Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Hawaii’s largest ocean transportation firm is cut 10 percent of its non-union workers

Posted at 22:19 on 22 January, 2009 UTC

Hawaii’s largest ocean transportation firm, Matson Navigation Co. has announced plans to cut 10-percent of its non union workforce, or about 60 people, to align expenses with declining business.

The company, a unit of Honolulu-based Alexander & Baldwin Inc., employs about 845 people, though only about 600 are in non union positions affected by the reduction effort.

Matson’s move comes after the company instituted hiring freezes over the past two years, and follows other large Hawai’i companies that began major layoffs last year as the local economy began to contract.

The Honolulu Advertiser reports the job losses at Matson are the latest in a string of layoffs in Hawaii over the past 12 months.