In an agreement sanctioned by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Majestic America Line in late 2007 was compelled to post a notice to employees aboard the formerly SIU-contracted passenger riverboat American Queen promising that the company wouldn’t interfere with crew members’ rights to choose union representation.In other words, under a government-supervised settlement, the company said it would follow the law.
Majestic also agreed to reinstate a former employee who had been unjustly fired because of pro-union activities.
The NLRB signed off on the agreement Nov. 7, 2007. It read in part, “The Charged Party will post immediately in conspicuous places in and about its vessel, including all places where notices to employees are customarily posted, and maintain for 60 consecutive days from the date of the posting, copies of the attached Notice (and versions in other languages as deemed appropriate by the Regional Director) made a part hereof, said notices to be signed by a responsible official of the Charged Party and the date of actual posting to be shown thereon.”
The bulk of the notice itself read as follows. The name of a Majestic employee whom the union assisted in safeguarding his workplace rights appeared in the original notice but is omitted here as a courtesy:
NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES - FEDERAL LAW GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO:
- Form, join or assist a union;
- Choose representatives to bargain with us on your behalf;
- Act together with other employees for your benefit and protection;
- Choose not to engage in any of these protected activities.
(Editor’s note: The company agreed to the following items, which appear in the notice.)
WE WILL NOT interfere with, restrain or coerce you in regards to the exercise of these rights, more specifically
WE WILL NOT discharge or otherwise discriminate against you for supporting or engaging in activities on behalf of the Seafarers International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, AFL-CIO (Union) or any other labor organization.
WE WILL NOT in any like or related manner interfere with, restrain, or coerce you in the exercise of your rights as guaranteed by Section 7 of the Act.
WE WILL offer full re-employment to [name of employee] in his former position without prejudice to his seniority or any other rights previously enjoyed.
WE WILL pay [name of employee] wages and other benefits he may have lost because we discharged him.
WE WILL, within 14 days from the date of the Settlement Agreement, remove from our files any reference to the discharge of [name of employee] in March 2007, and WE WILL within three days of the removal, notify [name] in writing that this has been done and that WE WILL not use the discharge against him in any way.
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