I wouldn't be surprised if they're accurate. Here in the port of LA there's around 20 guys making $400,000-600,000. You could make the argument that the work can be dangerous, requires skill, etc. etc. But that skill must be highly genetic, because most of them work or used to work the same union jobs as their fathers.
Edit: after doublechecking TransparentCalifornia there might only be around 15 guys making $400k and up at the harbor. I accidentally included some firefighters, who also have a tendency to rack up the overtime.
I would guess those numbers have to be largely due to overtime regardless of occupation. In a previous job, it wasn't unheard of for blue collar workers to get $200k+ but overtime hours made up a disproportionate amount of their income. This was in the midwest where housing and cost of living is relatively cheap, so it may even be on par with the numbers quoted for longshoremen.
In my experience, yes. The overtime is "real" in the sense that it's actually needed and worked. Of course there's people who will game the system like in any arrangement and put off work so that they can instead do it while getting paid an overtime rate, but that seemed to be the exception. What makes you question whether or not it is "real" overtime?
