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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
US West Coast Ports Busy, Struggling With Backlog 美国西海岸港口繁忙起来应付积压
LOS ANGELES—
Most West Coast U.S. ports have been busy since Friday, when negotiators reached a tentative settlement in a nine-month labor1 dispute and work slowdown. Both sides say with the cargo2 moving again, they can focus on long-term problems.
Dozens of ships have been docked or waiting offshore3 at 29 West Coast ports, and port officials say it will take months to process all the cargo. Most dockworkers have returned to work, but must still vote on the tentative five-year contract.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez had increased pressure as both sides talked in San Francisco, but negotiations4 were not easy, says Craig Merrilees of the International Longshore and Warehouse5 Union.
“You know, there are a lot of tough issues in this process that lasted over nine months, and some of them are the kinds of issues that are affecting all workers," he said. "That includes the outsourcing of good jobs.”
Workers says clerical jobs at the port have been moving to other states and other countries. They are also worried about increasing automation of the port facilities, reducing the need for workers.
Those who move goods into and out of the country include San Francisco coffee company, Ritual Coffee Roasters, where a worker scoops6 coffee beans ready for roasting.
“We are reliant on constant arrivals of coffee in order to have a fresh supply,” said company founder7 Eileen Rinaldi.
Others who rely on the ports -- small breweries9 that use imported hops10 to brew8 their beer.
Farmers, who need to ship their perishable11 citrus -- and a California children's clothing company that has seen its products, which are manufactured in China, sitting in cargo ships in Oakland harbor.
The cargo is moving again, but long-term problems at the ports must be addressed, said transportation analyst12 Tom O'Brien of California State University, Long Beach.
“The fact that we have larger ships coming now, that is creating peak demand for labor and for equipment is putting a lot of pressure on our infrastructure13, not only the ports, but the road network, rail capacity, distribution center and warehousing,” he said.
O'Brien said it all needs to be ramped14 up to meet increasing trade needs in the future.
1 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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2 cargo | |
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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3 offshore | |
adj.海面的,吹向海面的;adv.向海面 | |
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4 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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5 warehouse | |
n.仓库;vt.存入仓库 | |
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6 scoops | |
n.小铲( scoop的名词复数 );小勺;一勺[铲]之量;(抢先刊载、播出的)独家新闻v.抢先报道( scoop的第三人称单数 );(敏捷地)抱起;抢先获得;用铲[勺]等挖(洞等) | |
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7 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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8 brew | |
v.酿造,调制 | |
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9 breweries | |
酿造厂,啤酒厂( brewery的名词复数 ) | |
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10 hops | |
跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
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11 perishable | |
adj.(尤指食物)易腐的,易坏的 | |
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12 analyst | |
n.分析家,化验员;心理分析学家 | |
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13 infrastructure | |
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施 | |
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14 ramped | |
土堤斜坡( ramp的过去式和过去分词 ); 斜道; 斜路; (装车或上下飞机的)活动梯 | |
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