1.   After intense lobbying by maritime unions, shipping lines and powerful politicians from coastal states, the House passed the new program in December.

2.   I met the Catholic archbishop, several monks in their pagodas and some members of the maritime union.

3.   It also is aiming to break the power of the maritime union, which represents seamen and stevedores, on the waterfront and in its shipping industry.

4.   A shipping company fighting to bust the maritime union won temporary court victories Wednesday, with judges ordering union protesters not to block access to its wharves.

5.   Government officials met with representatives of maritime unions and a Canadian shipping company on Thursday to try to end a standoff threatening the construction industry in southeastern Australia.

6.   It is the latest in a series of walkouts by maritime unions that have led to major traffic interruption.

7.   Labor organizers in Brazil, Norway and Great Britain say Trico has good contracts and relationships with maritime unions in their countries.

8.   Many negotiators have long said strong lobbying by U.S. maritime unions made any success in the talks unlikely.

9.   Relations between the conservative government and maritime union are already strained, after the government threatened to use the military to break waterfront strikes.

10.   Representatives of the maritime unions said sailors were considering joining the walkout.