No. SCWC-29037, Thursday, June 21, 2012, 1:30 p.m.

DEL MONTE FRESH PRODUCE (HAWAI`I), INC.; EDWARD C. LITTLETON; STACIE SASAGAWA; TIM HO; DIXON SUZUKI; and DEL MONTE FRESH PRODUCE COMPANY, Petitioners/Appellants-Appellants, vs. INTERNATIONAL LONGSHORE AND WAREHOUSE UNION, LOCAL 142, AFL-CIO, (2006-074), Respondent/Union/Appellee-Appellee, and HAWAII LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, Respondent/Appellee-Appellee.

Attorney for Petitioners/Appellants-Appellants: Christopher S. Yeh of Marr Jones & Wang

Attorneys for Respondent/Union/Appellee-Appellee: Herbert R. Takahashi, Rebecca L. Covert, and Davina W. Lam of Takahashi and Covert

Attorney for Respondent/Appellee-Appellee: Valri Lei Kunimoto

The above-captioned case has been set for argument on the merits at:

Supreme Court Courtroom
Ali`iolani Hale 
417 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

NOTE: Certificate of Recusal, by Associate Justice James E. Duffy, Jr., filed 03/15/12.

NOTE: Certificate of Recusal, by Associate Justice Sabrina S. McKenna, filed 03/16/12.

NOTE: Order assigning Circuit Court Judges Karen S.S. Ahn and Steven S. Alm, in place of Justices Duffy, Jr. and McKenna, respectively, filed 03/20/12.

NOTE: Order accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 04/26/12.

COURT: MER, CJ; PAN & SRA, JJ; Circuit Court Judge Karen S.S. Ahn in place of Justice Duffy, Jr., recused; and Circuit Court Judge Steven S. Alm in place of Justice McKenna, recused.

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Brief Description:

Petitioners/appellants-appellants Del Monte Fresh Produce (Hawaii), Inc., Edward C. Littleton, Stacie Sasagawa, Tim Ho, Dixon Suzuki, and Del Monte Fresh Produce Company (collectively, “Del Monte”) filed an application for a writ of certiorari to review the Intermediate Court of Appeal’s (ICA) December 15, 2011 judgment. The ICA’s judgment affirmed the Circuit Court of the First Circuit’s (circuit court) February 1, 2008 Judgment, entered pursuant to the circuit court’s February 1, 2008 “Order Affirming Hawaii Labor Relations Board Decision No. 464 Dated March 21, 2007.”

Del Monte argues, inter alia, that the Hawai`i Labor Relations Board (HLRB) erred in its March 21, 2007 Order by creating a new test for effects bargaining in contravention of federal labor policy by setting forth impermissible per se requirements. Del Monte further argues that based on this test, the HLRB clearly erred in determining that Del Monte failed to bargain in good faith. In response, respondent/appellee-appellee International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 142, AFL-CIO argues that the HLRB correctly applied the “totality of the circumstances” standard in concluding that Del Monte failed to bargain in good faith.