3 32 70 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/f69311497e5463c9744495760c6a50dc.pdf fb0a1f9f162960c0064fbbbd2654b0e7 PDF Text Text OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 10 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Seafarers Answer Activation Calls Turbo Exercises Successful as SIU Helps Crew Up 19 Ships SIU members promptly and efficiently helped crew up 19 vessels during two separate activations this summer. One such ship, the USNS Algol (operated by Ocean Shipholdings) is seen in the background of photo at left, taken in San Francisco. Recertified Bosun Ritche Acuman is at left, with GUDE Edsel Felipe. The photo above shows the Gopher State (Pacific-Gulf Marine) earlier this year in Newport News, Virginia. Page 3. Honoring those Lost on September 11 SIU members gather aboard the Garden State (Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning) on Sept. 11 to remember those lost and to recognize the historic sealift in lower Manhattan that day in 2001. Pictured from left are QMED “JD” Diola, AB Matthew Thompson, Oiler Oscar Johnny, Pumpman Alexander Capellan, AB Carlos Avila, AB Michael Sinclair and Bosun Ryan Boltz. (Thanks to vessel master Capt. Christopher Menezes for the photo.) U.S. Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Newport; Vessel Joins Seafarer-Crewed CIVMAR Fleet The U.S. Navy recently accepted delivery of its newest expeditionary fast transport vessel, the USNS Newport. The ship, pictured in Mobile, Alabama, will be crewed by CIVMARS from the SIU Government Services Division. Page 4. (Photo courtesy Austal USA) Pandemic Updates Page 3 SIU Election Info Pages 6-10 SIU in WWII Page 24 �President’s Report Another Job Well Done Around this time last year, I congratulated our members and our officials in the hiring halls and at the manpower office for stepping up and tackling a flurry of vessel activations. Kudos once again are in order following a total of 19 recent activations that wrapped up in late August. Although we didn’t have to crew up quite as many ships this time (the 2019 activations were believed to have been the most since the Persian Gulf War), you could say we had an extra challenge in 2020. Nevertheless, the pandemic didn’t stop us from quickly filling every job for which we’re responsible. Under the circumstances, our people deserve recognition for a job well done. I’m proud of all of you, and even though there’s never a doubt that we’ll always live up to our duty as part of the nation’s fourth arm of defense, you all truly rose to the occasion. Seafarers Persevere If the activations were relatively sudden, the global COVID19 pandemic has hung around so long, it’s almost difficult at times to remember exactly what our lives were like before it started. There’s no definitive end in sight – but it will end at some point. Meanwhile, our union and our industry have made the best of it, always keeping safety at the forefront. There is no recent precedent for the pandemic, and we’ve all been learning as we move along. No one is saying the operations have been perfect, but I think we’ve all pulled together – labor, management and government – to keep our people safe, keep commerce moving, and support our armed forces around the globe. Where the novel coronavirus is concerned, my message this month to our membership (and our officials and staff) is that this is no time to let down our guard. We’ve got to stick with our safety protocols, try to be patient, and protect ourselves, our families, our shipmates and anyone else we might come into contact with. We’ve all come too far and made too many sacrifices to become careless now. Hang in there and stay safe. After Election Day The SIU will be ready to move forward no matter who wins on Election Day, and that goes not just for the presidency but also the congressional, state and local elections. If you’ve been in this industry for any length of time, I don’t have to tell you that we are heavily regulated, and that’s reason enough for us to remain politically active. As always, we support those who support maritime, and we will work with anyone and everyone who backs the U.S. Merchant Marine and who stands up for workers’ rights. I have mentioned this from time to time but it bears repeating, with Nov. 3 right around the corner: Practice civility in your political discussions. Focus on issues, actually listen to what the other person is saying, and remember that we all love our country, even if we’re bound to disagree on particular subjects. And one of the best ways to show your appreciation for our great nation is to vote. Make sure to cast your ballot in person or via absentee for those candidates who stand up for a strong, vital U.S. Merchant Marine. Both the American maritime industry and the labor movement are very much worth promoting and protecting, and that’s what we’ll continue doing regardless of the outcomes in November. Housing Expenses Responsible For Hawaii’s High Cost of Living There are a few main reasons why it costs so much to live in the Aloha State, but the Jones Act isn’t one of them. That’s the conclusion of a recent study by economists from Boston-based Reeve & Associates (reported in detail in last month’s LOG). Co-author John Reeve amplified the findings in a follow-up column published by the Honolulu Star newspaper in August. “Hawaii does have a high cost of living – but the Jones Act is not to blame,” Reeve wrote. “Government data shows that the cost of housing, utilities, and medical services are the primary culprits. A dedicated fleet of American ships, reliably delivering the goods that the people of Hawaii depend on, ensures supply never falls below demand. An examination of the facts illustrates that the only cost of the Jones Act might be one without it.” The Jones Act, American law for a century, ensures that cargo moving from one U.S. port to another is carried aboard vessels that are built, crewed, owned and flagged American. America’s freight cabotage law helps support more than 653,000 U.S. jobs while enhancing national, economic and homeland security. A separate study found that 91 countries around the world maintain some form of cabotage law. When Reeve & Associates released its comprehensive report this summer, the findings left no doubt that American-flag ocean transportation doesn’t drive up the costs of consumer items. “An April 2020 survey of prices of 200 consumer goods covering groceries, household goods, apparel, building materials, and automobiles, found no substantial difference in costs between major stores in Hawaii and California,” Reeve pointed out. “The prices were reported online by major retailers operating in both Honolulu and Los Angeles such as Costco, Target and Walmart as well as Kelley Blue Book data on automobile prices. The survey was done online to ensure ‘apples to apples’ comparisons of exactly the same items as sold in both Honolulu and Los Angeles stores on the same date. The data shows that the average of the prices of the five different categories was 0.5% higher in Honolulu than in Los Angeles – virtually nil.” By contrast, government data shows that the costs of housing, utilities, and medical services primarily account for Hawaii’s high cost of living, the study found. The state consistently is ranked among the most expensive in which to reside. As for the Jones Act itself, Reeve pointed out it was enacted “because Congress recognized that our national security was dependent on a U.S. Merchant Marine consisting of vessels and skilled seafarers that could be relied upon to move military equipment and personnel overseas in time of war. This policy has been proven right time and again, in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the more recent engagements in the Middle East. But national security benefits are not all that it ensures. Just two weeks ago, we witnessed the reliability and dependability of the dedicated Jones Act carriers that quickly adapted operations to ensure a reliable lifeline of goods to Hawaii was maintained in the midst of an approaching hurricane. “Critics of the Jones Act claim that the higher cost of U.S.-built ships and U.S. crews compared to foreign counterparts are major contributors to Hawaii’s high cost of living despite the fact that the cost of ships and their crews account for only a small fraction of the cost of moving goods between the mainland and Hawaii,” he continued. “But what critics fail to mention is that foreign carriers are not subject to the same labor, environmental and safety standards, or subject to U.S. taxes. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, these additional requirements would likely erase any cost advantage a foreign vessel operator might have if replacing U.S. carriers in serving Hawaii.” He also said it is “questionable” whether a foreignflag ship operator “would provide the same quality of service provided by the current Jones Act operators in terms of port coverage, direct sailings, fast transit times, and dedicated and customized equipment. Current U.S. providers of regularly scheduled services to Hawaii from the mainland have invested over $2 billion in recent years in highly fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vessels and in marine terminal upgrades designed to serve Hawaii for at least the next 30 years, all while their ocean freight rates are essentially at the same level as they were a decade ago.” Pictured from left to right are (seated) QMED Michael Kelly, Chief Cook Thomas Cyrus, Chief Cook Marilou Toledo, QMED Donald Lumpkins, (standing) Recertified Steward Earl Castain, Bosun William Lima and Recertified Bosun Stephen Herring (chairman). Rank-and-file Members Examine Union’s Finances O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 82 Number 10 October 2020 The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Capital Gateway Drive; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Assistant Communications Director & Managing Editor/ Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. Reversed to White Reversed to White 2 Seafarers LOG Committee Approves 2019 Records The pandemic caused a later-than-usual start, but seven SIU members in early September approved the union’s financial records for 2019. The SIU Constitution requires that a group of rankand-file Seafarers (elected by fellow members) annually examines the organization’s financial records for the previous calendar year. Accordingly, this process occurred last month, beginning with the financial committee’s election in Piney Point, Maryland, and then in the following days when they reviewed the paperwork at SIU Headquarters in Camp Springs, Maryland. The committee found that the SIU’s financial records for 2019 are in good order. Their report, filed with the secretary-treasurer’s office, will be read in all ports and presented for approval at the union’s October membership meetings. Serving on the committee were Recertified Bosun Stephen Herring (chairman), Recertified Steward Earl Castain, Chief Cook Thomas Cyrus, QMED Michael Kelly, Bosun William Lima, QMED Donald Lumpkins and Chief Cook Marilou Toledo. They were elected Sept. 8 at the monthly membership meeting at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. The members handled their tasks in accordance with Article X, Section 14-c of the SIU Constitution, which lists the duties of the annual financial committee along with rules and procedures for electing the group. In part, their report reads, “We, the committee, do hereby state that we have examined the procedure for controlling of the funds of the union and have found that the system of internal control is adequate to safeguard them properly…. We find that the headquarters of the union is taking all steps possible to safeguard union funds and to see that the disbursements of the union are in accordance with the authority delegated to them and that, at the same time, there is a striving effort to increase day-to-day efficiency of our operation.” The members reported that they met with representatives from the certified public accounting firm that periodically audits the union’s books and records. Those representatives explained their procedures for checking the secretary-treasurer’s financial report of the union’s records, and they also further discussed the SIU’s overall financial operation. SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel also worked with the committee “and made himself and the records of his office available” to the group, according to the report. October 2020 �Members Rise to Occasion in Turbo Activations Mariners Answer the Nation’s Call During Back-to-Back Events Beginning in late July, SIU mariners once again answered the nation’s call by crewing up a large number of Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and surge sealift vessels on very short notice. As explained by SIU Vice President of Contracts and Contract Enforcement George Tricker, “As directed by agreement with the United States Transportation Command, MARAD (the U.S. Maritime Administration) conducted the Command Post Exercise Breakout 2020 to test that ship managers, operating companies, and maritime labor unions have the ability to initially crew the entire Ready Reserve Force and Military Sealift Command’s surge sealift vessels simultaneously.” Altogether, SIU members helped crew up 19 ships during the activations. In the first period, the following vessels were activated: USNS Cape Race (operated by Keystone), USNS Denebola (TOTE), USNS Cape Knox (Keystone), USNS Gordon (Ocean Shipholdings) and USNS Fisher (U.S. Marine Management). This totaled 59 SIU jobs. During the second period, which began in late August, the following vessels were activated: Cape Ray (Keystone), Gopher State (Pacific-Gulf Marine), Adm. William Callaghan (Patriot), Cape Henry (Matson), Cape Horn (Matson), Cape Wrath (Crowley), Cornhusker State (Pacific-Gulf Marine), Cape Domingo (Keystone), Cape Decision (Keystone), USNS Shughart (Ocean Shipholdings), Cape Inscription (Ocean Shipholdings), SS Algol (Ocean Shipholdings), USNS Gilliland (Ocean Shipholdings) and USNS Red Cloud (Patriot). Those 14 ships meant 146 jobs filled. The focus of the exercise remains the initial crewing actions to surge vessels for sealift purposes, and does not consider sustainment requirements or the ability to replace mariners because of vessel losses. “It went very well,” said Seafarers Manpower Director Mark von Siegel. “With the five ships in July, the ports did a great job in getting those filled quickly, but they actually did a quicker job with the 14-vessel activation. We had all of those jobs filled within 24 hours. They did a fantastic job. The members really stepped up to the plate when the balloon went up, as they say, and took those jobs on short notice. Abiding by all the rules and regulations due to the quarantine was a challenge, but we got the job done.” Known as the fourth arm of defense, the U.S. Merchant Marine has been a vital part of national security since the country’s founding. As recently noted by the coalition USA Maritime, “The U.S.-flag Merchant Marine ensures that the United States will have the sealift it needs to carry out its military, humanitarian, and commercial objectives overseas, and ensures the availability of U.S.-controlled, U.S.-crewed maritime assets to keep commerce flowing in times of war and national emergencies.” Earlier this year, U.S. Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby noted, “The merchant marine has always been there, and has never faltered.” During remarks commemorating this year’s National Maritime Day, U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) Commanding Officer Gen. Stephen R. Lyons said, “We count on a strong U.S.-flag maritime industry – a maritime industry that has a long history of enabling military victory. Today, just as in World War II, the United States-flag merchant ships, the mariners who crew them, and our commercial sealift industry continue to play a critical role in our nation’s defense by providing sealift ships, mariners, and access to global seaport networks.” He continued, “As a result, the United States’ ability to project and sustain military power across transoceanic distances remains a strategic competitive advantage, and is admired by friends and adversaries. TRANSCOM, working with MARAD and key industry partners, provides an essential element of deterrence and, if necessary, the unquestionable ability to respond with overwhelming, decisive force, most of which will be moved by sealift. The resulting combined effort is a world order that encourages peace, and opportunities for freedom, while deterring a great power war for over 75 years and counting. “The United States is today, and always will be, a maritime nation,” Lyons concluded. “The most important resource of a maritime nation is people: professional men and women of high technical proficiency, who sail with high technical competency, hard work and innovation. That is why, at the end of the day, it is a U.S. flag on a ship, with U.S. crews at the helm, that remain essential to our national defense.” Pandemic Prompts Some Extensions Editor’s note: SIU members are encouraged to regularly check the union’s website for the latest unionspecific news about the pandemic. There is a prominent COVID-19 section on the home page. Members also may sign up for text alerts by texting the word “join” (without the quotation marks) to 97779. The Marine Safety Information Bulletins mentioned in this article are linked on the SIU website. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, the U.S. Coast Guard recently relaxed some requirements so that mariners face fewer obstacles staying on the job or returning to work. Most recently, the agency on Aug. 31 issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) stating that for individuals already possessing a valid merchant mariner credential (MMC), the lack of a current Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) will not invalidate the MMC. “For mariners already holding a MMC, if their TWIC expires, and their credential remains valid, then no action needs to be taken and the credential remains valid,” the MSIB indicated. “Under the 46 CFR 10.203(b), failure to hold a valid TWIC may serve as grounds for suspension or revocation of a merchant mariner credential. The Coast Guard will not pursue any suspension and revocation actions based on expired TWIC’s during the COVID19 pandemic. The Coast Guard will update industry prior to reinstating enforcement of this requirement. This enforcement discretion for expired TWICs does not apply to cases where a mariner’s TWIC has been suspended or revoked due to a determination that they are a security threat. In those cases, the Coast Guard may pursue suspension or revocation of the MMC. “With respect to expired TWICs in the MMC application process, mariners applying for an original credential will be treated differently than mariners seeking a renewal, raise of grade or new endorsement,” the bulletin added. “This is because the TSA provides the Coast Guard with biometric and biographic information (including the photograph) necessary to evaluate and produce a MMC.” One week earlier, the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center (NMC) posted a four-page policy letter waiting some revalidation requirements. For Seafarers, if your current MMC with STCW endorsements expired or expires between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, you are exempted from the requirement for revalidation courses – as long as you provide documentation reflecting at least one year of sea time within the past five years. (Applicable courses include Basic Training, and Revalidation Basic Training/Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation.) In order to proceed, go to the MMC page on the NMC website, click on the RENEWAL tab, and submit the proper paperwork. Less than a week earlier, a separate MSIB indicated that MMCs (National Endorsements only) that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until March 31, 2021. Mariners who are actively working on expired creden- SIU-Crewed NY Waterway Vessel Rescues Man From Hudson River A NY Waterway ferry crew aboard the Empire State rescued a man from the Hudson River on Aug. 27, which is the third rescue in four years that SIU members Capt. David Dort and Deckhand Gregorio Pages have performed while on their ferry route. This was the first water rescue for Deckhand Andrew Galarza. The crew was just leaving the Brookfield Place/ Battery Park City Terminal, headed to the Hoboken NJ October 2020 tials that meet the extension criteria must carry the expired credential with a copy of the notice. Additionally, medical certificates (National Endorsements only) that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until Dec. 31, 2020. Mariners who are actively working on expired medical certificates that meet the extension criteria must carry the expired credential with a copy of the notice. This measure relaxes the requirement to carry an unexpired medical certificate and not the actual medical standards, according to the agency. Further, that same MSIB specifies that MMCs with STCW endorsements that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until March 31, 2021. Mariners who are actively working on expired credentials that meet the extension criteria must carry the expired credential with a copy of the notice. Finally, STCW Medical Certificates that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until Dec. 31, 2020. Mariners who are actively working on an expired medical certificate that meet the extension criteria must carry the expired certificate with a copy of the notice. The aforementioned extensions undoubtedly are acknowledgments that the global pandemic has no clear ending in sight. Nevertheless, the SIU and the U.S. maritime industry as a whole continue adapting to what’s commonly called the “new normal” in order to deliver the goods. In that vein, American-flag vessel Continued on Page 15 The pandemic doesn’t preclude periodic relaxation. This catch was hauled in during some off time aboard the Maersk Denver on Labor Day. Pictured from left are Bosun James Walker, Electrician Herman Castro, AB Rafael Tannis and AB Roque Lambert. Transit Terminal at 7:30 a.m., when they saw a man in the water near Pier 25. “We were just about to back out when I saw something in the water. The deckhands deployed as we moved up and they got him out,” Dort said. “This is why we do our drills.” The crew then brought the man back to the Brookfield Place/Battery Park City Terminal and turned him over to the New York Police Department and medical personnel. In Nov. 2017, Dort and his crew rescued a man from the Hudson after he had jumped off the seawall just north of the Brookfield Place/Battery Park City Ferry Terminal. In July 2016, they rescued a man from the water near West 39th Street. When asked about the multiple rescues in 2017, Cap- tain Dort replied, “For us, this is all in a day’s work.” Since 1986, SIU-crewed NY Waterway ferries have provided dependable transportation for commuters and other passengers in New York and New Jersey. They also have conducted emergency evacuations, bringing hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents home safely after 9/11, the 2003 blackout and other disasters. These ferries and crews also have saved more than 300 people from various accidents, including 143 people rescued from Flight 1549 in the Miracle on the Hudson, the most successful rescue in aviation history. During non-pandemic times, the ferries carry upwards of 32,000 or more passengers daily and maintain an on-time performance rate greater than 99 percent. The boats serve 20-plus routes between New Jersey and Manhattan. Seafarers LOG 3 �USNS Newport Joins CIVMAR Fleet New jobs for CIVMARS from the SIU Government Services Division are on the way following the Sept. 2 delivery of the U.S. Navy’s newest expeditionary fast transport (EPF) vessel, the USNS Newport. The 338-foot ship successfully completed integrated sea trials on July 30. According to the Navy, “Integrated trials combine builder’s and acceptance trials, allowing for the shipyard to demonstrate to the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey the operational capability and mission readiness of all the ship’s systems during a single underway period. During trials, the shipbuilder conducted comprehensive tests to demonstrate the performance of all of the ship’s major systems. The USNS Newport is the second EPF ship to undergo the integrated trial, signifying the stability and maturity of the shipbuilding program.” “Achieving this milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the shipbuilding team and our partners in industry,” said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager for the Navy. “We are eager to … enhance the operational flexibility available to our combatant commanders.” EPFs are designed to operate in shallow waterways and are capable of a wide range of activities. They can transport 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and include a flight deck to support aircraft operations. The ships are The USNS Newport (U.S. Navy photo) capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off facilities, as well as on/off-loading militarily useful vehicles up to and including a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Austal USA, the shipyard, has also started construction of the future USNS Apalachicola and is under contract to build the future USNS Cody. Labor Groups Urge Enforcement of Workers’ Rights 17 Organizations Weigh in on United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Seventeen labor organizations, including the SIU, are signatory to a public comment issued Aug. 14 on the Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) notice titled “Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement Procedural Guidelines for Petitions Pursuant to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement” (USMCA). The USTR notice appeared in the Federal Register June 30 (Docket Number USTR-2-2—0028). Posted on Aug. 17, 2020, the statement was issued by Thomas Conway, president of the United Steelworkers and a member of the Labor Advisory Committee, on behalf of a broad cross section of unions with interest and expertise on the subject of trade and workers’ rights. Essentially, Conway stated that the proposed guidelines for what has been described as “the new NAFTA” are “seriously flawed in identifying as a consideration for making determinations as to whether to pursue a petition under the labor chapter draft rules.” The Steelworkers executive addressed provisions of the updated trade agreement regarding the enforcement of labor rights and “a Facility-Specific Rapid Response Labor Mechanism in Annex 31-A. The USMCA, in part, was designed to expand labor rights in all three signatory countries and to enhance the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of such rights. These provisions are critical to addressing the fundamental flaws and failures of the original North American Free Trade Agreement in the area of workers’ rights, which has led to significant outsourcing of U.S. production and jobs to Mexico. “Many unions were deeply engaged with the USTR, the Department of Labor, Congress and other entities during the entire process of drafting and consideration of USMCA,” he continued. “We are similarly committed to being active and engaged in the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of the agreement. The Labor Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations and Trade Policy (LAC), by statute, is charged with performing a number of tasks and providing advice as to the operation of the agreement. We understand, however, that as the Administration has not asked for the LAC’s input on this proposed rule the LAC cannot provide them. This would appear to run counter to the fact that the Congress has clearly identified the important role that the LAC plays not only in the area of labor rights but in advancing the interests of working people. Thus, we are filing these comments on behalf of the millions of working people we represent and not for the LAC.” The comment is co-signed by Gabrielle Cateris of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; Joseph DePete of the Air Line Pilots Association; David Heindel of the Seafarers International Union; Mary Kay Henry of the Service Employees International Union; James P. Hoffa of Interna- tional Brotherhood of Teamsters; Robert Martinez of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Sara Nelson of the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America; Marc Perrone of United Food and Commercial Workers; Cecil Roberts Jr. of the United Mine Workers of America; Lee Saunders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; Paul Shearon of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers; Anthony Shelton of the Baker, Confectioners, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers’ International Union; Elizabeth Shuler and Richard Trumka of AFL-CIO; Lonnie Stephenson of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Baldemar Velasquez of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee; Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers; Larry I. Willis of Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO and Rory Gamble of United Auto Workers. ITF Inspector Receives Honor SIU International Transport Workers’ Federation Inspector Shwe Aung, pictured in Houston, recently was recognized by the Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America. He received the organization’s Maritime Samaritan Award. 4 Seafarers LOG October 2020 �Coalition Salutes Rep. Luria An enthusiastic U.S. Merchant Marine supporter recently received a prestigious honor from the nation’s premier domestic maritime coalition. The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), to which the SIU is affiliated, on Aug. 18 announced it is honoring U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Virginia) “with the celebrated American Maritime Hero Award. The award recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who have added to the rich heritage of the United States as a maritime nation through their professional contributions, courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” AMP pointed out that as “a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, Representative Luria is one of the first women to serve her entire military career aboard combatant ships. In her final assignment, she commanded a maritime prepositioning force of 400 sailors. With that knowledge; Representative Luria came to Congress in 2018 as a strong supporter of the maritime industry as a member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. The Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee oversees key commercial and military maritime programs and laws.” Rep. Luria stated, “In Coastal Virginia, the maritime industry is integral to our regional economy, national security, and constituents’ livelihoods. As a tireless advocate for the maritime community, it is an honor to receive this award. As a 20-year Navy veteran, I know the importance of supporting and advocating for the maritime industry. In Congress, I will continue to be a staunch advocate for the Jones Act and the U.S. maritime industry.” “Representative Luria has been steadfast in her commitment to this nation, and to the men and women of maritime” said SHBP Announces Award of Additional Scholarship to Seafarer When applications arrived for this year’s Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) scholarship program, one might say the selection committee faced a proverbial “nice problem to have.” There were so many well-qualified applicants, the committee in early September designated an additional 2020 award – for QMED Charles Toliver Jr., who has sailed with the SIU since 2001. In August, the committee had announced the other nine grants (for two active Seafarers and seven dependents), which totaled $132,000 in value. Toliver’s scholarship is for four years and is valued at $20,000. While Toliver intends to put the funds to good use, he doesn’t plan to change careers. He earned a third assistant engineer’s license QMED Charles Toliver Jr. in 2018 but needs additional coursework in order to continue sailing in a licensed capacity. (He also still sails with the SIU, most recently in July aboard the USNS Brittin.) “The scholarship helps me a great deal,” said Toliver, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida. “Those classes are very expensive, so I’m glad I received it.” A frequent upgrader at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, Toliver views the merchant marine as a good match for his interest in, and aptitude for mechanics, science and technology. He has identified several maritime academies as potential landing spots during his ongoing education. Mike Roberts, president of AMP. “She has led in Congress on key issues to support the domestic and deep sea U.S.-flag fleets, including programs related to shipbuilding, mariners, and vessel operations. It is our honor to recognize Representative Luria with the American Maritime Hero Award, for her dedication to American maritime companies and American mariners.” Luria earlier this year sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders asking for their support of American-flag ships and their crews. Around that same time, she hosted a promaritime video conference call during which she stated that a drop-off in both government cargo and commercial cargo means it’s the right time to boost the Maritime Security Program. “This program is an essential part of our national security,” she said, and then added her ongoing backing of the Jones Act and cargo preference. U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Virginia) SIU Mourns Loss of Supporters Jack Martorelli, Robert Chiesa They may not have been Seafarers, but Jack Martorelli and Robert Chiesa were supportive of the SIU for decades, and undoubtedly were well-known to many union members. The SIU was saddened to learn that both men recently passed away – Martorelli on Aug. 27, at age 78, after a battle with cancer; and Chiesa on June 6, at age 79. Martorelli served as president of the Greater St. Louis Area and Vicinity Port Council, part of the AFL-CIO’s Maritime Trades Department (MTD). Although he only led the port council since 2014, he had been a mainstay of the organization for decades. In recalling his longtime friend, MTD/SIU President Michael Sacco remembered Martorelli as one of the “amigos” who teamed with Sacco, Richard Mantia and Bobby Sansone to rebuild the council during the 1970s. “Jack was the go-to guy in St. Louis,” Sacco said. “If you needed something done, you went to Jack. He will be sorely missed.” Martorelli was a member of Operating Engineers Local 513, where he had served as president and business manager. Chiesa spent almost three decades with SIU-contracted Waterman Steamship Corporation. For most of that time, he worked as manager of marine personnel, supervising crewing and payroll for 13 American-flag vessels. He retired in 2006 but in 2013 Jack Martorelli President St. Louis Port Council Robert Chiesa Crewing Manager Waterman Steamship Corp. returned to work for a while as the government crewing coordinator for the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots. “He was an all-around good guy and he really helped the SIU,” recalled former Seafarer Andrew Pierros, who alerted the LOG about Chiesa’s death. “It’s a shame he’s gone. He worked with the SIU for many years and I’m sure a lot of our guys would know him.” Chiesa was born and raised in New York City on the Lower East Side, better known as Greenwich Village. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1958-63, then worked for railroads as a telegraph operator. Several years ago, Chiesa recalled his civilian maritime roots: “I started out in the maritime industry in New York with Clipper Marine, then with International Admiralty Marine and later with Avon Steamship,” he said. “I worked first as a teletype operator and a mail clerk. I climbed the ladder to become paymaster. In 1979, I finally came to rest on the doorstep of Waterman Steamship Corporation’s New York office.” TOTE Maritime Alaska Celebrates Shipping Milestone Seafarers-contracted TOTE Maritime Alaska recently commemorated its 45th anniversary of providing service between Washington State and Alaska. “TOTE Alaska has a proud history of serving the people and communities of Alaska,” TOTE Alaska President Grace Greene said in a statement. “Driven by a commitment to excellence, we have consistently worked to deliver on our promise of dedicated, reliable service no matter how challenging the times.” TOTE Alaska’s inaugural voyage was made by the Great Land to the Port of Anchorage on Sept. 10, 1975. In a communication to the company’s executives, SIU President Michael Sacco October 2020 wrote, “As someone who understands the many challenges faced by our industry, I am genuinely appreciative of your 45 years of consummate service to our fellow citizens in The Last Frontier. On behalf of our entire executive board, the SIU has been proud to stand (and sail) with you for so many years, and we look forward to continued success working together.” SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez added, “It is a truly extraordinary accomplishment, exemplified by your continued commitment to providing a critical service even during these turbulent times.” John McCarthy, Port of Tacoma com- mission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance, told Workboat magazine, “Since its very first sailing in 1975, TOTE Maritime Alaska has continued to focus on providing yearround, reliable service to Alaska – keeping a key supply chain open during even the most challenging times. Their dedication to customer service has allowed them to grow over time – repeatedly outgrowing cargo terminals, but never abandoning their commitment to the Pacific Northwest for 45 years.” “TOTE was the first marine cargo facility in the Pacific Northwest to retrofit its cargo-handling equipment and to introduce shore power to reduce its air emissions. It was also the first to deploy rain gardens to manage stormwater. We are fortunate to have them as a partner in Washington State,” said Peter Steinbrueck, Port of Seattle commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance, according to Workboat. “Through these proactive environmental initiatives, TOTE Maritime Alaska’s commitment to the communities they serve remains a key value today as it looks for ways to be a good neighbor.” TOTE is converting the SIU-crewed Orca-class vessels North Star and Midnight Sun so they can use liquefied natural gas as fuel. That process is scheduled for completion early next year. Seafarers LOG 5 �Information for the 2020 Election of Officers SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters Balloting Begins Nov. 1 for Union Officers Voting starts Nov. 1 for the election of officers for the Seafarers International Union Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters. SIU members will be able to cast secret ballots at union halls or by mail through Dec. 31, 2020. Seafarers eligible to vote in this election to determine union officials for the 2021-2024 term are full-book members in good standing. This eligibility criteria is spelled out in the union’s governing document, the constitution. The ballot will list the names of all qualified candidates as determined by the credentials committee, a group made up of six rank-and-file Seafarers who reviewed the nominating petitions of all SIU members seeking office in this districtwide election. A sample of this ballot appears on pages 7 and 8. The credentials committee report, which was prepared Aug. 17 and submitted to the membership at the September meetings, indicated 27 candidates had qualified to run for 25 positions. (The committee’s report was published in the September 2020 Seafarers LOG and received membership approval at last month’s meetings.) The 25 posts for which Seafarers will cast their ballots are president, executive vice president, secretary-treasurer, six vice presidents, six assistant vice presidents and 10 port agents. 20 Polling Places The election will be conducted by mail ballot as provided by the union’s constitution. Secret ballots, accompanied by envelopes marked “Ballot” and postage-paid envelopes printed with the address of the bank depository where the ballots are kept until submitted to the tallying committee, will be available to full-book members in good standing at 20 union halls around the country. (See list of voting locations on this page.) Eligible Seafarers may pick up their ballots and envelopes marked “Ballot” and mailing envelopes at these halls between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays (except legal holidays) from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. Additionally, in accordance with recent SIU Executive Board actions approved by the membership, ballots can be brought to Seafarers-crewed vessels within a 50-mile radius of a hiring hall. Ballots also can be brought to other locations within that same 50-mile radius if a vessel’s crew is congregating there. Finally, if a vessel is one that the port routinely services beyond the 50-mile radius, ballots can be brought to that vessel during routine servicing. This is being done to promote safety and participation during the pandemic, and additional details are available at the halls. Each member must present his or her book to the port agent or the agent’s designated representative when receiving the ballot, the envelope marked “Ballot” and the mailing envelope. When the Seafarer receives the ballot and envelopes, his or her book will be marked with the word “Voted” and the date. If a member does not present his or her book, or if there is a question in regard to his or her eligibility to vote, the Seafarer will receive a mailing envelope of a different color marked with the word “Challenged.” His or her book will be stamped with the words “Voted Challenge” and the date. For members who believe they will be at sea during this time, the SIU constitution provides for absentee voting procedures. This year, as part of the aforementioned executive board action, any member may vote by absentee ballot, again because of the pandemic. Full-book members in good standing who prefer to vote by absentee ballot should direct a request for the ballot to the union’s secretary-treasurer at SIU headquarters – 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Secret Ballots Once the Seafarer has received his or her ballot and envelopes, he or she marks the ballot for the candidates of his or her choice and puts it in the envelope marked “Ballot,” then in the mailing envelope. This envelope is sealed by the member and then dispatched in the mail. These steps ensure the integrity of the secret ballot process. The union’s constitution, in Article XIII, details the procedures for voting in union elections. All ballots will be counted by the rank-and-file committee consisting of two members elected from each of the union’s constitutional ports. These committee members will be elected in December. They will convene in early January 2021. Notice on Unopposed Candidates One part of the article of the SIU Constitution covering rules for elections concerns the election of candidates who are unopposed for the office in question. The section states that those candidates who are unopposed for any office or job shall be considered elected to that office or job and that the tallying committee shall not have to count the votes for any such candidate. The entire section, contained in Article XIII, Section 5 of the SIU Constitution, reads as follows: “A candidate unopposed for any office or job shall be deemed elected to such office or job notwithstanding that his name may appear on the ballot. The Union Tallying Committee shall not be required to tally completely the results of the voting for such unopposed candidate but shall certify in their report that such unopposed candidate has been elected to such office or job. The Election Report Meeting shall accept the above certification of the Union Tallying Committee.” Procedures for Voting All Seafarers eligible to vote in the union’s 2020 election of officers and job holders for the term 2021-2024 may vote by secret ballot from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020. Secret ballots, together with self-addressed, stamped envelopes for mailing, will be available at union halls to all eligible voters. As reported elsewhere in this edition, ballots also may be brought to SIU-crewed ships, depending on proximity to hiring halls and availability of staff, and to other areas (for example, an airport or pre-boarding hotel) where members are congregating. Seafarers are eligible to vote in the union’s election if they are full-book members in good standing. Details of the election procedure are spelled out in Article XIII of the SIU Constitution, which is printed on pages 9 and 10 of this issue of Seafarers LOG. While the constitution itself has not been modified, some of the procedures for the upcoming election have been adjusted due to the pandemic. Those changes are aimed at facilitating participation and promoting safety. They were approved first by the SIU Executive Board and subsequently by rank-and-file Seafarers during the September membership meetings. In summary, here is the procedure for voting in the upcoming election: ■ Eligible Seafarers may pick up ballot and mailing envelopes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (local time), Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 Seafarers LOG noon on Saturdays (excluding legal holidays) from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020 at designated hiring halls (see list on this page). ■ When a full-book member arrives to vote, he or she should present his or her book to the port agent of his duly designated representative. ■ The member will be asked to sign a roster sheet indicating the date, the number of the ballot given the member and his or her book number. ■ The member will have his book stamped with the word “Voted” and the date. ■ At the same time, the member will receive a ballot, together with an envelope marked “Ballot” and a mailing envelope. The mailing envelope has the address of the depository printed on it, making it self-addressed. It also has the postage pre-paid. ■ The top part of the ballot above the perforated line will be retained by the port agent or his duly designated representative. ■ In cases where a member does not produce his or her book, or if there is a question about the member’s good standing or other eligibility matters, the member will receive a mailing envelope of a different color marked with the word “Challenge.” His or her book will also be stamped “Voted Challenge” and the date. ■ After a member has voted, he or she puts the ballot in the envelope marked “Ballot,” then in the mailing envelope which is addressed to the bank depository and stamped. The mailing envelope should then be put in the mail. Notice of 2020 Election For Election of 2021-2024 Officers Seafarers International Union of North America Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters Elections will be conducted by secret mail ballot. Ballots may be obtained at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (local time), Mondays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, excluding holidays, during the voting period. The voting period shall commence Nov. 1, 2020 and shall continue through Dec. 31, 2020. Voting Locations ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame Street, Suite 1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 FT. LAUDERDALE 1221 South Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 GUAM Cliffline Office Ctr., Suite 103B, 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256 JOLIET 10 East Clinton, Joliet, IL 60432 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy., Mobile, AL 36605 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 PHILADELPHIA 2604 South Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 PINEY POINT Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, Piney Point, MD 20674 PUERTO RICO 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 ST. LOUIS 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 TACOMA 3411 South Union St., Tacoma, WA 98409 WILMINGTON 510 North Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 Procedure for Absentee Ballots Elections for the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters are scheduled for later this year. As previously reported, the SIU Constitution provides that eligible members can vote by absentee ballot if they are on a vessel or in a hospital during the voting period. However, following recent actions by the union’s executive board as well as rank-and-file members, for this election, anyone desiring to vote by absentee ballot may do so. The constitution specifies that absenteeballot requests should be made by registered or certified mail; but, for this election, such requests may be sent by regular mail (which won’t require members to leave their homes to go to a post office). If, however, any member sends a request for an absentee ballot by regular mail, that member is asked to wait five or more days to allow the request to be delivered, and then call the office of SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel to verify the request has been received. Procedures are established in the SIU constitution to safeguard the secret-ballot election, including the absentee ballot process. Here is the procedure to follow when requesting an absentee ballot: 1. Make the request in writing to the SIU office of the secretary-treasurer, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. 2. Include in the request the correct ad- dress where the absentee ballot should be mailed. 3. Send the request for an absentee ballot by registered or certified mail. 4. The request must be received at headquarters by 12 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2020. 5. The secretary-treasurer, after confirming eligibility, will send by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the address designated in the request, a ballot, together with an envelope marked “Ballot” and a mailing envelope. Absentee ballots will be mailed out as soon as possible after receiving requests. In no event will an absentee ballot be mailed out later than Dec. 4. 6. Upon receiving the ballot and envelope, vote by marking the ballot. After voting the ballot, place the ballot in the envelope marked “Ballot.” Do not write on the “Ballot” envelope. 7. Place the envelope marked “Ballot” in the mailing envelope which is imprinted with the mailing address of the bank depository where all ballots are sent. 8. Sign the mailing envelope on the first line of the upper left-hand corner. Print name and book number on the second line. The mailing envelope is self-addressed and stamped. 9. The mailing envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Dec. 31, 2020 and received by the bank depository no later than Jan. 5, 2021. October 2020 �October 2020 Seafarers LOG 7 �8 Seafarers LOG October 2020 �Information for the 2020 Election of Officers SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters SIU Constitution Spells Out Rules On 2020 Elections The section of the union’s constitution outlining voting procedures in the SIU’s elections, which are conducted every four years, appears here and on page 10 in its entirety. Please note that, because of the COVID19 pandemic, some of the rules for nominations were relaxed this year, in order to promote participation and safety. These modifications were reported in the August edition of the Seafarers LOG, on the union’s website and during the August membership meetings, in addition to being shared on the SIU’s social-media pages and text-alert service. Similarly, as reported elsewhere in this edition, adjustments have been made to the balloting procedures for this election, also for reasons of safety and inclusion. Article XIII Elections for Officers, Assistant Vice-Presidents and Port Agents Section 1. Nominations. Except as provided in Section 2(b) of this Article, any full book member may submit his name for nomination for any office, or the job of Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent, by delivering or causing to be delivered in person, to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters, or sending a letter addressed to the Credentials Committee, in care of the Secretary-Treasurer at the address of Headquarters. This letter shall be dated and shall contain the following: The name of the candidate. His home address and mailing address. His book number. The title of the office or other job for which he is a candidate, including the name of the Port in the event the position sought is that of Port Agent. Proof of citizenship. Proof of seatime and/or employment as required for candidates. In the event the member is on a vessel, he shall notify the Credentials Committee what vessel he is on. This shall be done also if he ships subsequent to forwarding his credentials. Annexing a certificate in the following form, signed and dated by the proposed nominee: “I hereby certify that I am not now, nor, for the five (5) years last past, have I been either a member of the Communist Party or convicted of, or served any part of a prison term resulting from conviction of robbery, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, grand larceny, burglary, arson, violation of narcotics laws, murder, rape, assault with intent to kill, assault which inflicts grievous bodily injury, or violation of Title II or III of the Landrum Griffin Act, or conspiracy to commit any such crimes.” Dated ___________________________ ________________________________ Signature of Member Book No. ________________________ Printed forms of the certificate shall be made available to nominees. Where a nominee cannot truthfully execute such a certificate, but is, in fact, legally eligible for an office or job by reason of the restoration of civil rights originally revoked by such conviction or a favorable determination by the Board of Parole of the United States Department of Justice, he shall, in lieu of the foregoing certificate, furnish a complete signed statement of the facts of his case together with true copies of the documents supporting his statement. Any full book member may nominate any October 2020 other full book member in which event such full book member so nominated shall comply with the provisions of this Article as they are set forth herein relating to the submission of credentials. By reason of the above self nomination provision the responsibility, if any, for notifying a nominee of his nomination to office shall be that of the nominator. All documents required herein must reach Headquarters no earlier than July 15 and no later than August 15 of the election year. The Secretary-Treasurer is charged with safekeeping of these letters and shall turn them over to the Credentials Committee upon the latter’s request. Section 2. Credentials Committee (a) A Credentials Committee shall be elected at either the regular meeting in August of the election year or at a special meeting convened in August of the election year at the Port where Headquarters is located. It shall consist of six (6) full book members in attendance at the meeting with two (2) members to be elected from each of the Deck, Engine and Steward Departments. No officer, Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent, or candidate for office of the job of Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent, shall be eligible for election to this Committee except as provided for in Article X, Section 4. In the event any Committee member is unable to serve, the Committee shall suspend until the President or Executive Vice-President or the Secretary-Treasurer, in that order, calls a special meeting at the Port where Headquarters is located in order to elect a replacement. The Committee’s results shall be by majority vote with any tie vote being resolved by a majority of the membership at a special meeting called for that purpose at that Port. (b) After its election, the Committee shall immediately go into session. It shall determine whether the person has submitted his application correctly and possesses the necessary qualifications. The Committee shall prepare a report listing each applicant and his book number under the office or job he is seeking. Each applicant shall be marked “qualified” or “disqualified” according to the findings of the Committee. Where an applicant has been marked “disqualified,” the reason therefore must be stated in the report. Where a tie vote has been resolved by a special meeting of the membership, that fact shall also be noted with sufficient detail. The report shall be signed by all of the Committee members and be completed and submitted to the Ports in time for the next regular meeting after their election. At this meeting, it shall be read and incorporated in the minutes and then posted on the bulletin board in each Port. On the last day of nominations, one (1) member of the Committee shall stand by in Headquarters to accept delivery of credentials. All credentials must be in Headquarters by midnight of closing day. (c) When an applicant has been disqualified by the Committee, he shall be notified immediately by telegram, overnight mail, air mail, special delivery, or an equivalent mail service at the address listed by him pursuant to Section 1 of this Article. He shall also be sent a letter containing their reasons for such disqualification by airmail, special delivery, registered or certified, to the mailing address designated pursuant to Section 1(b) of this Article. A disqualified applicant shall have the right to take an appeal to the membership from the decision of the Committee. He shall forward copies of such appeal to each Port where the appeal shall be presented and voted upon at a regular meeting no later than the second meeting after the Committee’s election. It is the responsibility of the applicant to insure timely delivery of his appeal. In any event, without prejudice to his written appeal, the applicant may appear in person before the Committee within two (2) days after the day on which the telegram, overnight mail, air mail, special delivery or an equivalent mail service is sent to correct his application or argue for his qualification. The Committee’s report shall be prepared early enough to allow the applicant to appear before it within the time set forth in this Constitution and still reach the Ports in time for the first regular meeting after its election. (d) A majority vote of the membership shall, in the case of such appeals, be sufficient to overrule any disqualification by the Credentials Committee in which event the one so previously classified shall then be deemed qualified. (e) The Credentials Committee, in passing upon the qualifications of candidates, shall have the right to conclusively presume that anyone nominated and qualified in previous elections for candidacy for any office, or the job of Assistant Vice-President or Port Agent has met all the requirements of Section 1(a) of Article XII. (f) Committee members shall receive a per diem in an amount determined by the SecretaryTreasurer but in no event shall they receive an amount less than the AB Green hourly rate as specified in the current union industry wide contract for eight hours for each day of service commencing with the day subsequent to their election and ending on the day they complete their service or, if applicable, return to the Port from which they were elected. Section 3. Balloting Procedures. (a) Balloting in the manner hereafter provided shall commence on November 1st of the election year and shall continue through December 31st, exclusive of Sundays and (for each individual Port) holidays legally recognized in the City of which the Port affected is located. If November 1st and December 31st falls on a holiday legally recognized in a Port in the City in which that Port is located, the balloting period in such Port shall commence or terminate, as the case may be, on the next succeeding business day. Subject to the foregoing, for the purpose of full book members securing their ballots, the Ports shall be open from 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon, Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. (b) Balloting shall be by mail. The SecretaryTreasurer shall insure the proper and timely preparation of ballots without partiality as to candidates or Ports. The ballots may contain general information and instructive comments not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution. All qualified candidates shall be listed thereon alphabetically within each category with book number and job seniority classification status. The listing of the Ports shall first set forth Headquarters and then shall follow a geographical pattern commencing with the most northerly Port of the Atlantic Coast, following the Atlantic Coast down to the most southerly Port on that coast, then westerly along the Gulf of Mexico and so on, until the list of Ports is exhausted. Any Port outside the Continental United States shall then be added. There shall be no write-in voting and no provisions for the same shall appear on the ballot. Each ballot shall be so prepared as to have the number thereon place at the top thereof and shall be so perforated as to enable that portion containing the said number to be easily removed to insure secrecy of the ballot. On this removable portion shall also be placed a short statement indicating the nature of the ballot and the voting date thereof. (c) The ballots so prepared at the direction of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be the only official ballots. No others may be used. Each ballot shall be numbered as indicated in the preceding paragraphs and shall be numbered consecutively, commencing with number 1. A sufficient amount shall be printed and distributed to each Port. A record of the ballots, both by serial numbers and amount, sent thereto, shall be maintained by the Secretary-Treasurer who shall also send each Port Agent a verification list indicating the amount and serial numbers of the ballots sent. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also send to each Port Agent a sufficient amount of blank opaque envelopes containing the word, “Ballot” on the face of the envelope, as well as a sufficient amount of opaque mailing envelopes, first class postage prepaid and printed on the face thereon as the addressee shall be the name and address of the depository for the receipt of such ballots as designated by the President in the manner provided by Article X, Section 1, of this Constitution. In the upper left-hand corner of such mailing envelope, there shall be printed thereon, as a top line, provision for the voter’s signature and on another line immediately thereunder, provision for the printing of the voter’s name and book number. In addition, the Secretary-Treasurer shall also send a sufficient amount of mailing envelopes identical with the mailing envelopes mentioned above, except that they shall be of different color, and shall contain on the face of such envelope, in bold letters, the word, “Challenge.” The Secretary-Treasurer shall further furnish a sufficient amount of “Roster Sheets” which shall have printed thereon, at the top thereof, the year of the election, and immediately thereunder, five (5) vertical columns designated date, ballot number, signature full book member’s name, book number and comments, and such roster sheets shall contain horizontal lines immediately under the captions of each of the above five (5) columns. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also send a sufficient amount of envelopes with the printed name and address of the depository on the face thereof, and in the upper left-hand corner, the name of the Port and address, and on the face of such envelope, should be printed the words, “Roster Sheets and Ballot Stubs”. Each Port Agent shall maintain separate records of the ballots sent him and shall inspect and count the ballots when received to insure that the amount sent, as well as the number thereon, conform to the amount and numbers listed by the Secretary-Treasurer as having been sent to that Port. The Port Agent shall immediately execute and return to the Secretary-Treasurer a receipt acknowledging the correctness of the amount and the numbers of the ballots sent, or shall notify the Secretary-Treasurer of any discrepancy. Discrepancies shall be corrected as soon as possible prior to the voting period. In any event, receipts shall be forwarded for all the aforementioned election material actually received. The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare a file in which shall be kept memoranda and correspondence dealing with the election. This file shall at all times be available to any member asking for inspection of the same at the office of the Secretary-Treasurer and shall be turned over to the Union Tallying Committee. (d) Balloting shall be secret. Only full book members in good standing may vote. Each full book member may secure his ballot at Port offices from the Port Agent or his duly designated representative at such Port. Each Port Agent shall designate an area at the Port office over which should be posted the legend “Voting Ballots Secured Here.” When a full book member appears to vote he shall present his book to the Port Agent or his aforementioned duly designated representative. The Port Agent or his duly designated representative shall insert on the roster sheet under the appropriate column the date, the number of the ballot given to such member and his full book number, and the member shall then sign his name on such roster sheet under the appropriate column. Such member shall have his book stamped with the word, “Voted” and the date, and shall be given a ballot, and simultaneously the perforation on the top of the ballot shall be removed. At the same time the member shall be given the envelope marked “Ballot” together with the prepaid postage-mailing envelope addressed to the depository. The member shall take such ballot and envelopes and in secret thereafter, mark his ballot, fold the same, insert it in the blank envelope marked “Ballot”, seal the same, then insert such “Ballot” envelope into the mailing envelope, seal such mailing envelope, sign his name on the upper left-hand corner on the first line of such mailing envelope and on the second line in the upper left-hand corner print his name and book number, after which he shall mail or cause the same to be mailed. In the event a full book member appears to vote and is not in good standing or does not have his membership book with him or it appears for other valid reasons he is not eligible to vote, the same procedure as provided above shall apply to him, except that on the roster sheet under the column “Comments”, notation should be made that the member voted a challenged ballot and the reason for his challenge. Such member’s membership book shall be stamped “Voted Challenge”, and Continued on next page Seafarers LOG 9 �Information for the 2020 Election of Officers SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters Continued from Page 9 the date, and such member instead of the abovementioned mailing envelope, shall be given the mailing envelope of a different color marked on the face thereof with the word, “Challenge”. At the end of each day, the Port Agent or his duly designated representative shall enclose in the envelope addressed to the depository and marked “Roster Sheets and Ballots Stubs”, the roster sheet or sheets executed by the members that day together with the numbered perforated slips removed from the ballots which had been given to the members, and then mail the same to such depository. To insure that an adequate supply of all balloting material is maintained in all Ports at all times, the Port Agent or his duly designated representative, simultaneously with mailing of the roster sheets and ballot stubs to the depository at the end of each day, shall also make a copy of the roster sheet for that day and mail the same to the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters. The Port Agent shall be responsible for the proper safeguarding of all election material and shall not release any of it until duly called for and shall insure that no one tampers with the material placed in his custody. (e) Full book members may request and vote an absentee ballot under the following circumstances: while such member is employed on a Union contracted vessel and which vessel’s schedule does not provide for it to be at a Port in which a ballot can be secured during the time and period provided for in Section 3(a) of this Article or is in an accredited hospital any time during the first ten (10) days of the month of November of the election year. The member shall make a request for an absentee ballot by registered or certified mail or the equivalent mailing device at the location from which such request is made, if such be the case. Such request shall contain a designation as to the address to which such member wishes his absentee ballot returned. The request shall be postmarked no later than 12:00 P.M. on the 15th day of November of the election year, shall be directed to the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters and must be delivered no later than the 25th of such November. The SecretaryTreasurer shall determine whether such member is eligible to vote such absentee ballot. The Secretary-Treasurer, if he determines that such member is so eligible, shall by the 30th of such November, send by registered mail, return receipt requested or an equivalent mail service, to the address so designated by such member, a “Ballot”, after removing the perforated numbered stub, together with the hereinbefore mentioned “Ballot” envelope, and mailing envelope addressed to the depository, except that printed on the face of such mailing envelope shall be the words “Absentee Ballot” and appropriate voting instructions shall accompany such mailing to the member. If the Secretary-Treasurer determines that such member is ineligible to receive such absentee ballot, he shall nevertheless send such member the aforementioned ballot with accompanying material except that the mailing envelope addressed to the depository shall have printed on the face thereof the words “Challenged Absentee Ballot.” The SecretaryTreasurer shall keep records of all of the foregoing, including the reasons for determining such member’s ineligibility, which records shall be open for inspection by full book members and upon the convening of the Union Tallying Committee, presented to them. The Secretary-Treasurer shall send to all Ports the names and book numbers of the members to whom absentee ballots were sent. (f) All ballots to be counted must be received by the depository no later than the January 5th immediately subsequent to the election year and must be postmarked no later than 12 midnight December 31st of the election year. Section 4. (a) At the close of the last day of the period for securing ballots, the Port Agent in each Port, in addition to his duties set forth above, shall deliver or mail to Headquarters by registered or certified mail, attention Union Tallying Commit- 10 Seafarers LOG tee, all unused ballots and shall specifically set forth by serial number and amount the unused ballots so forwarded. (b) The Union Tallying Committee shall consist of twenty (20) full book members. Two (2) shall be elected from each of the ten (10) Ports of Jersey City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Mobile, New Orleans, Houston, Detroit-Algonac, San Francisco, St. Louis and Piney Point. The election shall be held at the regular meeting in December of the election year or, if the Executive Board otherwise determines prior thereto, at a special meeting held in the aforesaid Ports, on the first business day of the last week of said month. No officer, Assistant Vice-President, Port Agent, or candidate for office, or the job of Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent shall be eligible for election to this Committee except as provided for in Article X, Section 4. In addition to the duties herein set forth, the Union Tallying Committee shall be charged with the tallying of all the ballots and the preparation of a closing report setting forth, in complete detail, the results of the election, including a complete accounting of all ballots and stubs, and reconciliation of the same with the rosters and receipts of the Port Agents, all with detailed reference to serial numbers and amount and with each total broken down into Port totals. The Union Tallying Committee shall have access to all election records and files for their inspection, examination and verification. The report shall clearly detail all discrepancies discovered and shall contain recommendations for the treatment of these discrepancies. All members of the Committee shall sign the report, without prejudice, however, to the right of any member thereof to submit a dissenting report as to the accuracy of the count and the validity of the ballots, with pertinent details. In connection with the tally of ballots there shall be no counting of ballots until all mailing envelopes containing valid ballots have first been opened, the ballot envelopes removed intact and then all of such ballot envelopes mixed together, after which such ballot envelopes shall be opened and counted in such multiples as the Committee may deem expedient and manageable. The Committee shall resolve all issues on challenged ballots and then tally those found valid utilizing the same procedure as provided in the preceding sentence either jointly or separately. (c) The members of the Union Tallying Committee shall, after their election, proceed to the Port in which Headquarters is located, to arrive at that Port no later than January 5th of the year immediately after the election year. Each member of the Committee not elected from the Port in which Headquarters is located shall be reimbursed for transportation, meals, and lodging expenses occasioned by their traveling to and returning from that Port. Committee members elected from the Port in which Headquarters is located shall be similarly reimbursed, except for transportation. Committee members shall receive a per diem in an amount determined by the Secretary-Treasurer but in no event shall they receive an amount less than the AB Green hourly rate as specified in the current union industry wide contract for eight hours for each day of service commencing with the day subsequent to their election and ending on the day they complete their service or, if applicable, return to the Port from which they were elected. The Union Tallying Committee shall elect a chairman from among themselves and, subject to the express terms of this Constitution, adopt its own procedures. All decisions of such Committee and the contents of their report shall be valid if made by a majority vote, provided there be a quorum in attendance, which quorum is hereby fixed at ten (10). The Committee, but not less than a quorum thereof, shall have the sole right and duty to obtain all mailed ballots and the other mailed election material from the depository and to insure their safe custody during the course of the Committee’s proceedings. The proceedings of the Committee, except for their organizational meeting and their actual preparation of the closing report and dissent therefrom, if any, shall be open to any member provided he observes decorum. Any candidate may act as an observer and/or designate another member to act as his observer at the counting of the ballots. In no event shall issuance of the above referred to closing report of the Committee be delayed beyond January 31st immediately subsequent to the close of the election year. In the discharge of its duties, the Committee may call upon and utilize the services of clerical employees of the Union. The Committee shall be discharged upon the completion of the issuance and dispatch of its report as required in this Article. In the event a recheck and recount is ordered pursuant to this Article, the Committee shall be reconstituted, except that if any member thereof is not available, a substitute therefore shall be elected from the appropriate Port at a special meeting held for that purpose as soon as possible. (d) The report of the committee shall be made up in sufficient copies to comply with the following requirements: two (2) copies shall be mailed by the Committee to each Port Agent and the Secretary-Treasurer no later than January 31st immediately subsequent to the close of the election year. As soon as these copies are received, each Port Agent shall post one (1) copy of the report on the bulletin board in a conspicuous manner and notify the Secretary-Treasurer, in writing, as to the date of such posting. This copy shall be kept posted until after the Election Report Meeting which shall be the March regular membership meeting immediately following the close of the election year. At the Election Report Meeting, the other copy of the report shall be read verbatim. (e) Any full book member claiming a violation of the election and balloting procedure or the conduct of the same, shall within seventy two (72) hours of the occurrence of the claimed violation notify the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters, in writing by certified mail, of the same, setting forth his name, book number and the details so that appropriate corrective action, if warranted, may be taken. The Secretary-Treasurer shall expeditiously investigate the facts concerning the claimed violation, take such action as may be necessary, if any, and make a report and recommendation, if necessary, a copy of which shall be sent to the member and the original shall be filed for the Union Tallying Committee for their appropriate action, report and recommendation, if any. The foregoing shall not be applicable to matters involving the Credentials Committee’s action or report, the provisions of Article XIII, Sections 1 and 2 being the pertinent provisions applicable to such matters. All protests as to any and all aspects of the election and balloting procedures or the conduct of the same not passed upon by the Union Tallying Committee in its report, excluding therefrom matters involving the Credentials Committee’s action or report as provided in the last sentence of the immediately preceding paragraph, but including the procedure and report of the Union Tallying Committee, shall be filed in writing by certified mail with the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters to be received no later than the February 25th immediately subsequent to the close of the election year. It shall be the responsibility of the member to insure that his written protest is received by the Secretary-Treasurer no later than such February 25th. The Secretary-Treasurer shall forward copies of such written protest to all Ports in sufficient time to be read at the Election Report Meeting. The written protest shall contain the full book member’s name, book number, and all details constituting the protest. (f) At the Election Report Meeting the report and recommendation of the Union Tallying Committee, including but not limited to discrepancies, protests passed upon by them, as well as protests filed with the Secretary-Treasurer as provided for in Section (e) immediately above shall be acted upon by the meeting. A majority vote of the membership shall decide what action, if any, in accordance with the Constitution shall be taken thereon, which action, however, shall not include the ordering of a special vote, unless reported discrepancies or protested procedure or conduct found to have occurred and to be vio- lative of the Constitution affected the results of the vote for any office or job, in which event the special vote shall be restricted to such office, offices and/or job or jobs, as the case may be. A majority of the membership at the Election Report Meetings may order a recheck and recount when a dissent to the closing report has been issued by three (3) or more members of the Union Tallying Committee. Except for the contingencies provided for in this Section 4(f), the closing report shall be accepted as final. There shall be no further protest or appeal from the action of the majority of the membership at the Election Report Meetings. (g) Any special vote ordered pursuant to Section 4(f) shall be commenced within ninety (90) days after the first day of the month immediately subsequent to the Election Report Meetings mentioned above. The depository shall be the same as designated for the election from which the special vote is ordered. And the procedures shall be the same as provided for in Section 3, except where specific dates are provided for, the days shall be the dates applicable which provide for the identical time and days originally provided for in Section 3. The Election Report Meeting for the aforesaid special vote shall be that meeting immediately subsequent to the report of the Union Tallying Committee separated by one (1) calendar month. Section 5. Elected Officers and Jobholders. A candidate unopposed for any office or job shall be deemed elected to such office or job notwithstanding that his name may appear on the ballot. The Union Tallying Committee shall not be required to tally completely the results of the voting for such unopposed candidate but shall certify in their report that such unopposed candidate has been elected to such office or job. The Election Report Meeting shall accept the above certification of the Union Tallying Committee without change. Section 6. Installation into Office and the Job of Assistant Vice-President or Port Agent. (a) The person elected shall be that person having the largest number of votes cast for the particular office or job involved. Where more than one (1) person is to be elected for a particular office or job, the proper number of candidates receiving the successively highest number of votes shall be declared elected. These determinations shall be made only from the results deemed final and accepted as provided in this Article. It shall be the duty of the President to notify each individual elected. (b) The duly elected officers and other job holders shall take over their respective offices and jobs and assume the duties thereof at midnight of the night of the Election Report Meeting, or the next regular meeting, depending upon which meeting the results as to each of the foregoing are deemed final and accepted, as provided in this Article. The term of their predecessors shall continue up to, and expire at that time, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Article XI, Section 1. This shall not apply where the successful candidate cannot assume his office because he is at sea. In such event, a majority vote of the membership may grant additional time for the assumption of the office or job. In the event of the failure of the newly-elected President to assume office the provisions of Article X, Section 12 shall apply until the expiration of the term. All other cases of failure to assume office shall be dealt with as decided by a majority vote of the membership. Section 7. The Secretary-Treasurer is specifically charged with the preservation and retention of all election records, including the ballots, as required by law, and is directed and authorized to issue such other and further directives as to the election procedures as are required by law, which directives shall be part of the election procedures of this Union. October 2020 �AFL-CIO’s Shuler: ‘We Must Do Better’ Grassroots Rally in Washington Spotlights Call for Justice AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler was among the headline speakers who took the stage Aug. 28 during the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” March in Washington, D.C. Conducted on the National Mall (steps of the Lincoln Memorial) and billed as a demand for an end to police brutality and a push for criminal justice reform, the rally came in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. An African American man, Floyd died May 25 while in the custody of a White policeman in Minneapolis. The officer had pinned his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck as Floyd repeatedly said that he could not breathe. Other keynote speakers included event organizer, civil rights activist and National Action Network Founder Al Sharpton; Mar- tin Luther King III, son of the late Martin Luther King Jr.; family members of Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and Eric Garner; and a host of Black mothers who over the years have lost sons to police brutality. Some 50,000 people – many of whom were waiting in line before 8 a.m. for temperature and registration checks – turned out for the event. According to several sources, organizers originally expected 100,000 people to attend, but scaled back their projections, citing chartered buses canceled due to COVID-19 issues. The rally was planned months ago to coincide with the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “We’ve come, like Dr. King came 57 years ago, to say we’re tired of broken promises,” Rev. Sharpton told those in attendance. “There’s a sense of urgency now. We need national legislation to deal with this. It’s time we have a conversation with America.” Shuler mentioned that the AFL-CIO’s 55 affiliate unions (including the SIU) represent, in total, more than 12.5 million working people across the country. “As we stand on the shoulders of Dr. King, Congressman John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin and all the brave souls who marched together 57 years ago, we know, as a nation, we must do better,” she began. “Black Americans know the bank of justice IS bankrupt. Justice was denied to Jacob Blake and George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks be- AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler addresses rallygoers in the nation’s capital. cause they were Black. Justice was out of reach for Riah Milton and Dominique Fells, two Black trans women who were killed earlier this summer. “Union members have been out in the streets protesting these injustices,” Shuler continued. “Professional athletes, many of them proud union members, have stood up in ways they never have before. The Milwaukee Bucks players said enough is enough, and the NBA playoffs are now on hold. WNBA players have spoken out, [as have players from] Major League Baseball, soccer and more.” Shuler said that regardless of the setting – whether in professional sports or generally in our communities – “we in the labor movement are feeling excruciating pain, anger and grief. We will do our part to end racism in our economy, our politics, our workplaces AND our union halls. And on top of the widespread racism throughout our country’s institutions, COVID-19 is exposing the cracks that were already poisoning our system. A system that denies housing and health care and opportunity to far too many people of color. That’s why Black and brown people are more likely to lose their jobs or get sick and die in this pandemic.” The federation official also said there’s no time to waste. “We have to do better,” Shuler said. “Now – NOW – is the time to do the work and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that are sitting in the Senate.” She conveyed the federation’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement and concluded, “As a White person, I know that I will never experience the same pain and trauma that Black people have been feeling over and over again. All I can say is I understand what I can’t possibly understand. But I choose to stand, and to kneel, and raise a fist, and shed a tear, and say a prayer. And fight like hell to make real change. “As one united labor movement, we stand with our Black members, friends and neighbors. Our mission is to empower families and communities to reach their dreams; that’s why we’re in this movement. It’s how we inch closer to achieving Dr. King’s Dream from 57 years ago. It’s how we wake up America. And it’s how we TOGETHER continue the march of those who marched before us.” Spotlight on Mariner Health Diphtheria Could Cause Problems For Children, Young Adults, Grownups Editor’s note: This article was provided by the Seafarers Health and Benefit Plan Medical Department. Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make toxin (poison). Signs and symptoms of diptheria usually come on gradually. They begin with a sore throat and fever. In severe cases, a gray or white patch could develop in the back of the throat. This can block the airway and cause a barking type of cough similar to croup. In addition, the infected person’s neck could swell and lymph nodes may enlarge, leading to further problems. Complications from diphtheria include blocked airways, myocarditis, inflammation of the nerves, kidney problems, and instances of bleeding due to low platelet levels. Diphtheria is spread between people in much the same fashion as colds. It occurs as a result of direct contact through the air, when someone coughs or sneezes. October 2020 Contaminated objects can also play a role when children are involved. Since kids may tend to share seemingly everything, their germs could be spread while playing with one another. In some cases, a person can spread the disease and not have any symptoms. Diphtheria diagnosis is made by the patient’s clinical presentation and by lab work/culture. The diphtheria vaccine is effective for the prevention of the disease. This is usually given with the Tetanus and Pertussis shots every 10 years (DPT Shot). The disease mostly affects children and young adults, and can be fatal in 5 to 10% of those who have contracted it. Adults can also get it, but not as frequently. It is treated with antibiotics, rest, fluids, and pain meds. This is why it is so important for people to get their shots as instructed by their doctor when they are young. Remember to also get needed shots as an adult in order to stay healthy and free from diseases. Healthy Recipe Honey-Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables Servings 24 24 whole chicken breast half without skin 4 teaspoons kosher salt 4 teaspoons black pepper, ground 4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced 4 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced ½ cup olive oil, divided ¼ cup butter 2 cups white wine ¾ cup honey, divided 8 cups sweet potatoes, diced 10 cups carrots, diced 4 cups fennel bulb, diced 6 cups chicken stock 12 whole bay leaf Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle half the seasoning mixture over chicken breasts. Add to skillet; cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add wine and 2 tablespoons honey to pan; cook 2-3 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits. Combine sweet potatoes, carrots and fennel in a microwave-safe bowl. Add remaining olive oil, seasonings and honey to vegetables; stir to combine. Microwave, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a shallow roasting pan. Add chicken stock, wine mixture and bay leaves; top vegetables with chicken. Roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165 degrees, 25-30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve with vegetables and sauce. Nutrition Information: Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 313 calories; 8g fat (24.9% calories from fat); 29g protein; 27g carbohydrates; 4g dietary fiber; 74mg cholesterol; 980mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 grain (starch); 4 lean meat; 1 vegetable; 1 ½ fat; ½ other carbohydrates. Seafarers LOG 11 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU FEAST ABOARD NORTH STAR – The galley gang aboard the TOTE Services vessel went all-out on Independence Day, as reflected by these snapshots (visit the SIU Facebook page for more). Pictured from left in the group photo at the far left are SA Rene Caballero, Steward/Baker Erwin Renon and Chief Cook Abdul Hasan. Cabellero also is pictured at the immediate left. BOOKS GALORE IN HOUSTON – Several members recently received their full books at the hiring hall. AB Roni Castillo is at left in photo at top left with Patrolman Kelly Krick. ABs Marlon Suazo (left) and Walfrado Domapias are pictured in photo at lower left while the photo above includes AB Nestor Costas (right) and Krick. ABOARD ARC INDEPENDENCE – Recertified Steward Lauren Oram (center) commended the work of her fellow galley gang members aboard the TOTE Services-operated vessel. At left is Chief Cook Esperanza Crespo, and at right is SA Julie Sproat. 12 Seafarers LOG October 2020 �B-BOOKS IN NEW ORLEANS – OS Yousef Alsebaeai (left) and OS Ahmed Bazara (right) receive their respective full B-books at the hiring hall. FULL BOOK IN MOBILE – GVA Richard Ayers Vazquez displays his full B-book at the hiring hall in Mobile, Alabama. WELCOME ASHORE IN JERSEY CITY – Recertified Bosun Tom Flanagan picks up his first pension check at the hiring hall. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU WELCOME ASHORE IN HONOLULU – AB Joseph Humphrey holds his first pension check at the hiring hall in the Aloha State. FULL BOOK IN ALGONAC – OS Arabi Muthala receives his full B-book at the hiring hall. October 2020 WELCOME ASHORE IN HOUSTON – Picking up their first pension checks, respectively, at the Houston hiring hall are Chris Bartholmey (right in photo above, with SIU Patrolman J.B. Niday) and Terry Tracy (photo at right). Both are longtime Seafarers who most recently sailed as captains with G&H Towing. B-BOOK IN NYC – Seafarer Paul D’ugo (left) receives his B-book. An employee of Covanta, he is pictured with SIU Jersey City Patrolman Edwin Ruiz Jr. in New York. A-BOOK IN JACKSONVILLE – Storekeeper Marcus Cunningham (left) receives his A-seniority book from SIU Safety Director Joseph Koncul at the hiring hall. Seafarers LOG 13 �Scholarship WIRELESS DISCOUNTS The Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more CREDIT CARDS than $4.5 million to students from working families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. FREE COLLEGE Find out more about this and other great Union Plus programs by visiting unionplus.org. CAR RENTALS For more information: unionplus.org/scholarship 14 Seafarers LOG 10/20 October 2020 �COVID-19 Prompts Extentions Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea Continued from Page 3 operators recently chartered a third flight to provide crew reliefs in Diego Garcia, and SIU-contracted companies increasingly are finding success with pre-boarding testing and related protocols. However, one of the most prominent ongoing difficulties stemming from the pandemic involves crew changes aboard foreign-flag vessels. