Shipping giant Maersk settles lawsuit filed by student allegedly raped at sea Blake Ellis Melanie Hicken
By Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken, CNN
Published 4:22 PM EST, Fri November 18, 2022

Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) said that sexual misconduct is "unacceptable" after settling a lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was raped on one of the company's ships.

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images
CNN
—
Shipping giant Maersk has settled a lawsuit filed by a former US Merchant Marine Academy student who says she was raped while working on the company’s ship when she was 19 years old.

The company’s US subsidiary Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) announced the settlement with USMMA graduate Hope Hicks for an undisclosed amount Friday, saying sexual misconduct is “unacceptable” and that the company had initiated “a full program of
training, reporting, and accountability internally.”

“No matter who and where you are, those who work with us must feel safe and protected in our work environment,” William Woodhour, the company’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

What should we investigate next?
Email us: [email protected].
Hicks sparked controversy across the maritime industry last year when she wrote an anonymous blog post describing her alleged assault on a Maersk ship in 2019 during the federal service academy’s mandatory training program known as Sea Year. She wrote
how senior officers on the ship had forced her to take repeated shots of liquor and that she woke up the next morning to find blood on her sheets and bruises on her body, immediately realizing that she had been raped.

Her blog post prompted Maersk to suspend and later fire five crew members, but the company said at the time it was “unable to make any findings with respect to the rape allegation” because certain employees refused to cooperate with the investigation.

The Coast Guard previously told CNN that it had investigated the alleged rape as well and referred the case to the Department of Justice, but prosecutors have declined to comment on whether charges would be filed.

The US Merchant Marine Academy is a training ground for future military officers, ship engineers and captains aboard the country's fleet of government and commercial vessels.
Culture of fear at Merchant Marine Academy silences students who say they were sexually harassed and assaulted
Hicks filed her lawsuit against Maersk days before her graduation from USMMA. There was also a separate lawsuit from another USMMA student, known as “Midshipman Y,” who said she was repeatedly harassed and groped by older, male crew members on the
very same ship Hicks had worked on two years earlier.

Midshipman Y’s case, which details how she was allegedly so terrified of being sexually assaulted on the ship that she slept in a locked bathroom and clutched a knife for protection, remains ongoing. Her attorney said that they remain “in private
discussions in an attempt to resolve that case.”

Both suits alleged that the shipping giant did not have safeguards in place to protect them and that it fostered a culture where sexual assault and harassment weren’t taken seriously.

“It is important to me that my case has brought greater awareness of the issue of sexual assault and harassment at sea,” Hicks said in a statement about the settlement. “The leadership of MLL has expressed the need for change. The changes that MLL
has proposed are an important first step, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the maritime industry.”

Do you have an experience or information to share about the sexual assault in the maritime industry? Email us at [email protected].

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/18/business/maersk-rape-lawsuit-settlement-invs/index.html

Hope the cretins are charged for rape.

Damco
Damco was the combined brand of the Maersk Group's logistics activities previously known as Maersk Logistics and Damco.[24] As of 2008 Damco had 10,800 employees in offices in more than 93 countries.[24] and was involved in supply chain management and
freight forwarding all over the world. In September 2019 Maersk announced that they would dissolve the Damco brand and integrate their remaining activities after initially merging Maersk Line and Damco at the beginning of 2019 at which time the freight
forwarding business of Damco stayed separate.[46] The dissolving of the Damco brand was completed by the end of 2020.[47]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maersk

I had the misfortune to work for Damco at their River Rd location in Delta around 20 years ago. Was shorted on my paycheque 16 separate times was not given my full pay due on my last cheque the company routinely violated safety rules and routinely lied
to WCB and Worksafe BC. I worked 50 jobs in my former working life only this employer had a manager accused of sexual harassment. Intimidation was a recurring theme Tony Beck now working as a VP for OK tires in Manitoba would use his size to bully ppl
and had physically attacked employees at his former employer and had a fist fight with Victor Amadin at this employer. When I was visiting Winnipeg last week a couple ppl at separate times loudly said, "Tony Beck is an asshole". He also had a bad rep
with certain employees at Mountain Equipment in Newton when he worked there. He had employees spy on each other just asinine stuff.

https://www.oktire.com/assets/uploads/2019/12/OK-Tire_Valleyfield-Groundbreaking_Media-Advisory_EN.pdf Picture of Tony Beck note that he is the only one without a gold shovel. Not subtle is it.

