Talks continue on
Hawaii dock contract

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By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

With a ratification vote pending on a new contract for West Coast longshoremen, talks continue on a new deal for about 480 dockworkers in Hawaii.

Negotiators met last week and are scheduled to meet again before month's end, Timothy Ho, president of the Hawaii Employers Council, said through a spokesman. The council represents shippers Matson Terminals Inc., Hawaii Stevedores Inc., HT&T Co. Inc. and McCabe Hamilton and Renny Co. Ltd.

Members of Hawaii's International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 have been working without a contract since July. They agreed to work beyond the expiration date while talks progressed on a new deal for about 10,500 of their West Coast counterparts.

The Hawaii dockworkers' contract typically is patterned after that of the West Coast workers. A tentative agreement for those workers was reached last month, but still must be ratified.

Both the Hawaii Employers Council and the ILWU Local 142 have said they want to examine the West Coast proposal before committing to a new deal.

Eusebio Lapenia Jr., president of Local 142, did not return a telephone message seeking further comment Tuesday.

Meanwhile, about 80 union delegates from Seattle to San Diego are meeting in San Francisco this week to discuss the proposed contract. They are expected to announce a recommendation to members by Friday.

It's not a guarantee that it will pass -- this year's landmark contract includes a provision that would usher in new cargo-tracking technology that costs about 400 union jobs in the short term.

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Hawaii Employers Council

ILWU Local 142
International Longshore and Warehouse Union