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) last month again called attention to what it described as “a humanitarian crisis taking place at sea.” IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, in a statement issued ahead of the General Assembly of the United Nations, called on governments to take swift action to resolve the crew-change crisis. “It is estimated that more than 300,000 foreign seafarers and marine personnel are currently stranded at sea and unable to be repatriated despite the expiry of their contracts,” the IMO reported. “A similar number of seafarers have been unable to join ships and relieve them. This is due to restrictions imposed by several governments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including restrictions on travel, embarkation and disembarkation in ports, quarantine measures, reductions in available flights and limits on the issuing of visas and passports.” The organization added, “Some seafarers have now been on board their ships for more than 17 months, exceeding the 11-months limit set out in the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC). Many have been denied proper access to medical care and shore leave, in breach of their rights under the MLC and other international instruments. This creates serious concerns, not only for seafarers’ health and wellbeing, but also for the safety of shipping. Overly fatigued and mentally exhausted seafarers are being asked to continue operating vessels, increasing the risk of shipping casualties.” “Seafarers cannot remain at sea indefinitely,” Lim insisted. “If the crew change crisis is not resolved soon, ships will no longer be able to operate safely pursuant to the Organization’s regulations and guidelines, further exacerbating the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Shipping moves more than 80 percent of global trade and is a crucial component of the global economy. “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from Aug. 16-Sept. 15. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of Sept. 15. Total Registered Port A All Groups B Total Shipped C A All Groups B Registered on Beach C Trip Reliefs A All Groups B C Note to Our Readers Without exception, anyone entering an SIU hiring hall or signing onto a vessel has passed a number of safety protocols, often including testing for COVID-19, two-week quarantines, and verifying healthrelated items on a questionnaire. For that reason, not everyone you see pictured in the LOG is wearing a mask. In addition, in many cases, people have briefly removed their masks only long enough to snap a quick photo. We cannot stress enough the importance of following all safety protocols for your protection and the protection of those around you October & November Membership Meetings Those attending membership meetings are reminded to bring face coverings. Safety protocols are in place at the halls and will remain in effect during the meetings. Seafarers are urged to check the SIU website and/or check with their hiring halls to verify that the membership meetings listed here are still happening. Piney Point.............................Monday: October 5, November 2 Algonac.....................................Friday: October 9, November 6 Baltimore..............................Thursday: October 8, November 5 Guam..................................Thursday: October 22, November 19 Honolulu................................Friday: October 16, November 13 Houston..................*Tuesday: October 13, Monday: November 9 Jacksonville......................Thursday: October 8, November 5 Joliet.....................................Thursday: October 15, November 12 Mobile..............Wednesday: October 14, *Thursday: November 12 New Orleans............................Tuesday: October 13, November 10 Jersey City...............................Tuesday: October 6, November 3 Norfolk..................................*Friday: October 9, November 6 Oakland.............................Thursday: October 15, November 12 Philadelphia...................Wednesday: October 7, November 4 Port Everglades..................Thursday: October 15, November 12 San Juan............................Thursday: October 8, November 5 St. Louis......................................Friday: October 16, November 13 Tacoma................................Friday: October 23, November 20 Wilmington.....................Monday: October 19, November 16 * Houston change due to Columbus Day observance. Effective as of September 2, Norfolk changed meeting date from Thursday after first Sunday to Friday after first Sunday. Mobile change due to Veterans Day observance. Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m October 2020 Seafarers LOG 15 �Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Capital Gateway Dr., Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 Inquiring Seafarer This month’s question was posed to rank-and-file members who were selected to serve on the Union’s Finance Committee during the September membership meeting in Piney Point, Maryland. Question: A lot of pretty bad or negative things, including the COVID-19 Pandemic, have happened to Americans over the past eight months. Has anything positive happened to you? Steve Herring Recertified Bosun I’m grateful for waking up today and having an opportunity to continue my career, even though I’m close to retirement. I’m grateful that my family has gotten through the pandemic unscathed so far. I haven’t been home yet; I had been sailing since the pandemic started, since before it got really serious. Mike Kelly QMED Nobody that I know personally has been hurt at all by the COVID Pandemic nor any of the other problems that are going on in our country. All of my friends are safe and happy despite experiencing some financial problems. They are all well when it comes to their health and I hope it stays that way. William Lima Recertified Bosun The union has kept me working which is a real positive note. Everything has been going well in other aspects of my life despite the fact that we have this pandemic. My family and friends who I sail with have kept their jobs and made it home safe while not contracting the virus. Earl Castain Recertified Steward My last job was pretty good, aboard the Houston, (operated by) USS Transport. I just came home from the ship in July. I’ve definitely enjoyed spending more time with my family, just hanging out. That’s really the main thing that comes to mind. Marilou Toledo Chief Cook I’m lucky that I had a job and continued to sail during the pandemic. Being with the SIU and in the maritime industry has been good even during the pandemic because we continued to sail and do our jobs all over the world. All of this has been very good for me and my family. Tommy Cyrus Chief Cook I got off the Denebola April 20, right as the school was closing and shipping was tight. I’ve been able to stay busy this summer doing some remodeling, but I’m looking forward to getting back on a ship soon. I’ve had to take three COVID tests and they’ve all come back negative, so that’s obviously good. (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 Pics From The Past NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT 45353 St. George’s Avenue, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 16 Seafarers LOG Earlier this year, the LOG published photos of the late NMU Bosun John Ivo Valjalo – snapshots that were submitted by his son. These additional images recently arrived. The larger photo was taken in 1959 in Pensacola, Florida (Valjalo is at right, with a shipmate from the Tyson Lykes). The inset photo was taken at sea aboard the USNS Pecos in 1969. Valjalo sailed with the NMU from 1946-1985. He died in December 2015 in Liverpool, England, at age 92. If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org October 2020 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA MOHAMED AHMED ELSAWI Brother Mohamed Ahmed Elsawi, 65, joined the Seafarers International Union in 1993, initially sailing on the Independence. He sailed in the engine department and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Ahmed Elsawi most recently sailed on the Alliance Fairfax. He resides in Egypt. ELBA ALFARO Sister Elba Alfaro, 70, started sailing with the union in 2002 when she shipped on the USNS Gordon. A member of the steward department, she upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Sister Alfaro last sailed on the SBX, and settled in Loxahatchee, Florida. JANOS BOGNAR Brother Janos Bognar, 62, joined the union in 2002. A deck department member, he first sailed aboard the Defender. Brother Bognar upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. He most recently shipped on the Seabulk Trader and makes his home in Pflugerville, Texas. JOSE CALIX shipped on the Baylor Victory. A steward department member, he studied at the Paul Hall Center in 1969. Brother Ferguson’s last vessel was the Charger. He is a resident of Alliance, Ohio. DEXTER FERRER Brother Dexter Ferrer, 66, joined the union in 1991. He first sailed aboard the Independence and primarily sailed in the deck department. Brother Ferrer upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. He most recently shipped aboard the Liberty Pride and makes his home in Honolulu. THOMAS FLANAGAN Brother Thomas Flanagan, 64, donned the SIU colors in 2001. He shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the unionaffiliated Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Flanagan’s first vessel was the Maersk Vermont; his most recent, the Maersk Atlanta. He settled in New Milford, Connecticut. STEPHEN HILL Brother Jose Calix, 65, began sailing with the SIU in 1998. He shipped in the steward department and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2002. Brother Calix’s first vessel was the Sumner; his most recent, the Decisive. He settled in the Bronx, New York. Brother Stephen Hill, 65, joined the union in 1970. A deck department member, he first sailed with Michigan Tankers. Brother Hill upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions. He last shipped aboard the Gemini and makes his home in Atlantic Beach, Florida. JOSEPH EGAN TROY INGERSOLL Brother Joseph Egan, 67, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1974 when he sailed on the Allegiance. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions and was an engine department member. Brother Egan’s final vessel was the Horizon Enterprise. He lives in Estes Park, Colorado. Brother Troy Ingersoll, 65, began sailing with the SIU in 1978 when he worked with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He primarily shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Ingersoll’s final vessel was the Horizon Pacific. He settled in in Stanwood, Washington. JOSELITO EULATRIZ Brother Joselito Eulatriz, 67, began his career with the SIU in 1999, initially sailing aboard the Overseas Washington. He was a member of the steward department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Eulatriz most recently shipped on the Ocean Giant. He makes his home in Anchorage, Alaska. JOHNNIE FERGUSON Brother Johnnie Ferguson, 70, joined the union in 1969 when he October 2020 LUIS IRIAS Brother Luis Irias, 70, signed on with the union in 2002, initially sailing on the Cleveland. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions and was a member of the engine department. Brother Irias most recently sailed aboard the Pride of America. He resides in West Park, Florida. WILFRED JONES Brother Wilfred Jones, 65, donned the SIU colors in 1995. He first sailed aboard the Independence and primarily worked in the engine department. Brother Jones upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. He last shipped on the Manhattan Island and makes his home in Lacombe, Louisiana. MICHAEL MAYO Brother Michael Mayo, 65, started shipping with the Seafarers in 1979, initially sailing with G&H Towing. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Mayo last sailed on the USNS Soderman. He resides in Stella, North Carolina. JAMES MCCARTHY Brother James McCarthy, 65, joined the Seafarers International Union in 1990, sailing first aboard the USNS Antares. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2002. Brother McCarthy most recently sailed on the USNS Fisher. He is a Houston resident. THOMAS WEBER Brother Thomas Weber, 68, started sailing with the union in 2005 when he shipped on the Overseas Harriette. A member of the deck department, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Weber last sailed on the USNS Bowditch and settled in Kenmore, Washington. ALBERT WILLIAMS Brother Albert Williams, 71, joined the union in 2001. A deck department member, he first sailed aboard the Cape Taylor. Brother Williams upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. He most recently shipped aboard the Green Bay and makes his home in Ellenwood, Georgia. JIMMY WILLIAMS Brother Jimmy Williams, 65, began sailing with the SIU in 1998. He shipped in the steward department and upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Brother Williams’ first vessel was the Independence; his most recent, the Cape Isabel. He settled in in Koloa, Hawaii. WILLIAM WILLIAMS Brother William Williams, 65, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1990 when he sailed on the USNS Wyman. He shipped in the steward department and last worked on the USNS Pililaau. Brother Williams lives in Mobile, Alabama. cibo. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Chodzko was last employed by Crowley Towing and Transportation. He makes his home in Huntington, Beach, California. JAMES LIVINGSTON Brother Eric Young, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1970. He was first employed with Michigan Tankers and sailed as a deck department member. Brother Young upgraded at the union-affiliated Piney Point school in 1980. He last sailed on the New York and resides in Mobile, Alabama. Brother James Livingston, 69, began his career with the Seafarers in 1974, initially sailing with Mariner Towing. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Livingston last worked for Interstate Oil. He lives in Milton, Delaware. MUTEE ZINDANI ANDREW PACKER Brother Mutee Zindani, 66, began his career with the SIU in 1990, initially sailing aboard the Nuevo San Juan. He primarily sailed in the steward department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center multiple occasions. Brother Zindani concluded his career aboard the Maersk Idaho. He makes his home in the Bronx, New York. Brother Andrew Packer, 61, started shipping with the union in 1998. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Packer worked for Penn Maritime throughout his entire career. He settled in Centerville, Massachusetts. ERIC YOUNG INLAND CHRIS BARTHOLMEY JOSEPH PIECHOCKI Brother Chris Bartholmey, 62, signed on with the Seafarers in 1975. A deck department member, he was employed by G&H Towing for the duration of his career. Brother Bartholmey lives in Santa Fe, Texas. Brother Joseph Piechocki, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1972 when he shipped with OSG Ship Management. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 1998 and was a deck department member. Brother Piechocki worked for the same company for the majority of his career. He calls Westminster, Maryland, home. FRED BOYD Brother Fred Boyd, 63, joined the SIU in 1977, initially sailing with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He upgraded on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center and was a member of the deck department. Brother Boyd was last employed with Express Marine. He resides in Wilmington, North Carolina. DALE SEVERS Brother Dale Severs, 62, joined the SIU in 1993. A deck department member, he sailed with OLS Transport for the duration of his career. Brother Severs makes his home in Hawesville, Kentucky. PETER CHODZKO Brother Peter Chodzko, 62, donned the SIU colors in 1977 when he sailed aboard the Are- Seafarers LOG 17 �Final Departures DEEP SEA PAUL BLAND Pensioner Paul Bland, 94, passed away July 11. He began his career with the SIU in 1951. Brother Bland was a member of the engine department and concluded his career on the Senator. He became a pensioner in 1991 and resided in Rincon, Georgia. JORGE FALERO Pensioner Jorge Falero, 67, died August 5. He joined the SIU in 2001. Brother Falero first sailed aboard the USNS Roy M. Wheat. He sailed in the engine department, and last shipped on the Calvin P. Titus. Brother Falero retired in 2010 and lived in Puerto Rico. BRIAN FOUNTAIN Pensioner Brian Fountain, 59, passed away August 15. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1980; his first vessel was the Cantigny. Brother Fountain worked in the deck department. He most recently sailed aboard the Florida and retired in 2020. Brother Fountain made his home in Baltimore. SHERWIN JONES Brother Sherwin Jones, 37, died June 1. He joined the Seafarers International Union in 2006, when he sailed on the USNS Impeccable. Brother Jones sailed in the deck department, and most recently worked for Watco. He resided in Brooklyn, New York, his birthplace. EZELL JORDAN Pensioner Ezell Jordan, 76, passed away July 25. He signed on with the union in 1995 when he shipped aboard the USNS Assertive. Brother Jordan sailed in both the steward and engine departments. He last sailed on the Cape Mohican and went on pension in 2014. Brother Jordan settled in Mobile, Alabama. WALTER KIMBROUGH Pensioner Walter Kimbrough, 18 Seafarers LOG 76, died August 17. He started his career with the SIU in 1973, working for Gulf Canal Lines. Brother Kimbrough was an engine department member and last shipped aboard the Libra. He went on pension in 2009 and was a resident of Sparks, Nevada. ARTURO NOBLEZA Pensioner Arturo Nobleza, 72, passed away July 26. He joined the SIU in 2001 and sailed in the deck department. Brother Nobleza’s first vessel was the Seabulk Challenge; his last, the North Star. He retired in 2012 and was a Seattle resident. JOHN KRON Pensioner John Kron, 73, passed away June 29. He became a member of the union in 1991, initially sailing aboard the Pacific. Brother Kron primarily sailed in the engine department. He last shipped aboard the Spirit before becoming a pensioner in 2011. Brother Kron lived in San Francisco. ENRIQUE NUNEZ Pensioner Enrique Nunez, 81, died August 26. He began sailing with the union in 1999, when he shipped aboard the USNS Denebola. Brother Nunez worked in the engine department, most recently aboard the Lawrence Gianella. He made his home in New York. JOHNNIE LONG Pensioner Johnnie Long, 73, died August 10. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1964 when he sailed aboard the Falcon Lady. Brother Long sailed in the engine department and last shipped on the Groton. He retired in 2011 and resided in Mobile, Alabama. LARRY LOPEZ Brother Larry Lopez, 73, passed away August 24. He began shipping with the Seafarers International Union in 1973, initially sailing aboard the New Orleans. Brother Lopez was a steward department member and last sailed on the Patriot. He went on pension in 2013 and lived in Kissimmee, Florida. RUDOLPH ODOM Pensioner Rudolph Odom, 76, died July 23. He donned the SIU colors in 1964 when he worked for Waterman Steamship. Brother Odom shipped in the engine department. He last sailed with Michigan Tankers and retired in 2009. Brother Odom made his home in Eight Mile, Alabama. JAMES OSBEY Pensioner James Osbey, 81, passed away August 10. He embarked on his career with the union in 1964, initially sailing aboard the Mildland. Brother Osbey sailed in the steward department and last shipped aboard the Pride. He became a pensioner in 2004 and settled in Houston. SJAMSIDAR MADJIDJI Pensioner Sjamsidar Madjidji, 69, died August 13. He joined the SIU in 1979 and first sailed aboard the Delta America. An engine department member, Brother Madjidji last sailed aboard the Carat in 2013. He became a pensioner the following year and settled in Elmhurst, New York. ALBERT PICKFORD Pensioner Albert Pickford, 92, died August 7. He joined the Seafarers in 1968 and first sailed on a Victory Carriers vessel. Brother Pickford was a member of the deck department, and concluded his career aboard the Virgo. He went on pension in 1995 and lived in Pullman, West Virginia. MANUEL MIRANDA Pensioner Manuel Miranda, 90, died July 25. He joined the union in 1978, initially shipping on the Inger. Brother Miranda sailed in the deck department. He concluded his career on the Cape Knox and lived in Metairie, Louisiana. ELLIOTT RHODES Pensioner Elliott Rhodes, 71, passed away August 24. He signed on with the SIU in 1969, initially sailing on the Cosmos Mariner. Brother Rhodes was an engine department member. He last shipped on the President Polk, and retired in 2011. Brother Rhodes made his home in Norfolk, Virginia. RONALD SWANSON Pensioner Ronald Swanson, 79, died May 17. He donned the SIU colors in 1966 when he shipped on the Chilore. Brother Swanson sailed in the engine department. He last sailed on the Trader and retired in 1994. Brother Swanson resided in Warren, Oregon. GREAT LAKES WILLIAM MCDOWELL Pensioner William McDowell, 89, passed away August 21. He joined SIU in 1961. Brother McDowell was a member of the deck department. Employed by Great Lakes Towing for the majority of his career, he became a pensioner in 1996. Brother McDowell lived in West Valley, New York. INLAND DUANE EVANS Brother Duane Evans, 52, died May 28. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1999. Brother Evans first worked for Allied Transportation, and sailed in the deck department. He most recently sailed on the Padre Island, and resided in Hayes, Virginia. RANDY HOPSON Pensioner Randy Hopson, 64, passed away August 27. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1975. Brother Hopson was employed by Higman Barge Lines for the duration of his career. He went on pension in 2018 and lived in Nederland, Texas. JOHN JACKSON Brother John Jackson, 56, died June 19. He joined the SIU in 1994 and sailed in both the deck and engine departments. Brother Jackson was employed by Crowley Towing and Transportation for his entire career. He was a resident of Jacksonville, Florida. GRADY KEECH Pensioner Grady Keech, 85, has passed away. Born in Beaufort, North Carolina, he began sailing during the early 1960s when he worked for Gulf Atlantic Towing. Brother Keech was an engine department member. He was last employed with Maritrans before retiring in 1990. Brother Keech lived in Pinetown, North Carolina. FRANCIS PRIMEAUX Pensioner Francis Primeaux, 90, passed away July 6. He began sailing with the union in 1964 when he worked for Higman Barge Lines. A deck department member, Brother Primeaux last shipped with Dixie Carriers. He became a pensioner in 1994 and settled in Kaplan, Louisiana. ANTONIO TREGLIA Pensioner Antonio Treglia, 86, died August 7. He signed on with the SIU in 1984 when he worked for New York Cross Harbor. Brother Treglia shipped in the deck department and was employed with the same company for the duration of his career. He went on pension in 1996 and resided in Brooklyn, New York. NMU WILLIE POMPY Pensioner Willie Pompy, 78 has passed away. He joined the SIU during the NMU/SIU merger in 2001. Brother Pompy was a steward department member and last shipped aboard the Delaware Trader. He became a pensioner 2006 and made his home in Houston. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. NAME AGE Cowart, William 83 Ebanks, Jerral 88 Hadsock, Parnell 86 Hernandez, Rafael 106 Huiett, Joe 83 Johnson, Johnny 80 Kenneth, Norman 89 Marvin, Sprawlin 85 Navarro, Marcial 95 Nelson, Herman 86 Pinheiro, Hildebrando 88 Temple, Aaron 87 Waller, Chester 71 DOD 07/08/2020 08/14/2020 08/10/2020 07/17/2020 08/06/2020 07/21/2020 07/31/2020 08/08/2020 08/07/2020 08/26/2020 08/13/2020 08/15/2020 07/14/2020 October 2020 �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings MAERSK PITTSBURGH (Maersk Line, Limited), January 25 – Chairman John Oshaughnessy, Secretary Darryl Goggins, Educational Director Jan Morawski, Deck Delegate Randolph Jemmott, Steward Delegate Brian Corp. Wi-Fi to be hooked up in Newark, New Jersey. Bosun thanked crew for a safe voyage. Vote of thanks given to all departments. Members were reminded to leave clean rooms for oncoming crew. Educational director provided members instructions for inquiring about sea time and visiting the website. He encouraged members to upgrade their skills at the Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Wiper needed on ship. Deck and engine departments were commended for a job well done. Members requested raises in pension and vacation days and expressed wishes for physicals to be required once, annually. Next port: Charleston, South Carolina. EDWARD A. CARTER, JR. (Sealift), February 16 – Chairman Daron Tinney, Secretary Janelle Harper. Penalty pay not applicable for ship. Chairman provided newest information for pension and brought benefit books, upgrading applications and full book applications. Members discussed possible overtime pay for elected delegates. Educational director went over where to find information in contracts. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Both ovens need to be fixed or replaced and ice machine is rarely working. Cast iron flat tops needed as well as wet floor signs. Mess sink and bathroom pipes in need of attention. Next port: Chinhae. EDWARD A. CARTER, JR. (Sealift), March 1 – Chairman Daron Tinney, Secretary Janelle Harper, Educational Director Joshua Gail. Educational Director was elected. Crew went over payoffs, shipyard, and penalty information. Educational director informed oilers of JE class April 20. Deck delegate informed members of hand sanitizer The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. near gangway and urged them to protect themselves when getting off ship. Crew discussed safety precautions for COVID-19 and possibility of no-fly countries. Oven has been worked on, but waiting on new parts for completion. New washer to be installed. Ice maker still having issues. Next port: Chinhae. EDWARD A. CARTER, JR. (Sealift), March 20 – Chairman Daron Tinney, Secretary Janelle Harper, Educational Director Joshua Gail. Members went over procedure for joining crew and going to dock. Chairman announced various changes due to pandemic that included hall closures, shipping rule suspension and the possible inability to leave ship upon original departure date. Educational director announced waiver for expired MMC and medical certifications. Everything postponed through April. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New linen ordered. Going to dock March 24 and switching to Anchorage March 30. EDWARD A. CARTER, JR. (Sealift), June 5 – Chairman Daron Tinney, Secretary Kenneth Smith, Educational Director William Monroe. Chairman announced temporary closures of halls. Staff still available there to assist members by phone and email. Educational director announced Piney Point scheduled reopening date, Aug. 1. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New linen and pillows ordered. Crew in need of new mattresses, toilet seats and toaster for crew mess. Chairman has upgrading applications. OCEAN GRAND (Crowley), July 26 – Chairman Lech Jankowski, Secretary Carlos Olascoaga, Educational Director Rudy Cesar. Most crew members have been on board for 7-10 months due to difficulty of reliefs. All members are safe and have been advised to upgrade at Piney Point when school reopens. Crew is happy to return back home. Ship purchased pres- sure washer. Penalty pay applicable for use of pressure washer in this circumstance. Protective gear requested. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members requested new pillows, mattresses, room fans and improved internet. ALASKAN NAVIGATOR (Alaska Tanker Company), August 2 – Chairman Adel Ahmed, Secretary Albert Sison, Educational Director Rollin Crump, Deck Delegate Bonifacio Fortes, Engine Delegate Aljohn Fernandez, Steward Delegate Jeffery Mundy. Members went over President’s Report in Seafarers LOG. Sadness was expressed among crew over the loss of a mariner due to COVID-19. Ship where mariner contracted virus now in quarantine. Chairman urged crew to not go ashore. Union meetings to resume in August with social distancing protocols in place. Chairman reminded members to use proper PPE if going to shore. Secretary thanked everyone for a great job in trash separation during voyage. He reminded everyone to not be wasteful with bottled water. Educational director reiterated importance of taking pandemic seriously. Coast Guard announced extensions for some documentation. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members asked for increase in optometry benefits. Some members asked for new mattresses. Provided headphones are missing in some rooms. New vacuum cleaner needed on crew’s deck. Crew asked for 20 for 30 on vacation days. Chairman thanked steward department for a job well done. Next port: Valdez, Alaska. GLOBAL SENTINEL (SubCom, LLC.) August 29 – Chairman Lee Hardman, Secretary FrancesBrian Bautista, Educational Director Aaron Ellis. Crew restricted to ship since March, while others have been reported coming and going freely without wearing masks. Chairman waiting on written response after contacting union. Ship Aboard USNS Petersburg Pictured aboard the TOTE Services ship in Benica, California, are (from left) Bosun Roberto Flauta, Steward/Baker Jurally Aseberos, GVA Julian Lacuesta and SIU hawsepiper Monte Pryor, now sailing as first engineer. loading in New Hampshire to go back to West Coast after being in port the entire month. Crew asked for clarification for lack of overtime pay for ship restriction. Bosun reminded members to clean up in mess halls, crew lounge, laundry room and public spaces. Washers and dryers should be used by steward department only, no personal use. Room garbage should be brought straight to garbage room. Pay vouchers sent through personal emails. Vouchers can be printed in crew lounge. Members can also go to the bosun and steward to have vouchers printed. Steward depart- ment reiterated importance of keeping all spaces clean after use. Educational director urged crew to take advantage of upgrading opportunities at the Piney Point school to earn new ratings and more money. Treasurer reported ship funds and reminded members that fund purchases are open to suggestions. Seafarers LOGs available in crew mess and crew lounge. Members were advised to bring shipping card before signing on to vessel and to check the duration of contract. Crew was encouraged to attend meetings and to assist other shipmates when help is needed. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt October 2020 requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Consequently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 19 �Paul Hall Center Classes The following is a list of courses that currently are scheduled to be held at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland during the next several months. More courses may be added. Course additions and cancellations are subject to change due to COVID-19 protocols. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Course Start Date Date of Completion Deck Department Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer Deck (online lecture) October 19 October 23 AB to Mate Modules Module dates vary throughout the year. Once accepted, students will be advised of dates. Classes are only open to students in AB to Mate program and modules must be taken in order. Module 4 October 12 October 16 Module 5 October 19 October 26 November 2 November 4 November 10 October 23 October 30 November 3 November 6 November 20 Module 6 November 23 December 18 Engine Department Upgrading Courses FOWT October 19 November 13 Junior Engineer October 26 December 18 Steward Department Upgrading Courses Galley Operations November 16 December 11 Certified Chief Cook October 12 November 16 November 13 December 18 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name ________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth __________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member o Lakes Member o Inland Waters Member o If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #_________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? o Yes o No If yes, class # and dates attended __________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? oYes o No _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, MMC, TWIC, front page of your book including your department and seniority and qualifying sea time for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. Must have a valid SHBP clinic through course date. I authorize the Paul Hall Center to release any of the information contained in this application, or any of the supporting documentation that I have or will submit with this application to related organizations, for the purpose of better servicing my needs and helping me to apply for any benefits which might become due to me. 20 Seafarers LOG COURSE ____________________________ ____________________________ START DATE _______________ _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION ________________________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, or any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 10/20 October 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Government Vessels – Graduated August 28 (above, in alphabetical order): Nasser Mohamed Hafid, Michael Hammock Jr., Ahmed Haridy, Kianta Lee, Carnell Middleton, Aarron Millar, Abdulnasser Musa Nasser, Wordell Prescott, Arica Shaw, Arlene Yalo Thomas and Jerren Waller. Government Vessels – Graduated August 21 (above, in alphabetical order): Naulka Persian Caines, Hussein Abdul Hussein, Tony Jenkins, Paul Newman, Kenneth Steiner and Glen Ward. Government Vessels – Graduated August 14 (above, in alphabetical order): Edgar Dequito Dionio, Olivia Mabuti Fisher-Macafe, Bobbie Gibbs, Jamila King, Patricia Lamb-Rivera, Karl Mayhew III, Anthony Parks, Kassem Mohamed Salem, Ryan Sotomayor, Michael Waring and Carlos Zapata. October 2020 Seafarers LOG 21 �Paul Hall Center Classes Cargo Handling – Graduated August 21 - (above, in alphabetical order): Diego Fernando Barbosa, David Brusco, Carlo Mateo Gentile, Jerome Sentell Luckett, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed Eissa, Jorge Salas Santos and Anthony Sanchez Villarrubia. Small Arms (Shotgun) – Graduated August 20 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Natalio Rey Almosa, William Dowzicky III, Kalil Hughes, Rick James, Thomas Moore and Gary Torres. Important Notice To All Students Students who have registered for classes at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, but later discover - for whatever reason - that they can’t attend, should inform the admissions department immediately so arrangements can be made to have other students take their places. Basic Training (Advanced Firefighting Revalidation) – Graduated August 14 (above, in alphabetical order): Randall Brinza, Yamira Colon, William Davis Jr., Domingos Dos Anjos Ferreira, Mitchell Fowler, Hussain Mohamed Hafid, Kenneth Steiner and Erasmo Vizcaino. (Note: Not all are pictured.) 22 Seafarers LOG October 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Basic Training Revalidation – Graduated August 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Ahmed Yahya Ali, Jessica Rena Crockett, Peter Joseph, Lebindra Maharaj, Paul McDonell, Angela Robertson, Olive Stewart-Paul, Victor Pastor Valencia and Anatoli Vetsinov. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Basic Training Revalidation – Graduated August 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Alfie Cicat, Orlando Evora Dacruz, Glenn Davis, Milan Dzurek, Roslyn Johnson, Bryan Nystrom, Randy Powell and Brandon Tanton. Historian Recaps Heroics of Seafarers During World War II Continued from Page 24 rising nearly 3,000 feet above the sea, thus affording some cover from the air spotters and making it harder for bombers to attack from the land side. In the week that followed, Army stevedores and the freighter’s own men unloaded her vital cargo of guns, shells, food and medical supplies, then took aboard $150,000 worth of tin, a scarce material of war which factories were crying for back in the states. The Army men at Gingoog were amazed that the Coast Farmer had made it through, for they had received reports that the Japanese sank her, along with several other vessels trying to run the gauntlet to Bataan. Fourteen-hundred miles unescorted and unarmed through enemy waters alive with Japanese planes, ships and subs – it was a feat of heroic proportions. While the discharging was underway, the crew acquired several monkeys and a lively dispute arose as to whether they should be kept or put ashore, one faction claiming the simians would bring good luck, and the others averring that they didn’t want any part of “monkey luck” good or bad. October 2020 The “official” ship’s mascot was a scrawny cat and the chief carried his own mascot in the person of an Angora rabbit. When the tin was stowed away, the anchor chain ground up through the hawse and the brave little ship headed out to sea. From the shore the doughboys waved them a wistful goodbye and as Captain Mattson put his ship seaward on the tide it was with the gravest misgivings, for a Japanese cruiser had been reported not far down the coast. “At 3:00 PM,” said the Skipper’s official report, “we were on our way, taking great care not to let the fires smoke, keeping a good lookout for floating mines, and spinning the rudder hard over when one was sighted right ahead.” Something On Starboard While edging south through the night, expecting at any moment to hear the hum of airplane engines or the crack of shells from a U-boat, a ship was reported coming toward them off the starboard side. From the silhouette of the stranger, they thought for awhile she was the Mormacsun, which had been scheduled for the same run. Captain Mattson was about to order the signalman to “speak” her by blinker but an instinctive caution held back the command. He let the ship pass unnoticed and lucky that he did, for when the two vessels came abreast several miles apart they could see that she was not a Mormacsun despite the close resemblance. Whoever she was, she was by all odds a Japanese transport. Several days after this hairbreadth escape, they sighted Thursday Island dead ahead. Army and Navy personnel welcomed them back as though they had returned from the dead. “It’s a miracle,” they insisted. “It’s sure a miracle, all right.” Said Captain Mattson: “Every member of the crew behaved splendidly. I cannot say enough for their loyalty, inspiring courage and co-operation during the entire voyage.” (Deck crewmen were SUP.) The varied adventures of the SS Coast Farmer ended on July 20, 1942, when a Japanese torpedo sent her to the bottom 25 miles off Cape Perpendicular. Convoy PQ-17 One of the most dramatic and yet tragic episodes of the war at sea involved Convoy PQ-17, better known as among SIU seamen as the “Fourth of July” Convoy to north Russia. Seamen of the Seafarers International Union and its affiliate, the Sailors Union of the Pacific, have very personal interest in this convoy, because they manned most of the 20 American freighters in the 33-ship fleet. PQ-17 was heavily protected when it left Reykjavik on June 27, 1942. For convoy patrol and defense there was a heavy task force consisting of destroyers, sloops, corvettes, two “ack ack” ships, several armed trawlers, three rescue vessels and two British submarines that hoped for a chance to torpedo any big German men o’ war that might be lured out to attack the fleet. Heavy escorts included the cruisers HMS London, HMS Norfolk, USS Wichita, and USS Tuscaloosa. Covering the convoy’s flank about 100 miles to the east was another battle fleet, numbering the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, British battleship Duke of York, USS Washington (battleship), several cruisers and numerous destroyers. Seafarers LOG 23 �VOLUME 82, NO. 10 OCTOBER 2020 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O An Allied convoy crosses the North Atlantic in 1942. SIU Members Show Mettle in WWII Editor’s note: This is the sixth installment from a 1951 booklet titled “The Seafarers in World War II.” Penned by the late SIU historian John Bunker, the publication recapped SIU members’ service in the War. More than 1,200 SIU members lost their lives to wartime service in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Earlier installments are available on the SIU website and in print beginning with the May 2020 edition of the LOG. (We are tentatively planning to post a PDF of the entire booklet on the SIU website once all of the text has been published here.) This one picks up aboard the SIU-crewed SS Coast Farmer in Australia in January 1942. Army officers had just boarded the vessel and said it was loaded with “very important” cargo that in turn was to be transported northward. “North!” To Captain Mattson that could mean only one thing – what with the Japanese in possession of all the Pacific north of Australia except the Philippines – north to MacArthur on Bataan! Broomstick Artillery Two machine guns were then mounted on the bridge as armament, and several Navy gunners were put aboard to serve them. It was later discovered that some vital parts were missing in the guns and they couldn’t be fired, so the Coast Farmer was as well armed as though she mounted a batter of water pistols. Not long after midnight on February 3, the Coast Farmer swung out her lifeboats, “doused” all lights, and left Brisbane for the north. Several days later they arrived on Thursday Island off Cape York, at the entrance to Torres Strait. Here the Skipper was given detailed routing instructions, plus the disquieting news that two faster ships which had left for the same destination had been bombed and sunk by the Japanese. Submarines, it was said, had been sighted along the course the Farmer was to take. This induced Captain Mattson to take advantage of night, and they left Thursday Island for the Arafura Sea in the face of heavy winds and seas which gave the old ship some protection from submarines on the first lap of its hazardous voyage. They were on their own now! No American ships to call upon for aid. No friendly ships of any kind to offer succor in the seas ahead. After passing a chain of islands held by the Japanese a few nights later, the Skipper decided they would have to stop for part of a day in order to approach a certain narrow channel under cover of night. The channel was flanked by Japanese islands and there was a very good chance that enemy patrol boats or transports would be about. At the time they were only 45 miles off the Japanese base at Amboina and, as dawn swept across the great southwest Pacific, the crew of the Farmer started the longest day of their lives. The clocks ticked away minutes that seemed like hours, suspense – filled minutes that were fraught with constant danger. Lookouts manned the bridge and crow’s nest. Every man aboard the ship walked restlessly about the decks, pacing away the dragging hours as the bright sun climbed ever so slowly to its zenith. Occasionally in the distance they could see black objects which seemed to be riding the placid surface of the sea like the conning towers of submarines. But they must have been whales or blackfish, for no sub attacks developed. They all held their breath when several planes crossed the horizon some miles off, but these airmen ignored the little freighter entirely, for no American ship, the Japanese were confident, could venture so far north and so boldly, too. All hands felt much better when the sun had disappeared over the Java Sea and the waters were once again clothed in the night. The boiler fires were lit again, the throttle was opened, and the shaft began to turn over once more. They continued on their way, making the expected landfall during the darkest part of the night and passing close between two Japanese islands unobserved. Steady Nerves A ‘Must’ Several days later they sighted the mountains of Mindanao in the Philippines, but Captain Mattson stayed clear of the land until he was sure of their position. There was no help to be had here in case the shores ahead should be swarming with Japanese. It called for steady nerves, calm judgement, and a few prayers. Facing the Skipper now was the problem of getting ship and precious cargo up to the rendezvous point on Bataan without detection by the enemy. It was 150 miles yet to the embattled defenders of Bataan so, with an assurance from Chief Engineer George Smithers that his men could coax a few extra revolutions from the machinery, Captain Mattson threw the telegraph over to “full ahead” and on they went to whatever might lay before. The current was in their favor and so, too, must have been destiny, for they later found out that their course lay through a mine field which the Japanese had planted just to forestall such reinforcements. Ignorant of this peril, they forged ahead at what for the Coast Farmer was the amazing speed of 15 knots, arriving at the appointed rendezvous at about 5:30 in the morning. At first no one was to be seen along the wooded, hilly shore, but after a while a small launch put out from a veiled landing some 300 yards away. The men in the launch wore American Army uniforms and all hands were on the qui vive as they came up the gangway. But alert, too, were the strangers, for they drew their service revolvers as soon as they stepped over the rail. After all, the Coast Farmer flew no flag and bore no markings on her bow or stern. Meet Friends Grim jaws relaxed, however, as everyone realized that the rendezvous had come off as planned and the boarding party introduced themselves as Colonel Chastine, Major Gregory and Mr. Wilder, a civilian pilot. While the crew rigged booms and tackle for discharging, Mr. Wilder brought the ship to anchor very close to shore under the shadow of a mountain Continued on Page 23 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource October 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: MEMBERS RISE TO OCCASION IN TURBO ACTIVATIONS PANDEMIC PROMPTS SOME EXTENSIONS USNS NEWPORT JOINS CIVMAR FLEET LABOR GROUPS URGE ENFORCEMENT OF WORKERS' RIGHTS COALITION SALUTES REP. LURIA SIU MOURNS LOSS OF SUPPORTERS JACK MARTORELLI, ROBERT CHIESA TOTE MARITIME ALASKA CELEBRATES SHIPPING MILESTONE INFORMATION FOR THE 202 ELECTION OF OFFICERS SIU ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS AFL-CIO'S SHULER: 'WE MUST DO BETTER' DIPTHERIA COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, GROWNUPS Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 1, 2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. 