Matson Strike Averted

July 5th, 2008

A lot of Hawaii residents will have enough toilet paper, rice and SPAM to last for a while.  Whenever there’s a threat of a hurricane or a shipping strike, we tend to load up on those items … just in case.

Matson Navigation controls about two-thirds of the market for ocean freight to Hawaii, and a strike was looming by Matson’s 200 trans-Pacific crewmembers.  Much to the relief of us islanders, the strike was averted with an eleventh-hour settlement last week.  The crew members – sailors, firemen, oilers, watertenders, wipers and cooks –  reached a tentative agreement with the company last week.

About 200 unionized crew members who work aboard Matson Navigation Co.’s trans-Pacific cargo ships reached a tentative contract agreement with the company the very day the previous contract was due to expire. 

No harm done.  All the toilet paper, rice and SPAM that was bought will get used … by those who don’t simply store it away for the next threat.

Entry Filed under: Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu