Contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association this week turned to security issues and worker benefits.

Discussion of the controversial technology issue were expected to resume late Wednesday or Thursday.

The ILWU and PMA met for more than two hours Tuesday, the longest negotiating session in the past month of talks. ILWU President James Spinosa expressed disappointment that employers have not responded formally to a proposal the union made when negotiations began in May to tighten security at West Coast ports.

The union proposed that ILWU marine clerks inspect every loaded container to ensure that the security seal was not tampered with and matches the documentation for the shipment. The union maintains that since most shipping lines are foreign-owned, container seals must be checked to ensure weapons of mass destruction are not hidden in the containers.

Jack Suite, the PMA contract administrator, said the union's security proposal has been discussed in subcommittee meetings, but the union wants it to become part of the master negotiations.

Also on Tuesday, the two sides discussed welfare benefits, although no agreement was reached. The ILWU has made full maintenance of health, welfare and pension benefits one of its main goals in the new contract.

The ILWU indicated it was prepared to submit a new proposal on technology, Suite said. The ILWU earlier in the negotiations submitted a proposal that would eliminate the current requirement that marine clerks re-key information filed electronically to marine terminals. The union's plan also called for specific manning requirements for various jobs at the terminals. The PMA rejected that proposal.

The PMA earlier in the negotiations also presented a technology proposal that called for a free flow of information to marine terminals. The proposal was rejected by the union.

Negotiations have been held on and off since May 13. The former contract was set to expire on July 1, but both sides have agreed to extend the contract on a day-to-day basis. There have been no disruptions through West Coast ports during the busy peak shipping season. By Bill Mongelluzzo