82, No. 10 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/5c94f3f2faa28a13426244181749052d.pdf 734ec2862bc7753558856a6f583b2217 PDF Text Text SEPTEMBER 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 9 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Back to (New) Normal School Reopens, Membership Meetings Resume The global COVID-19 pandemic appears far from over, but Seafarers continue adapting to changes brought on by the crisis. With numerous precautions in place, the SIU in August resumed its monthly membership meetings (the first ones since March). Demonstrating their social-distancing prowess and face coverings at a few of the hiring halls are Seafarers in (photo above) Jacksonville, Florida; (below, right) Oakland, California; and (lower right) Mobile, Alabama. Piney Point, Maryland is the site of the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, which restarted classes the first week of August. Students are pictured that week in a classroom (immediately below) and a simulator (remaining photo). Page 3. Remembering John Lewis Page 4 SIU Election News Pages 6, 8 SHBP Awards Scholarships Page 7 �President’s Report Election Day Approaches I don’t have to tell you that Nov. 3 isn’t far off. Make sure you’re registered to vote, and, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may want to consider absentee balloting this time around. Of course, many of our members utilize absentee or early voting because they’re at sea on Election Day, so this is nothing new to us. It’s easy to find useful information online, but feel free to contact your port agent if you need assistance. For anyone who’s new to the SIU, you should know that we support candidates – at all levels of government – who support maritime and who support workers’ rights, regardless of political party. Republican, Democrat, Independent – none of that matters to the SIU. What matters is that candidates commit to backing the U.S. Merchant Marine, and then follow through once in office. As we enter the teeth of election season, stay informed – and remain civil with each other. You can disagree with someone about an issue, but remember that we’re in this together and we all want what’s best for this great nation. Support From ‘Last Frontier’ Speaking of the consequences of elections, the United States maritime industry has enjoyed a long history of solid support from Alaska’s members of Congress, and that tradition is alive and well today. The Jones Act fleet is Alaska’s interstate highway. It’s what connects the 49th State with the mainland of the United States. And much like the freeway system and waterways we use in the lower 48, our American-flag ships and U.S. crews deliver the goods that Alaska needs while bringing some of the state’s natural resources to the mainland. Seafarers undoubtedly know about Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) and U.S. Rep. Don Young (R), both of whom have long track records backing the U.S. Merchant Marine. Murkowski’s father, the late Frank Murkowski, served Alaska as a governor and U.S. Senator, and also was a friend of the industry. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) isn’t exactly a newcomer, having been in office since 2015, but he is the newest member of the Alaska delegation. Sen. Sullivan is very much carrying on the tradition of great maritime support from Alaska, in the same spirit as the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R), one of the union’s all-time friends. That is why the SIU, along with three other maritime unions (AMO, MM&P and MEBA), recently endorsed his re-election. In our joint letter, we noted Sullivan’s “strong, consistent support for America’s maritime industry and your vigorous and persistent efforts in behalf of America’s maritime workforce. Your work in Congress to achieve a fully funded Maritime Security Program; to ensure full enforcement of America’s U.S.-flag cargo preference shipping requirements; and to preserve our nation’s coastwise shipping laws have helped ensure that our nation has the U.S.-flag commercial sealift readiness capability and the American mariners needed by the Department of Defense to support American troops and America’s interests overseas.” We further wrote: “You have been a leader in Congress working to increase the number of commercial vessels operating under the U.S.-flag and to increase the shipboard employment opportunities for American mariners. Absent such action, we as a nation will not only experience the continued outsourcing of American maritime jobs to the benefit of foreign maritime personnel but will also be forced to entrust a greater portion of the requisite commercial sealift readiness capability needed by the Department of Defense, along with the safety and supply of American troops, to foreign flag-of-convenience vessels and their foreign citizen crews. Without your continued efforts, our country will not have the necessary commercial U.S.-flag sealift capability it needs and American troops deployed overseas would be dangerously dependent on foreign vessels and foreign crews to bring them the supplies, equipment and materiel they need to do their job on behalf of the American people.” Sullivan has demonstrated a clear and unwavering commitment to the American maritime industry and the American maritime worker. O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 82 Number 9 Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby (left) and Navy League VP Jonathan Kaskin advocate for the U.S. Merchant Marine during a recent online conference. Officials from Navy League, MARAD Call for Additional U.S.-Flag Tonnage Weighing the potential long-range effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. security, two maritime experts said the country desperately needs to bolster its commercial fleet and the corresponding manpower pool. U.S. Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby and Navy League of the United States National Vice President for Legislative Affairs Jonathan Kaskin both emphasized those goals during a mid-July online event named “NatSec 2020: Coronavirus and Beyond,” cosponsored by the Navy League, the Association of the United States Army, and Government Matters (a multi-platform news program). The sessions examined “the long-term impact of the pandemic on the business of government in the national security community.” Kaskin said the U.S. especially needs greater sealift capacity and additional tankers in an era of “great power competition,” especially for a potential conflict in the Pacific. The former Navy logistics officer A prominent legislator from “The Last Frontier” recently received a major maritime honor. The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipyard industry, honored U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) with the SCA Maritime Leadership Award on June 30. The award is given annually “to national leaders who demonstrate exemplary dedication and support of the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry,” according to the council. Sullivan took office in 2015. Among other assignments, he currently serves on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; and the Senate Armed The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Capital Gateway Drive; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Assistant Communications Director, Managing Editor/ Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. 2 Seafarers LOG benefit from an increase in commercial vessels rather than reserve-status ships (since the vessels themselves would have greater readiness and in turn would facilitate larger numbers of trained crews). Kaskin advocated expansion of the U.S. Maritime Security Program and also supported an administration proposal to create a similar structure for tankers. He said only a half-dozen American-flag internationally-trading tankers are available for use by the military, and three of those are already leased by the Navy for current operations. “The requirement that U.S. Transportation Command has shown – and earlier studies have shown – is that we need more than 78 tankers,” he said. “Adding 10 is not going to be sufficient. So, what we really need to do is find ways of utilizing the tankers that we have in the domestic fleet – the Jones Act [ships] – to be able to support wartime operations.” Shipbuilders Council Honors Sen. Sullivan September 2020 Reversed to White Reversed to White stated, “We in the Navy League would like to advocate for a much larger U.S. Merchant Marine in order to support the tenets of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which says that we should have a [merchant] fleet large enough to support not only our domestic trade but a portion of our international trade to be able to maintain our commerce at all time in peace and war. I don’t think we have adequate capability in both areas right now.” He added that the “fleet itself just needs to grow.” Buzby, former commander of the Navy’s Military Sealift Command, agreed. “We need more ships,” he said, adding that a strong case may be made for adding upwards of 50 more vessels. The maritime administrator also called attention to a shortage of civilian mariners that threatens the nation’s ability to successfully executive a sustained sealift operation. Partly with that in mind, he said the country would U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) Services Committee. “Throughout his entire career, Sen. Sullivan has long recognized the critical role shipping, shipbuilding and repair have across the entire U.S. economy and especially in his home state of Alaska. His experienced voice has championed and advanced our industry, the backbone of economic and national security, in unprecedented ways. The more than 650,000 men and women of the domestic maritime industry honor him today for his service, commitment and unwavering leadership,” said Matthew Paxton, president of the SCA. Sullivan has been a maritime champion from his first days in office. Additionally, earlier this year he joined with six other Republican senators in formally urging President Trump to fully support the Jones Act. In a letter to Trump, those senators wrote in part, “Unfortunately, opponents of the Jones Act have used the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to attempt to undermine existing law. There is absolutely no connection between the Jones Act and COVID-19. In fact, the law has helped produce the types of vessels and qualified mariners necessary to support a variety of crisis response operations. If anything, the Administration and Congress should look for ways to strengthen the Jones Act.” During the recent markup for the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Sullivan helped secure language authorizing $21.3 billion for the construction of new U.S. Navy submarines, amphibious ships, destroyers, and other vessels. Last year, he authored and led the two-year reauthorization of the U.S. Coast Guard. “I want to thank SCA President Matthew Paxton, the SCA board and all of SCA’s members for this prestigious honor and for your work advocating on behalf of a robust shipyard industrial base,” said Sullivan. “From authorizing the first new icebreakers in a generation, $21 billion this coming fiscal year in defense shipbuilding, and the intent to reach a 355-ship Navy, we are renewing America’s command of the high seas, and the men and women of our shipbuilding sector will be crucial to bringing that goal to fruition. I’m glad to be a part of this collaborative effort that strengthens our national security, supports a stronger economy and thousands of jobs, including many in the great maritime state of Alaska.” Sullivan was presented the Maritime Champion Award virtually during the SCA annual meeting in Washington, D.C. SCA members constitute the shipyard industrial base that builds, repairs, maintains and modernizes U.S. Navy ships and craft, U.S. Coast Guard vessels of all sizes, as well as vessels for other U.S. government agencies. In addition, SCA members build, repair and service America’s fleet of commercial vessels. The Council represents 40 companies that own and operate more than 82 shipyards, with facilities on all three U.S. coasts, the Great Lakes, the inland waterways system, Alaska and Hawaii. The SCA also represents 87 partner members that provide goods and services to the shipyard industry. September 2020 �COVID-19 PANDEMIC The Paul Hall Center reopened for classes in early August and also hosted a membership meeting. Union Meetings Resume, School Reopens Coronavirus Claims Life of SIU Member Vaughan Editor’s note: SIU members are encouraged to regularly check the union’s website for the latest union-specific news about the pandemic. There is a prominent COVID-19 section on the home page. Members also may sign up for text alerts by texting the word “join” (without the quotation marks) to 97779. The SIU and its affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland, recently reached some milestones for 2020 – occasions that wouldn’t warrant much mention in non-pandemic times but which now signal progress. The union in August resumed its monthly membership meetings, underscored by numerous safety precautions at the hiring halls. Because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, meetings hadn’t been conducted since March. Similarly, the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC) resumed classes the first week of August, following a summer hiatus (see pages 18-19). Extensive safety measures are in place at the school, and the first couple of weeks after reopening have proven encouraging. While those developments offered a boost to many attendees and a partial return to some normalcy, the coronavirus remains a worldwide crisis. By mid-August, there were upwards of 22 million cases worldwide, including more than 5.4 million in the United States. The virus had claimed nearly 775,000 lives around the world, including almost 170,000 in the U.S. Virus Claims Union Member One of those victims was GUDE Michael Vaughan, 63, who died July 28 after being stricken with COVID19. He had sailed with SIU since 2012, most recently aboard a Maersk vessel, and is believed to be the first active Seafarer to perish from the virus. In a message to SIU crews throughout the Maersk fleet, SIU President Michael Sacco wrote, “On behalf of the union’s executive board, I extend our deepest and most sincere sympathies to the family, friends and shipmates of our fallen brother, GUDE Michael Vaughan. Many of you have heard me say over the years that I think of our organization as a family. In that spirit, this is a particularly difficult time for all concerned…. We all need to remain extremely vigilant and cautious as the scourge of COVID-19 continues. That is one way we can honor Michael Vaughan’s memory.” Meanwhile, Sacco in late July joined with MM&P President Don Marcus and MEBA President Marshall Ainley in sending a letter to the commanding officer of the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC), Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer. The presidents voiced strong concerns about the agency’s months-long “gangways up” order on vessels crewed by federally employed CIVMARS (including members of the SIU Government Services Division), along with the July 22 suicide of Third Officer Jonathon J. Morris, 34, aboard the USNS Amelia Earhart. That letter reads in part, “We are writing to you today to communicate our ongoing and increasingly grave concerns regarding the mental health and well-being of MSC’s CIVMARs. Many of the CIVMARS are members of our respective Unions and they share their thoughts and concerns with us on a regular basis. There is growing anger, frustration and despair throughout the fleet. People have a breaking point and many of these crewmembers are nearing it. “The recent tragedy aboard the USNS Amelia Earhart speaks for itself,” the letter continues. “The actual cause of this mariner’s actions may never be known, however, the ongoing and selective ‘Gangways Up’ restrictions may have, in some part, contributed to this unnecessary and senseless act. We are genuinely worried that if restrictions are not eased, the likelihood of shipboard emotional instability will increase. Further, the stress-related fatigue caused by the ‘Gangways Up’ restrictions could lead to safety and mission degradation and operational mishaps. “Couple the disparate nature of the Gangways-Up policy with the continuing crisis of overdue reliefs and you have potentially worse disasters waiting to happen on MSC vessels all over the world,” the union presidents added. “Waiting in-excess of 90 days for relief in some cases is contributing to the escalating anxiety and tensions aboard ships. The current situation is taking a terrible toll on the families of these GUDE Michael Vaughan is believed to be the first active SIU member to perish as a result of COVID-19. mariners as well. The CIVMARS feel unsupported and abandoned.” The correspondence concluded with a request for “your direct intervention and assistance.” Precautions, Adjustments In an effort to promote safety at the hiring halls and at the PHC, many safeguards are in place. These include reconfiguring meeting areas, classrooms and dining facilities to promote distancing. Clear plastic dividers have been installed, along with hand-sanitizing stations. Floor markings are in place to make it easy to identify six-foot distances. Meal times at the school are being staggered, and face coverings are required at the PHC and at the halls. Another adjustment took place prior to when the Able Seafarer-Deck class resumed in Piney Point. Students completed two weeks of authorized course- Continued on Page 16 Note to Our Readers While maintaining distance, members listen to reports during the monthly meeting in New Orleans. September 2020 Without exception, anyone entering an SIU hiring hall or signing onto a vessel has passed a number of safety protocols, often including testing for COVID-19, two-week quarantines, and verifying health-related items on a questionnaire. For that reason, not everyone you see pictured in the LOG is wearing a mask. In addition, in many cases, people have briefly removed their masks only long enough to snap a quick photo. We cannot stress enough the importance of following all safety protocols for your protection and the protection of those around you. Seafarers LOG 3 �In photo at right, the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) addresses attendees May 14, 2019 during the keel laying for his namesake ship, USNS John Lewis, Military Sealift Command’s newest fleet replenishment oiler, during ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO Shipyard in San Diego. (Military Sealift Command photo) A General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company rendering of the vessel is pictured above. Workers’ Rights, U.S. Maritime Champion U.S. Rep. John Lewis Passes Away at 80 U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), an acclaimed civil rights leader/activist and a champion of the U.S. Maritime industry, died July 17 at age 80. The son of sharecroppers and an apostle of nonviolence, the late congressman on Dec. 29, 2019 announced that he had Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and vowed to fight it with the same passion with which he had battled racial injustice. “I have been in some kind of fight – for freedom, equality, basic human rights – for nearly my entire life,” he said. SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez, during the union’s August membership meeting at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland, reminded the audience that in addition to being a stalwart for workers’ rights, Lewis also consistently backed the U.S. Merchant Marine. “He was a man with a capital ‘m’ and he was in our corner from day one,” Tellez stated. Bolstering Tellez’s sentiments re- garding Lewis’ contributions to the U.S. Maritime industry was SIU Senior Political Consultant Terry Turner. “He (Congressman Lewis) was a 100% pro-vote on all Maritime Security Program, Jones Act, and Cargo Preference legislation that we tracked over the last 20 years,” Turner said. “Going forward, his leadership and support for maritime issues will be greatly missed.” The late congressman’s backing of U.S. Maritime and advocacy for human rights did not go unnoticed in America’s civilian community nor in U.S. government circles including the Department of Defense. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, during a January 6, 2016 ship-naming ceremony at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., announced that the first ship of the next generation of fleet replenishment oilers (T-AO 205) would be named the USNS John Lewis after the civil rights movement hero. “As the first of its class, the future USNS John Lewis will play a vital role in the mission of our Navy and Marine Corps while also forging a new path in fleet replenishment,” said Mabus at the event. “Naming this ship after John Lewis is a fitting tribute to a man who has, from his youth, been at the forefront of progressive social and human rights movements in the U.S., directly shaping both the past and future of our nation.” The new vessel, one of six new T-AO 205 fleet oilers for the U.S. Navy, is being built by the General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California. Construction commenced in 2018; the vessel is expected to be delivered later this year. The future USNS John Lewis will be operated by the U.S. Military Sealift Command and provide underway replenishment of fuel and stores to U.S. Navy ships at sea and jet fuel for aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers. Its crew will include CIVMARS from the SIU Government Services Division. “T-AO 205 will, for decades to come, serve as a visible symbol of the freedoms Representative Lewis holds dear, and his example will live on in the steel of that ship and in all those who will serve aboard her,” said Mabus. The late congressman’s involvement in the civil rights movement started while he was still a young man, when he organized sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1961, he participated in the “Freedom Rides,” challenging segregation at interstate bus terminals across the South. In 1963, Lewis was named chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee where he was responsible for organizing student activism challenging segregation. Congressman Lewis was also a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in 1963. He nearly lost his life more than 50 years ago on “Bloody Sunday” (March 7, 1965) when he was beaten by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge while attempting to lead more than 600 peaceful voting rights protestors in Selma, Alabama. SIU Jobs Stay Secure Aboard Empire State Seafarers will continue sailing aboard the Jones Act-qualified tanker Empire State following a recent contract award by the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC). The agency in late July announced that American Petroleum Tankers has secured a new agreement consisting of “one 12-month firm period, three one-year options and one 11-month option period…. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed by July 2025.” SIU members have been part of the Empire State crew since the ship began sailing in summer 2010. It’s a union-built vessel, constructed at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. The ship, which transports petroleum products for the Department of Defense, is 600 feet long, has a beam of 105 feet and can sail at 14.5 knots. 4 Seafarers LOG File photo of SIU-crewed Empire State September 2020 �Comprehensive Jones Act Study Finds No Effect on Cost of Living in Hawaii Report Also Reveals Ocean Freight Rates Declined Since 2008 Economists from Boston-based Reeve & Associates (Reeve) and Hawaii-based TZ Economics have released a joint report, “The Impact of the Jones Act on Hawaii,” that concluded the Jones Act has no significant impact on the cost of living in Hawaii. In addition, the report found that freight rates in the U.S. Mainland-Hawaii trade lane have declined in real terms over the last 10 years, while the Jones Act has delivered positive and substantial economic contributions, including job creation, new infrastructure investments, and a reliable pipeline for critical consumer and industrial goods moving to and from the Islands. In this comprehensive report, the authors analyzed the economic impact of the Jones Act – a critical economic and national security law that ensures goods transported from U.S. point to U.S. point be carried on vessels that are American crewed, built, and owned – and conducted a thorough market-based study to consider the impact of the law to the cost of goods. Moreover, the report analyzed the impact on consumers by evaluating the competitiveness of freight rates in the United States/Hawaii market, the quality of service provided by the Jones Act carriers, and the impact of the carriers’ freight rates, relative to the prices of goods shipped between the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii. “There has been a lot of contention regarding whether the Jones Act negatively affects Hawaii’s cost of living,” said John Reeve, the principal in Reeve & Associates and the lead economist on the study. “The findings of our study indicate that the Jones Act has no appreciable impact on Hawaii’s cost of living, and that Jones Act carriers provide immense benefits to consumers and business owners, while delivering reliable, high frequency and fast transit services at healthy and competitive rates.” “Our findings based on various indicators show that higher living costs – partly the premium assigned to the desirabil- ity of living in Hawaii – reflect housing costs, not the cost of consumer products relative to the U.S. Mainland,” said Paul Brewbaker, the principal of TZ Economics. “The findings of this exhaustive study regarding the economic impact of Jones Act-related transportation costs in Hawaii are clear – the Jones Act does not drive up the cost of living in Hawaii. American shipping companies operating under the Jones Act provide an efficient and reliable pipeline for consumer and industrial goods moving to and from the Islands,” said Mike Roberts, president of the American Maritime Partnership (to which the SIU is affiliated). “Waiving the Jones Act would replace American mariners and ships with foreign ships and mariners, threaten Hawaii’s supply chain, and degrade Hawaii’s and our nation’s security – yet produce no cost of living benefit to Hawaii residents.” This report is a follow-on in a series of studies being conducted by Reeve and Associates and its partners analyzing the comparative cost of goods in non-contiguous territories of the United States and the U.S. Mainland, and the impact, if any, of the Jones Act. In summary, the findings include: The Jones Act does not impact the cost of living in Hawaii. n A study of 200 consumer goods purchased from major retailers such as Costco, Home Depot, Target and Walmart found no significant difference in the price. Some 142 out of 200 items (71%) were precisely the same in stores in Hawaii as they were in California. In some cases, retail prices of goods were cheaper in Hawaii. The study found that while Hawaii does have a high cost of living, that cost is primarily driven by housing expenses and other factors, not the type of consumer goods carried to Hawaii by Jones Act carriers. Over a 10-year period, Jones Act carriers’ ‘Any Attack on Jones Act Is An Attack on The People of Hawaii’ SIU President Michael Sacco was among those forcefully speaking in favor of the Jones Act following recent attempts to undermine the crucial law. “At their core, there is nothing new about recent, erroneous attacks against America’s freight cabotage law, commonly known as the Jones Act,” Sacco stated in a web post on Aug. 6. “This century-old law has endured because it always has been – and still remains today – vital to United States national, economic and homeland security. “Jones Act opponents typically resort to the same old, worn-out, losing playbook when they go after this critical maritime law,” he continued. “That’s been the case again lately, first with the posting of an easily and quickly debunked study about the law’s alleged impact on Hawaii, and then with attempts to chip away at components of the Jones Act.” The union president said that from his view, “any attack on the Jones Act is a direct attack on the people of Hawaii and on the U.S. as a whole. This September 2020 law helps support more than 653,000 American jobs while protecting the security of our rivers and waterways…. There are many good reasons why 91 countries around the world maintain some form of cabotage law. There are many good reasons why the Jones Act has been American policy for a century. There are many good reasons why the Jones Act consistently enjoys strong bipartisan support from Congress and the White House and solid backing from our top military leaders.” Sacco concluded, “Without the Jones Act, the American-flag merchant fleet would be wiped out, as would the pool of U.S. citizen mariners who crew our commercial and military-support vessels. In turn, our country would face monumental security risks as foreignflag vessels and boats and foreign crews had free reign on our rivers, waterways and coastlines. The Jones Act was exceptionally sound policy when it was enacted in June 1920. Today, it’s arguably more important than ever, and I’m proud to support it.” rates have declined in real terms for essential ocean shipping. n The study shows that freight rates in the Mainland-Hawaii trade have declined in real terms when considering the cost of inflation, while benchmarks such as overall U.S. inflation and intercity truckload prices have increased substantially (28%). This freight rate decline is despite a 50% increase in wharfage charges for port/terminal improvements. The large majority of the expenses of moving cargo between the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii are completely unaffected by the Jones Act. If foreign-flag carriers were allowed to operate in the domestic trades, the costs of any foreign-flag vessel would rise substantially due to required compliance with other U.S. laws, including tax and labor laws. n The study found that only a third of the total costs of a Jones Act carrier moving freight between the Mainland and Hawaii are affected by the Jones Act (crew and vessel capital costs). If the Jones Act was to be waived for Hawaii, the costs of any foreign-flag vessel operated in that U.S. domestic trade would rise substantially as it would have to comply with U.S. tax, labor, and employee protection laws apart from the Jones Act that would virtually negate any cost advantage provided by foreign registry. Jones Act carriers are dedicated to Hawaii’s specific needs for high frequency and fast transit to deliver consumer goods to the Hawaiian Islands. Eliminating the Jones Act could undermine priority, frequency, and speed. n Three U.S.-flagged carriers with a fleet of 20 combined vessels, specifically designed to accommodate the needs of Hawaii transportation commerce, currently provide regular scheduled shipping services between the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii. Due to intense and healthy competition, freight rates have declined in real terms while carriers have increased capacity with modern, custom-designed vessels. Jones Act carriers have introduced five new U.S. vessels, as well as three more on the way in the fourth quarter of 2020. According to the study, with these most recent additions, there is more than ample capacity to meet the needs of Hawaii families and businesses. In fact, Jones Act carriers have increased capacity by 22% since 2015 with the addition of new vessels. The level of available capacity in the market naturally drives healthy price competition. American shipping companies are invested in Hawaii, providing more than $2 billion in transportation technology customized for the Hawaii market, such as new ships, terminals, and equipment. n These new vessels are highly fuelefficient, environmentally friendly and contribute to reduced sulfur emissions. Hawaii residents also benefit from improvements to terminals, including the addition of new infrastructure such as gantry cranes. Jones Act carriers play a critical role in support of U.S. national security, while meeting the needs of military personnel and their families who comprise nearly 10% of Hawaii’s population. n Jones Act carriers provide a reserve force of well-trained seafarers who in times of national emergency can crew reserve sealift vessels, while ensuring the U.S. does not need to rely on foreign carriers to move people and military assets. Around 9.6% of Hawaii’s population is U.S. military personnel and their families. Jones Act carriers ship a high proportion of personal effects (vehicles and household goods) that are needed for those families. The Jones Act industry supports 13,000 jobs for Hawaii families. n The Jones Act delivers $787 million in annual workforce income and $3.3 billion economic impact to the local economy. Port Council Strongly Defends Vital American Maritime Law The Maritime Trades Department (MTD) recently helped set the record straight concerning a vital maritime law. A constitutional department of the AFL-CIO, the MTD on Aug. 6 posted a statement saying it “joins with the Hawaii Ports Maritime Council (PMC) to counter the misleading report issued by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) dismissing the value and benefits of the Jones Act to the citizens and businesses of the Aloha State. “This is just another attempt to mislead and misinform the people of our state on the importance of the Jones Act,” stated PMC President Randy Swindell. “This was yet another rehashing of mistruths whose only purpose is to confuse.” “We know what the Jones Act means – good jobs as well as economic and national security for Hawaii and the United States,” added PMC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Hazel Galbiso, who is the SIU port agent in Honolulu. The report, released in July, attempted to explain why Hawaii would be better off being served by foreign- crewed, foreign-owned commercial vessels rather than the dedicated fleet of 20 U.S-flagged, U.S.-owned, U.S.-built and U.S.-crewed ships that provide regularly scheduled service to the islands. The Jones Act is America’s cabotage law, which means cargo moved from one U.S. port to another U.S. port must be carried aboard ships that follow the nation’s labor and safety standards. The Jones Act celebrated its 100th anniversary in June. It constantly comes under attack from foreign-flag interests hiding behind the sails of “economic savings” while ignoring what eliminating the law would cost American workers and interests. “The Jones Act provides job creation and economic opportunities for the people of Hawaii,” stated MTD President Michael Sacco, who also is president of the SIU. “In these stressful and trying times, why would anyone want to eliminate good-paying American jobs?” The Jones Act is responsible for approximately 13,000 jobs in Hawaii, providing $787 million in annual workforce income and a $3.3 billion economic impact. Seafarers LOG 5 �Credentials Approved for Candidates to 25 Union Offices REPORT OF CREDENTIALS COMMIT TEE ON CANDIDATES FOR 2020 ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR TERM 2021-2024 SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA-ATL ANTIC, GULF, L AKES AND INL AND WATERS We, the undersigned members of the Credentials Committee, were duly elected at a Special Meeting held at HeadquartersPort of Piney Point on August 14, 2020. We have examined the credentials of candidates for elective office or job in the Seafarers International Union of North America-Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters for the years 2021-2024, in accordance with Article XI, Section 1, and submit the following report. Your Committee qualified or disqualified those members who submitted for office based upon the Union Constitution, particularly those provisions contained in Articles XII and XIII. The applicable constitutional provisions are as follows: ARTICLE XII Qualifications for Of ficers, Assistant VicePresidents, Port Agents, and Other Elective Jobs Section 1. Any member of the Union is eligible to be a candidate for, and hold, any office or the job of Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent provided: (a) He has at least three (3) years of seatime in an unlicensed capacity aboard an American-flag merchant vessel or vessels. In computing time, time spent in the employ of the Union, its subsidiaries and its affiliates, or in any employment at the Union’s direction, shall count the same as seatime. Union records, Welfare Plan records and/or company records can be used to determine eligibility; and (b) He has been a full book member in continuous good standing in the Union for at least three (3) years immediately prior to his nomination; and (c) He has at least one hundred (100) days of seatime, in an unlicensed capacity, aboard an American-flag vessel or vessels covered by contract with this Union or one hundred (100) days of employment with, or in any office or job of, the Union, its subsidiaries and its affiliates, or in any employment at the Union’s direction or a combination of these, between January 1 and the time of nomination in the election year, except if such seatime is wholly aboard such merchant vessels operating solely upon the Great Lakes or, if such seatime is wholly aboard tugboats, towboats or dredges and contractual employment thereon is for fixed days with equal amount of days off, he shall have at least sixty-five (65) days of such seatime instead of the foregoing one hundred (100) days; and (d) He is a citizen of the United States of America; and (e) He is not disqualified by law. He is not receiving a pension from this Union’s Pension Fund, if any, or from a UnionManagement Fund, to which Fund this Union is a party or from a company under contract with this Union; unless such individual commenced receiving a pension benefit from any such fund by virtue of having reached the age of 70½. (f) He has not sailed in a licensed capacity aboard an American flag merchant vessel or vessels within twenty-four (24) consecutive months immediately prior to the opening of nominations. Section 2. All candidates for, and holders of, other elective jobs not specified in the preceding sections shall be full book members of the Union. Section 3. All candidates for, and holders of, elective offices and jobs, whether elected or appointed in accordance with this Constitution, shall maintain full book memberships in good standing. ARTICLE XIII Election for Of ficers, Assistant Vice-Presidents, and Port Agents Section 1. Nominations. Except as provided in Section 2(b) of this Article, any full book member may submit his name for nomination for any office, or the job of Assistant Vice-President, or Port Agent, by delivering or causing to be delivered in person, to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters, or sending a letter addressed to the Credentials Committee, in care of the SecretaryTreasurer at the address of Headquarters. This letter shall be dated and shall contain the following: (a) The name of the candidate. (b) His home address and mailing address. (c) His book number. 6 Seafarers LOG (d) The title of the office or other job for which he is a candidate, including the name of the Port in the event the position sought is that of Port Agent. (e) Proof of citizenship. (f) Proof of seatime and/or employment as required for candidates. (g) In the event the member is on a vessel, he shall notify the Credentials Committee what vessel he is on. This shall be done also if he ships subsequent to forwarding his credentials. (h) Annexing a certificate in the following form, signed and dated by the proposed nominee: I HEREBY CERTIFY that during the past thirteen (13) years I have not been convicted of, or served any part of a prison term resulting from a conviction for robbery, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, grand larceny, burglary, arson, violation of narcotics laws, murder, rape, assault with intent to kill, assault which inflicts grievous bodily injury, or violation of Title II or III of the Landrum Griffin Act, or conspiracy to commit such crimes. In addition, I certify that I support the Constitution of the United States of America, its institutions and form of government.” Dated Signature of Member Book No._________ Printed forms of the certificate shall be made available to nominees. Where a nominee cannot truthfully execute such a certificate, but is, in fact, legally eligible for an office or job by reason of the restoration of civil rights originally revoked by such conviction or a favorable determination by the Board of Parole of the United States Department of Justice, he shall, in lieu of the foregoing certificate, furnish a complete signed statement of the facts of his case together with true copies of the documents supporting his statement. Any full book member may nominate any other full book member in which event such full book member so nominated shall comply with the provisions of this Article as they are set forth herein relating to the submission of credentials. By reason of the above self nomination provision the responsibility, if any, for notifying a nominee of his nomination to office shall be that of the nominator. All documents required herein must reach Headquarters no earlier than July 15 and no later than August 15 of the election year. The Secretary-Treasurer is charged with safekeeping of these letters and shall turn them over to the Credentials Committee upon the latter’s request. In order to ascertain the meaning of the term “member in good standing” which is used in Article XII, Subsection 1(b), the Committee referred to Article XXIV, Section 9 of our Constitution which reads as follows: Section 9. The term “member in good standing” shall mean a member whose monetary obligations to the Union are not in arrears for thirty (30) days or more, or who is not under suspension or expulsion effective in accordance with this Constitution. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, the term “member” shall mean a member in good standing. Your Committee sought guidance from the Union’s General Counsel through the Secretary-Treasurer as to whether this section would apply to a member who is unable to pay dues because of employment aboard an American flag merchant vessel as stated in Article III, Section 3(e). Your Committee was advised that, in keeping with past practice and constitutional interpretation, the same thirty (30) day grace period should be applied in these situations. Accordingly, when a member who is working on foreign articles leaves the vessel, the dues for the applicable quarter must be paid within thirty (30) days from the date of discharge in order to maintain good standing. Your committee was also advised that the Union’s executive board, due to the existence of the COVID 19 pandemic which made it difficult earlier this year for some people to secure employment and for others to end employment aboard a vessel due to limited crew change options, eased this requirement somewhat to allow members who were otherwise eligible to run for office to be able to maintain their continuous good standing. Your committee noted that all relevant information concerning this executive board action was widely disseminated to the membership and your committee fully approves of their actions. Your Committee also referred to Article XXIV, Section 13 for the definition of the term “seatime”. This section reads as follows: Section 13. The term “seatime” shall include employment upon any navigable waters, days of employment in a contracted employer unit represented by the Union or time spent in the employ of the Union or one of the Union’s direct affiliates as an elected or appointed representative. We also noted in Article XXIV, Section 14, the meaning of the term “in an unlicensed capacity aboard an American-flag merchant vessel or vessels.” This portion of the Constitution reads as follows: Section 14. The term “in an unlicensed capacity aboard an American-flag merchant vessel or vessels” shall include persons employed in an unlicensed or licensed capacity aboard dredges, tugboats, towboats and similar vessels used to tow, propel, or push barges or other conveyances or assist merchant vessels in docking or undocking, or persons otherwise employed in a contracted employer unit represented by the Union. After full and careful deliberations, the Committee made its decisions and sent appropriate notification to candidates. The ultimate decisions of this Committee are later set forth. In arriving at these ultimate decisions, the Committee was most concerned with carrying out a stated principle of our Union which is that “every qualified member shall have the right to nominate himself for, and, if elected or appointed, to hold office in this Union.” In connection with the foregoing, we have also consulted with the SecretaryTreasurer who, under our Constitution, has the obligation to ensure appropriate election procedures as legally required (Article XIII, Section 7). Our Secretary-Treasurer has further consulted with the Union’s Counsel as to the law applicable in Union nominations and elections. The following is a complete listing of all members who submitted their credentials to the Committee. Their names and the office or job for which they submitted such credentials are listed in the order in which this Committee feels they should be placed on the general ballot, that is, in alphabetical order under the office or job for which they run, and that the Ports, following the Headquarters offices, beginning with Piney Point, be arranged on the ballot geographically, as has been done in the past. After each member’s name and book number is his/her qualification or disqualification, followed by the reason for that decision. CHARGE OF CONTRACTS AND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT Patrick A. Vandegrift, V-488 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE ATL ANTIC COAST Nicholas A. Celona, C-1578 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE GULF COAST Kris A. Hopkins, H-1658 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE WEST COAST Bryan D. Powell, P-1987 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE SOUTHERN REGION, GREAT L AKES AND INL AND WATERS Michael Russo, R-5772 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF GOVERNMENT SERV ICES AND FISHING INDUSTRIES Joe Vincenzo, V-518 Qualified Credentials in order PINEY POINT PORT AGENT Mark von Siegel, V-612 Qualified Credentials in order NEW JERSEY PORT AGENT Raymond Henderson, H-1907 Qualified Credentials in order PHIL ADELPHIA PORT AGENT Joseph T. Baselice, B-2795 Qualified Credentials in order BALTIMORE PORT AGENT John Paul Hoskins, H-1630 Qualified Credentials in order MOBILE PORT AGENT Jimmy White, W-1600 Qualified Credentials in order NEW ORLEANS PORT AGENT Chris Westbrook, W-5787 Qualified Credentials in order HOUSTON PORT AGENT Joe Zavala, Z-5049 Qualified Credentials in order OAKL AND PORT AGENT Nicholas J. Marrone II, M-3537 Qualified Credentials in order PRESIDENT Michael J. Sacco, S-1288 Qualified Credentials in order ST. LOUIS PORT AGENT Chad Partridge, P-2057 Qualified Credentials in order EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Michael D. Murphy, M-2483 Qualified Credentials in order Lisa Sottile, S-2948 Qualified Credentials in order Augustin “Augie” Tellez, T-764 Qualified Credentials in order DETROIT-ALGONAC PORT AGENT Todd R. Brdak, B-2684 Qualified Credentials in order SECRETARY-TREASURER David W. Heindel, H-1443 Qualified Credentials in order Your committee also reviewed the credentials that were submitted by the following two individuals. V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF CONTRACTS AND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT George Tricker, T-919 Qualified Credentials in order Gilbert Tito Allende Jr, A-1678 nominated himself for Port Agent of Puerto Rico, and V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE ATL ANTIC COAST Joseph T. Soresi, S-2658 Qualified Credentials in order V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE GULF COAST Dean E. Corgey, C-5727 Qualified Credentials in order V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE WEST COAST Nicholas J. Marrone, M-2308 Qualified Credentials in order V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE SOUTHERN REGION, GREAT L AKES AND_INL AND WATERS Thomas Orzechowski, Jr, O-601 Qualified Credentials in order V ICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF GOV ERNMENT SERVICES AND FISHING INDUSTRIES Kathleen A. Hunt, H-15000 Qualified Credentials in order ASSISTANT V ICE-PRESIDENT IN David Stephens, S-3414 nominated himself for Port Agent of Jacksonville. Your committee, based on that fact that neither of these positions are constitutional positions for which a person can run for office, disqualified both of these individuals and did not feel the need to review any additional information concerning their eligibility. The Committee points out that in the President’s Pre-Balloting Report which published in the May SEAFARERS LOG and posted to the Seafarers website, the exact offices and jobs for which nominations were to be made was set forth. Your committee understood that, in prior election years, this report would have been presented to the membership at a regular membership meeting, but, again, due to the current COVID 19 pandemic, some membership meetings had to be cancelled to protect everyone’s health and safety. Your committee believes that all the relevant information was communicated extensively. In compliance with Article XIII, Section 2(b) of our Constitution, and in an attempt Continued on Page 8 September 2020 �SHBP Awards $132,000 in Scholarships The Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan’s 2020 Scholarship Committee on Aug. 10 bestowed scholarships totaling $132,000 upon nine individuals – in the process helping to chart their respective courses toward higher education degrees. Two active Seafarers and seven dependents were selected by the committee to receive funds to offset costs associated with pursuing degrees at accredited two- and four-year colleges. Tapped for the active Seafarer awards ($6,000 each) were QE3 Raibonne Charles and Chief Cook Craig Wooten. These mariners will pursue two-year degrees. Receiving four-year scholarships totaling $20,000 each were dependents: Collins Agyeman, Pearl Dingzon, Iman Meawad, Alexis Skipper and Angelica Barroga. Claiming $10,000 awards to pursue two-year courses of study were Matthew Ortiz and Marissa Peterson. Raibonne Charles Inland QE3 Raibonne Charles hails from Portland, Maine. He signed on with the union in 2016 and was a member of Paul Hall Center Class 809. A 2007 graduate of Windham High School in Windham, Maine, Charles was a well-rounded student. In addition to serving as president of his class, he was a member of the student council. In the athletic arena, he demonstrated versatility by participating in football, basketball and track and field. Charles was a church youth leader and volunteered numerous hours working in an area soup kitchen. He also assisted residents of a Maine veterans home where he was involved in impact mentoring. Following high school, Charles accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Maine. He earned his degree in forestry while again making his mark on the gridiron as a standout defensive lineman. Charles’ accomplishments on the field did not go unnoticed, and not long after graduation, he was offered a contract to play professional football in the Arena Football League. He played three seasons as a linebacker with the Richmond (Virginia) Raiders. “In April 2015, I walked away from the game of football forever,” he said in his scholarship application package. “I knew I needed a career that provided stability and would give me the ability to provide.” At that juncture, Charles began revisiting interests from childhood. “As a young boy, the maritime industry was my first interest,” he said. “I have many fond memories of sitting on my veranda in Grenada and standing in the Portland harbor watching ships come in and out. Often, I was left wondering where did these ships come from and where will they go….” Charles said his interest in shipping probably was the result of his childhood environment. “Both of my childhood homes were heavily reliant on the maritime industry,” he shared in his application package. “The most influential person in my life was a seafarer…. The first seafarer I knew was my father.” No surprise then, that Charles chose maritime as his career going forward following his days in the Arena Football League. “After some further research, I realized that this (maritime industry) is what I wanted to do. In January of 2016, I boarded a plane to Baltimore (en route to Piney Point) and my life was never the same,” he said. While in the apprentice program, Charles says he not only learned about seamanship, but many other things as well. “I learned how important it is to have properly trained seamen sailing under the American Flag…. The American Maritime Industry is not only good for America, it’s good for the world.” He will use his scholarship to pursue courses which will help pave his way toward obtaining his third assistant engineer’s license. He has applied for admission to the Maritime Professional Training school in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and the Mid Atlantic September 2020 Maritime Academy in Norfolk, Virginia. Chief Cook Craig Wooten Deep Sea Chief Cook Craig Wooten joined the union in 2016 after completing the apprentice program in Piney Point. A Georgia native, he is a 2010 graduate of Valdosta, Georgia’s Lowndes High School. Since his days as an apprentice, Wooten has returned to the Southern Maryland-based Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions to enhance his skills. Most recently, in 2019 he attended the school for firefighting and STCW training. “This year, I reach the ripe age of 28 and I wonder if I’m reaching my full potential,” Wooten shared in his scholarship application package. “Discovering the union (SIU) has propelled my life in such a dramatic way, but I still hunger for progression.” Advancement, including financial, educational, spiritual and physical, are all areas in his life that he is extremely passionate about, he added. “Before I joined the SIU, I was a broke college dropout searching for a way out.” In this stage of his life, he is looking to change that narrative and “leave a legacy worth remembering. To not only be a successful steward, but also a college grad.” His ultimate goal is to complement his work skills with higher education in order to become a successful businessman. “Studying some form of business is my biggest interest,” he said. “I want to be the CEO of a successful company one day.” Wooten already has completed 60 credits toward his degree at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Georgia. He hopes to realize his dream by completing the requirements for his bachelor’s degree in the very near future. He has applied for admission to the University of Miami, Hebron Technical Institute and Florida Barber Academy. He plans to focus his efforts in business and/or barbering. Collins Agyeman Collings Agyeman is the son of Deep Sea AB Collins Agyeman (and mother Esther, a care provider) who sails aboard the Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning-operated Pennsylvania. He has one sibling. Agyeman hails from Texas and is a 2020 graduate of YES Prep Boys School in Houston. During his high school tenure, he posted an overall 4.05 GPA and was involved in a host of athletic and non-athletic student activities. In the athletic arena, he was a member of the track and field as well as cross country teams. His non-athletic pursuits included the school debate team, academic decathlon team, Cavaliers for Christ and the YES Black Brotherhood. Agyeman served as lead drummer at Love in Christ Church and held leadership positions in several high school organizations, including president of this senior class. He regularly volunteered his time at Houston’s Westchase Health and Rehabilitation Center where he assisted the elderly and mentally impaired. Agyeman worked as a policy analyst, field intern and high school ambassador for the Raj Salhotra Campaign for the Houston City Council At Large. Finally, he was a teaching fellow for Breakthrough Houston. In this position, he taught rising high school juniors and sophomores effective strategies to improve scores on SAT tests. He has applied for admission to Vanderbilt University, Rice University and Emory University. Agyeman will pursue a degree in Political Science. Pearl Dingzon Pearl Dingzon is the daughter of Deep Sea ABG Julian Dingzon (and mother Nelia, a homemaker), who sails aboard the Decisive. She has five siblings. A 2020 graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, she posted an overall 4.61 GPA. Dingzon was a member of her school’s badminton squad and was active in a number of non-athletic activities. Included were the German Club, Gardening Club and the MERIT Health Leadership Academy. She was also the CEO, Youth Leadership Advisory Council. She has applied for admission to John Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park, and Stevenson University. Dingzon plans to major in pre-med and psychology. Iman Meawad Iman Meawad is the daughter of Inland GUDE Kamal Meawad (and mother Howaida, a homemaker), who sails with WATCO. She has three siblings. Meawad hails from Staten Island, New York, and is a 2020 graduate of Susan E. Wagner High School. She ranked 107 in her class which numbered 768 students and posted a 4.68 overall GPA. She participated in her school’s Helping Hands and SAT Clubs. Additionally, Meawad served as a peer trainer and youth action member of New York City’s Citizens Committee for Children. After graduating from college as a registered nurse, she plans on becoming a nurse practitioner. Once she has realized that goal, she hopes to continue her education in nursing, ultimately specializing in mental health. Meawad has applied for admission to New York University, Hunter College and the College of Staten Island. Alexis Skipper Alexis Skipper is a 2020 graduate of St. Augustine High School and hails from St. Augustine, Florida. She’s the daughter of Inland Ordinary Seaman Norman Skipper Jr. (and mother Helen, a self-employed travel agent) who works with Crowley Towing and Transportation. She has four siblings. Skipper posted a 3.57 overall GPA at St. Augustine High and was a member of the tennis team. She also was a member of the National Honor Society and an all-star cheerleader. Additionally, she was a member of the school chorus and participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Happening and New Beginnings retreats. Highly involved in church and civic activities, Skipper held office as head of music, youth delegate, communications director and junior weekend advisor. She was also a counselor and leader in her community’s Vacation Bible School. Skipper plans to pursue a career in nursing. She has applied for admission to Florida State University, the University of Florida and the University of South Florida. Angelica Barroga Angelica Barroga is the daughter of Deep Sea Chief Cook Domingo Barroga Jr. (and mother, Adelia, a drug store shift supervisor), who sails aboard Maersk Line, Limited’s Maersk Denver. She has two siblings. A 2020 graduate of Moanalua High School in Honolulu, Barroga accumulated an overall 3.83 GPA. She ranked 85th in her class which boasted 504 students. She participated in her school’s Judo, Leo and Science Clubs and was a member of the marching band color guard. Barroga also took part in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Academic Bowl. She was treasurer of her freshman class and Flight Leader of her school’s JROTC Golf Flight Element. An active participant in affairs that directly affected her community, she devoted countless hours volunteering. Included were such undertakings as Feed the Homeless, the Salvation Army Thanksgiving Lunch and Toys for Tots. Barroga was a frequent helper at elementary school fun fairs and music festivals. She has applied for admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Grand Canyon University and Chaminade University. Barroga plans to study the health science and ultimately realize a career in nursing. Matthew Ortiz Matthew Ortiz hails from Saint Johns, Florida. He is the son of Inland DEU Ruben Ortiz (and mother, Miriam, a school clerk), who works aboard vessels operated by Crowley Towing. He has two sisters. A 2019 graduate of Creekside High School, Ortiz ranked 78th in his class which numbered 569 students. He posted a 4.31 overall GPA. Ortiz participated in cross country and track and field and was active in a host of non-athletic activities and societies including the National Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma, Rho Kappa and the Catholic Student Union Economics Club. Ortiz dedicated many volunteer hours at the Dreams Come True Club, the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the Engineering Academy-St. Johns Housing Partner. He is enrolled at Florida State University where he already has completed 15 credits towards his bachelor’s degree. Ortiz is studying political science and economics. Ultimately, he hopes attend law school. Marissa Peterson Marissa Peterson is from Pooler, Georgia. She is the daughter of Inland Deckhand James Peterson Jr. (and mother, Michelle, a homemaker), who sails with Crescent Towing. A 2014 graduate of Windsor Forest High School, Peterson achieved a 4.0 overall GPA. She participated in her school’s concert and marching bands and was a member of both the Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society. Peterson was extremely active in her community, volunteering her time at a host of organizations. She attended the College of Coastal Georgia from 2015-2017, along the way earning 41 credits. Over the past five years, Peterson has been self-employed as a child care provider for multiple organizations. She is a childbirth education doula, birth and bereavement doula and postpartum doula Peterson currently attends Georgia Southern University and has already earned 67 credits towards her degree. She is majoring in nursing. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she plans to continue her education, ultimately earning her master’s degree in nursing-midwifery. Seafarers LOG 7 �Committee Certifies Candidates’ Election Credentials Continued from Page 6 to give every nominee every consideration and to try to prevent any disqualifications by this Committee, William Lima, of the Credentials Committee, remained at the entrance of the Headquarters building of the Union until midnight of Saturday, August 15, 2020, to receive any credentials that might have been delivered by hand after the closing of business hours by the Union. All credentials received as of August 15, 2020 have been furnished to the Committee in good order. All credentials have been examined in strict accordance with the Constitution. Any defect in the credentials disposed of by the Committee has been the sole responsibility of the sender and no person adversely affected by such defect has denied this to the Committee. Dated: August 17, 2020 Timothy Pillsworth, P-1872 Chairman Earl Castain, C-1931 William Lima, L-15003 Donald Lumpkins, L-1414 Executive Board Aims to Boost Access To Absentee Ballots for SIU Election During the September membership meetings, Seafarers will be presented with actions by the union’s executive board aimed at facilitating access to absentee ballots for this year’s SIU election. The board approved these modifications in light of the global COVID19 pandemic. The SIU Constitution provides that eligible members can vote by absentee ballot if they are on a vessel or in a hospital during the voting period. For this election, the board proposes that anyone desiring to vote by absentee ballot be allowed to do so. While the constitution specifies that absentee-ballot requests should be made by registered or certified mail, for this election, the board proposes that such requests may be sent by regular mail (which wouldn’t require mem- bers to leave their homes to go to a post office). If, however, any member sends a request for an absentee ballot by regular mail, that member is asked to wait five or more days to allow the request to be delivered, and then call the office of SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel to verify the request has been received. Additionally, the constitution specifies that absentee ballot requests must be received at headquarters by 12 p.m. on Nov. 10 of the election year. Again because of the pandemic, and in an effort to enable full participation in this election, the board has proposed extending this deadline to 12 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2020 (meaning all absentee ballot requests would need to be received at headquarters by this new deadline date). The next item that the board has acted Karl Mayhew, M-15018 Luis Santiago Sotero, S-3456 Supplement to report: After the completion of our work and the signing of our report, your committee was asked to reconvene via conference call on August 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. We were advised that another credential was received at headquarters on August 17, 2020. The credential was submitted by Lisa Sottile to nominate herself for the position of Port Agent of St. Louis. Article XIII of the Constitution provides that all credentials must upon involves in-person voting hours. The constitution provides that voting at the hiring halls shall take place between 9 a.m. and noon, Mondays through Saturdays during the voting period. For this election, due to social distancing restrictions and limits on the number of people who can be present at a hiring hall any one time, the board proposes extending the in-person voting hours until 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. This would allow members to come in and vote between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The last issue undertaken by the SIU Executive Board pertaining to this election was a proposal to allow ballots to be brought by a union representative to a vessel that is in a U.S. port and that is within a 50-mile radius of a hiring hall or to other locations within the same radius where a ship’s crew might be congregating. If a vessel is beyond the 50mile radius, reasonable efforts will be made to try to deliver ballots; but, this would depend arrive at headquarters no later than August 15 of the election year. Notwithstanding that, your committee was provided with evidence indicating that Lisa Sottile’s credential arrived at the local post office on August 14 via overnight service; however, it was not delivered to the headquarters building until August 17. Your committee believes that sister Sottile should not be penalized by the delivery delay. Your committee, after reviewing her credentials has determined that she is qualified to run for the office of Port Agent of St. Louis, Missouri. on the actual distance and the availability of union representatives. (Also, if a vessel is one that the port routinely services and is beyond the 50-mile radius, ballots can be brought to that vessel during the routine servicing.) Due to restriction-to-ship issues, the board understood that it might be difficult for members desiring to vote in person to leave a vessel and come to a hiring hall. This proposed solution would help that situation. When ballots are brought to a vessel, members will have the opportunity to vote and arrangements will be made for them to do so in a secret fashion. All of these actions were carried out to help counter the effects of this pandemic and to try to ensure full membership participation in the SIU election. Again, they will be presented to the membership during the September meetings. Step-by-step instructions for requesting and submitting an absentee ballot will be posted on the SIU website and published in next month’s LOG. Spotlight on Mariner Health 2020 Flu Season Signals Start Of Critical Period for Everyone Editor’s note: This article was provided by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan Medical Department. The 2020-2021 Flu Season is rapidly approaching and now is the time for everyone to begin formulating strategies to mitigate the condition as much as possible. Specifically, everyone 6 months and older (or those caring for them) should begin planning on getting vaccinated in order to reduce the overall burden of respiratory illness, protect vulnerable populations, and decrease burden on the healthcare system. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), between 39 million and 56 million people were sickened with the flu during last year’s flu season, which ran from Oct. 1, 2019 to April 4, 2020. This resulted in between 18-26 million medical visits and 410,000 to 740,000 hospitalizations. The CDC estimated that there were at least 24,00062,000 deaths related to the flu during the 20192020 season. While anyone can get sick from the flu, some individuals are at higher risk than others. Included in this category are people 65 or older, those who have chronic medical issues/conditions, the very young, and pregnant women. The signs and symptoms for flu usually arrive suddenly. Some of the symptoms that an individual who has contracted the illness may exhibit include: fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, tiredness. Some may also may have diarrhea or vomiting. Most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks. Some, however, may develop complications such as pneumonia, severe sinus and ear infections, heart problems, encephalitis of the brain, and sepsis. Everyone should be aware that there are many different types of flu viruses and that they are constantly changing. For this reason, the composition of the flu vaccines for the U.S. is reviewed annually and updated as needed in order to match the flu viruses that are circulating. Flu vaccines protect against the three or four 8 Seafarers LOG viruses that researchers decide will be most common for that particular year. This illustrates the importance of everyone getting their annual flu shots. Simply put, these injections are a last line of defense when it comes to combating the complications caused by the flu virus. In this vein, September and October would be a good time to get the flu vaccine. Doing so during this period will give individuals protection through the winter months when the flu is most active. It is vitally important for essential workers, and persons at increased risk for severe illness, to get the flu shot yearly. For many Seafarers, flu shots are mandatory, both aboard military vessels and many commercial ships. Everyone should be aware that COVID-19 cases continue to increase throughout the country. With the seasonal flu season just around the corner, both illnesses could run rampant simultaneously. Such a situation undoubtedly could pose real challenges for the general public, essential workers and health officials. However, systems are in place to protect the population from COVID. Wearing face masks, practicing good hygiene and social distancing, avoiding group gatherings and other indoor activities, working from home, and virtual learning for schoolchildren are some of the measures which thus far have yielded favorable results. The presence of the COVID-19 Pandemic means that it’s more important than ever for everyone to get flu shots this year. The flu weakens individuals’ bodies to the point that they become more susceptible to the coronavirus, thus putting them at added risks. It should also be pointed out that it is possible to have the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Such a scenario obviously decreases one’s chance of survival and should be avoided at all costs. The other point to remember is that there is still no vaccine available for COVID-19, so prevention of its spread currently is our only line of defense against it. Everyone is advised to stay as healthy as possible and get all immunizations as required, especially the yearly flu shot. Healthy Recipe Grilled Pineapple Chimichurri Chicken Servings 24 3 whole red bell peppers, halved and seeded 12 slices fresh pineapple, ½” thick sliced 4 cups cilantro leaves, whole 4 cups parsley sprigs ½ cup lime juice 1 ½ cups canola oil 1 ½ cups teriyaki sauce ½ cup fresh ginger root, minced 9 pounds chicken breast, 6 oz each ¾ cup green onion, chopped 1 ½ cups macadamia nuts Preparation Place pepper and pineapple on an oiled grill rack over medium heat; grill, covered, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes per side. For chimichurri, place cilantro, parsley and lime juice in a food processor; pulse until herbs are finely chopped. Continue processing while slowly adding oil. Chop grilled pepper and pineapple; stir into herb mixture. Mix teriyaki sauce and ginger. Place chicken on an oiled grill rack over medium heat; grill, covered, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees F, 5-7 minutes per side. Brush with some of the teriyaki mixture during the last 4 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining teriyaki mixture before serving. If desired, serve with couscous. Top with chimichurri green onions and macadamia nuts. Nutrition Information Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 551 calories; 33g fat (53.2% calories from fat); 31g protein; 35g carbohydrate; 4g dietary fiber; 87 mg cholesterol; 781 md sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain (starch); 4 lean meat; 1 vegetable; 2 fruit; 4 fat. Editor’s note: The foregoing recipe was provided by Chef Robert “RJ” Johnson of the of the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education’s Lundeberg School of Seamanship. September 2020 �Mariners Answered Call During WWII Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from July 16-August 15. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of August 15. Continued from Page 20 Superhuman Sacrifice It would have been exhausting work even for a man who had not already spent the entire night in the water, much less for this seaman who had consumed so much of his strength so that others of the crew could live till rescue arrived. When a line was finally thrown to Alm himself, he was almost too exhausted to secure it around his own waist. It seemed like hours before he could summon up sufficient strength to secure the knot and wave for them to haul him aboard. All this time Captain Brown kept his ship within a few feet of the castaways, but Alm was too weak now to help himself and when the Bury edged closer to try and swing him aboard, he was hit several times by the side of the ship. Once, he went down, choking with water, but the sea could not claim such a man as this and they fished him finally onto the deck, bruised, bleeding and covered with oil – exhausted to the point of semi-consciousness, but still very much alive. After they gave him a shot of brandy he passed out “like a light.” Gustave Alm was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal of the merchant marine. Wrote the Bury’s Captain Brown to the United States Maritime Commission: “I feel honored to have played a part in the rescue of a man with such spirit. He is a true American.” Total Registered Port All Groups A B Total Shipped C All Groups A B Registered on Beach C Trip Reliefs A All Groups B C To MacArthur on Bataan It was at Brisbane, Australia, in January of 1942 that several Army officers came board the SS Coast Farmer and informed Captain John A. Mattson that his ship was to be loaded immediately with a “very important” cargo of war supplies, and that he and his crew were to hurry them north with the utmost speed. Notice to SIU Pensioners Eligible For Health Benefits from SHBP A new Summary Plan Description (SPD) is available at http:// www.seafarers.org. This document describes your health benefits as a pensioner, and replaces the previous version, which was issued in 2015. The Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) will send a printed version to all pensioners eligible for health benefits from the SHBP in the near future. To access the online version, look under the “About” menu, then go to “Benefit Plans” and then to “Health and Benefits Plan.” The PDF document is linked in the upper-right part of the page. September & October Membership Meetings Those attending membership meetings are reminded to bring face coverings. Safety protocols are in place at the halls and will remain in effect during the meetings. Seafarers are urged to check the SIU website and/or check with their hiring halls to verify that the membership meetings listed here are still happening. Piney Point.............*Tuesday: September 8, Monday: October 5 Algonac.....................................Friday: September 11, October 9 Baltimore..............................Thursday: September 10, October 8 Guam..................................Thursday: September 24, October 22 Honolulu................................Friday: September 18, October 16 Houston..................Monday: September 14, *Tuesday: October 13 Jacksonville......................Thursday: September 10, October 8 Joliet.....................................Thursday: September 17, October 15 Mobile.............................Wednesday: September 16, October 14 New Orleans............................Tuesday: September 15, October 13 Jersey City...............................Tuesday: September 8, October 6 Norfolk..................................Thursday: September 10, October 8 Oakland.............................Thursday: September 17, October 15 Philadelphia...................Wednesday: September 9, October 7 Port Everglades..................Thursday: September 17, October 15 San Juan............................Thursday: September 10, October 8 St. Louis......................................Friday: September 18, October 16 Tacoma................................Friday: September 25, October 23 Wilmington.....................Monday: September 21, October 19 *Piney Point change due to Labor Day Holiday; Houston change due to Columbus Day observance Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m September 2020 Seafarers LOG 9 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU RETIREE GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY – Retired Recertified Steward Shawn Fujiwara has produced and donated hundreds of face coverings in the Pacific Northwest since the start of the pandemic. “Feels good to give back,” he noted. ABOARD CS DECISIVE – In the photo above, Seafarers are pictured aboard the SubCom vessel in Newington, New Hampshire, where they loaded cable for a big project along the west coast of South America. The photo at the immediate right features Recertified Bosun Lovell Smith (left) and his son, AB Jamel Smith. The bosun reported excellent work by the deck gang and said they “rose to the occasion and did an outstanding job.” ABOARD PRESIDENT CLEVELAND – Pictured from left to right aboard the APL ship are SIU Oakland Patrolman Adrian Fraccarolli, ACU Tuliga Fuega, Recertified Steward Joseph Welle and Chief Cook Rey Chang. Photo was taken July 24 in Oakland. 10 Seafarers LOG September 2020 �PELICAN STATE SEAFARERS – Pictured following a dockside union meeting in Martinez, California, are QMED Jose Bonita, Apprentice Julian Rubbo, AB Casey Coddington and Recertified Bosun Sanjay Gupta. The vessel is operated by Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning. ABOARD PERLA DEL CARIBE – “New Orleans Night” was a hit aboard the TOTE vessel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The menu featured snow crab legs, chicken cracklings, shrimp boil, corn on the cob, red potatoes, fresh green beans, and corn bread. Pictured from left are Chief Cook Steven Lopez and Chief Steward Ingrid Ortiz. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU BOOKS GALORE IN MICHIGAN – Pictured at the hiring hall in Algonac are (above, from left to right) Gateman Wisam Mesleh, GUDE Fadel Mohamed, Chief Cook Katherine Anderson and SA Abdul Ali. The first three aforementioned Seafarers received their respective full B-books, while Ali got his probationary book. He and Mohamed are both second-generation SIU members. FULL BOOK IN HOUSTON – AB Elvin Ruiz is sworn in July 22 at the hiring hall. FULL BOOK IN OAKLAND – Chief Cook Bryan Nystrom receives his full book at the hiring hall in late July. B-BOOK IN HAWAII – OS John Kaleiopu receives his full B-book. He’s pictured at the Honolulu hall. B-BOOK IN MOBILE – AB Dominique Glover is pictured with his full B-book at the hiring hall in Alabama. A-BOOK IN SAN JUAN – QEE Edwin Velez displays his newly acquired A-seniority book at the hiring hall in Puerto Rico. “I’m very proud of my union and thankful for all of the training they have provided, along with the jobs and opportunities for growth,” Velez said. September 2020 WELCOME ASHORE IN HOUSTON – Recertified Bosun Donald Clotter (photo at immediate left) picks up his first pension check at the hiring hall. ANCHORAGE IN KODIAK – In addition to his seafaring skills, AB Chris Linsley knows a thing or two about drone photography. He took this shot of the Matson Anchorage in Kodiak, Alaska, in late May. Seafarers LOG 11 �Inquiring Seafarer Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President George Tricker, Vice President Contracts This month’s question was answered by upgraders at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland. Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Question: What are some things you’re looking forward to whenever the pandemic finally ends? David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 Willie Smith AB I’m looking forward to a return to normalcy overall, including the travel I’ve missed out on, and planning a vacation. I love to fish and probably will charter a boat for the first time. But right now, I’m excited about getting my first job as a civilian mariner. I just finished a career in the Navy. Diane MacDonald Chief Cook I’m very hopeful that, as a global community, we can all remember that we’re in the same boat – pun intended. It’s an exciting time to watch this transformation through crisis. My training at Piney Point has helped prepare me to work safely through this pandemic. As a side note, please remember to support your local businesses. Juan Chevalier AB Watching some baseball with my family, including my father, who recently retired from the SIU. He sailed for 40 years and had 11,000 days at sea. He was an AB with Crowley. I’m looking forward to eventually travelling to the Dominican Republic, but it’s on lockdown right now. William Otero Chief Cook I can’t wait to get back to work, and get my kids back in school. It’s been hard not being out there. I want to get back to sailing and seeing the world, and get back to making money to support my family. But I do think all my training has prepared me, and the union has done their part to keep me safe during this period. Teva Kurth AB Life has actually been kind of going the same for me, just working and spending time with family. I do look forward to not having the burden of knowing I might come home with something and get the family sick, no matter how careful I’ve been. But I live pretty simply. Hussein Nasser Recertified Chief Cook I can’t wait to see my wife and kid back home. I hope we can collectively learn to keep our distance from other people a little more, and take all the lessons we’ve learned through this pandemic into the future. MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT 45353 St. George’s Avenue, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 Pic From The Past This undated photo was submitted by Retired SIU Steward Assistant Trinidad Nieves who sailed with the union from 1967 to 2005. The photo shows Nieves honing his skills on the 350-Caliber Machine Gun. He was aboard the USNS Fisher as it made its way to the Persian Gulf. ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 12 Seafarers LOG If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org September 2020 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA ALI ALZOKARI Brother Ali Alzokari, 65, joined the Seafarers International Union in 2000, initially sailing on the McDonnell. He primarily sailed in the steward department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2005. Brother Alzokari most recently sailed on the Maersk Atlanta. He makes his home in Vallejo, California. PATRICK BAKER Brother Patrick Baker, 65, started sailing with the union in 1976 when he shipped on the Erna Elizabeth. A member of the deck department, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Baker last sailed on the Liberty Wave and settled in Panama City, Florida. OLIVER BOHANNON Brother Oliver Bohannon, 72, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1991 when he sailed on the USNS Capable. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions and was a deck department member. Brother Bohannon’s final vessel was the Energy Enterprise. He lives in Barberton, Ohio. VASIL CHOLAKOVSKI Brother Vasil Cholakovski, 67, began his career with the SIU in 2008, initially sailing aboard the Dependable. He was a member of the engine department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Cholakovski most recently shipped on the Maersk Columbus. He makes his home in Issaquah, Washington. DONALD CLOTTER KEVIN DOUGHERTY Brother Kevin Dougherty, 65, joined the union in 1983. A steward department member, he first sailed aboard the Independence. Brother Dougherty upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. He most recently shipped aboard the Horizon Pacific and makes his home in Princeville, Hawaii. JOSEPH EMIDY Brother Joseph Emidy, 61, began sailing with the SIU in 1980. He shipped in the steward department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Emidy’s first vessel was the El Paso Southern; his most recent, the Oregon. He settled in Blackstone, Massachusetts. DAVID FRIDSTROM Brother David Fridstrom, 65, signed on with the union in 2001, initially sailing on the Richard G. Matthiesen. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center within his first year and was a member of the deck department. Brother Fridstrom’ s final vessel was the Maersk Kinloss. He resides in San Diego. DAVID GARRETT Brother David Garrett, 65, donned the SIU colors in 2003. He first sailed aboard the Abby G and worked in the engine department. Brother Garrett most recently shipped on the SBX. He makes his home in Bali. LAURO MANGAHAS Brother Donald Clotter, 67, joined the union in 1990 when he shipped on the Independence. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Clotter’s last vessel was the Overseas Texas City. He is a Houston resident. Brother Lauro Mangahas, 65, started shipping with the Seafarers in 1993, initially sailing aboard the President Van Buren. He sailed in all three departments and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Mangahas last sailed on the Cape Inscription. He resides in the Philippines. JULES DELGADO DONALD MCGRAW Brother Jules Delgado, 66, donned the SIU colors in 2001. He shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the union-affiliated Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Delgado’s first vessel was the Lykes Explorer; his most recent, the Green Ridge. He settled in Daytona Beach, Florida. September 2020 Brother Donald McGraw, 65, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1989 when he sailed aboard the USNS H.H. Hess. He primarily worked in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother McGraw last shipped on the Cape Kennedy. He calls Avondale, Louisiana, home. ROBERT RICHARDSON Brother Robert Richardson, 66, started shipping with the SIU in 1976, initially aboard a Waterman Steamship vessel. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded his skills on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center. He last sailed aboard the Horizon Reliance and settled in Springfield, Illinois. barked on his career with the SIU in 1980, initially sailing aboard the Brooklyn. A deck department member, he upgraded at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center on several occasions. Brother Schwedland’s final vessel was the Walter J. McCarthy. He calls St. Petersburg, Florida, home. MARK RUHL JON WATSON Brother Mark Ruhl, 65, joined the SIU in 1974. An engine department member, he first sailed aboard the Yukon. Brother Ruhl upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. He concluded his career on the Cape Washington and resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Brother Jon Watson, 65, joined the union in 1976 when he shipped on the J.S. Young. He was a deck department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Watson’s final vessel was the Indiana Harbor. He calls South Lyon, Michigan, home. OVIDIO SANTOS Brother Ovidio Santos, 65, signed on with the union in 2001. He upgraded often at the Piney Point school and sailed in the deck department. Brother Santos’ first vessel was the Energy Enterprise; his last, the Maersk Kinloss. He is a resident of New Bedford, Massachusetts. GREAT LAKES GERALD ANDERSON Brother Gerald Anderson, 65, joined the SIU in 1979 when he sailed with American Steamship. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions and was an engine department member. Brother Anderson’s final vessel was the John Boland. He lives in Watertown, South Dakota. DANIEL BREYER Brother Daniel Breyer, 65, became a member of the SIU in 2001. He was a deck department member and first sailed aboard the Gemini. Brother Breyer upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. He last sailed on the St. Clair and makes his home in Sun City, Arizona. RICHARD GAUTHIER Brother Richard Gauthier, 63, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1993. He sailed in both the deck and steward departments and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 1997. Brother Gauthier first worked for Upper Lakes Barge Lines. He most recently shipped on the Joyce L. VanEnkevort and resides in Bark River, Michigan. STEVE SCHWEDLAND Brother Steve Schwedland, 66, em- INLAND MARK BURGER Brother Mark Burger, 65, signed on with the Seafarers in 1981. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Burger was employed by Moran Towing of Texas for the duration of his career. He lives in Germania, New Jersey. DANIEL CRONAN Brother Daniel Cronan, 66, donned the SIU colors in 1998 when he shipped with Penn Maritime. He sailed in both the deck and engine departments. Brother Cronan upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. He last sailed aboard the Integrity and makes his home in Wakefield, Rhode Island. STEPHEN GARDINER Brother Stephen Gardiner, 59, began his career with the Seafarers in 1979, initially sailing aboard the Overseas Washington. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Gardiner’s final vessel was the Achievement. He settled in Norwood, Pennsylvania. JIMMY LIPSCOMB Brother Jimmy Lipscomb, 62, joined the SIU in 1979, initially working with G&H Towing. He sailed in the engine department and concluded his career aboard the Vision. Brother Lipscomb is a resident of Santa Fe, Texas. TIMOTHY MACRURY Brother Timothy Macrury, 65, embarked on his career with the union in 1976, initially working for H&M Lake Transport. He sailed in both the steward and deck departments and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Macrury was last employed by OLS Transport. He settled in Port Huron, Michigan. THOMAS PAYTOSH Brother Thomas Paytosh, 59, signed on with the Seafarers union in 2000, initially sailing with Riverboat Services. He was an engine department member and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Paytosh most recently shipped on the Courage. He resides in Bonita Springs, Florida. MICHAEL STRAVERS Brother Michael Stravers, 62, started shipping with the union in 1978 when he sailed aboard the Capricorn. He upgraded often at the Piney Point school and shipped in both the deck and engine departments. Brother Stravers last sailed with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He settled in Normandy Park, Washington. TERRY TRACY Brother Terry Tracy, 68, donned the SIU colors in 1993. He was employed by G&H Towing for his entire career. Brother Tracy was a deck department member. He lives in Dickinson, Texas. BRYAN WYNN Brother Bryan Wynn, 62, joined the SIU in 2007 when he worked for Starlight Marine Services. He sailed in both the engine and deck departments and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2010. Brother Wynn continued to work for the same company for the duration of his career. He makes his home in Prunedale, California. MARK GODBOLD Brother Mark Godbold, 66, started sailing with the union in 1996 when he worked for Westbank Riverboat Services. He was a deck department member and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2001. Brother Godbold last shipped on the Padre Island. He calls Slidell, Louisiana, home. Seafarers LOG 13 �Final Departures DEEP SEA THOMAS ARNOLD Pensioner Thomas Arnold, 84, died June 24. He signed on with the SIU in 1969 and first shipped on the Sabine. Brother Arnold was a member of the deck department. He concluded his career on the Hawaii and became a pensioner in 2001. Brother Arnold resided in Ringgold, Georgia. SANG BAE Pensioner Sang Bae, 84, passed away July 4. He joined the SIU in 1983. Brother Bae first sailed aboard the Independence. He primarily sailed in the steward department, and last shipped on the Galveston Bay. Brother Bae retired in 2000. He was a resident of Bensalem, Pennsylvania. MARTHA BYE Sister Martha Bye, 60, died May 10. She signed on with the Seafarers in 2000; her first vessel was the USNS Prevail. Sister Bye worked in the steward department. She most recently sailed aboard the Ocean Trader and made her home in Clarksville, Indiana. CHARLES CLACKLEY Pensioner Charles Clackley, 77, passed away July 15. He joined the union in 1990 when he shipped aboard the Eugene A. Obregon. Brother Clackley was an engine department member and last sailed on the USNS Stockham. He went on pension in 2006 and settled in Panama City Beach, Florida. RONALD GORDON Pensioner Ronald Gordon, 66, died June 27. He joined the SIU in 1980 and first sailed on the Santa Mercedes. Brother Gordon was an engine department member. He last shipped aboard the Overseas Philadelphia before going on pension in 2009. Brother Gordon was a resident of Mobile, Alabama. RONALD HUYETT Pensioner Ronald Huyett, 78, has passed away. He became a member of the union in 1989, initially sailing aboard the Anders. Brother Huyett sailed in the deck department. He last 14 Seafarers LOG shipped aboard the El Yunque before becoming a pensioner in 2010. Brother Huyett lived in Seattle. LESLIE KLEIN Pensioner Leslie Klein, 74, died July 6. