After Evergreen America Corp. Tuesday withdrew charges it had made against the International Longshoremen's Association before the National Labor Relations Board, ILA president John Bowers told Shippers' News Wire that "I'm inclined to get the men back to work."

However, Bowers said he needs to know "exactly what has been withdrawn" and what issues remain between the ILA and Evergreen. "I need to see that in writing from lawyers before we agree to anything," he said.

Another labor source noted the ILA did not like Evergreen saying in its statement on Tuesday that the company's legal challenge against a decision of port captains to join the ILA was continuing in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

On Tuesday night, the ILA local that had set up a picket line against Evergreen at Maher Terminals Tripoli Street facility in Port Elizabeth, N.J., will be meeting with executives of the international union to "decide the next step," said Jim McNamara, a ILA spokesman.

Brian Maher, chairman and chief executive officer of Maher Terminals, was also expected to attend the meeting, a labor official said.

"More than a dozen ships and thousands of containers of undelivered cargo from the largest to the smallest shippers have been affected by this labor action," said Barbara Yeninas, a spokesperson for Evergreen America.

The job action against Evergreen began May 14 and spread to Baltimore, Norfolk, and more sporadically, to Charleston, Savannah, and Port Everglades.

Evergreen's decision to withdraw charges was based on "the overwhelming need to get cargo moving," she said.

"We have every expectation that this will result in meeting with the ILA at the bargaining table and an immediate resumption of service," Yeninas said.

However, Bowers suggested the ILA won't halt its job action until Evergreen actually begins collective bargaining with the union.