Lawmakers, SPA and union reps meet with Maersk

December 23, 2008 by senatormcconnell

Maersk Line representatives met with state lawmakers, leaders of the three local maritime unions and State Ports Authority officials Monday afternoon to began hatching a plan for the company to remain in Charleston

They shared few detail of their discussions but emerged smiling from a 2 1/2-hour conference.

“Here in the season of light and miracles there is hope in the state of South Carolina,” said state Sen. Glenn McConnell.

Ken Riley, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422, said the participants discussed “a creative solution” but declined to elaborate.

State Sen. Larry Grooms said all the parties would meet again but the date has not been set.

Maersk is the largest customer at the Port of Charleston. It said last week that it is pulling its container shipping service from the port by end of 2010, with major cuts starting in early 2009, because it was unable to negotiate a cost-savings agreement with the ILA.

The ports authority board was scheduled to hold a special board meeting about the Maersk matter Monday at 4:30 p.m.

For more details, see Tuesday’s editions of The Post and Courier.

By Allyson Bird
The Post and Courier
December 22, 2008

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