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1999 when he sailed aboard the Overseas Joyce. Brother Klein primarily sailed in the deck department and last shipped on the Horizon Tacoma. He retired in 2011 and resided in Poulsbo, Washington. MILDRED LAND Sister Mildred Land, 94, has passed away. A Texas native, she began shipping with the Seafarers International Union in 1978. Sister Land sailed in the steward department and was employed with States Steamship for the duration of her career. She resided in Benicia, California. ROBERT MCGONAGLE Pensioner Robert McGonagle, 88, died June 14. He joined the SIU in 1955 and first sailed aboard a Veritas Steamship vessel. A deck department member, Brother McGonagle last sailed aboard the Independence in 1993. He became a pensioner the same year and settled in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. PAUL MCMAHON CHARLES SPENCE Pensioner Charles Spence, 76, passed away July 7. He embarked on his career with the union in 1973, initially sailing aboard the Kinsman Enterprise. Brother Spence primarily sailed in the deck department and last shipped aboard the Overseas New York. He became a pensioner in 2009 and called La Quinta, California, home. LINTON TAYLOR Pensioner Linton Taylor, 82, died May 9. He joined the Seafarers in 1969 and first shipped aboard the Steel Scientist. Brother Taylor was a member of the steward department and concluded his career aboard the Cape Breton. He went on pension in 2014 and lived in Seattle. GEORGE WILLIAMSON Pensioner George Williamson, 94, passed away July 24. He signed on with the SIU in 1951, initially sailing on a Victory Carriers ship. Brother Williamson was an engine department member. He last shipped on the Overseas Ulla and retired in 1982. Brother Williamson made his home in Mobile, Alabama. INLAND RUPERT CARTER Pensioner Paul McMahon, 86, passed away April 15. He joined the SIU in 1964 and sailed in the deck department. Brother McMahon’s first vessel was the Steel Direct; his last, the Endurance. He retired in 1999 and was a resident of Las Vegas. Pensioner Rupert Carter, 70, died June 2. He was born in Cumberland, North Carolina, and embarked on his career with the SIU in 1969. Brother Carter sailed in the deck department. He worked for the Association of Maryland Pilots until his retirement in 2012. Brother Carter resided in Parkton, North Carolina. PAUL MOSS JAMES DONNELLY Brother Paul Moss, 57, died May 9. He began sailing with the union in 1987, when he shipped aboard the Cape Horn. Brother Moss primarily worked in the deck department, most recently aboard the Ocean Crescent. He was a Houston resident. WILLIAM SIMMONS Pensioner William Simmons, 68, died July 27. He donned the SIU colors in 1970 when he worked for Hvide Marine. Brother Simmons shipped in the steward department. He last sailed on the Yorktown Express and retired in 2014. Brother Simmons made his home in Call, Texas. Pensioner James Donnelly, 81, has passed away. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1962. Brother Donnelly first worked for G&H Towing. He concluded his career with the same company and went on pension in 2002. Brother Donnelly lived in Houston. JULIA HILL Pensioner Julia Hill, 66, died May 12. She began sailing with the union in 1988 when she worked for Delta Queen Steamboat Company. A steward department member, Sister Hill last shipped aboard the American Queen. She became a pensioner in 2015 and settled in Flint, Michigan. JOHN JACKSON Brother John Jackson, 56, passed away June 19. He signed on with the Seafarers International Union in 1994 when he worked for Crowley Towing and Transportation. Brother Jackson primarily shipped in the deck department and was employed with the same company for the duration of his career. He resided in Jacksonville, Florida, his birthplace. JOSEPH LEWIS Pensioner Joseph Lewis, 91, died August 2. He joined the union in 1959 and sailed with Chesapeake & Ohio Railway for the duration of his career. Brother Lewis became a pensioner in 1988 lived in Grimstead, Virginia. JOHN O’NEILL Pensioner John O’Neill, 80, passed away June 28. He joined the union in 1996 and worked for Crowley until his retirement in 2006. Brother O’Neill lived in Springfield, Pennsylvania. ROBERT PALMER Pensioner Robert Palmer, 67, died July 31. He signed on with SIU in 1998 and sailed in the deck department. Brother Palmer was employed by G&H Towing for his entire career. He retired in 2017 and made his home in Rockport, Texas. JOHN PRIMEAUX Pensioner John Primeaux, 83, passed away August 1. He embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1986. A deck department member, Brother Primeaux worked with Higman Barge Lines for the duration of his career. He became a pensioner in 2005 and settled in Kaplan, Louisiana. died July 28. He joined the SIU in 1967 and first sailed aboard the Eagle Voyage. Brother Springfield was a steward department member. He was last employed by OSG Ship Management before becoming a pensioner in 1996. Brother Springfield lived in Vineland, New Jersey. ROBERT TRIGG Pensioner Robert Trigg, 77, passed away July 2. He started sailing with the SIU in 1987. Brother Trigg first shipped aboard the USNS Lynch and sailed in the deck department. He concluded his career working on the Sugar Island and went on pension in 2004. Brother Trigg resided in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. NMU LINCOLN RICH Pensioner Lincoln Rich, 82, died July 3. He was an NMU member before the 2001 NMU/SIU merger. Brother Rich sailed in the deck department and last shipped aboard the Mormac Sun. He retired in 2003 and settled in Miami. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. NAME AGE Benson, Vernon 90 Chavez, Raul 95 Clayton, Mc 90 Dairo, Leo 92 Ferguson, Sarah 94 Filer, Eddie 83 Foster, David 87 Gilbert, Jack 90 Guzman, Robinson 90 Henderson, John 92 Jackson, Donald 94 Kerlin, Derwood 83 Passos, Regina 91 Pino, Ricardo 99 DOD 07/16/2020 07/03/2020 06/27/2020 06/27/2020 07/23/2020 06/29/2020 02/17/2020 06/11/2020 07/03/2020 05/23/2020 07/24/2020 06/22/2020 04/14/2020 08/05/2020 SILAS SAM Brother Silas Sam, 58, passed away June 15. He signed on with the SIU in 1999 and first sailed aboard the Overseas Joyce. Brother Sam was a deck department member and most recently shipped on the Courage. He lived in Rosharon, Texas. HARRY SPRINGFIELD Pensioner Harry Springfield, 91, September 2020 �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings WEST VIRGINIA (Intrepid Personnel & Provisioning), March 28 – Chairman John Cedeno, Secretary Milton Yournett, Educational Director Scott Fuller, Deck Delegate Juberto Perez, Engine Delegate Jose Smith, Steward Delegate Wilma Jackson. Chairman recommended members enroll in vacation direct deposit and sign up for SIU text alerts. Bosun has ordered games for crew to use during off time. Due to pandemic, linen will no longer be sent ashore for cleaning. Crew was instructed on related overtime protocols. Educational director informed crew that Paul Hall Center is no longer taking applications until further notice. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Bosun has deck department disinfecting house at least twice a day and instructed crew to follow six-feet social distancing guidelines. Deck tools are sanitized before and after each use. Toaster on order for crew. Members requested 401K match and an increase in paid vacation to 20 for 30. Crew would like base wages and OT to be paid to any member who gets infected with COVID-19 while employed aboard any vessel. Vote of thanks given to steward department for keeping a cheerful and positive attitude during meal hours and for an overall job well done with food. WEST VIRGINIA (Intrepid Personnel & Provisioning), May 25 – Chairman John The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. Cedeno, Secretary Milton Yournett, Educational Director Yuri Oliveros, Deck Delegate Michael Sedita, Engine Delegate Rudolph Miller. Crew was instructed to keep work tools clean and sanitize deck twice daily. Members were also reminded to keep a six feet social distance. Chairman explained the process for writing in restriction to vessel while in port. He encouraged members to enroll in vacation direct deposit. Two brand new sets of linen being offered to each crew member. Secretary reminded crew to wash old linens before turning them in. Educational director will follow up every two weeks with updates for Piney Point classes. OT dispute reported by each delegate for ship restriction. Bosun to call next port hiring hall to address dispute. Members requested new mattresses and new toaster for crew. Members expressed concerns with room inspections conducted by captain without presence of bosun and chief steward. Crew would like to see a 401K match program and an increase in monthly vacation days. Next port: New Jersey. EVERGREEN STATE (Intrepid Personnel & Provisioning), May 31 – Chairman Martin Baker, Secretary Jose Clotter, Educational Director Dennis Blake. Crew members not receiving pay vouchers on time or at payout. Bosun informed union officials of pay voucher issue. Steward department thanked for a job well done. Educational director encouraged members to continue to upgrade. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members asked for retirement requirements to change from minimum age to actual years served. New treadmill and elliptical needed for gym. MAERSK MONTANA (Maersk Line, Limited), June 1 – Chairman Tecumseh Williams, Secretary James Cameron, Educational Director Eddie Almodovar. Chairman advised members to upgrade at the Paul Hall Center and be prepared to take whatever course necessary for basic safety training and STCW endorsement. Secretary thanked crew for helping with keeping the house clean. Educational director reminded members to pay close attention to expiration dates on credentials and prepare for renewals well in advance. He thanked steward department for a job well done. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members were encouraged to read the LOG, especially the President’s Report. Crew requested increases in health benefits. Members would like vacation pay to be 25 for 30. LIBERTY PROMISE (Liberty Maritime), June 21 – Chairman Scott Snodgrass, Secretary Robert Davis, Educational Director Maurice Ayuso, Deck Delegate Dennis Mariveles, Steward Delegate Michelle Taylor. Concerns voiced about having only one washer and dryer for crew and lack of hot water for coffee machine. Questions raised about members not being compensated for ship restriction while officers reportedly are being paid. Chairman announced payoff in Charleston and plans to contact SIU to have port agent meet the ship to discuss complaints. Vote of thanks given to crew for keeping inside house clean and to ABs for working together when docking and undocking. Secretary has vacation applications, beneficiary cards and medical forms available. He advised members to read the board for communications from SIU. Educational director urged crew to check document dates and Coast Guard application statuses. He advised members to upgrade at Piney Point when classes resume. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Old business items still apply and have not been resolved. Crew should have access to satellite phone and be able to purchase phone cards. Poor Wi-Fi service reported on ship. Members feel that Wi-Fi availability should be free and not ten dollars a week. Crew requests a visit from port agent. They thanked chief cook for buying snacks from slop chest and putting them out for crew. Members were reminded to not let doors slam and to check on port shuttle to seamen’s club. Next port: Charleston, South Carolina. MAERSK PITTSBURGH (Maersk Line, Limited), July 12 – Chairman Domingo Leon, Secretary Darryl Goggins, Educational Director Jan Morawski, Deck Delegate Randolph Jemmott, Steward Delegate Israel Coronel. Bosun thanked crew for a safe voyage and advised everyone to be careful on their time off during the pandemic. Secretary reminded members to be sure to leave clean rooms when getting off ship. Educational director encouraged members to upgrade their skills at the Paul Hall Center. He provided instructions for going on website and for inquiring about sea time. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested a raise in pension and vacation days. Members would like physicals be required only once per year. Next port: Charleston, South Carolina. MAERSK IOWA (Maersk Line, Limited), July 17 – Chairman Egidio Ferreira. Chairman went over President’s Column from latest edition of Seafarers LOG and recommended members upgrade at union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Maryland. He advised crew to follow safety guidelines and to wear masks and gloves. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members gave thanks to headquarters and all workers that continue to work through the pandemic. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. The annual financial committee will be elected during the September 8 Headquarters Membership Meeting to review the 2019 records. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, September 2020 they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Consequently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 15 �CIVMAR-Crewed USNS Yukon Conducts Arabian Sea Rescue The USNS Yukon may have made history on Aug. 7 by performing a rescue in the Arabian Sea. While there’s nothing new about American-flag ships aiding fellow mariners, this particular operation included a component unique to 2020: social distancing. The Yukon’s crew includes members of the SIU Government Services Division. According to news reports, the Yukon received notification that the dhow Wadi Karan was adrift and required assistance. The Wadi Karan had experienced engine failure 10 days earlier, and the crew had run out of food and water. After assessing the situation, the Yukon’s crew provided them with food and water, and they remained on station until naval forces from nearby Oman arrived to provide further assistance. Throughout the rescue, the Yukon’s crew maintained social distancing, including following face covering requirements, in order to prevent the possible transmission of COVID-19 between the two crews. “The duty to help each other when in need is something that all mariners share, civilian and military alike,” said Navy Capt. Michael O’Driscoll, commander of Task Force 53, to which the Yukon is assigned. “The sailors and civilian mariners aboard MSC ships are trained and ready to answer this call whenever possible.” Safety in San Juan Sailors aboard a rigid hull inflatable boat assigned to the USNS Yukon transit from the distressed motor vessel Wadi Karan after rendering assistance in the Arabian Sea. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy) Coast Guard Announces Some REC Reopenings The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center circulated the following announcement in midAugust. Reopening of RECs Honolulu & Houston and MU San Juan ABs Jorge Soler and Jonamie Encarnacion are pictured aboard TOTE’s Perla Del Caribe in mid-August, during a safety drill. The National Maritime Center (NMC) is reopening Regional Examination Centers (RECs) Honolulu and Houston, and Monitoring Unit (MU) San Juan for limited examination services beginning Monday, August 24, 2020. Additionally, REC Juneau and MU Ketchikan reopened on August 17, 2020. Mariners seeking to schedule examinations may do so by calling the appropriate phone number or contacting the appropriate e-mail address: REC Houston – rechoustonexam@uscg.mil REC Honolulu – rechonolulu@uscg.mil MU San Juan – (787) 729-2368 REC Juneau – recjun@uscg.mil MU Ketchikan – (907) 225-4496 (extension #3) Examination appointment request e-mails should include the applicant’s name, mariner reference number, requested testing date(s), phone number, and a copy of their Approved to Test Letter(s). Examination services will be by appointment only. No walk-in appointments are available, and all other application customer service functions will continue to be handled remotely. Mariners will be subject to COVID-19 screening questions and temperature checks. Mariners experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea), will not be permitted to enter the REC/MU and will need to reschedule their appointment. Mariners are required to wear a face covering at all times. Those who refuse to wear a face covering, or who remove face coverings during exams, will be dismissed and could be subject to examination module failure. Persons with documented health issues which prevent them from wearing face coverings must notify the REC/MU when scheduling an appointment. Mariners should bring their own #2 pencils, a non-programmable calculator, and plotting equipment. No other personal belongings are allowed in the facility. All counter service appointments and hand delivery of applications remain suspended. The Customer Service Center remains open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Please reach our call center at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) and IASKNMC@ uscg.mil. The NMC will announce future REC/ MU openings shortly. Union Activities Return to Edited Version of Normalcy Continued from Page 3 work online prior to arriving at the PHC, and they came away impressed with the process. “It was a great experience,” said AB Willie Smith. “I learned a lot and I’m glad the school was able to pull it off. That was my first time doing an online class, and it was awesome.” AB Juan Chevalier said it also was a new expe- 16 Seafarers LOG rience for him. “I had to buy a laptop, but the whole process was really nice. It all turned out good,” he said. AB Teva Kurth saw the online interaction as part of a bigger picture since the pandemic began. “It was pretty good, and I’m really happy the union did what they could to keep us working and get us where we need to be,” he said. “I’m very grateful.” Training (photo directly above) resumes at the unionaffiliated Paul Hall Center in early August. In the photo at left, Seafarers in Houston spread out and mask up for the August membership meeting. September 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes The following is a list of courses that currently are scheduled to be held at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland during the next several months. More courses may be added. Course additions and cancellations are subject to change due to COVID-19 protocols. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Course Start Date Date of Completion Deck Department Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer Deck (online lecture) October 5 October 19 October 16 October 23 Module 3 September 7 September 11 Module 4 September 15 September 21 October 12 September 18 October 09 October 16 Module 5 October 19 October 26 November 2 November 4 November 10 October 23 October 30 November 3 November 6 November 20 Module 6 November 23 December 18 AB to Mate Modules Module dates vary throughout the year. Once accepted, students will be advised of dates. Classes are only open to students in AB to Mate program and modules must be taken in order. Engine Department Upgrading Courses FOWT October 19 November 13 Junior Engineer September 21 October 26 November 13 December 18 Steward Department Upgrading Courses Galley Operations September 28 November 16 October 23 December 11 Certified Chief Cook September 7 October 12 November 16 October 9 November 13 December 18 Safety/Open Upgrading Courses Basic Training Revalidation September 11 September 14 September 18 September 11 September 14 September 18 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name ________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth __________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member o Lakes Member o Inland Waters Member o If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #_________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? o Yes o No If yes, class # and dates attended __________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? oYes o No _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, MMC, TWIC, front page of your book including your department and seniority and qualifying sea time for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. Must have a valid SHBP clinic through course date. I authorize the Paul Hall Center to release any of the information contained in this application, or any of the supporting documentation that I have or will submit with this application to related organizations, for the purpose of better servicing my needs and helping me to apply for any benefits which might become due to me. September 2020 COURSE ____________________________ ____________________________ START DATE _______________ _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION ________________________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, or any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 9/20 Seafarers LOG 17 �School’s In! Classes Resume In Piney Point Students recently returned to the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC) for classes that resumed Aug. 3. The Piney Point, Maryland school had temporarily halted all courses due to the pandemic. Numerous safeguards are in place at the PHC and its Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. Social distancing is required throughout the campus, as are face coverings. Hand-sanitizing stations are in place, along with floor markings to help people remain six feet apart whenever possible. Meal times are being staggered so that students and staff have ample room in the dining areas. For now, students are required to remain on campus for the duration of their respective classes. They also must complete a comprehensive medical questionnaire before arrival. The original course schedule for 2020 has been scrapped, but many new classes are underway, and more are being scheduled. Check the SIU website for the latest updates; course dates also are printed on page 17 of this edition of the LOG. The school reopened for classes in early August. Signage and sanitizing stations help keep students and employees protected. Deck department upgraders pause for a snapshot aboard the training vessel Freedom Star. 18 Seafarers LOG September 2020 �Upgraders take part in the one-day BT Revalidation class. Hands-on training remains a prominent part of the coursework at the Paul Hall Center, including during this Able Seafarer-Deck class. Steward-department upgraders spend some time in the classroom. Food preparation has never been safer at the school, thanks in part to extra sanitary gear. Simulator training is a key component of many Paul Hall Center classes. Mariners sharpen their skills during a helicopter fire fighting exercise. Meal times are staggered to help ensure ample room for social distancing. September 2020 Editor’s note: The photos on this page, as well as those on the previous one, were taken during the initial resumption of classes at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Maryland. The Paul Hall Center includes the Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School, located on a nearby campus. Seafarers LOG 19 �VOLUME 82, NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2020 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Heroic Seafarers Delivered in WWII Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment from a 1951 booklet titled “The Seafarers in World War II.” Penned by the late SIU historian John Bunker, the publication recapped SIU members’ service in the War. More than 1,200 SIU members lost their lives to wartime service in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Earlier installments are available on the SIU website and in print beginning with the May 2020 edition of the LOG. This one picks up with Bunker describing some of the travails of SIU-crewed ships in 1942, including the Waterman vessel SS Beauregard, which spent nearly an entire year on consecutive overseas voyages before returning to the United States. On those ships in the 1942 convoys which had guncrews, the Navy personnel was seldom more than 10 or 12 men at the most, and their armament was usually of popgun caliber. The SIU-manned Alcoa Banner sailed to Russia in convoy PQ-16, being defended by a prodigious battery of five .30-caliber machine guns and a Navy guncrew of two men! This convoy had plenty of use for guns, too, for it was attacked 25 times en route from Iceland. Among the ships it lost was the SIU-crewed Alamar, sunk about the same time as the SS Syros, which blew up when a torpedo nosed into its load of TNT. Massmar Hits Mine En route back from Russia, the Massmar (SIU) struck a mine, along with the John Randolph and the Heffron. Men of this convoy will always be grateful for the heroic work of the French corvette Roselys, which rescued 180 men from sinking ships. There were many other SIU ships on the run to Russia – ships like the Alcoa Rambler, Alcoa Cadet, Topa Topa, and the old Bayou Chico – which saw action aplenty, but it is not possible here to do honor to them all, though they all richly deserve to be equally well remembered. Whatever the ship, their crews shared alike the hazards of this Arctic run and, while 1942 was the peak year for losses in ships and men, there were casualties right up into 1945, with some of the heaviest attacks being launched by the Germans in this last year of the war. The return trip from Russia was hardly less arduous than the run north; for a sunk ship, as far as the Nazis were concerned, meant one less bottom for supplying the Russians, and they let no opportunities go by to bag ships homeward bound from the White Sea. Such was the fate of the SS Puerto Rican (SIU-SUP), which had delivered her freight and was headed back for Iceland early in 1943, with 3,500 tons of ore under hatches. She lost the convoy in a violent storm on March 6, and by the night of March 9 the gales had not abated. The Puerto Rican was proceeding alone against bitter cold wind and freezing spray when, at 10 p.m., she was hit. Loaded deep with ore, the ship sank so fast that there was no chance to launch the boats. Perhaps they couldn’t have launched anyway, for the davits were coated with ice. There wasn’t much chance of a man surviving in such weather, but those who were afloat after the ship went down clung to pieces of wreckage. Several of them climbed aboard a liferaft; others clung to the icy keel of an upturned lifeboat which had been torn form the davits. It was an epic of pure, raw courage by men who would not give up. Bitter-Enders By morning, Bob Howard and George Reilly, ABs, several gunners, AB Robert Kale, an Englishman, Joe Disange and Fireman August Wallenhaupt were still fighting the huge seas and the cold – fighting to live, though there seemed no chance of their ever being found. But courage alone, even for men brave as these, was not enough. One by one they were swept away by the battering seas, till, after two days, only two of them were left. One was dead, frozen with a death grip on the pitching liferaft. The other, Fireman Wallenhaupt, clung to life with a superhuman tenacity. And a miracle (for surely in that wild, tumbling ocean swept by snow squalls and curtained by spray, a miracle it was) rewarded this courageous seaman for his fight. The British destroyer St. Elistin, making a final sweep of the area in its search for the lost Puerto Rican, sighted the raft and its brave occupant. He alone survived his ship – one of many that never came back from the Russian run. Heroes All “A hero,” said the poet Rupert Hughes, “is a man plus.” There were many heroes among men of the SIU during World War II – men who accomplished feats of self-sacrifice; who did acts of courage beyond the ordinary call of duty. Just before midnight, when the 8 to 12 Oiler had called the watch, and the Third Assistant was making the last notation in the engineroom log, a torpedo hit the Angelina amidships, blowing up the starboard boiler, flooding the engine spaces, and putting out all the lights as the dynamos sputter to a stop. The Angelina was soon abandoned, and 43 of the crew crowded into one lifeboat, which threatened momentarily to be smashed against the sinking hulk as they tried to get away. Captain W. S. Goodman and the gunnery officer climbed over the side onto a raft, for the lifeboat was already too full and could not hold them all. Overwhelming Sea Somehow the boat pushed off from the ship without being crushed or capsized, but hardly had the men taken a dozen good pulls at the oars, before the boat broached and a huge comber rolled down onto them The rescue ship Bury and a corvette had responded to the Angelina’s SOS and had picked up the men on the raft before midnight; but it was not until dawn that they spotted the lifeboat, by now with only a handful of survivors still clinging to the grab rails on the bottom. While the corvette dumped oil to windward of the boat, Captain L. E. Brown of the Bury maneuvered his little vessel within a line’s throw of the capsized craft. Captain Brown counted five men on the wallowing lifeboat, but what amazed him was the superhuman exhibit of dogged stamina and courage by one of those sea-beaten five: Gustave Alm, the carpenter. One man would be washed off and then another, but each time this man Alm, by feats of great courage and strength managed to haul them back aboard the lifeboat’s bottom. Precision Seamanship While the rescue ship pitched and rolled, Survivors from an unidentified Allied merchant ship man a lifeboat after their vessel was torpedoed by German submarines in early 1942. There were men such as ABs Tom Crawford and Joseph Squires of the freighter Maiden Creek. They stayed behind on the Maiden Creek to tend the falls and get the lifeboats away when this Waterman ship foundered off Block Island in December of 1942, losing their lives for the safety of their shipmates. And there were men like Seafarer Per Lykke, whose able boathandling that night, through huge waves and gale winds, won from the Navy a commendation for “extraordinary courage and seamanship.” Those who survived owed their lives to Lykke. And not to be forgotten are the seven sailors who manned a lifeboat from the SS John Howard Payne (SUP), risking their lives in dangerous seas to rescue men from an Army bomber forced down in the Pacific. Count as heroes, too, those merchant crew – T. Meredith (SUP) [who] rescued exhausted survivors from the sinking transport Cape San Juan, (and) men who jumped overboard from the SS Edwin. Or the crewmen who manned a gun on the SS Joseph Pulitzer for four days and nights at Gela, Sicily, when the regular Navy gunners were all wounded by a bomb. Yes, they were heroes, these and many more. But if anywhere in the annals of World War II there was “a man plus” it was silent Gustave Alm, carpenter of the SIUmanned steamship Angelina of the Bull Line. Huge seas that were 35 feet high and ran 300 feet from crest to crest had separated the ship from a west-bound convoy from England on the 17th of October, 1942. with the suddenness of a fast express. They saw the mountain of water momentarily just before it hit. “Lookout,” someone yelled, “here’s where we swim.” Rolling hard over, the boat teetered for a moment and then capsized. When the churning comber had swept on, fewer than half of the original 45 still groped for a hold on the upturned craft. For a while they talked a little to each other, calling out names of their shipmates to find out who had been lost. But conversation was brief, for the sea was drubbing them unmercifully. Several men left the boat and swam back to the half-submerged Angelina, hoping to climb aboard and await rescue, but a second torpedo hit the freighter just as they neared its side, sinking the ship and drawing the swimmers down with her as she sank. Back on the upturned lifeboat some of the cold, numbed survivors despaired of rescue but it was Gustave Alm, the carpenter, who urged them to hang on. Indomitable Spirit “Don’t give up,” he kept saying. “Don’t give up. There’s always a chance. Hang on. Hang on a while longer.” During the grueling hours of the night, a destroyer passed within a stone’s throw but no one on the warship saw them or heard their desperate cries. It was then that one of the gunners gave up and drifted away from the boat, but Gus Alm struck out against the pounding seas and hauled the boy back. Captain Brown managed to get alongside the capsized boat. It was a precarious moment – a time for faultless thinking, for a miscue at the wheel or a roll of the Bury at the wrong moment and the survivors in the water would be crushed by the plunging vessel. But Captain Brown knew his ship, and on the lifeboat, Gus Alm summoned up what seemed to be superhuman determination and courage. When they threw him a line from the Bury, he stretched out an arm to get it. Twice the line was thrown and twice it missed, but on the third try Alm grabbed the vital strands of hemp and made them fast around one of the holdrods. Minutes counted now. It was obvious that Alm, strong as he was, could not take care of his battered shipmates much longer. As the big carpenter held one exhausted man on the grab rails, another one was swept off. He would have been lost had not the Bury, with Captain Brown at the helm, darted up so close to the struggling seaman that one of the vessel’s crew reached over the side, grabbed his lifejacket, and dragged him aboard on the crest of a sea. His half-conscious companions being too weak even to know what was transpiring, Alm caught [all the] lines that were thrown to him, securing each one in turn around the chest of a shipmate and freeing the man from his hold on the boat when the Bury was ready to pull him in. Continued on Page 9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: OFFICIALS FROM NAVY LEAGUE, MARAD CALL FOR ADDITIONAL U.S. FLAG TONNAGE SHIPBUILDERS COUNCIL HONORS SEN. SULLIVAN UNION MEETINGS RESUME, SCHOOL REOPENS WORKERS' RIGHTS, U.S. MARITIME CHAMPION U.S. REP JOHN LEWIS PASSES AWAY AT 80 SIU JOBS STAY SECURE ABOARD EMPIRE STATE COMPREHENSIVE JONES ACT STUDY FINDS NO EFFECT ON COST OF LIVING IN HAWAII ANY ATTACK ON THE JONES ACT IS AN ATTACK ON THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII PORT COUNCIL STRONGLY DEFENDS VITAL AMERICAN MARITIME LAW CREDENTIALS APPROVED FOR CANDIDATES TO 25 UNION OFFICES SHBP AWARDS $132,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS EXECUTIVE BOARD AIMS TO BOOST ACCESS TO ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR SIU ELECTION 2020 FLU SEASON SIGNALS START OF CRITICAL PERIOD FOR EVERYONE SCHOOL'S IN! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 1, 2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol 82, No. 9 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/1d1b7d1e4012557441e5ca695f3ec624.pdf a4191f38b1d2b5d3902f684b4629a7ac PDF Text Text AUGUST 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 8 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Matson Christens Con-Ro Matsonia Seafarers-contracted Matson christened a new combination container/roll-on, roll-off ship July 2 at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. The Jones Act vessel will mean new steward department jobs for the SIU upon its delivery later this year. Page 4. Seafarers Persevere as COVID-19 Hits Home The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 surged in numerous states in late June and July, and American-flag shipping wasn’t immune. Despite industry-wide precautions, some SIU members were stricken with the virus, and some of the hiring halls that had reopened June 15 subsequently were closed again, temporarily and for precautionary reasons. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the SIU fleet remains in operation, and the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland, was scheduled to reopen Aug. 1. Face coverings are part of the routine these days, as demonstrated by (photo above, from left) Chief Cook Perry Asuncion, Chief Steward Steve Bowmer and ACU Roberto Firme aboard APL’s President Truman on the West Coast, and by (photo at immediate left, from left) Recertified Steward Sam Harris and Chief Steward Kenneth Greenidge, pictured at the Oakland hall, where they volunteered to help with safety screening. Page 3. Senator Backs Jones Act Page 2 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 1 SIU Election Updates Page 6 Course Dates Page 16 7/20/20 3:18 PM �President’s Report Time to Redouble Safety Efforts Back in February, if someone had used the expression “COVID fatigue,” we’d have looked at them as if they were crazy. Unfortunately, everyone reading this column knows what it means, and I think it’s no exaggeration to say we’ve all experienced it at least from time to time. Brothers and sisters, over the years, I have usually written about various aspects of the U.S. Merchant Marine and the labor movement. Vocational training, grassroots political action, new opportunities for growth in our industry, workers’ rights – these are the important everyday subjects we tackle. This month, the topic is of utmost seriousness and magnitude. It is nothing short of a life-anddeath matter. I urge every Seafarer to summon the energy to overcome COVID fatigue and double down on your efforts to keep yourselves, your families and your shipmates safe. Many of you know that Michael Sacco the American-flag fleet, including several SIUcrewed ships, recently experienced a number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Even though the numbers are relatively small, they aren’t insignificant – and it goes without saying that even one case is too many. In some ways, I think our country collectively let down our guard around Memorial Day weekend. People were tired of the entire experience, and as various states eased into different phases of reopening, it may have been inevitable that we’d have as many individual interpretations of the definition of safety as there are individuals. Look, if I feel this way, I’ll bet you might, too: It’s fair to say that some of the guidelines have been inconsistent. We’ve all seen the resulting spikes in various states across the country. It hasn’t been rampant, but that same relaxation of caution seems to have happened on some of the ships. I have no interest in pointing fingers and I believe that the vast majority of our members are in fact being very careful, both at sea and ashore. But with this pandemic, it only takes one careless individual – even somebody visiting from ashore – to infect an entire crew. That’s why it’s so vital to find a second wind and understand that all of the safety protocols not only are lifesavers, they are going to be part of the “new normal” for the foreseeable future. This is also the time for our ships’ chairmen and shipboard committees to step up as leaders and embrace those responsibilities. Not to be overlooked in this discussion is mariners’ role as part of America’s essential workforce. Such a designation isn’t lightly made by federal and state governments. And if there were any doubt about how crucial Seafarers’ work really is, recall the recent messages of thanks posted by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, U.S. Transportation Command’s commanding officer Gen. Steve Lyons, and U.S. Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby. All of them went out of their way to express respect and gratitude for our crews. They know you are making sacrifices during this emergency to get the job done. They know it’s not easy. And they also know they can count on you to uphold the finest traditions of the Brotherhood of the Sea. We were bound to take some hits from the pandemic. It’s a global crisis with no modern-era comparison. But we owe it to ourselves, to our families, and to our shipmates to remain vigilant and do everything possible to remain safe, regardless of location. Whenever this finally ends – and it will end – I certainly won’t miss all the conference calls and masks and barriers and hand sanitizer. But in the meantime, I’m treating the precautions like my life depends on it. Please do the same, and we’ll all be around for better days. O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 82 Number 8 U.S. Senator Backs Jones Act As the United States maritime community celebrated the centennial of the nation’s freight cabotage law, numerous legislators issued supportive statements. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (DMichigan) was among those elected officials who praised the Jones Act in early June. He posted a news release that read in part, “June 5, 2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Commonly referred to as the Jones Act, the Act has served over the last century as the foundation of the Great Lakes and domestic shipping industry. This vital maritime law ensures that cargo moving between domestic ports is carried aboard vessels that are American-built, Americanowned, and American-flagged, which in turn strengthens and supports U.S. homeland security while driving economic benefits to local communities. Each and every day, 365 days a year, the Jones Act functions to protect our nation’s 95,000 miles of coastline and inland waterways, limiting inland access to foreign vessels and crews while mariners serve as the eyes and ears to strengthen border and homeland security.” The senator continued, “America’s dependence on the Great Lakes and the seas is integral to our economic health and our sovereignty. Nowhere is this more evident than in my own state of Michigan. According to The American Maritime Partnership, Michigan’s Great Lakes A longtime maritime stalwart recently received well-earned recognition from a prominent United States shipbuilding group. The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipyard industry, on June 30 honored Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator Mark H. Buzby with the SCA Maritime Leadership Award during this year’s virtual advocacy meeting. The award is given annually to national leaders who demonstrate exemplary dedication and support of the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry. “Rear Admiral Buzby has dedicated his life to military The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Capital Gateway Drive; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. 