July 25th marked a year since the secret signing of a 10-year contract between Interlake Steamship Co. and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association six days before a superior three-year collective bargaining agreement between American Maritime Officers and Interlake expired. The anniversary also marked a year of public silence on the issue from MEBA President Ron Davis and a year of failure by the Davis administration to put the Interlake-MEBA contract to a ratification vote in the fleet and review by the MEBA membership at large. Davis plainly does not want the Interlake-MEBA contract--or the circumstances surrounding it--discussed openly.
A federal court in Delaware July 27 gave Oglebay Norton Co. conditional approval to submit its reorganization plan to creditors.