DSL aka HUDD aka Maersk aka DAMCO Toxic place to work they never gave me my total final cheque. Tony Beck, Collette Babinski, Chris Kaulbeck are thieves and liars who lie to WorkSafe BC so the employees they injure don't get compensation. Mr. Beck after
a beer lunch threw garbage at me at the 590 Ebury Place location at Annacis Island, Delta.

https://autosphere.ca/tires/2020/10/23/simple-and-systemized/ a pic of Tony Beck.

HUDD-Maersk-Sealand-A.P.Moller now Damco is one of the largest logistics companies in the world and Collette Babinszki was the head of payroll
and human resources in BC until her termination.

Collette shortchanged me 16 times on my paycheques while I was
employed there. Of course I was never overpaid. She also shortchanged
me $200 on my final paycheque.

They told Worksafe BC that the company records prior to 2006 were destroyed in a accident.

Greg Carr's profile photo
Greg Carr
Jun 2, 2020, 7:46:30 PM
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Economy, Law & Politics
Two new COVID-19 outbreaks in B.C. offices
New World Technologies and Maersk Distribution Canada outbreaks are both in the Fraser Health region
By Glen Korstrom | June 2, 2020, 3:01pm
bonnie henry june2
B.C.'s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry spoke to media last week as Health Minister Adrian Dix looks on | B.C. government
New COVID-19 outbreaks have been discovered in the past 24 hours at Abbotsford's New World Technologies and Delta''s Maersk Distribution Canada, B.C.'s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said June 2.

She described both of these outbreaks as being in offices. Both workplaces have two cases and public health teams are at both sites to investigate and determine which people may have had contact with the infected individuals.

The new outbreaks come on what was otherwise a relatively good day, given that there were no new deaths in the last 24 hours, and a spate of outbreaks at seniors' homes and at an acute-care ward at Abbotsford Regional Hospital are newly declared over.

Henry said that outbreaks are declared over at North Vancouver's Amica Edgemont Village, Vancouver's Royal Arch Masonic Home, Maple Ridge's Chartwell Willow Retirement Community, and Chilliwack's Eden Care Centre. That means that no new cases have been
discovered at those facilities in the past 28 days, or two incubation periods.

This leaves eight active outbreaks at seniors' care facilities, all of which are long-term care residences. Two of those homes are in Vancouver Coastal Health, while six are in the Fraser Health reigon. No new cases of COVID-19 have been discovered at
any of those homes in the past 24 hours.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said that while the good news on fewer seniors'-home outbreaks and no new deaths is promising, the new outbreaks at businesses show that COVID-19 is alive and well in B.C. and "requires vigilance."

B.C. recorded four new cases in the past 24 hours of the virus that has caused a global pandemic, and a total of 2,601 cases.

The breakdown of all COVID-19 infections by health region is:
• 904 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 1,311 in Fraser Health;
• 127 in Island Health;
• 195 in Interior Health; and
• 64 in Northern Health.

Of all of those who have been infected, 165 have died, 207 are battling illness and 2,229 have recovered.

Most of the 207 people with active illnesses are self-isolating at home, although 31 of them are in hospital, with eight of those in intensive care units.

Dix shared other good news that was part of his weekly update on personal protective equipment. Two separate independent labs in the past week have confirmed lab test results done at the University of British Columbia that showed that respirators that B.
C. has bought from a new manufacturer in China has exceeded necessary standards.

"This is excellent news for two reasons," Dix said. "We have a significant inventory of this product – three million respirators in B.C. and now [we] are assured that the product is safe and effective for our healthcare workers. And, the availability
of this equivalent product will reduce our reliance on the traditional 3M respirators that have been extremely difficult to procure due to global demand and supply-chain issues."

The government has not yet introduced the equivalent respirators for use in the healthcare system because officials have wanted to take time first to communicate with workers about the new product, and to ensure that the respirators are tested to ensure
that they fit all employees who may need to wear them, Dix said.

"The significant boost of three million N95-equivalent respirators puts us in good stead as we ramp up our health system, catch up on scheduled surgery volumes and prepare our province for a potential second wave of COVID-19," he said.

Overall, B.C. has acquired more than four million N-95 or equivalent respirators, about 4.5 million surgical masks, 27 million pairs of gloves, 1.3 million gowns and 1.25 million pieces of eye protection, including goggles and face shields.

