In brief: West Coast ports bustling after labor deal; Oakland port awaits crane workers

OAKLAND, Calif. – Nearly all West Coast seaports began the workweek with crews hustling to load and unload cargo ships that were held up amid a monthslong dispute over a new contract for dockworkers.

The exception Monday was the Port of Oakland, where problems persisted three days after negotiators for the dockworkers’ union and for employers reached a tentative agreement covering all 29 West Coast ports. Those ports handle roughly one-quarter of U.S. international trade, an amount worth about $1 trillion annually.

In Oakland, nine ships were at berth and ready for cranes to move cargo Monday, but only one was being worked because of what port spokesman Mike Zampa called a “temporary shortage of experienced crane operators.” He said port officials expected experienced crane drivers to return for the night shift.

Other Oakland dockworkers were still putting containers that already had been unloaded onto trucks and trains. The port handles about 10 percent of the coast’s total seaborne trade.

Operations at the other West Coast ports from Seattle to Southern California appeared to be back to normal. The job of restoring the free flow of goods will take at least two months – and more like three at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest.

Target cuts minimum for free shipping by half

NEW YORK – Target has sliced its minimum online purchase to qualify for free shipping in half to $25, as the Internet becomes a bigger and bigger sales hub for retailers.

The minimum takes aim at competitors Wal-Mart and Amazon.com, both of which have higher minimums for standard purchases, and could be another step in a slow march among retailers toward eliminating separate shipping fees.

Target said free shipping is now available to all online orders coming from the continental U.S. or from military postal facilities. The company said handling fees still may apply to some orders.

Three Android carriers to build in Google Wallet

SAN FRANCISCO – Google is teaming up with three major U.S. wireless carriers in an effort to prod more people into using its mobile wallet and undercut the rapid success of Apple’s rival payment service.

The deal announced Monday calls for Google’s tap-and-pay service to be built into Android smartphones sold by AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA beginning later this year. Smartphone owners currently have to download Google Wallet and install the app on their phone if they want to use the service.

Besides trying to make it more convenient to use Wallet, Google also is hoping to improve the nearly 4-year-old service. Toward that end, Google Inc. is buying some mobile payment technology and patents from Softcard, a venture owned by the wireless carriers.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed.