NLRB: Pasha culpable for shipbuilding labor contract violations

According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), ocean carrier Pasha has violated a collective bargaining agreement by failing and refusing to furnish a labor union with requested vessel construction information.    The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has upheld a labor union complaint against transportation and logistics company The Pasha Group and its Pasha Hawaii subsidiary for violations involving two new containerships being built at Keppel AmFELS, in Brownsville, Texas, the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P) said in a statement.
   The MM&P had alleged that the National Labor Relations Act and its collective bargaining agreement require Pasha to bargain in good faith with the union and to provide documents for it to review and study before vessel construction begins, so the union can confirm that the vessels comply with the living standards set forth in the agreement.
   The NLRB alleges that Pasha, both orally and in writing, has failed and refused to furnish the union with the information requested. The NLRB is seeking an order to compel Pasha to turn over the documents and to bargain in good faith with MM&P, the union said.
   An investigation by San Francisco-based NLRB Region 20 determined that the information that the MM&P has requested “is necessary for, and relevant to, the union’s performance of its duties.”
   Pasha has thus far declined to comment, but on Dec. 5, the labor union issued a statement saying that is was pleased with the NLRB’s decision.
   “We will not hesitate to take any and all legal action necessary to vindicate the hard-fought contractual rights of MM&P members,” union President Capt. Donald Marcus said.
   “Employers who refuse to honor contractual obligations and federally protected rights must be held accountable,” MM&P Vice President-Pacific Ports J. Lars Turner said. “The NLRB’s decision is critical to ending Pasha’s refusal to bargain in good faith. We look forward to returning to the negotiating table in December to discuss proposals reflecting the tremendous skill and professionalism MM&P Licensed Deck Officers bring to the Pasha vessels.”
   Pasha Hawaii placed the order of two containerships with the Keppel AmFELS shipyard in May. Both vessels are designed to be 774 feet in length, with a capacity of 2,525 TEUs, including a fully laden capacity of 500 45-foot containers, 400 refrigerated containers and 300 40-foot dry containers.