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On September 25th of 2006 Alcatraz Cruises, part of the notoriously anti-union Hornblower Yachts, took over the contract to run the Alcatraz ferry service using non union crews for the first time since the service began in the early 70's.

The unions representing the captains, deckhands, mechanics, ticket sellers and collectors, the Inlandboatmens Union-ILWU(IBU) and the-Masters Mates and Pilots (MMP) have attempted to negotiate with Hornblower Yachts in good faith, but thus far, Hornblower has refused to rehire the union workers and honor the workers' contracts with the previous employer, Blue & Gold Fleet.

Union members and supporters have been and continue to picket Alcatraz Cruises every day of the week (except Saturdays) in front of Alcatraz Cruises landing facility at Pier 31-1/2 in San Francisco. As pickets continue, more and more potential customers have been turned away from Hornblower Yachts.

Meanwhile, both unions continue to wage a legal battle with the NLRB to force Hornblower Yachts to recognize the union and its current employers.

Now, locked-out Alcatraz Ferry workers have opened up a new front in their battle: They have decided to bring the fight into cyberspace with their new website, alcatrazunion.com.

The website is run by rank & file workers. It mimics the name of the Alcatraz Cruises website, alcatrazcruises.com, as well as the design, which is also the featured style of the National Park Service which runs the facilities on Alcatraz Island. The site includes information about the struggle as well as a calendar of events, including pickets and meetings.

The Unions vow to continue fight Hornblower Yachts and the National Park Service until the agree to the following conditions:

• (1) Agree to hire all union employees (who desire to continue working directly or indirectly on the Alcatraz ferry run) who have been laid off due to the transfer of service from Blue & Gold Fleet to Alcatraz Cruises / Hornblower Yachts in order of Union Seniority.


• (2) Honor all existing IBU and MM&P union seniority lists.


• (3) Honor all existing provisions of the IBU and MM&P union contract with Blue & Gold fleet demanded by the rank & file employees covered under those agreement.


• (4) Agree to hire all temporary fill-in employees (for sick reliefs, vacation reliefs, leaves of absence, and days-off-by-request) as well as unscheduled extra shifts from the MM&P standby list or the IBU union hiring hall.


• (5) Agree to abide by existing labor laws and not interfere with the lawful, democratic right of any Hornblower employee to organize a union to represent them and protect their rights as workers.

Everyone is urged to stay informed by regularly visiting the Alcatraz union workers' website alcatrazunion.com.

The website alcatrazunion.com is designed and maintained by members of the IWW.

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File under: Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union 510 | San Francisco Bay Area GMB