Full Volume 19 - Federal Maritime Commission

AGREEMENT NO T 2336 281
assessment bases or upon the belief that NYSA and its counsel properly
represented the positions of these other interests
From time to time counsel for NYSA representing the majority views
of NYSA has been aligned on many issues with the views of the break
bulk carriers and on other issues has been aligned with the views of
other parties As to the present claim of the States Marine group both
NYSA and the Puerto Rican carriers oppose making additional adjust
ments or payments to the States Marine group At all times the break
bulk carriers have been represented on the Board of Directors of NYSA
In fact when the recent settlement agreement with the Puerto Rican
carriers was approved by NYSA it was without objection by any of the
members of the Board of Directors including the so called break bulk
representation on the Board of NYSA
The ILA also participated in the so called settlement agreements with
the automobile interests the newsprint interests and the Puerto Rican
carriers The ILA had long supported the views ofthe break bulk carriers
that there should be a change from the old man hours only method of
assessment for fringe benefits The ILA also supported arguments made
in 1974 that changes were needed to correct inequities in the man houri
tonnage assessment formula It is the view of the ILA through its
president that the said settlement agreements along with the full tonnage
assessment agreement approved by the ILA and NYSA for 1974 1977
would put an end to all assessment litigation such as the present claim of
the States Marine group The president of the ILA stated that the ILA
was ultimately convinced that the full tonnage assessment method of
1974 1977 was on a fair and equitable basis because it very substantially
reduced the assessment cost to the break bulk carriers The ILA agreed
with this assessment method on certain conditions one important
condition being that the litigation regarding fringe benefit assessments in
the Port ofNew York be settled
Accordingly in 1974 discussions were had by the ILA with NYSA
members of the Negotiating Committee including members of NYSA s
Board of Directors including Mr Dagfinn Gunnarshaug who is also a
director of Concordia Line one of the States Marine group Mr
Gunnarshaug was put on the Board of Directors of NYSA to represent
the interests of the break bulk lines and he was also a member of the
NYSA ILA Contract Board
The ILA took the position that the assessment solution had to be afull
fair and final one and that only three adjustments were required as
follows
I Newsprint had to be encouraged to stay in the Port by the settlement of its claims
2 Automobile carriers that had been seeking berths in other ports should also be
encouraged to stay in the Port of New York by adjustment of the tonnage defmition of
an unbaxed automobile to a weight basis and
3 The Puerto Rican carriers should continue to pay on a full tonnage basis but the
NYSA claim for 196971 should be waived by NYSA and the Puerto Rican carriers
claim for 1971 74 should be waived for the Puerto Rican carriers
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