AMO to meet with ASC at Rand headquarters

Three AMO officials will meet with counterparts from Rand Logistics LLC and American Steamship Co. on Tuesday, August 31, at Rand's new corporate headquarters in Williamsville, NY - ASC's former base in the Buffalo suburb.

AMO President Paul Doell, AMO Executive Vice President Willie Barrere and AMO Great Lakes Vice President John Clemons will represent our union. The Rand-ASC delegation will include Rand Logistics Chief Executive Officer Dave Foster, ASC President Kevin McMonagle and Rand-ASC Human Resources Director Craig Samuda.

Discussion is certain to include controversial and difficult issues, but one good faith AMO objective will be to protect our union's legitimate and lasting interests in the context of a long, mutually rewarding collective bargaining relationship between AMO and ASC - a largely profitable and efficient Great Lakes bulk cargo fleet in service since 1904.

AMO will also pursue honest conversation about the potential fate of the American Steamship Co. fleet.

This session follows a July 20 meeting between the parties at AMO headquarters in Dania Beach, where Foster recommended an early start of negotiations possibly leading to a successor agreement to the extended AMO-ASC contract due to expire at midnight on February 7, 2022.

All AMO members will be briefed here on what develops - or not - during this meeting.