Maersk free of espionage accusation
The U.S. authorities have now abandoned a lawsuit against APM Terminals on charges of interception of confidence in people's phones. In November 2012 the dockers' unions International Longshore and Warehouse Union, ILWU, complained about the APM terminal in Los Angeles, Fagbladet 3F
reports.
"The charges were dropped by the government lawyers who had not received sufficient information from the union’s side to raise the issue”, says Nancy Cleeland from National Labor Relations Board.
The union accused managers of Maersk to listen to people's phones in a six-month period prior to bargaining at the port. APM Terminals was in November and December hit by eight-day strike along with six other terminals on the U.S. west coast, after negotiations ended in a deadlock.
It is not unusual that complaints are dropped when a conflict has ended. Port Workers Federation still has the opportunity to appeal the decision.
Maersk responded to the accusations by sending an employee on leave and launch its own investigation.
"The study has now been completed and the company is preparing a response to our workforce", says John Ochs, director of APM Terminals in the United States.
John Ochs would not enter the outcome of the investigation until the employees have been informed.
A new costly strike that could paralyze U.S. ports is threatening, this time on the U.S. east coast. Port operators and unions are currently negotiating to reach agreement on a new contract with the deadline of 29 January. It has not been possible to get a comment from ILWU.
