With the union crew members of Hawaii’s biggest ocean shipper Matson Navigation Co announcing strike over the contracts deal on Saturday, a tentative agreement has been reached between Matson and the company’s three unions - Masters, Mates and Pilots; Marine Engineers Beneficial Association; and American Radio Association in San Francisco. The contract extension expires at midnight on Thursday.

The three unions of Matson - a subsidiary of Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin - represent the nearly 300 Hawaii-based employees, including ship captains, officers, engineers, and radio operators.

Commenting on the agreement reached by the Matson management and its three unions, Charles Khim, Attorney for the Masters, Mates and Pilots union, clarified that the agreement - the terms of which remained undisclosed - was a mutual decision, and there was no coercion involved from either side.

According to Matson, the strike authorization was the first ever by the company’s crew members – the move is often resorted to for initiating negotiations. Talking about the strike, Khim said: “I believe the strike instead of being deleterious was actually a catalyst for the parties to settle.”

Though Khim refrained from disclosing the “confidential” terms of the four-year deal because they are yet to receive the approval of the union members; he said that the chief concerns raised by the union – namely wages and pensions – have been addressed in the agreement.