Matson, unions in deadline contract talks - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The unions voted earlier this week to authorizes a strike if anagreeement isn’t reached, but it’s not clear if the strike threat goes beyond the usuak negotiating tactic. Hawaii’s largest ocean shipper is in talkss withthe Masters, Mates and Marine Engineers Beneficial Association and American Radio Associationh in San Francisco. A 10-da contract extension between the three unions and Matson expires atmidnight Matson, a subsidiary of Honolulu-based ALEX), said the strike authorizatioh is often used as part of negotiations and the company does not publicly discuss the contract issuess under review with the “The talks resumed this morning and I’nm sure they will continuew throughout the day,” said Jeff director of public relations at Matson.
Charles a Honolulu labor attorney representingthe MM&P, told PBN the dispute isn’g so much about pay raises, but aboug the disparity between what seniore and junior members of the crew are paid. Veteran Matson captains can make as muchas $220,000 a “We’re most concerned about the younge members — people who have just becom e officers on the ship that make about $40,000,” Khim “The disparity is about 35 percent between the regular payscalee and the second-class payscale.
” Khim said Matson is stillo making profits and that they have more than sufficient mone y to pay what the unions are Khim said it is the firsrt time Matson crew members have votefd to authorize a strike. “It would be marathonh negotiations that keep on going until they reach an Khim said. “It could last a matter of days or if Horizon Lines could pick upthe slack, it couldx last weeks.
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