[email protected]

@GlenKorstrom

https://biv.com/article/2020/06/two-new-covid-19-outbreaks-bc-offices

https://www.yellowpages.ca/bus/British-Columbia/Delta/Maersk-Distribution-Canada-Inc/4194686.html

https://opengovca.com/place/ChIJ70n6Q5zo3kMRD11FvNRjHlM

Why does a legitimate, ethical company use different names for the same location?
=============================================================
1085 Cambie St. Vancouver, BC V6B 5L7 | P: 604-660-6013 | F: 604-660-6045 | [email protected]

December 9, 2015

Damco Distribution Canada Inc. d.b.a Hudd Transportation Canada 8400 River Road, Delta, BC V4G 1B5

Commissioner’s Decision Damco Distribution Canada Inc. (CTC Decision No. 4/2015)

Introduction

1. Damco Distribution Canada Inc. (“Damco”) is a licensee within the meaning of the Container Trucking Act (the “Act”). Under Sections 22 and 23 of the Act, minimum rates that licensees must pay to truckers who provide container trucking services
are established by regulation, and a licensee must comply with those statutorily established rates. In particular, Section 23(2) states:

A licensee who employs or retains a trucker to provide container trucking services must pay the trucker a rate and a fuel surcharge that is not less than the rate and fuel surcharge established under section 22 for those container trucking services.

2. Under Section 26 of the Act, any person may make a complaint to the British Columbia Container Trucking Commissioner (the “Commissioner”) that a licensee has contravened a provision of the Act. Under Section 29, the Commissioner reviews such
complaints and, under Section 31, may conduct an audit or investigation to ensure compliance with the Act, the Regulation or a licence. (I note the Commissioner has authority under Section 31 to conduct such audits and investigations whether or not the
Commissioner has received a complaint).

3. Section 27 of the Act provides, in essence, that complaints may be made confidentially to the Commissioner. That is, if a complaint is made on a confidential basis, the Commissioner “must make best efforts to avoid disclosing any identifying
information respecting the complainant” unless disclosure becomes necessary for purposes of the Act.

Facts

4. The Act and the Regulation came into effect on December 22, 2014, and a Commissioner was appointed on February 16, 2015. On June 5, 2015, an audit was begun with respect to Damco’s payment of its 10 employee container trucking drivers (commonly
known as “company drivers”). The auditor requested and received payroll records from Damco for the period April 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015.

5. Damco explained to the auditor that its 10 company drivers were covered by a collective agreement between the company and the Retail Wholesale Union, Local 517 (the “Union”), and had been paid in accordance with that agreement.

Page 2 of 3

6. Based on the information and documentation provided, the auditor determined the company drivers had not been paid the wages rates required by Section 13 of the Container Trucking Regulation (the “Regulation”) during the audit period.

7. The auditor provided Damco with a summary of the balance owing to each driver and a copy of the audit spreadsheet. Damco reviewed the information provided and raised the issue of non-taxable benefits it paid to company drivers that were not itemized
on their pay statements. After discussion of this issue, the auditor re-determined the amount owing each driver.

8. The total amount found to be owing the 10 company drivers was $28,174.09. Damco did not dispute the auditor’s calculations of this amount owing, and issued adjustment cheques to the 10 company drivers in the amounts determined by the auditor to be
owing.

9. Damco advised the auditor that it was having discussions with the Union to reach a Letter of Understanding that would set out appropriate hourly rates, inclusive of benefits, for company drivers, consistent with the minimum hourly rates required by
the Act and the Regulation. Damco agreed to provide a copy of that agreement when it was reached. Subsequently, Damco provided the auditor with a copy of the Letter of Understanding.

Decision

10. As described above, the circumstances of this case are that Damco has: a) undergone an audit, during which it cooperated fully with the auditor; b) after raising an issue of merit with respect to the payment of non-taxable beneits, accepted the
auditor’s calculation of the amounts it owed under the Act; c) paid the adjustment amounts calculated by the auditor as owing to its company operators; and d) entered into an agreement (Letter of Understanding) with the Union to ensure rates for its
company drivers that comply with the Act and Regulation.

11. As Damco has paid the amount owing under the Act and corrected its non-compliant payment practice, I find there is no need for me to issue an order pursuant to Section 9 of the Act requiring Damco to comply with the Act.

