Labor dispute closes auto plant

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

FREMONT, Calif. -- The General Motors-Toyota plant, the only major vehicle production line west of the Mississippi, ground to a halt as the West Coast port shutdown began to burden shipping-dependent industries across the country.

The sole glimmer of hope came with word that dockworkers' union representatives and shipping lines would resume federally mediated contract talks this morning. The stalemate has stopped all commercial shipping at 29 ports in California, Oregon and Washington.

"We've agreed to give mediation a try. This is a good move to get the waterfront open again," union President Jim Spinosa said today before the talks. "With the economy suffering like this, it's just time to put people back to work."

Shipping lines spokesman Tom Edwards said he looked forward "to participating in a productive meeting" with the federal mediator and the union.

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