Sonat Marine was engaged in the business of transporting petroleum and petrochemical products.

The Seafarers InternationalUnion (SIU) represented two separate bargaining units of Sonat’s employees.

One unit consisted of licensed employees—that is, the tugboat masters, mates, and pilots. In 2004, Sonat advised the union that it intended to withdraw recognition of the SIU as the bargaining representative of these licensed personnel at the expiration of the current collective-bargaining agreement. Sonat’s stated reason was that it had determined that these personnel were supervisors who were not subject to the NLRA as employees. The union demanded information on the factual basis for Sonat’s position.

Sonat refused to provide a response.

The union filed an unfair labor practice charge, asserting that Sonat was not bargaining in good faith.

Was the union right? See Sonat Marine, Inc. [279 NLRB 100 (1986)].