Union picket holds up ship in Duluth port

AMO is part of the AFL-CIO-affiliated Seafarers International Union. Interlake CEO James Barker wants his officers to affiliate with another AFL-CIO affiliate, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (MEBA). In fact, he offered the officers $10,000 each to switch unions.

None of the 10 complied, say picketers, who have been on strike 24/7 since March 11.

"We thought we had a done deal in February on our contract that expired August 2006 and was extended, but then they told us to take their offer or go home," said AMO staffer Stan Barnes.

In February, Interlake and AMO reached a contract agreement for the M/V Cort. However, during a subsequent company gathering in Florida, Barker told AMO-represented officers from the Cort they would have to switch unions to continue working on the ship.

In a letter dated March 5, Interlake notified AMO that it would not be signing the agreed-upon contract. Interlake Leasing III, Inc., operates the M/V Cort for Mittal Steel USA. Interlake Leasing is a subsidiary of Interlake Steamship Company.

AMO members picketing the M/V Cort at the Port Terminal have come to appreciate Duluth as a strong union town. Kevin Wend, Jesse Lyman and Brian Krus are from Michigan. AMO staffer Stan Barnes, second from right, is from Tennessee. Pickets are up 24/7. Duluth Labor World photo

A similar situation occurred last year on another Interlake vessel, the tug-barge Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, and AMO filed AFL-CIO Article XX raiding charges against MEBA. On March 12, AMO submitted Article XX charges over the Cort situation. The violations are because MEBA is claiming representation of the officers aboard the Pathfinder and the Cort. Article XX prohibits one AFL-CIO-affiliated union from encroaching upon the jurisdiction of another.

"The AFL-CIO told them to get off the Pathfinder but nothing came of it," said 2nd Engineer Kevin Wend. He had expected to be called to Duluth to fit out the Cort on March 12; instead he\’s living in a motel and picketing.

The Interlake contract with MEBA was signed before the company\’s collective bargaining agreement with AMO had expired and is now the subject of ongoing lawsuits in Ohio charging MEBA with tortious interference. AMO had been the exclusive collective bargaining agent for ship officers and stewards working aboard vessels operated by Interlake Steamship until 2003. At that time AMO says, Barker and the president of MEBA, Ron Davis, secretly signed a contract to replace AMO members with officers represented by MEBA and removed the captains and stewards from the bargaining agreement.

In November 2006, an impartial umpire determined that MEBA had violated Article XX on the Pathfinder. Howard Lesnick said MEBA had "unquestionably displaced AMO" as the exclusive collective bargaining representative of the officers aboard the vessel. He also noted "credible" evidence of collusion between MEBA and Interlake Steam-ship Co.

In January 2007, a subcommittee of the AFL-CIO Executive Council upheld Lesnick\’s determination.

One of the picketers in Duluth said he thought MEBA would disaffiliate from the AFL-CIO so it could go on raiding AMO, which represents most of the officers on the lakes. A third union, Master Mates & Pilots, also represents officers. It is not listed on the AFL-CIO website of affiliates.

After the picketing began March 11, many area workers who were performing maintenance and repair work on board the 1000-foot Cort walked off the boat, which is docked behind St. Lawrence Cement. Workers honoring the AMO picket line are represented by the Boilermakers Local 177 and the IBEW Local 242.

AMO says Interlake brought in engineers represented by MEBA, who have crossed the picket line and are working on board the ship.

The Cort is undergoing extensive maintenance and repair as it is being fitted out for the shipping season. It was scheduled to leave Duluth about March 24 so that it would be at the Soo Locks when they opened.

"I can guarantee that it won\’t be ready to sail Friday," said Barnes. "The solidarity from this area\’s workers that were aboard has been incredible."

Barnes said generators have failed aboard and workers have no lights and are working with flashlights. The engines have not been fired.

Barnes said there is one person aboard doing a lot of work that he\’s not trained for, such as electrical and welding.

The Cort is scheduled to load out of Burlington Northern Dock 5 in Superior before it sails out and Barnes said if they get it over there the pickets will be there. He said AMO has been in contact with other unions at BN5 and they are saying they will respect the picket too.

AMO officers will picket the MV Cort for as long as it takes, said Barnes.

"AMO is here until the boat leaves and, if it does manage to get underway, there will be picket lines wherever it goes," Barnes said.

He said maintaining the Duluth picket has been much better than they thought it would be because of its remote location.

"It\’s been made easier because of the incredible solidarity in this town," said Barnes. "We had a non-union guy stop and he said he wasn\’t going aboard. IBEW, Boilermakers and others backing us is something you won\’t see just anywhere."

Larry Sillanpa edits the Labor World, the official publication of the Duluth Central Labor Body, AFL-CIO. Visit the Labor World website, www.laborworld.org