U.S. islands of the Pacific. Those areas are included
under its provisions.
It recognizes the principle that we should interfere as little as pos-
sible, consistent with our objective, with the normal economic forces
which are operative in labor-management negotiations.
It recognizes further that any measure of interference in labor-
management disputes must be an even handed one. Any interference
must be to the advantage of neither labor nor management.
The west coast-Hawaii trade constitutes some 3 percent of total
longshore hours worked, 7 percent of shipboard labor, and less than
13 percent of the vote in the Pacific Maritime Association, the man-
agement interest in the west coast trade.
It recognizes that the mere and recurring threat of stoppage itself
causes great economic damage as merchants and other economic in-
terests in Hawaii seek to gird against any stoppage by expensive
stockpiling of merchandise. Warehousing costs in Hawaii are 250
percent of mainland costs according to a recent study.
S. 1566 recognizes that any proposed solution must not only be
fair and reliant on normal labor-management economic forces but it
must also be one which can be readily implemented. The proposed
solution is one which has been regularly utilized on a voluntary basis
to transport military supplies during previous shipping stoppages.
This measure meets the necessary criteria of having broad support.
In addition to the unanimous support of the Hawaii congressional
delegation it has the support of the Governor and the mayors of our
counties.