12. Section 34 of the Act provides that, if the Commissioner is satisfied that a licensee has failed to comply with the Act, the Commissioner may impose a penalty or penalties on the licensee. Available penalties include suspending or cancelling the
licensee’s licence or imposing an administrative fine. Under Section 28 of the Regulation, an administrative fine for a contravention relating to the payment of remuneration, wait time remuneration or fuel surcharge can be an amount up to $500,000.

13. The seriousness of the available penalties indicates the gravity of non-compliance with the Act. The Act is beneficial legislation intended to ensure that licensees pay their employees and independent operators in compliance with the rates
established by the legislation (Act and Regulation). Licensees must comply with the legislation, as well as the terms and conditions of their licences, and the

Page 3 of 3

Commissioner is tasked under the Act with investigating and enforcing compliance.

14. The Act does not, however, require penalties to be imposed for non-compliance in all cases. Rather, the Commissioner is granted a discretion to impose penalties in appropriate cases. There are many circumstances in which discretion to impose a
penalty or penalties is likely to be exercised. These include, but are not limited to, where a licensee:

 does not cooperate fully with an audit or investigation;  does not comply with orders or directions given by the Commissioner (or a delegate of the Commissioner, including an auditor);  engages in meritless dispute of, or delays in paying,
amounts found to be owing;  engages in any form of fraudulent, deceptive, dishonest or bad faith behavior with respect to compliance with the requirements of the Act, the Regulation or a licence.

15. In the present case, Damco cooperated fully with the auditor’s investigation of the complaint. It complied with the directions given by the auditor, including disclosing records. It raised an issue of merit after receiving an interim report from
the auditor, which caused the auditor to re-determine the amounts owing. Damco then paid that adjustment amount to its employees and took steps to ensure future compliance. It did not engage in meritless dispute of the process or the amount calculated by
the auditor to be owing.

16. With this and previous Commissioner’s decisions published on the Commissioner’s website, it should be very clear to all licensees that the minimum rates established by the Act and the Regulation are payable “despite any provision of a
collective agreement to the contrary”: Section 23(3) of the Act. It should also be clear that rates established in the Act have retroactive application: see Section 19 and 22 of the Regulation. Any past confusion regarding the legislation is not an
excuse for continued non-compliance. Immediate voluntary compliance is required.
Conclusion

17. In summary, Damco was found to be owing $28,174.09 to its 10 company drivers under the Act. It cooperated in the audit process and paid the amount found to be owing. It negotiated a Letter of Understanding with the Union representing its company
drivers to bring the collective agreement pay rates into compliance with the Act. In these circumstances, while I record the fact of Damco’s non-compliance with the Act by way of this decision, as well as Damco’s appropriate actions to bring itself
into compliance, I decline to exercise my discretion to impose a penalty on Damco in this case.

18. This decision will be delivered to Damco and published on the Commissioner’s website (www.bc-ctc.ca).

Dated at Vancouver, B.C., this 9th day of December, 2015

Vince Ready, Deputy Commissioner (Acting)

Vince Ready has an excellent rep as an arbitrator but if a company rips off its union employees from the $ owed under the contract and receives no sanction there is no incentive for them to follow the law.

I worked for Damco aka DSL and Maersk aka HUDD at their 8400 River Rd Delta BC complex circa 2002. I also worked for them at 590 Ebury Place in Delta at Annacis Island and at 109 Braid St. in New Westminster, BC. I was told frequently to move 3 pallets
at once on a forklift and other unsafe practices. On the hottest day of the year in Aug. at River Rd. they shut all the bay doors to "control the theft" and turned the warehouse into a very hot oven. The roof was metal. The managers and the clerical
staff stayed in their airconditioned offices. It was so hot the forklifts were breaking down. I eventually experienced hyperthermia and started hallucinating. Ray Reinfell the lead hand brought out a stretcher. I drove myself to Royal Columbia Hospital
and totally freaked out their security staff and the nurse at Emergency who hid behind the counter while asking questions.

Hudd Distribution 604-940-1357 Fax:(604) 940-9312 is violating its unionized contract with its workers in British Columbia with impunity. It is sending freight from 8400 River Rd. Delta, BC to Walmart stores in eastern Canada in violation of its freely negotiated contract with the RWU. Its contract says
all work in BC through Hudd is to be done with its unionized employees but
it is in fact sending some of its freight to a third (non-union) party for sorting thus costing the men and women of the Retail, Wholesale Union work.
To bad Gordon Campbell and his crowd didn't do anything about it. However ,
I am not surprised are you?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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