Cruise lines sue to uphold Galveston "one pilot" deal

Cruise lines sailing from Galveston have filed suit in Galveston Country District Court to uphold an agreement allowing them to pay for only one pilot on sailings in and out of the harbor.

The Galveston County Daily news reports that Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises, along with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, filed the lawsuit last week against the Board of Pilot Commissioners.

The newspaper says the lawsuit is the latest move in an "ongoing and increasingly bitter dispute about pilot pay."

The pilots in August dropped a request for a controversial rate increase after threats of a legal challenge by the West Gulf Maritime Association. When the pilots dropped the -- they have since filed for new increases -- they also rescinded the agreement to use one pilot on large cruise ships.

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