HONOLULU—Pineapple members on Oahu and Maui are preparing to return to the bargaining table in January 2003. Contracts with Del Monte, Dole, and Maui Land and Pineapple covering almost 2,000 ILWU pineapple workers were extended to January 31, 2003, two months later then the original expiration date of November 30, 2002.

The contracts were extended because of the uncertain situation with the West Coast ILWU longshore bargaining and possible
disruption of shipping to and from Hawaii. Now that West Coast longshore workers have reached a tentative settlement, pineapple negotiations can resume.

Industry news
Maui Land and Pineapple reported an operating loss of $4.6 million for the first 9 months of 2002, compared to a loss of $4
million in 2001. According to the company’s report filed with the Security Exchange Commission, the higher loss was due mainly to higher legal fees defending against lawsuits, more money to fund pension obligations because of lower investment income, and other administrative costs.

While revenue from fresh pineapple has increased, sales of canned pineapple has decreased, due to a higher volume of im-
ported canned pineapple from Thailand. The company has made a claim to the U.S. Customs Service for damages under the
Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000. Under this Act, U.S. companies hurt by the dumping of foreign goods can collect a portion of the anti-dumping duty imposed by U.S. Customs. In 2001, the company received $1.8 million from Customs and the company expects a similar payout for the year 2002. Del Monte has shipped five of its ginaca machines to California to set up a pineapple processing operation using Costa Rican pineapple which will probably directly compete with Maui Land and Pine, the only other U.S. pineapple canner.

Maui Land and Pine, which holds some of the patents on the Ginaca machine, opposed the transfer of the machines. How-
ever, it appears the agreement among the Hawaii pineapple companies only prohibits the transfer of the ginaca technology
outside of the U.S.

The ginaca machine, invented in Hawaii by Henry Ginaca in 1911, peels and cores the pineapple fruit in a single operation.

Dole Pineapple on Oahu has expanded its tourist attraction, Pineapple Plantation, to include a four-coach single-diesel train called the Pineapple Express. The 20 minute train ride will take visitors through pineapple and diversified agriculture fields around the Pineapple Plantation. The ILWU was successful in organizing the workers at the Plantation Store and are in the process of negotiating a first contract.