US WEST Coast dockworkers returned to work on October 9, 2002, after a 10-day lockout strike making a 10 billion-dollar dent in the United States economy, with ripple effect for US trading partners.
The return of the workers followed a federal ruling that supports President George Bush's legal bid to break the ten-day lockout. San Francisco federal judge William Alsup agreed to impose a temporary injunction that ordered the reopening of 29 ports and required workers to report for duty.
The Pacific Maritime Authority responded to the ruling by ordering workers to return to the ports for the work shift that begins 1800 hours local time on October 9. Judge Alsup is to decide on the US government's request for a full 80-day cooling off period under the Taft-Hartley act early next week. Bush became the first US president in 25 years to invoke the little-used act to resolve a labour dispute. "This dispute between management and labour cannot be allowed to further harm the economy and force thousands of working Americans from their jobs," Bush stated.
