Tugboat settlement Unionized tugboat operators ratified a new contract early this morning, averting a strike that could have paralyzed interisland barge service and tugboat operations in Honolulu Harbor.
reached early
this morning
A strike would have crippled
interisland shippingBy Leila Fujimori and Rod Antone
lfujimori@starbulletin.com / rantone@starbulletin.comAt about 11 p.m. last night, 47 union members gathered at the Young Brothers Ltd. offices on Nimitz Highway to be prepared to ratify the new contract proposal.
Hawaiian Tug & Barge and Young Brothers Ltd. reached a tentative settlement at 3:30 a.m. after a marathon three days at the bargaining table with the Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific.
"We're very pleased we did not have a disruption in our service," said Mark Cohen, vice president of maritime services at Young Brothers Ltd. and Hawaiian Tug & Barge.
He said service disruption was an issue they kept in mind and was shown in the intensity of the negotiations.
"It certainly was an issue the union could use as leverage," he said.
The rank and file were on hand to vote 34-13 in favor of the new contract, giving them a 15-percent wage hike over three years, 18-percent pension increase and a 25-percent increase in time off.
"We didn't get everything we wanted, but it's better than we had," said union member Ron Ancheta.
"To me it's reasonable," said Ben Kaiwi, a Hawaiian Tug & Barge tug crewman. "Most of the members were satisfied with what the company offered, according to the vote. Main thing get job instead of holding signs."
A strike by the 59 union members could have had a major effect on Molokai and Lanai, which depend heavily on interisland shipping.
Union regional director Jonathan Lono Kane said the three days of negotiations were hard-core and tough, but members were, for the most part, happy with the new contract.
"It's a pretty good agreement with substantial wage and pension increases," Kane said.
Company and union negotiators agreed to work to reach an agreement past a midnight deadline, when the union members' contract expired. Union members voted Wednesday to strike, if a settlement had not been reached by midnight Saturday.
Discussion regarding parity of wages with longshoremen arose during negotiations, said Bill Chung, vice president of personnel and industrial relations for both Hawaiian Tug & Barge and Young Brothers Ltd.
"It's really two different types of industries and two different types of work, but the company did not feel parity was appropriate," Chung said. "And we value the contribution our people make."
He said the package was a generous offer. The 25 percent increase in time off would give tug operators more time to spend with family, and would help increase safety and alertness. That translates to about 100 days off for every 200 days of work.
The union's last strike was for 26 days in June and July of 1986, after which 120 union members ratified a three-year contract that called for a 6 percent cut the first year, no change in the second year, and a 3 percent pay increase in the final year.
Hawaiian Tug & Barge and another company provide contract towing service, ship assists and barge charters.
Five ships were scheduled to depart Honolulu Harbor today, using Young Brothers or Hawaiian Tug & Barge tugboats.
"If they can't leave, other ships can't come in," said Chung earlier yesterday.
Young Brothers is the only firm licensed by the Public Utilities Commission to ship cargo from one island to another. Had there been a strike, Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island would have been able to receive goods from the mainland, but Lanai and Molokai depend on Young Brothers barges.