2 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG_X.indd 2 U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) the Jones Act is responsible for 650,000 American jobs creating more than $40 billion annually in income. Workers whose jobs are related to the law can be found in all 50 states.Cabotage law is not unique to the United States. The London-based Seafarers’ Rights International released a study in 2018 listing more than 90 countries that have some type of cabotage law on their books. Editor’s note: See the July issue of the Seafarers LOG and the SIU website (www.seafarers. org) for additional coverage of the Jones Act’s centennial, including statements from other members of Congress. SCA Honors Maritime Administrator August 2020 Reversed to White Reversed to White domestic maritime industry contributes $2.8 billion annually to our state economy, including 12,140 jobs and $703.6 million in worker income. With 37 deepdraft ports, Michigan has more than the seven other Great Lakes States combined. “Over the last 100 years, the men and women of the U.S. maritime workforce have also unfailingly answered the call to duty, providing vital services to support the nation in times of crisis,” Peters added. “Their service was never clearer than during the activation of civilian merchant mariners amidst the Second World War. These men and women moved critical supplies to overseas troops and allies, while enduring the highest rate of casualties of any service. More recently our domestic maritime workforce has responded swiftly to a range of crises facing the nation, including facilitating the largest boatlift in world history following 9/11, and the current and ongoing delivery of essential medical supplies and goods to communities in need during the COVID19 pandemic.” The senator concluded, “On this week’s centennial anniversary of the Jones Act, I thank the men and women of the U.S. maritime industry for their service, and I vow to continue to work here in the Senate to uphold the integrity of the Act’s protections for our Michigan and Great Lakes workforce.” A 2019 study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute showed RAdm. Mark Buzby (USN, Ret) U.S. Maritime Administrator and public service to protect the United States’ national and domestic security, and on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of hardworking men and women of our industry, we are bestowing on him the Shipbuilders Council of America’s highest honor – the 2020 SCA Maritime Leadership Award,” said Matthew Paxton, president of SCA. “Administrator Buzby personifies this award, which recognizes exemplary support for the crucial contributions shipbuilders, maintainers, and suppliers make to our nation, and we thank him for his decades of maritime leadership.” “I want to thank SCA for this honor,” Buzby stated. “I know we share a passionate commitment to a strong and growing U.S. maritime industry, and particularly the necessity to foster and strengthen U.S. shipbuilding, which is an indispensable component of our defense industrial base. I appreciate this recognition and SCA’s leadership on behalf of the roughly 400,000 Americans whose jobs depend on this vital industry.” Rear Admiral Buzby (USN, Ret) has served as MARAD’s top official since August 2017. Before this appointment, Buzby was president of the National Defense Transportation Association, a position he held since retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2013 with more than 34 years of dedicated service to the United States. Buzby served as commanding officer of the U.S. Military Sealift Command. SCA members constitute the shipyard industrial base that builds, repairs, maintains and modernizes U.S. Navy ships and craft, U.S. Coast Guard vessels of all sizes, as well as vessels for other U.S. government agencies. In addition, SCA members build, repair and service America’s fleet of commercial vessels. The council represents 40 companies that own and operate more than 80 shipyards, with facilities on all three U.S. coasts, the Great Lakes, the inland waterways system, Alaska and Hawaii. The SCA also represents 87 partner members that provide goods and services to the shipyard industry. Note to Our Readers Without exception, anyone entering an SIU hiring hall or signing onto a vessel has passed a number of safety protocols, often including testing for COVID-19, two-week quarantines, and verifying health-related items on a questionnaire. For that reason, not everyone you see pictured in the LOG is wearing a mask. In addition, in many cases, people have briefly removed their masks only long enough to snap a quick photo. We cannot stress enough the importance of following all safety protocols for your protection and the protection of those around you. August 2020 7/21/20 2:25 PM �COVID-19 PANDEMIC Industry Continues Grappling with Challenges SIU Members Rise to the Occasion, Fulfilling Roles as ‘Essential Workers’ Editor’s note: SIU members are encouraged to regularly check the union’s website for the latest union-specific news about the pandemic. There is a prominent COVID-19 section on the home page. Members also may sign up for text alerts by texting the word “join” (without the quotation marks) to 97779. The American maritime industry seemingly mirrored the nation at large from midJune to mid-July when it came to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus surged in numerous states, and it hit home for the union, too. As of July 14, there had been more than 3.4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 138,000 deaths. Worldwide, those figures were more than 13.1 million cases and at least 571,000 deaths. The vast majority of the SIU-crewed fleet is still operating, as Seafarers live up to their federally designated role as essential workers. But, SIU members from several ships and tugs recently contracted COVID-19, as did at least a couple of crew members from ATBs. New cases were reported aboard the USNS Grumman, whose crew includes members of the SIU Government Services Division. At least two SIU employees and one employee of the SIU-affiliated United Industrial Workers (UIW) were diagnosed with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The uptick in cases caused three hiring halls to close for precautionary reasons within a couple of weeks after they’d reopened June 15. At press time, the halls in Jersey City, New Jersey and Wilmington, California, had again reopened; the hall in Houston was expected to reopen soon. Perhaps the most prominent recent instance of shipboard COVID-19 in the U.S.flag fleet occurred in late June, aboard the Maersk Idaho. Eleven mariners, including five SIU members, tested positive. One crew member was hospitalized but recovered (see sidebar). Thankfully, the other mariners who tested positive experienced few or no symptoms. Within the industry, Maersk was hailed for its quick, comprehensive plan to safely vacate the crew, move them to a quarantine facility, professionally clean the vessel, and then bring on a new crew. They worked with the Coast Guard, medical professionals and other authorities to ensure diligence, efficiency and safety. The SIU also worked closely with the crew and company to provide support and to secure additional testing for crews on other American-flag Maersk ships. Weeks later, all concerned received an unwelcome reminder that even the best plans, no matter how well-executed, cannot ensure total safety from the virus. At least a couple of Continued on Page 5 Bosun Shares Experience Combatting Coronavirus Bosun Romualdo Medina doesn’t know exactly how he contracted COVID19, but he’s certain that any inconveniences are worthwhile sacrifices in order to avoid it. “I hope every SIU member will take care of themselves and their families,” said Medina, who was stricken by the coronavirus in June aboard the Maersk Idaho. “Wear a mask, and stay home if you can when you’re not working. I don’t know when we’re going to get out of this. It looks like a long haul.” A Seafarer since 1994, Medina knows from firsthand experience that sometimes even the most cautious individuals end up with COVID-19. He wasn’t reckless at any point during the Idaho’s voyage from the U.S. to Europe and back, and he’d been mindful of safety before joining the ship. But, on the return from Bremerhaven, Germany, roughly four days out from New Jersey, his health began to deteriorate. “I started feeling bad and tried something like a Tylenol or aspirin, but there was no relief. I couldn’t breathe normally. At first, I thought it was just sinuses, but then I felt a little bit of fever. Then things began to get complicated.” Very little time elapsed between the onset of Medina’s symptoms and his reporting them to the chief mate. From there, he remained quarantined but learned that others aboard the ship also weren’t feeling well. Eventually, 11 mariners (including five SIU members) were diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. Medina also experienced an unusual – and painful – side effect: hiccups that persisted on and off for days. But that wasn’t his only complication. When the ship arrived in Newark, New Jersey, on June 19, he arranged for a clinic visit. However, the facility was closed for the weekend by the time Me- August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG_X.indd 3 dina arrived around 9 p.m. “By that time, I was in pain, so I took a taxi to the nearest hospital,” he recalled. “I knew if I went back to the ship, it wasn’t going to be a happy ending.” Although it took several hours for him to be seen at the hospital (New Jersey and New York were still epicenters of the pandemic at that time), it could be argued that he arrived just in time. “By that point, I could hardly breathe,” the bosun said. “I was spitting blood. Finally, I got some medicine, and got tested for COVID. They took so many X-rays and did so much bloodwork – all that stuff.” He was hospitalized for more than a week, then relocated to a quarantine hotel for two more weeks. He returned to his home in Houston July 14, feeling fine and with multiple “negative” test results confirmed. “One good thing was I was never put on any kind of oxygen,” he recalled. “The doctor said I have good lungs; I don’t smoke. But I am diabetic, and that’s why I was really worried about complications. Thank God it didn’t get to that point.” Medina said he appreciated that personnel from the Houston hiring hall stayed in touch with him throughout his experience, and he added that the difficulties didn’t change his outlook on sailing. “This career has been something very economically consistent for me and my family” he noted. “I used to suffer a lot of layoffs and inconsistent employment in my prior field, which was architectural design. I decided to join the union and get my AB ticket and all my endorsements. This has helped me raise my family: three beautiful children.” He added this advice to fellow members: “If you start feeling weird when you’re on the ship, go see the captain and get a test.” Face coverings often are utilized to help curb the spread of COVID-19. While unloading a dummy during boat drills July 7 in Benicia, California, GVA Julian Lacuesta (left) and Bosun Roberto Flauta do their part aboard the TOTE-operated USNS Petersburg. Six Maritime Union Presidents Draft, Sign Message Addressing COVID-19 Aboard At-Sea Vessels Editor’s note: The following message, dated July 10, 2020, is signed by the presidents of six maritime unions, including SIU President Michael Sacco. For a PDF copy, visit the SIU website. It has become increasingly apparent the COVID-19 crisis is not going away anytime soon. Our members aboard ships in distant waters as well as aboard vessels of all types in inland waters remain in grave danger and the global supply chain is at risk. Despite continuous appeals for meaningful assistance from both maritime labor and U.S.flag vessel operators, the federal government has not mandated enforceable standards of shipboard health and safe operations. Further, our advocacy for a consistent, reliable, and rapid testing regimen for mariners remains without definitive support. As the supply chain and military security of the country are becoming increasingly at risk, we have demanded a more active role of government in support of mariners. Each shipowner/operator has established its own diverging policies and protocol, and they vary greatly from employer to employer, even from ship to ship depending on shipboard culture. In the absence of uniform and government-enforced protocol during vessel in-port time with such critical evolutions as cargo operations, vendor/contractor access and shipyard repairs remain essentially unregulated and haphazard. This is an unacceptable situation that is beyond the control of ship’s personnel. However, as always, the burden on maintaining safety at sea remains in large part with the licensed and unlicensed personnel aboard ship. While every member of a crew recognizes his or her duty to their shipmates, employers and government must share ship safety responsibility through consistent policies and regulations. Health and safety aboard ship is a joint endeavor and should not be placed on the shoulders of mariners alone. To do our part, we the undersigned urge our Members to take every precaution against the Coronavirus as recommended by company protocol and by such CDC guidelines that are applicable. Masks, social distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing must all become routine and strictly maintained, whether aboard ship, in transit to or from a ship, in a hiring hall or at home in preparation for shipping out. As your representatives, we are working together and using every advantage to both protect your health and safeguard your rights. With infection rates spiking again we must protect our lives and our livelihoods with renewed vigilance and discipline. Employers may intervene with reasonable or ineffective workplace policy; either way we will let them know that our contract rights remain in place. We understand the stress and anxiety of working in persistent and intensified danger and so we support common sense safety practices ashore and at sea. Your dedication, professionalism and perseverance is recognized, and your efforts are best honored by ensuring your own safety and that of others you encounter onboard ship, in your travels, at home or otherwise. Please continue to notify your Union if you have concerns regarding potential or actual COVID-19 exposure or the safety of your vessel. Wishing all health, safety, and fraternity, Michael Sacco, President Augie Tellez, Executive Vice President Seafarers International Union bpotter@seafarers.org atellez@seafarers.org Marshall Ainley President Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association mainley@mebaunion.org Paul Doell President American Maritime Officers pdoell@amo-union.org Anthony Poplawski President/Secretary-Treasurer Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association mfow_president@yahoo.com Dave Connolly President Sailor’s Union of the Pacific dave@sailors.org Don Marcus President International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots dmarcus@bridgedeck.org Seafarers LOG 3 7/21/20 2:25 PM �The Matsonia’s (vessel at right in photo at immediate left) addition to the union fleet means new jobs for SIU members sailing in the steward department. In photo above, Peggy Forest, wife of Matson President Ron Forest, does the honors for the christening. Matson Christens Matsonia in San Diego New Jones Act Con-Ro Vessel Joins SIU Fleet New steward-department jobs for SIU members are on the horizon following the recent christening of an historic vessel. SIU-contracted Matson, Inc., christened the second of two Kanaloa Class vessels, the Matsonia, in a ceremony at General Dynamics NASSCO – a union shipyard – in San Diego on July 2. The Jones Act vessel, the largest combination container/roll-on, roll-off (Con-Ro) ship ever built in the United States along with its sister ship the Lurline, is the second of two new builds for Matson by NASSCO. “The SIU looks forward to providing our typically outstanding steward department personnel when the ship is delivered later this year,” stated SIU Vice President Contracts George Tricker. “We applaud the company for its commitment to American-flag shipping and U.S. crews, and we appreciate the terrific work by union shipyard workers who handled the construction.” The Matsonia is slated for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020. “Matson is already benefiting from the speed, capacity and improved environmental profile of the three new ships we’ve put into service since 2018,” said Matt Cox, Matson’s chairman and chief executive officer, after the shipyard ceremony. “Matsonia will be our fourth new ship, completing a threeyear fleet renewal program that positions us well to serve the needs of our communities in Hawaii for many years to come.” During the ceremony, Peggy Forest, wife of Matson President Ron Forest, officially christened the vessel by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne against the ship’s hull.  “As a proud U.S. company and Jones Act carrier, our investment in this new ship is about much more than maintaining a high level of service to Hawaii. It also helps drive substantial economic benefits and opportunities in communities around the Pacific, where this vessel will operate,” Cox added. “The construction of Matsonia represents over a year’s work for about 2,000 professionals here at NASSCO: engineers, tradesmen and lots of support people and countless others who produced the materials used to build this ship that are sourced here in the U.S. Over its expected lifespan, this ship will generate approximately 4.5 million man-hours of work opportunity for the U.S. mariners who will operate it and decades of steady work for all of the dockworkers and terminal personnel that move the cargo on and off our ships.” He concluded, “These are all living-wage jobs, supporting the families of these American workers and the taxes they pay. Multiply that by all the ships NASSCO and other U.S. shipyards are building, and you get a sense of the value of the maritime industry to our country and its economy. In California alone, there are more than 51,000 jobs tied to the American maritime industry, providing over 3.6 billion dollars in labor income with a total economic impact in the state of more than twelve billion dollars.” Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO, said, “The Matsonia is a reflection of the highest standards of shipbuilding and we are proud to celebrate her launching. This extraordinary vessel is a testament to the hard work, unity and strength of our thousands of dedicated shipbuilders who made this possible.” Matsonia is an iconic name in Matson’s long history, dating to the construction of Matson’s first ship of that name in 1912. Three more ships were given the name in subsequent years; this vessel will be the fifth. Named in honor of the ocean deity revered in native Hawaiian culture, Matson’s two Kanaloa Class vessels constructed at NASSCO are built on a 3,500 TEU vessel platform. At 870 feet long, 114 feet wide (beam), with a deep draft of 38 feet and weighing in at over 50,000 metric tons, the Matsonia will join the Seafarers-crewed Lurline (delivered in late 2019) as Matson’s largest ships. They are among Matson’s fastest vessels, with a top speed of 23 knots. Both new Kanaloa Class vessels have an enclosed garage with room for approximately 500 vehicles, plus ample space for rolling stock and breakbulk cargo. They also feature state-of-the-art green technology, including a fuel-efficient hull design, environmentally safe double-hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and the first Tier 3 dual-fuel engines to be deployed in containerships regularly serving West Coast ports, according to Matson. The Jones Act, America’s freight cabotage law, supports the domestic maritime industry that employs approximately 650,0000 Americans across all 50 states, creates $41 billion in labor income for American workers and adds more than $154.8 billion in annual economic output each year. Nationally, there are more than 40,000 American vessels – built in American shipyards, crewed by American mariners, and owned by American companies – that operate in U.S. waters daily. With Seafarers Aboard Tanker Washington The photo above was taken July 4 as the vessel was headed to Valdez, Alaska. Pictured from left to right are: Recertified Bosun Modesto Rabena Jr., Chief Steward Sajid Foster, Chief Cook Melissa McCartney, QEP Diole Bonifacio, AB Pablo Borja, AB Adam Riley, Steward Assistant Kevin Arroyo and AB Michael Elmore Jr. Thanks to Recertified Bosun Rabena for the photo. 4 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG_X.indd 4 August 2020 7/21/20 2:25 PM �U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman Underscores Need for Strong U.S. Sealift, Revitalized RRF Longtime friend of maritime U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia) recently penned an op-ed emphasizing the importance of strong sealift – which should include revitalizing and maintaining the U.S. Ready Reserve Force (RRF). Wittman, who is the ranking member on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in the House, wrote, “Today, our entire military, a force with over 1.3 million active service members and tens of thousands of vehicles and aircraft, relies on an aging fleet of 61 logistics ships to transport and sustain the force. By comparison, during World War II, the United States built over 2,700 Liberty ships to transport troops and supplies and had a service squadron of 365 logistics ships just to service the Pacific theater.” He continued, “Compounding the problem of inadequate numbers, many ships in our logistics fleet are already past due for replacement. The average age of the ships in the Ready Reserve Force, which constitute the majority of our nation’s surge sealift capability, is 45 years. That is more than double the age at which most commercial cargo ships are retired and the fleet is showing its age. In September of 2019, the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) conducted an exercise to test the readiness of the organic surge fleet, attempting to get just under half of the fleet underway. The of- ficial TRANSCOM after action report noted a cumulative success rate of only 40 percent and this exercise did not even test the loading and unloading of cargo.” He also gave a brief history lesson to underline the importance of a robust, militarily-useful surge fleet: “Since our founding, America has been a maritime nation. Trade across the vast ocean expanses to Europe and Asia has defined our economic development and driven our national security strategies. Over 200 years ago, the original six frigates of the United States Navy were constructed to protect American commerce from attacks by pirates in the Mediterranean. Since then, a powerful Navy, capable of protecting global commerce and projecting power around the globe, has become the cornerstone of our national defense. This strategy has also meant fighting the vast majority of the nation’s armed conflict far from our shores, protecting the homeland from the terrible destruction that was a defining characteristic of war in the 20th century. “The reasoning that led George Washington to approve those first six frigates remains true today – American commerce and diplomacy must be supported by a military capable of global power projection to maintain international order, deter conflict, and, if necessary, defeat hostile powers,” Wittman continued. “To be a credible deterrent, American forces must Mariners Show True Colors, Meet Varied Challenges Posed by COVID Continued from Page 3 the replacement crew members tested positive, so the vessel went into a quarantined state at a Florida anchorage. Despite the challenges, there were positive developments as well. They included a return to work for many Seafarers employed by NY Waterway, which operates passenger ferries between New York and New Jersey. The company’s waterborne operations essentially shut down when those states were at their combined nadir. Recertified Bosun James Blitch, pictured at the hall in Jacksonville, Florida, encourages fellow members to be cautious. “People think this is a joke. People are dying out here! It’s important we are all wearing our masks!” he said. August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG_X.indd 5 Additionally, and following months of intensive preparation, the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education was scheduled to reopen Aug. 1. The school (located in Piney Point, Maryland) initially scheduled several upgrading courses and plans to resume training apprentices in September. Moreover, most of the hiring halls stayed open without interruption, as members and staff easily adjusted to new safety protocols. Those steps include the by-nowstandard face coverings, social distancing, temperature checks, hand sanitizing, and use of protective barriers. Progress was made with overseas crew changes for American-flag ships as the SIU continued working with other unions, vessel operators, the Maritime Administration and the State Department to facilitate those reliefs. Operators also have chartered two private planes for reliefs in Diego Garcia. The international maritime community hasn’t always been as fortunate. The International Maritime Organization and International Transport Workers’ Federation are leading the fight on behalf of foreign crews who in many cases have worked for months beyond their scheduled reliefs, mostly due to travel restrictions. It also has been a busy legislative stretch for U.S. maritime. At press time, floor action was expected on the National Defense Authorization Act, which funds most key commercial maritime government programs. Additionally, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) and Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) last month introduced a new bill to provide financial relief for maritime stakeholders who’ve been impacted by the pandemic. The House is scheduled to adjourn for recess on July 31, while the Senate will depart on Aug. 7. Both chambers are slated to return Sept. 8 before adjourning in early October for the run-up to the November 3 presidential election. be engaged around the globe and be able to sustain those efforts, during peace or war, far from our shores. While the Department of Defense is investing heavily in technology to compete in a new era of great power competition, it has given short shrift to its ability to transport and sustain forces. Our continued lack of investment in logistics will reduce the effectiveness of our maritime forces in combat but, more worrying, is the debilitating effect it will have on our land forces.” He then referenced a more modern example of the indispensable role of the RRF, writing, “Operation Iraqi Freedom provides some informative lessons on the importance of a capable logistics fleet. In preparation for the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. military moved over 2 million tons of cargo and equipment. This massive effort began in late 2001 and did not culminate until combat operations began in March of 2003. The long buildup masked the inadequacy of the U.S. military sealift capacity with an estimated 85 percent of all sustainment material transported by civilian vessels. A multi-year logistic buildup across uncontested seas is a luxury the U.S. simply won’t enjoy in the event of conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Our armed forces, particularly the Army, simply lack the logistic capability to effectively project power across the Pacific.” He concluded, “To help address these issues, Congress has given the Navy funding to purchase commercial cargo ships to help bridge the gap until the or- U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman R-Virginia ganic surge fleet can be rebuilt to meet the requirements outlined in the National Defense Strategy. Inexplicably, the Department of Defense has not purchased a single commercial vessel and still doesn’t have even a plan to reconstitute the logistics fleet. Our national security is founded on an ability to project power and maintain our forces around the globe. A capable logistics force is the foundation of power projection and we neglect it at our own peril.” Seafarers’ Jobs Secure as Rand Logistics Completes American Steamship Company Purchase SIU members employed by American Steamship Company (ASC) are working under the terms of a contract extension following the company’s recent acquisition by Rand Logistics, Inc. A union negotiating committee (which includes six rank-andfile members) has started bargaining with the new owner. “We are optimistic about the eventual outcome of negotiations, and are very confident about the job security of SIU members sailing with ASC,” stated SIU Vice President Great Lakes Tom Orzechowski. “Despite the ownership change, things are basically business as usual.” Rand finalized the purchase in midMay, acquiring ASC from GATX Corporation. Rand is part of American Industrial Partners, and provides dry bulk shipping services throughout the Great Lakes region. “The combination of Rand and ASC moves almost 50 million tons annually of dry bulk commodities such as iron ore, coal and limestone on vessels ranging in size from 634 feet to over 1,000 feet,” Rand announced in a news release. “The combined company’s diverse fleet will offer customers unprecedented flexibility through its integrated transportation network and range of vessel options.” “This transaction is a game-changer for both Rand and our customers. Our combined 24-vessel fleet gives us the capability to meet almost every type of dry bulk transportation need on the Great Lakes,” said Peter Coxon, chief executive officer of Rand. “ASC brings a rich history, superior assets, a safe and efficient operation, and a great team which complement our operations and will benefit our customers in so many tangible ways, such as increased overall transportation capacity through fleet synergies and greater number of loading opportunities. Our vendors will also benefit from the consolidation of tens of millions of dollars of operating and capital spending each year.” “ASC is thrilled to be a part of the creation of a truly unique company with the scale and flexibility to meet the diverse needs of the Great Lakes region,” said David Foster, president of American Steamship Company.  “ASC brings new asset classes to the combined company along with the efficient, highly qualified crews and shoreside personnel that operate them, all making the combined company one of the premier marine transportation companies in North America.” Meanwhile, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) in early July reported that shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4 million tons in June, a decrease of 29.9 percent from 2019. Shipments were 29.7 percent below the month’s five-year average. Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stood at 17.2 million tons, 14.9 percent below the previous year’s total of 20.2 million tons. Iron shipments were below their five-year average by 13.4 percent for the first half of the year. The Lakes sailing season began in late March, around the same time much of the country was implementing stay-at-home guidelines and other steps to slow the spread of COVID-19. Lakes vessels, many of them crewed by SIU members, carry (among other cargoes) iron ore for steel, stone and cement for construction, grain, coal, sand, and salt. Seafarers LOG 5 7/21/20 2:25 PM �Secretary-Treasurer Sends Important Message To Seafarers Concerning Upcoming SIU Election Editor’s note: This article was posted on the SIU website on June 24 and also was promoted via the union’s text-alert service and on social media. Some of the information previously was published in the Seafarers LOG. As you probably know, 2020 is an election year for the SIU. Due to the pandemic, the union has relaxed a requirement to run for office. Specifically, and, as you may have seen in prior communications, the union’s executive board has approved lenience for prospective candidates who are unable to pay their dues on time for the second and/or third quarters of this year because of the pandemic. On the latter point, our constitution specifies that candidates must have been in continuous good standing for at least three years (12 calendar quarters) immediately prior to the nomination period (which is July 15-August 15). Per executive board action, any candidate who was in good standing for at least 10 consecutive quarters as of the end of the first quarter of 2020 will not be precluded from nomination because of late dues payments in the second or third quarters this year. While not required to do so, we encourage members to use certified or registered mail to submit your nominations/credentials. If you use regular/traditional mail, please follow up with my office to verify that we have received your submission, as mail deliveries have been delayed at times during this pandemic. Additionally, there are sea-time requirements for nominees (100 days in the deep sea division during the period between January 1, 2020 and the date nominations begin [July 15, 2020] or 65 days in the inland or Great Lakes divisions). If someone wants to run for office but cannot meet those requirements due to circumstances related to COVID-19, you are encouraged to nominate yourself anyway. The credentials committee will review each case and may relax the requirements. Note that you must have been registered to ship during the relevant time period and be able to show that you were not able to accumulate sufficient sea time because crew changes were limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, during our election years, my July membership report normally features the details of our nominations, procedures, etc. Since our July 2020 meetings are cancelled due to the pandemic, I am including that information here. Nominations For Of ficers, Assistant Vice Presidents, and Port Agents In accordance with the provisions of Article XIII, Section 1, of our Constitution, letters of nominations must reach Headquarters between July 15 and August 15, 2020. Following are the constitutional provisions regarding nominations: Article XIII, Section 1 – Nominations Except as provided in Section 2(b) of this Article, any full book member may submit his name for nomination for any office, or the job of Assistant Vice-President or Port Agent by delivering or causing to be delivered in person, to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer at Headquarters, or SIU Absentee-Ballot Procedures Editor’s note: The union’s executive board is constantly reviewing the latest developments with the pandemic and how it affects shipping. Modifications already have been made in order to promote maximum participation in the SIU election. If any changes are made to the absentee-ballot procedures, they will be announced in print and online, and again will be aimed at facilitating utmost rank-and-file involvement. Elections for the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters are scheduled for later this year. As in past SIU election years, a comprehensive guide will be published in the Seafarers LOG prior to the balloting. In the case of members eligible to vote who believe they will be at sea during the Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020 voting period or who otherwise think they will need absentee ballots, absentee ballots will be available. The SIU constitution ensures that members who are eligible to vote and who find themselves in this situation may vote. Procedures are established in the SIU constitution to safeguard the secret ballot election, including the absentee ballot process. Here is the procedure to follow when requesting an absentee ballot: 1. Make the request in writing to the SIU office of the secretary-treasurer, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746. 2. Include in the request the correct address where the absentee ballot should be mailed. 3. Send the request for an absentee ballot by registered or certified mail. 4. The registered or certified mail envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Nov. 15, 2020 and must be received at 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746 no later than Nov. 25, 2020. 5. The secretary-treasurer, after confirming eligibility, will send by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the address designated in the request, a ballot, together with an envelope marked “Ballot” and a mailing envelope no later than Nov. 30, 2020. 6. Upon receiving the ballot and envelope, vote by marking the ballot. After voting the ballot, place the ballot in the envelope marked “Ballot.” Do not write on the “Ballot” envelope. 7. Place the envelope marked “Ballot” in the mailing envelope which is imprinted with the mailing address of the bank depository where all ballots are sent. 8. Sign the mailing envelope on the first line of the upper left-hand corner. Print name and book number on the second line. The mailing envelope is self-addressed and stamped. 9. The mailing envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Dec. 31, 2020 and received by the bank depository no later than Jan. 5, 2021. sending a letter addressed to the Credentials Committee, in care of the SecretaryTreasurer at the address of Headquarters. This letter shall be dated and shall contain the following: (a) The name of the candidate. (b) His home address and mailing address. (c) His book number. (d) The title of the office or other job for which he is a candidate, including the name of the Port in the event the position being sought is that of Port Agent. (e) Proof of citizenship. (f) Proof of seatime and/or employment as required for candidates. (g) In the event the member is on a vessel, he shall notify the Credentials Committee what vessel he is on. This shall be done also if he ships subsequent to forwarding his credentials. (h) Annexing a certificate in the following form, signed and dated by the proposed nominee: “I hereby certify that during the past thirteen (13) years I have not been convicted of, or served any part of a prison term resulting from a conviction for robbery, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, grand larceny, burglary, arson, violation of narcotics laws, murder, rape, assault with intent to kill, assault which inflicts grievous bodily injury, or violation of Title II or III of the Landrum Griffin Act, or conspiracy to commit such crimes. In addition, I certify that I support the Constitution of the United States of America, its institutions and form of government.” Dated Signature of Member Book No. Printed forms of the certificate shall be made available to nominees. Where a nominee cannot truthfully execute such a certificate, but is, in fact, legally eligible for an office or job by reason of the restoration of civil rights originally revoked by such conviction or a favorable determination by the Board of Parole of the United States Department of Justice, he shall, in lieu of the foregoing certificate, furnish a complete signed statement of the facts of his case together with true copies of the documents supporting his statement. Any full book member may nominate any other full book member in which event such full book member so nominated shall comply with the provisions of the Article as they are set forth herein relating to the submission of credentials. By reason of the above self nomination provision the responsibility, if any, for notifying a nominee of his nomination to office shall be that of the nominator. All documents must reach Headquarters no earlier than July 15 and no later than August 15 of the election year. The Secretary-Treasurer is charged with safekeeping of these letters and shall turn them over to the Credentials Committee upon the latter’s request. Lastly, information about the balloting process, including absentee ballots, will be forthcoming. Fraternally submitted, David Heindel Secretary-Treasurer Welcome Ashore in Tacoma Scholarships Slated for Award in Near Future The 2020 edition of the Seafarers Health and Benefit Plan’s (SHPB) annual Scholarship Program has been postponed because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but grants are scheduled to be awarded this summer. According to Seafarers Plans Administrator Maggie Bowen, the program’s deadline – which in years past was April 15 – in June was extended until July 15. She added that members of the program’s selection committee, due to concerns about COVID-19, postponed their meeting that’s usually held in May, opting instead to convene around 6 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 6 August 14. Despite the former delay, scholarships totaling $132,000 will still be awarded to eight individuals (three active Seafarers and five dependents) deemed most deserving by the committee. Once selected, these individuals will be awarded scholarships of $6,000 or $20,000 apiece to pursue two- and four-year degrees, respectively, at accredited community colleges, vocational schools, colleges or universities. Award recipients will be announced in a future edition of the Seafarers LOG. Recertified Steward Steve Dickson (left) picks up his first pension check outside the hiring hall. The longtime Seafarer is pictured with SIU Safety Director Ben Anderson. August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Absentee Voting Has Deep Roots in U.S. History While it might be making recent headlines, there’s very little about absentee voting that is new. According to the Constitutional Accountability Center, “One of the earliest known instances of absentee voting occurred during the American Revolution. In December 1775, a group of soldiers from the Continental Army sent a letter back to their town asking if their votes could be counted in a local election. And at the town meeting held to discuss the issue, the town agreed to count the votes, ‘as if the men were present themselves.’” During the War of 1812, Pennsylvania allowed soldiers to cast absentee ballots if they were stationed more than two miles from their home. After the end of the Civil War, the states gradually passed new laws to expand absentee voting to civilians. Between 1911 and 1924, 45 of the 48 states adopted some kind of absentee voting. By World War II, every state let soldiers vote absentee, and the military was responsible for about 3.2 million absentee ballots cast, nearly seven percent of the total electorate in the 1944 presidential election. For a more recent example, in the 2016 election, about 24 percent of all ballots were cast in the mail, according to the federal Election Assistance Commission. As of press time, 34 states (plus D.C.) offer “no-excuse” absentee ballots, and will mail residents an early ballot upon request: Alaska, Arizona, California, Col- orado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Requests for an absentee ballot may be made online by visiting absentee.vote.org, and filling out a short request form. Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington already send ballots to all eligible SIU Crew, Coast Guard Rescue 3 Sailors The Mahi Mahi, operated by SIU-contracted Matson and partially crewed by Seafarers, worked with the Coast Guard to rescue three stranded mariners from a doomed trimaran in the Pacific Ocean on July 8. The SIU crew aboard the Mahi Mahi included Recertified Chief Steward Gregory Broyles, Chief Cook Carmelo Bartolome Dela Cruz and ACU Kevin Robinson. The 50-foot trimaran Third Try, which was on a non-stop circumnavigation of the globe, had not reported in for a few days. On the morning of July 7, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) issued a SAFETYNET broadcast notifying merchant vessels in the region of the situation, and the Mahi Mahi agreed to divert and travel along the Third Try’s suspected route. At 3 p.m. on July 7, watchstanders at the JRCC received an alert from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) registered to the Third Try. The SAFETYNET broadcast was updated with the new location, and the Coast Guard launched an HC-130 Hercules aircrew with a life raft aboard in response. They also notified the Mahi Mahi of the new location. The aircrew located the damaged vessel and determined that the sailors needed to be rescued. Early on July 8, the Mahi Mahi arrived on station, 825 miles northeast of Oahu, and rescued the three men from the trimaran. “One of our greatest challenges out here in the Pacific is distance,” said Lt. Diane French, a JRCC command duty officer. “First responders are often days away and we regularly rely on merchant vessel crews like the Mahi Mahi’s to assist with search and rescue cases. We are always grateful for their help.” Family Tradition SA Ahmed Korish (right) receives his B-book at the Algonac, Michigan, hiring hall. At left is his father, AB Omar Korish. August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 7 voters, so residents do not need to request one. All states permit residents who will be outside their home county to vote absentee, as well as voters with an illness or disability. Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia also offer the option to elderly voters. TWICs May Be Used to Obtain ‘TSA PreCheck’ The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on July 8 announced a potential benefit of carrying a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The agency indicated that all active TWIC holders as well as Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) holders who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or lawful permanent residents are immediately eligible for TSA “PreCheck,” which can considerably shorten waiting times in airport lines. “This new benefit immediately allows nearly 3.5 million individuals to obtain TSA PreCheck at no additional cost beyond what they have already paid for their credentials,” said TSA Executive Assistant Administrator for Operations Support Stacey Fitzmaurice. As noted in a news release from the agency, TWIC and HME holders “have already paid for, and successfully completed, a security threat assessment comparable to the TSA PreCheck security threat assessment.” A TWIC is required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act for workers who need access to secure areas of the nation’s maritime facilities and vessels. The HME program is for individuals seeking to obtain, renew or transfer an HME on a stateissued commercial driver’s license (CDL), allowing them to transport hazardous materials in commerce. TWIC and HME holders can obtain TSA PreCheck expedited screening by entering the identification numbers printed on their TWIC card or state-issued CDL during the airline reservation process. Active TWIC holders enter their TWIC credential identification number (CIN) in the known traveler number (KTN) field of their airline reservation. The CIN is printed on the back of each TWIC in the lower left-hand corner. According to the release, “TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program offered by TSA that allows travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their food and 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carryon, in select TSA airport checkpoint screening lanes. More than 200 airports participate in TSA PreCheck nationwide and dozens of airlines participate in the popular program.” More information is linked in a July 8 news post on the SIU website and on the TSA website (www. tsa.gov). Seafarers LOG 7 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Stay Connected We are relying on our devices more than ever. Now is the time to save on the monthly service charge for eligible wireless plans, take advantage of additional savings on select accessories, and get up to $45 waived activation and upgrade fees. Discover more exclusive wireless savings for union members at unionplus.org/att FREE COLLEGE CREDIT CARDS FLOWERS & GIFTS MORTGAGE PROGRAM Learn more at unionplus.org 8/20 3 15% ON THE MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGE of QUALIFIED WIRELESS PLANS: Available only to current members of qualified AFL-CIO member unions, other authorized individuals associated with eligible unions and other sponsoring organizations with a qualifying agreement. Must provide acceptable proof of union membership such as a membership card from your local union, a pay stub showing dues deduction or the Union Plus Member Discount Card and subscribe to service under an individual account for which the member is personally liable. Offer contingent upon in-store verification of union member status. Discount subject to agreement between Union Privilege and AT&T and may be interrupted, changed or discontinued without notice. Discount applies only to recurring monthly service charge of qualified voice and data plans, not overages. Not available with unlimited voice or unlimited data plans. For Family Talk, applies only to primary line. For all Mobile Share plans, applies only to monthly plan charge of plans with 1GB or more, not to additional monthly device access charges. Additional restrictions apply. May take up to 2 bill cycles after eligibility confirmed and will not apply to prior charges. Applied after application of any available credit. May not be combined with other service discounts. Visit unionplus.org/att or contact AT&T at 866-499-8008 for details. SIU-ATT-6-29-2020 8 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 8 August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Historian Recalls SIU in WWII Continued from Page 20 though there was not the least hurry about delivery for their cargoes of war. Beauregard Takes the ‘Road’ Captain William Patterson and his SIU crew took the Waterman Company’s SS Beauregard out of New York for Halifax on May 1, 1942, joining an eight-knot convoy from there to Hull, England, where the cargo was taken out and the ship re-loaded with tanks and other equipment for which the Russians were said to be in desperate and urgent need. By September, the Beauregard was in Lock Ewe, Scotland. Then to Glasgow for some repairs. After that to Belfast, where the crew were surprised to meet 12 other ships of the original group with which they had left the States. To Russia now? Not at all, for the dispatch of ships in those days was not so simple as all that. It was now the middle of October, and during the next eight weeks the tired old Beauregard was sent, in turn, to Kirkwall, The Firth o’ Forth, and Edinburgh, where the outmoded tanks were taken off and replaced with newer models. Sailing for Russia at long last the ship arrived in Murmansk on Christmas Day, and then on for a month the crew sweated out 130 air raids, shooting down one Nazi bomber with a rocket gun. The Beauregard returned to the States just one month short of a year-long trip. Other SIU ships like the Schoharie, and the Gateway City, wasted weeks in cruising between Scotland and Iceland, or laying idle at Reykjavik. The Gateway City rode at her anchor chain for 107 days in Iceland while the crew, who were forbidden to go ashore lest they divulge matters of “military importance” to Axis spies, made skiffs out of dunnage and paddled around to other ships in the harbor, including the Russians. The “Russkies” liked checkers and chess, and the men from the Gateway City answered many challenges from the Russian crewmen (and women). Correction Editor’s note: The July issue of the LOG included a pension write-up with erroneous information. The corrected version follows: Brother Charles Kennedy, 66, joined the union in 1975, initially sailing aboard the Yukon. He worked in the engine department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Kennedy most recently sailed aboard the Overseas Key West and lives in Mobile, Alabama. August & September Membership Meetings Pandemic permitting, the union plans to resume conducting membership meetings beginning this month. Those attending are reminded to bring face coverings. Safety protocols are in place at the halls and will remain in effect during the meetings. Seafarers are urged to check the SIU website and/or check with their hiring halls to verify that the membership meetings listed here are still happening. Piney Point..............Monday: August 3, *Tuesday: September 8 Algonac.....................................Friday: August 7, September 11 Baltimore..............................Thursday: August 6, September 10 Guam..................................Thursday: August 20, September 24 Honolulu................................Friday: August 14, September 18 Houston......................................Monday: August 10, September 14 Jacksonville......................Thursday: August 6, September 10 Joliet.....................................Thursday: August 13, September 17 Mobile.............................Wednesday: August 12, September 16 New Orleans............................Tuesday: August 11, September 15 Jersey City...............................Tuesday: August 4, September 8 Norfolk..................................Thursday: August 6, September 10 Oakland.............................Thursday: August 13, September 17 Philadelphia...................Wednesday: August 5, September 9 Port Everglades..................Thursday: August 13, September 17 San Juan............................Thursday: August 6, September 10 St. Louis......................................Friday: August 14, September 18 Tacoma................................Friday: August 21, September 25 Wilmington.....................Monday: August 17, September 21 *Piney Point change due to Labor Day observance Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 9 Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from June 17-July 15. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of July 15. Port Total Registered All Groups A B C Total Shipped All Groups A B C Trip Reliefs Registered on Beach A All Groups B C Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Deck Department 18 5 0 22 6 0 8 46 13 4 2 2 0 2 3 0 2 3 2 0 2 1 0 2 2 0 1 3 3 0 20 5 4 15 6 0 10 29 11 9 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 9 2 1 9 2 9 6 4 1 10 19 4 10 6 2 0 4 2 0 4 10 8 0 33 14 8 24 13 5 19 59 25 8 33 17 5 16 16 1 18 53 37 12 27 8 3 12 10 1 16 51 14 5 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 4 0 9 2 2 4 1 2 2 11 2 1 24 13 7 13 12 3 21 40 19 8 12 3 2 11 4 1 6 19 5 2 1 0 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 3 1 2 6 0 1 0 0 4 3 8 7 3 1 7 3 0 4 13 3 0 19 5 3 15 3 2 9 44 7 7 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 2 23 9 3 21 8 3 15 56 17 6 252 94 66 178 96 27 149 476 182 88 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Engine Department 2 1 1 6 0 0 3 5 4 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 2 0 2 4 2 0 5 8 2 3 7 1 3 14 13 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 2 0 1 5 1 1 6 2 0 6 2 0 4 8 10 1 11 10 2 9 6 0 3 24 15 2 22 11 0 7 14 0 12 36 21 1 4 8 0 6 3 0 2 12 10 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 6 2 1 0 4 2 0 2 0 1 4 6 1 11 13 0 8 10 2 9 22 23 3 2 5 3 4 2 1 4 9 8 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 2 2 1 2 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 5 1 4 1 1 5 1 0 3 5 1 1 17 3 1 10 6 1 5 28 10 6 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 2 1 0 9 3 2 7 7 0 4 37 10 4 102 79 18 78 67 7 61 225 145 29 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Steward Department 3 2 1 5 1 0 2 11 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 6 0 8 1 0 2 13 7 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 5 1 0 4 1 0 2 6 2 0 8 2 1 5 0 0 3 12 3 1 8 5 1 7 1 1 1 23 12 1 21 9 4 15 3 2 8 36 13 6 5 2 0 6 0 0 4 14 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 5 1 0 5 0 0 1 4 5 0 16 8 1 4 6 1 11 28 19 3 13 4 0 13 2 0 2 27 7 1 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 4 0 0 5 1 0 5 3 0 1 6 4 1 2 2 0 2 3 0 2 4 2 0 7 2 2 7 1 0 6 18 1 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 17 6 2 14 6 2 9 28 14 3 131 54 12 104 29 6 57 242 99 22 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Seattle St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Entry Department 0 11 13 0 6 6 8 2 22 19 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 6 0 3 5 3 0 4 5 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 1 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 0 3 2 0 3 1 2 0 4 5 2 8 4 2 4 3 4 3 15 11 3 20 19 1 13 8 4 6 41 27 3 15 6 1 11 4 2 4 25 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 11 20 0 7 16 8 1 21 33 3 7 7 3 5 2 2 5 22 10 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 3 0 2 4 3 1 2 5 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 8 7 4 4 7 6 2 7 19 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 8 4 11 3 3 3 32 22 24 106 99 17 78 64 46 36 220 161 GRAND TOTAL: 509 333 195 377 270 104 313 979 646 300 Seafarers LOG 9 7/20/20 3:18 PM �ABOARD HORIZON PACIFIC – The Sunrise Operations vessel was one of the first SIU-crewed ships to be serviced after restrictions lifted in mid-June. Pictured in Oakland, California, are (above, center) Bosun Richard Grubbs, (above, left) Port Agent Nick Marrone II (left) and AB Ahmed Ahmed, and (photo immediately above, from left) Marrone II, Chief Cook Keith Hall, AB Mariano Gutierrez-Garcia, SA Neil Ball, QEE Jason Powell, Patrolman Adrian Fraccarolli, Grubbs, OMU Rodolfo Caldo and EU Larry Calixto. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU ABOARD USNS ALGOL – Crew members from both the USNS Capella and USNS Algol are pictured aboard the latter vessel in San Francisco. From left, Chief Steward Dante Cruz, Recertified Bosun Ritche Acuman, Chief Steward Matthew Caroll, GUDE Mohsin Mohamed, GUDE Mousa Sailan, GUDE Edsel Felipe and QEE Lamar Pinckney. Both vessels are operated by Ocean Duchess. ABOARD PERLA DEL CARIBE – Chief Steward Ingrid Ortiz is pictured aboard the TOTE Services ship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Thanks to SIU Port Agent Amancio Crespo for the photo. 10 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 10 A-BOOK IN ALGONAC – AB Abdulghafor Ahmed displays his newly acquired A-book July 1 at the hiring hall. ABOARD PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT – Standing (from left) aboard the APL vessel in Oakland, California, are ACU Walter Harris, Chief Cook George Farala and Recertified Steward Sergio Castellanos. SIU Port Agent Nick Marrone II is in foreground. August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU ABOARD GRAND CANYON STATE – Seafarers meet in Alameda, California, in mid-June as the union resumes vessel servicing. ROS crews from the Gem State and Keystone State joined fellow Seafarers and SIU representatives aboard the Grand Canyon State. All three ships are operated by Pacific-Gulf Marine. The photo above includes SIU Oakland Patrolman Adrian Fraccarolli, Chief Steward Charlito Aseberos, QEE Jessie Turner, Bosun Georghe Savencu, Bosun John Young, GUDE Yousif Malahi, QEE Sukhbir Bains, GUDE Sari Alkarnoon, Chief Steward Abdullah Falah, GUDE Ali Naser, GUDE Douglas Maravelias, GVA Deja Nae Gardener-Johnson, GVA Rodolfo Ludovice, Bosun Michael Carvalho and GVA Ahmed Hussain. ABOARD MAERSK MICHIGAN – Vessel master Capt. T. Pham provided these snapshots in June, while the ship was on a Far East run, delivering fuel for the U.S. Military Sealift Command. Pictured from left in photo at top left are AB Tomas Calderon Robinson, AB Osei Baffoe, AB Gregory Baker, AB Jessica Kanehl, AB Dean Crisostomo and Bosun Gregorio Cudal. Pictured from left in photo at immediate left are GVA Ibrahim Ghalib, Pumpman Walden Galacgac, QMED Theodore Gonzales and QMED John Morrison. The photo directly above includes (from left) Chief Steward Elizabeth Byrd and Chief Cook Dustin Haney. CELEBRATING DAY OF SEAFARER – The SIU-crewed Safmarine Mafadi (Maersk Line, Limited) receives local acknowledgement in Bremerhaven for the International Maritime Organization’s “Day of the Seafarer” (June 25). This year’s theme was, “Seafarers Are Key Workers.” The related campaign emphasized how mariners are on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, playing an essential role in maintaining the flow of vital goods. August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 11 Seafarers LOG 11 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Inquiring Seafarer Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President George Tricker, Vice President Contracts This month’s question was answered by three members who ship from Baltimore (first three responses) and three who ship from Algonac, Michigan. Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Question: What are some steps you’re taking to remain safe during the pandemic, and why are they important? David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Joshua Gail AB Our biggest risk as ABs is the gangway watches. We have people coming aboard, dropping off supplies. We set up a station with hand sanitizer, and we provide masks for anyone coming aboard. Most of the time, we meet them off the ship; they don’t even come aboard. We’re also doing questionnaires and we all have our masks. If one of us gets [the virus], the whole ship is getting it. We’re touching the same things all day, so we have to be really mindful. Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 Devin Hoerr AB I was on the Global Sentinel when the pandemic started. It kind of snowballed while I was out there. It hasn’t been too bad in the area where I live in Pennsylvania, but I’m socially distancing myself in public and limiting the social events I go to. That’s important to stop the spread. I’m wearing a mask when I feel it’s needed – definitely in public, at grocery stores, gas stations. BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 Timothy Van Pelt QMED I just got a job on the SBX, which is an MSC contract. While I was on the ship, we had people doing crew changes, but they went into a 17-day quarantine where they were tested twice. We have plenty of hand sanitizer and temperature checks. Everybody coming aboard had to wear a mask for a week. We just need to follow the simple rules we were taught as kids about keeping our hands clean. In my opinion, it’s imperative that mariners not only take care of themselves during the pandemic and aboard ship, but also off the ship. At work, we live in a medically remote environment. HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT 45353 St. George’s Avenue, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 Paul Gohs Recertified Bosun Increased hand washing and wearing a mask whenever being out in public. Definitely more sanitation at home and on the ship – wiping things down and keeping them clean. Temperature checks are good, too. In the hall, you’re going to want to follow all those practices. It’s important to reduce exposure and the possibility of infection. You have to protect your family and your fellow Seafarers. You may have [the coronavirus] and not know it, so I wish more people would wear masks. I’m starting to see [mask wearing] drop off here in Michigan. Saleh Ahmed Recertified Bosun I’m keeping distance from friends, staying close to family all the time. Try not to go to any restaurants or anyplace with large gatherings. Wash hands and sanitize all the time, wear the mask. It’s a new thing but we’re taking it step by step. I know a couple of guys who got sick after being at gatherings, and it’s a reminder to avoid things like that. That way nobody will get the virus. Chris Ceyzyk QMED Being on a ship can be one of the safest places in that it’s a quarantined environment. It’s a nice benefit to our job. I’m like everybody else, I wear a mask, social distancing, and try not to face people. In other words, I try to offset myself when I’m talking to someone. I can’t honestly say I always wear a mask, but I try. These steps are important to me because we live in a society that looks out for other people. You’re wearing that mask to look out for other people – older individuals, people with compromised immune systems. That’s important to me. Pic From The Past This undated file photo featuring three late titans was a big hit recently on the SIU’s Facebook page. From left are SIUNA VP Ed Pulver, Paul Hall Center Trainee Commandant Ken Conklin, and SIU Exec. VP Joseph Sacco. SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 12 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 12 If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA CESAR DELA CRUZ Brother Cesar Dela Cruz, 70, signed on with the SIU in 1985. He was a member of the steward department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Dela Cruz’s first vessel was the Sugar Island; his last, the SBX. He makes his home in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. STEPHEN DINNES Brother Stephen Dinnes, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1975 and first sailed on an Anchorage Tankship vessel. An engine department member, he frequently upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Dinnes last sailed on the OMI Hudson. He resides in Mary Esther, Florida. REGINA FLORES Sister Regina Flores, 70, started her career with the union in 1997, initially sailing aboard the Independence. She upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2001 and sailed in both the deck and steward departments. Sister Flores’ final vessel was the Honor. She makes her home in the Bronx, New York. PHILIP PARENT Brother Philip Parent, 70, signed on with the Seafarers in 1985. He was an engine department member and first sailed on the Dewayne Williams. Brother Parent upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. He last sailed aboard the Baldomero Lopez and resides in Incline Village, Nevada. JANET PRICE Sister Janet Price, 65, joined the Seafarers International Union in 1980, initially sailing on the El Paso Southern. She was a steward department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Sister Price most recently sailed on the Diamond State. She makes her home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. SIMEON RIVAS Brother Simeon Rivas, 65, began his career with the union in 1991, first shipping aboard the Independence. He sailed in both the deck and en- August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 13 gine departments. Brother Rivas upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. He last sailed on the Maersk Atlanta and lives in the Bronx, New York. FRANCIS ROMAN Brother Francis Roman, 58, started sailing with the SIU in 2001 when he shipped on the Kodiak. A member of the deck department, he last sailed on the Cape Douglas. Brother Roman settled in Palm Coast, Florida. WALTER SAINVIL Brother Walter Sainvil, 70, began his career with the Seafarers International Union in 1999 when he shipped on the Sgt. Matej Kocak. He upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions and sailed in both the deck and engine departments. Brother Sainvil most recently sailed aboard the Green Bay. He makes his home in Brandon, Florida. JOHN SILVA Brother John Silva, 65, signed on with the union in 2001 when he sailed aboard the Franklin J. Phillips. He was a member of the steward department and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2002. Brother Silva’s final vessel was the USNS Pathfinder. He resides in St. Petersburg, Florida. EARL THOMAS Brother Earl Thomas, 65, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1998, initially shipping on the USNS Altair. A steward department member, he upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Thomas last sailed on the USNS Waters. He lives in Norfolk, Virginia. JAMES TRACEY Brother James Tracey, 60, started his career with the union in 1979, first sailing aboard the Banner. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Tracey most recently shipped on the Endurance and calls Waltham, Massachusetts, home. INLAND CHRISTI CALVERT Sister Christi Calvert, 62, signed on with the union in 1978. She worked for Crowley Towing and Transportation for her entire career. Sister Calvert shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. She makes her home in San Clemente, California. TIMOTHY COCHRAN Brother Timothy Cochran, 63, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1995. He was first employed with Hvide Marine and sailed in the engine department. Brother Cochran’s final vessel was the Hermes. He resides in Groves, Texas. ALLEN COLE Brother Allen Cole, 62, signed on with the SIU in 2004 when he sailed aboard the Abby G. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Cole concluded his career with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He lives in Indiantown, Florida. FRANCIS COYLE Brother Francis Coyle, 62, joined the union in 1978. He first shipped with National Marine Service and was a member of the deck department. Brother Coyle upgraded at the union-affiliated Piney Point school on numerous occasions. He was last employed with Interstate Oil and calls Bellmawr, New Jersey, home. JAMES DALEY Brother James Daley, 66, joined the SIU in 1977. A deck department member, he worked for Crowley Towing and Transportation for the duration of his career. Brother Daley upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. He makes his home in Jacksonville, Florida. EDWARD EHRHARDT Brother Edward Ehrhardt, 62, signed on with the Seafarers in 1987. He sailed in the engine department and worked for McAllister Towing of Virginia. Brother Ehrhardt remained with the same company for the duration of his career. He settled in Panama, Florida. LARRY EVANS Brother Larry Evans, 62, began sailing with the SIU in 1976. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Evans was employed by G&H Towing for the majority of his career. He lives in Friendswood, Texas. WILLIAM FOLEY Brother William Foley, 64, joined the SIU in 1976, first sailing aboard Westchester Marine’s William. He primarily shipped in the engine department and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Foley’s final vessel was the Pride. He settled in St. Petersburg, Florida. GENE HUDGINS Brother Gene Hudgins, 62, signed on with the SIU in 1977. He was a member of the deck department and first worked with Steuart Transportation. Brother Hudgins upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 1981. He last worked with STC Little Curtis Company and makes his home in Mathews County, Virginia. duration of his career. Brother Miller lives in Fort Myers, Florida. DAVID STECKEL Brother David Steckel, 65, signed on with the union in 1977 when he worked for Interstate Oil. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Steckel was last employed by McAllister Towing of Philadelphia. He resides in Wenonah, New Jersey. JOHN KING PAUL STINGLEN Brother John King, 65, became a member of the union in 1973, initially sailing with H&M Lake Transport. He sailed in the deck department and was last employed by OLS Transport. Brother King resides in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Brother Paul Stinglen, 66, began his career with the SIU in 1974, initially sailing aboard the Independence. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2001 and was a member of the deck department. Brother Stinglen last sailed with Penn Maritime. He lives in Cape Coral, Florida. MICHAEL LEAGER Brother Michael Leager, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1973 when he worked for Interstate Oil. A deck department member, he continued to work for the same company for the majority of his career. Brother Leager makes his home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. DAVID LEGROW Brother David Legrow, 65, embarked on his career with the SIU in 2007. He shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Legrow was employed with Penn Maritime for the duration of his career. He lives in Titusville, Florida. RICHARD LORD Brother Richard Lord, 62, began sailing with the union in 1977. A deck department member, he was first employed by G&H Towing. Brother Lord upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. He was most recently employed by OSG Ship Management and settled in Turnersville, New Jersey. WILLIAM MILLER Brother William Miller, 65, became a member of the SIU in 1980. He was a deck department member and worked for Virginia Pilot Corporation for the ELVIS SUMARIA Brother Elvis Sumaria, 56, joined the Seafarers in 2002 when he shipped on the Sugar Island. He worked in the engine department and most recently sailed on the Dodge Island. Brother Sumaria is a Los Angeles resident. MARC TOMUSCHAT Brother Marc Tomuschat, 55, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1994, initially sailing with McAllister Towing of Virginia. He shipped in both the deck and steward departments and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Tomuschat was most recently employed by Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning. He lives in Scarborough, Maine. DONALD WILLIS Brother Donald Willis, 62, began sailing with the union in 1977. A deck department member, he first worked with Allied Transportation. Brother Willis upgraded at the union-affiliated Piney Point school on several occasions. He last sailed with OSG Ship Management and is a resident of Beaufort, North Carolina. Seafarers LOG 13 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Final Departures DEEP SEA ALEX ALEXANDER Pensioner Alex Alexander, 91, died May 10. He signed on with the SIU in 1951 and first shipped with Delta Lines. Brother Alexander was a member of the steward department. He concluded his career on the Producer and became a pensioner in 1987. Brother Alexander resided in New Orleans. SANTIAGO ARROYO Pensioner Santiago Arroyo, 102, passed away June 3. He joined the SIU in 1973. A steward department member, Brother Arroyo first sailed aboard the Fairland. He last shipped on the San Pedro before retiring in 1987. Brother Arroyo was a resident of Puerto Rico. PATRICK BISHOP Pensioner Patrick Bishop, 65, died May 23. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1977; his first vessel was the John Tyler. Brother Bishop worked in the engine department. He most recently sailed aboard the Cape Juby and became a pensioner in 2020. Brother Bishop made his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. HEATH BRYAN Pensioner Heath Bryan, 75, passed away June 20. He began sailing with the SIU in 1970 when he worked for Vivian Tankships. Brother Bryan was a steward department member. He last shipped aboard the Seabulk Challenge before going on pension in 2009. Brother Bryan was a resident of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. DAN BUCKLEY Pensioner Dan Buckley, 67, died May 29. He became a member of the union in 1971, initially sailing aboard the Western Hunter. Brother Buckley primarily sailed in the deck department. He last shipped aboard the Liberty Wave before becoming a pensioner in 2019. Brother Buckley lived in Metairie, Louisiana. the engine department. He last shipped on the Vail and became a pensioner in 2002. Brother Hopkins was a Baltimore resident. SHERWIN JONES Brother Sherwin Jones 37, passed away June 1. He started his career with the Seafarers International Union in 2006 when he sailed aboard the USNS Impeccable. Brother Jones was a deck department member and most recently worked for Watco Transloading LLC. He was a resident of Brooklyn, New York. STANLEY LA GRANGE Pensioner Stanley La Grange, 68, died June 6. Signing on with the SIU in 1972, he was first employed by CSX Lines. Brother La Grange was a deck department member. He last sailed aboard the Green Island and went on pension in 2003. Brother La Grange lived in Houston. MICHAEL LINUS Pensioner Michael Linus, 76, passed away June 14. He started sailing with the union in 1974 and shipped in the steward department. Brother Linus’s first vessel was the President Kennedy; his last, the Tacoma. He retired in 2009 and made his home in Kalispell, Montana. WILFREDO MIRANDA Pensioner Wilfredo Miranda, 81, died April 26. A steward department member, he joined the SIU in 1969 when he shipped aboard the Steel Engine. Brother Miranda’s final vessel was the Expedition. He went on pension in 2003 and was a Puerto Rico resident. KENNETH PINCHIN Pensioner Kenneth Pinchin, 71, passed away June 12. He signed on with the union in 1998 when he shipped aboard the USNS Altair. An engine department member, Brother Pinchin last shipped on the Florida. He retired in 2014 and settled in Pompano Beach, Florida. FRANKLIN ROBERTSON Brother Franklin Robertson, 61, died April 7. Born in Seaboard, North Carolina, he embarked on his career with the SIU in 1978. Brother Robertson first shipped on the Philadelphia and worked in the steward department. He last sailed on the Motivator and made his home in Norfolk, Virginia. JAMES SHORT Pensioner James Short, 78, passed away June 10. He was born in Wise, Virginia, and became a member of the SIU in 2001. Brother Short sailed in both the steward and engine departments. His first vessel was the Patriot; his last, the SBX. Brother Short retired in 2013 and called Kirby, Texas, home. GUY WILSON Brother Guy Wilson, 60, died February 29. A deck department member, he joined the Seafarers International Union in 2001. Brother Wilson’s first vessel was the Cape Orlando. He last shipped on the Horizon Pacific and was a resident of Modesto, California. INLAND GUISEPPE BOCCANFUSO Pensioner Guiseppe Boccanfuso, 96, passed away June 12. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1970 when he worked for Michigan Tankers. Brother Boccanfuso sailed in the steward department. He was last employed with Crowley Towing and Transportation before going on pension in 1997. Brother Boccanfuso resided in Torrance, California. CHARLES BRANCH Pensioner Charles Branch, 80, died March 9. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1962. Brother Branch first worked for G&H Towing. He concluded his career with the same company before retiring in 2001. Brother Branch lived in Shelbyville, Texas. FREDDIE CANTRELL Pensioner Freddie Cantrell, 67, passed away June 15. He began sailing with the union in 1975 when he worked for Allied Transportation. A deck department member, Brother Cantrell was last employed with Penn Maritime. He became a pensioner in 2015 and settled in Greeneville, Tennessee. RICHARD FOLEY Pensioner Richard Foley, 81, died May 25. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and started sailing with the SIU in 2001. Brother Foley first shipped aboard the Cape Jacob and sailed in the deck department. He concluded his career working for Crowley Towing and Transportation and went on pension in 2009. Brother Foley resided in Waco, Texas. FREDERICK SHIFERDEK Pensioner Frederick Shiferdek, 76, passed away June 17. He joined the SIU in 1966 and first sailed with United States Shipping Company. Brother Shiferdek was a deck department member. He last sailed with Crowley Towing and Transportation before retiring in 2005. Brother Shiferdek was a resident of Yulee, Florida. NMU MAURICE MARTIN Pensioner Maurice Martin, 80, died June 16. He was an NMU member before the 2001 NMU/SIU merger. Brother Martin sailed in the deck department and last shipped aboard the Blue Bayou. He called Port Arthur, Texas, home. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. NAME AGE Alves, Joseph 88 Bush, Ward 94 Chimeno, Rodolfo 95 Ebanks, Leroy 89 Evora, Joaquim 88 Greenidge, Kenneth 99 James, Robert 77 Johnson, Richard 95 McFarlin, Roderick 77 Medina, Luis 92 Muhammad, Lateef 93 Newman, Trotti 91 Williams, Paul 91 DOD 06/15/2020 06/01/2020 05/15/2020 04/21/2020 02/21/2020 05/22/2020 04/14/2020 06/08/2020 04/29/2020 06/12/2020 06/11/2020 05/25/2020 06/19/2020 Aboard Cape Henry RODWELL FORBES Pensioner Rodwell Forbes, 82, passed away June 19. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 2001 when he sailed aboard the USNS Capable. Brother Forbes was an engine department member and last shipped on the Energy Enterprise. He retired in 2015 and resided in Metairie, Louisiana. DONALD HOPKINS Pensioner Donald Hopkins, 82, died June 11. He joined the union in 1959, initially working with Paco Tankers. Brother Hopkins sailed in 14 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 14 The FOS crew is pictured in early June, returning to San Francisco after a successful post-repair sea trial. Vessel is operated by Matson. August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings MAERSK OHIO (Maersk Line, Limited), April 14 – Chairman James Joyce, Secretary Christina Mateer, Educational Director Vicente Dunbar Reve, Steward Delegate Quinsha Davis. Crew was commended for a safe voyage. Special thanks given to gangway gang. Soiled linen should be bagged and taken to laundry room as directed by secretary. Educational director reminded members to upgrade at the Paul Hall Center and to keep documents in order. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew discussed text message inquiry regarding health aboard ship. More info to follow. President’s report from latest edition of Seafarers LOG posted in mess hall. Steward department was thanked for excellent Easter meal. Members voiced safety concerns and requested increase in pension. Captain working on Wi-Fi. Next port: Norfolk, Virginia. TAINO (Crowley), May 2 – Chairman Donley Johnson, Secretary Kimberly Strate, Educational Director Jesus Martinez Ortiz, Engine Delegate Angel Cintron. Brief meeting held to discuss restrictions to ship. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew went over text message communications from SIU headquarters. Members requested “All Ports” posting on website portals. Crew was praised for outstanding job sanitizing ship. Next port: Jacksonville, Florida. AMERICAN PRIDE (Crowley), May 9 – Chairman Felsher Beasley, Secretary Richard Jones, Engine Delegate Marcus Brown, Steward Delegate Santiago Amaya. Members went over ship restrictions and are hopeful for compensation. All is well with crew. Educational director reiterated importance of keeping documents current, particularly dur- The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. ing current COVID-19 pandemic. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew read communications and noted the 100th Anniversary of the Jones Act, America’s freight cabotage law. Members asked for more clarity regarding ship restrictions. Crew requested increase in pension and vacation benefits. Next port: Port Everglades, Florida. MAERSK HARTFORD (Maersk Line, Limited), May 9 – Chairman Anecito Limboy, Secretary Ali Matari, Educational Director Shawn Pantschyschak, Deck Delegate Kirk Willis. Chairman reminded mariners to leave clean rooms and fresh linen for joining crew. He encouraged members to support the SIU and donate to SPAD (Seafarers Political Activities Donation, the union’s voluntary political action fund). Crew was thanked for garbage separation. Educational director advised members to stay updated about class schedules. Engine delegate reported beef with OT for QMED. Crew requested increase in vacation days as well as faster internet on board. Contract clarifications needed for the roles of electrician and QMED. Next port: Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. CALIFORNIA (Crowley), May 10 – Chairman Kenneth Abrahamson, Secretary Raymond Lackland, Educational Director Joshua Zelinsky, Deck Delegate Leonard Ajoste, Engine Delegate Alvin Cabahit. Crew received bigger TVs and cable boxes for rooms. Wi-Fi now available. Chairman discussed how to do paperwork and file for vacation during COVID-19 pandemic. Red Circle crew extended through June 30, 2022. Deck delegate reminded members to separate trash in proper containers. Crew read various communications and President’s Report Aboard USNS Brittin Pictured aboard the U.S. Marine Management vessel earlier this year in the Middle East are (from left) AB Adolfo Figueroa, AB Clayton Walker and OS Antonio Hamilton. Thanks to Third Mate Matt Thomas (SIU hawsepiper) for the photo. from Seafarers LOG. Members are now able to communicate with family via email and Facetime with improved Wi-Fi. Next port: Long Beach, California. ALLIANCE FAIRFAX (Maersk Line, Limited), May 10 – Chairman Emmanuel Gazzier, Secretary Robert Seim, Deck Delegate Mark Butler, Engine Delegate Hilario Martinez. Chairman advised members to keep union dues paid. Educational director reminded crew to keep credentials up to date. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew read and posted recent information about pandemic. MAGNOLIA STATE (Crowley), May 31 – Chairman Octavio Ruiz, Secretary Jerome Jordan, Educational Director David Garrett, Engine Delegate Luis Sepulveda, Steward Delegate Munasser Ahmed. Chairman advised crew to leave clean rooms for relief members. Deck department was thanked for working together to keep ship clean. Educational director encouraged members to take advantage of upgrading opportunities at the Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew discussed Wi-Fi access aboard ship. Vote of thanks given to steward department. Crew requested boost in vacation benefits. AMERICAN FREEDOM (Crowley), June 14 – Chairman Joshua Mensah, Secretary Francisco Madsen, Educational Director Felix Garcia, Deck Delegate Ryan Legario, Engine Delegate Daniel Daligcon, Steward Delegate Daniel Mergillano. New mattresses to be ordered. Educational director urged members to upgrade their skills at the unionaffiliated Piney Point school upon its reopening (classes resume in August). No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested increase in pension while decreasing sea time requirements. Next port: Long Beach, California. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 15 requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Sea­farers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Conse­quently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 15 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Paul Hall Center Classes The following is a list of courses that currently are scheduled to be held at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland during the next several months. More courses may be added. Course additions and cancellations are subject to change due to COVID-19 protocols. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Start Date of Course Date Completion Title of Start Date of Course Date Completion Safety/Open Upgrading Courses Basic Training August 24 August 28 Deck Department Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer Deck August 24 September 11 AB to Mate Modules Module dates vary throughout the year. Once accepted, students will be advised of dates. Classes are only open to students in AB to Mate program and modules must be taken in order. Module 3 August 17 August 24 August 31 September 3 September 7 August 21 August 28 September 2 September 4 September 11 Safety Upgrading Courses Basic Training August 24 August 28 Basic Training Revalidation August 17 August 17 August 21 August 21 August 31 August 31 September 4 September 4 September 11 September 11 September 14 September 14 September 18 September 18 Basic Training/Adv. FF Revalidation August 10 August 14 Government Vessels August 10 August 14 August 24 August 28 Module 4 September 15 September 18 September 21 October 09 October 12 October 16 Module 5 October 19 October 23 October 26 October 30 November 2 November 3 November 4 November 6 November 10 November 20 Module 6 November 23 December 18 Engine Department Upgrading Courses FOWT October 19 November 13 Junior Engineer September 21 November 13 October 26 December 18 Steward Department Upgrading Courses Galley Operations September 28 October 23 November 16 December 11 Certified Chief Cook September 7 October 9 October 12 November 13 November 16 December 18 Chief Steward August 3 September 11 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name_________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth___________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member o Lakes Member o Inland Waters Member o If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #__________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? o Yes o No If yes, class # and dates attended___________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? oYes o No _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, MMC, TWIC, front page of your book including your department and seniority and qualifying sea time for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. Must have a valid SHBP clinic through course date. I authorize the Paul Hall Center to release any of the information contained in this application, or any of the supporting documentation that I have or will submit with this application to related organizations, for the purpose of better servicing my needs and helping me to apply for any benefits which might become due to me. 16 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 16 COURSE ____________________________ ____________________________ START DATE _______________ _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION ________________________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, or any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 8/20 August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Paul Hall Center Classes Apprentice Water Survival Class #861 – Graduated March 20 (above, in alphabetical order): Joshua Aldana, William Borders, Howard Brand, Johnathan Bumgarner, Dennison Forsman, Carter Fuller, Talon-Angie Garces, Aniah Harold, Ramon Hilerio Rosa, Jafet Misla-Mendez, Ehukai W.B. Rawlins, Gabriel Rawls, Kenneth Von Kaenel, Tristan Webber, Anthony Williams, Sarah Wilson and Johnny Young. Apprentice Water Survival Class #862 – Graduated April 17 (above, in alphabetical order): Sarah Awad, Devin Brashear, Richard Diaz, Christopher Emanuel, Michael Garcia, Mynisha George, Caleb Jackson, James Lagroue, Scott Miller, Raymond Murphy, Tanner Page, Alexandra Resto, Luke Satsuma, Mitchell Seman, Yacoub Shack, Kelvin Ivan SotoMelendez, Anoalo Stanley, Michael Taylor and Matthew Vargas. August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 17 Seafarers LOG 17 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Paul Hall Center Classes Water Survival (Upgraders) – Graduated March 20: Darryl Brown (above, left) and Willie Smith Jr. Basic Motor Plant – Graduated March 20 (above, in alphabetical order): Mohamed Alghazali, Andrew Blacker and Basheer Ghazali. Government Vessels (Phase 1) – Graduated March 6 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Jessica Davis, Shamir Jameil Ford, Tyler Foster, Austin Jandreau, Taylor Rabb and Chadon Williams Important Notice To All Students Students who have registered for classes at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, but later discover - for whatever reason - that they can’t attend, should inform the admissions department immediately so arrangements can be made to have other students take their places. Government Vessels (Upgraders) – Graduated March 6 (above, in alphabetical order): Francia Helena Alvarez, Annie Bivens, Monserrate Blas Jr., Jackson Blaty, Virnabeth Tomo Cano, Susan Villar Emmons, Ardeccia Hill, Jewel Lamb, Petronio Paragas and Willie Smith Jr. (Note: Not all are pictured.) 18 Seafarers LOG 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 18 August 2020 7/20/20 3:18 PM �Paul Hall Center Classes Certified Chief Cook (Module 2) – Graduated April 3: Seth Duke Alejandro Alonzo (above, left) and Neyda Oviedo-Bermudez. Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated March 13 (above, in alphabetical order): Angel Bernardez, Edward English and Shantay Chanell Joquin. Chief Steward 2.0 – Graduated March 6 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Stephen Avallone, Solomon Darku, Shari Hardman and Gregory Lynch. School Adopts, Releases COVID 19-Specific Rules for Students COVID Rules and Regulations 2.0 have been adopted by the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. According to officials at the Piney, Point, Maryland-based campus, these new rules, which must be strictly adhered to by all concerned, override any prior rules and regulations until further notice. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the following rules and regulations must be adhered to for your safety, as well as all staff, visitors, guests and contractors safety: 1. Once you arrive on campus and check in, you WILL NOT be permitted to leave base. This includes during exercising (walking, running, riding bikes, etc.) Please pack and prepare for your time at the school, just as if you were going to a ship. If you choose to leave base without prior approval, you will be denied access when returning. Under certain circumstances, you may be allowed to leave base, with PRIOR approval from the Assistant Vice President, for approved clinic runs or similar. Additionally, there will be no store (Walmart/Target) or church runs. 2. When arriving, you must fill out and sign the health questionnaire which will be provided to you upon check-in at the front desk. You will also be shown a campus safety and sanitation video and will be asked to sign a statement indicating that you have seen the video. August 2020 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG_X.indd 19 3. When inside of any buildings and in common areas on campus, you must wear a protective face covering/mask which is secured behind both ears or head. You will not be required to wear face masks when in your hotel room/personal space or outside. Face coverings that are NOT acceptable include; n Bandanas n T-shirts n Any covering with inappropriate art, words, references. In the event you do not have a proper face covering/mask, they will be available for sale in the sea chest. 4. You will be required to adhere to campus wide social distancing guidelines. Maintain at least a 6-foot distance between yourself and other individuals. This includes while on break from class. 5. Students will be permitted to order needed supplies online, and have them delivered to the school address. 6. Be sure you have all needed medications with you, and have enough supply to last you through the extent of your stay on campus. 7. Mooney’s Pub/Port of Call Bar will remain closed due to COVID and renovation until further notice. 8. The Health Spa is open, with restrictions (no more than 10 people at a time). All guidelines must be followed when in the health spa including wearing a mask. 9. The pool will be open with social dis- tancing in place. 10. If at any time you develop symptoms or feel/become sick please report it to a staff member and report to the nurse immediately for further direction. 11. All students’ temperatures will be taken upon arrival to the school and daily in the morning in the classroom. In addition, students are subject to random temperature checks throughout the day. If it is found you have a temperature of 100.4 F or above you may be denied access to the facility and/or class. Please keep in mind you cannot miss more than 10% of any class or you must repeat the class and you will NOT be permitted in class with a fever. NOTE: When a remote temperature gun is being used, any temperature that measures over 99 degrees F will be considered a fever. This will require an additional test and other possible screening. Readings from temperature guns are typically around one degree lower than what would be indicated on a standard oral thermometer. 12. NO spouses, family members or guests will be permitted on campus, at any time. 13. All meal hours will be assigned and strictly adhered to by all students. You WILL NOT be permitted into the galley/cafeteria outside your assigned meal time. The following rules govern student- transportation to and on the Paul Hall Center campus: 1. All students traveling in a school vehicle must wear a protective mask during transport. 2. All students will be subject to temperature checks prior to entering a school vehicle for transport. If it is found that you have a temperature at or above the readings described above, you will be denied transport. Denial of transport is for the safety of all school staff, students and guests. 3. In the event you are denied transport in a school vehicle, you will be provided with an information sheet from the driver. The information sheet will list local testing sites, emergency rooms and hotels for your convenience. 4. If you travel using your personal vehicle, you will be subject to temperature screenings at the front gate. If it is found you have a temperature at or above the readings above, you will be denied access to the campus. 5. In the event you are denied access to the campus, security will provide you with an information sheet containing local testing sites, hotels and emergency rooms for your convenience. 6. In the event you are denied transport or access to campus, please contact the Travel department toll free at 877-7897829 Seafarers LOG 19 7/21/20 2:25 PM �VOLUME 82, NO. 8 AUGUST 2020 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Recalling the Service of WWII Seafarers Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment from a 1951 booklet titled “The Seafarers in World War II.” Penned by the late SIU historian John Bunker, the publication recapped SIU members’ service in the War. More than 1,200 SIU members lost their lives to wartime service in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Earlier installments are available on the SIU website and in print beginning with the May 2020 edition of the LOG. This one picks up after a recap of numerous sinkings including that of Waterman’s Afoundria near Haiti, in May 1942. The ship was carrying bombs and beans when it was struck by a torpedo; all hands were saved. It is, unfortunately, impossible in this account even to mention all of the Union’s contracted ships that went down in these tropic waters, but not to be forgotten are some of the “oldtimers” including the Barbara, sunk with considerable loss of life among passengers and crews; the Alcoa Carrier, Alcoa Partner, Edith, Lebore, Alaskan and Antinous. To these ships and the men who sailed them across “U-boat Lake,” in most cases without guns or armed escort, it’s “hail and farewell. Yours was a job well done.” To Malta and Suez October of 1942 was one of the most critical periods of history. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps were less than 60 miles from Alexandria, striking for Suez and domination of the Middle East. They had destroyed 200 tanks, two-thirds of all the 8th Army possessed and victory seemed to be almost theirs. Hard pressed were the desert-hardened fighters of the British Army and its Allies. It looked as though nothing could stop the German panzers from running through Egypt to the Suez Canal. And then the 8th Army stiffened, giving Rommel a stiff right to the chin at Alam El Halfa. Taking a deep breath, they swung hard and hit the Germans with a succession of hard body bows at El Alamein, after which the Afrika Korps turned back and, chased by the “desert rats,” headed pell-mell toward the west across the burning sands. Aid to Desert Rats That the 8th Army accomplished this victory in the face of defeat may well have been made possible by the historic voyage of the SS Seatrain Texas and her SIU crew. This train-carrying freighter had just returned to New York from England in the summer of 1942, when she was rushed to dock and started taking on a load of Sherman tanks which had been diverted from our own armed forces on an emergency order from President Roosevelt. She was ordered to rush the tanks to the British at Suez without so much as an hour’s delay, for two American ships carrying Shermans for the 8th Army had just recently been sunk – their precious cargoes entirely lost beneath the seas. With 180 tanks and 165 Army technicians aboard, the Seatrain Texas left New York as soon as loading was complete, with Capt. Albert Dalzell in command. Hazardous as the ocean lanes were at that period of the war, there was no time to wait for convoys. Proceeding at top speed, the Seatrain Texas zig-zagged through the dangerous Caribbean with guns manned every minute and double lookouts on watch continuously day and night. Then came the precarious dash across the long and lonely South Atlantic, where Nazi raiders were known to be operating. Stopping at Cape Town only long enough for fuel, the Texas coursed along the east coast of Africa to rendezvous with a British corvette, her only escort of the entire voyage, at “torpedo point” off Madagascar. From Ship to Battle Furrowing the warm seas as they speeded north, the two ships passed a convoy which had left the States three weeks before the Texas slipped her hawsers from the Jersey pier, and they arrived at Suez a full seven days ahead of 63272_AUGUST_2K20_LOG.indd 20 Smoke is visible from a merchant ship bombed in an Allied convoy to the Soviet Union in October 1942. The convoy, including SIUcrewed vessels, fought through a four-day attack by German torpedo planes and U-boats to deliver cargo to a Soviet Arctic port. the convoy. Unloading gear was already rigged as the Seatrain Texas came to anchor. Tank drivers of the 8th Army were there to meet her, and as soon as the broad, heavy Shermans hit the shore they were rumbling off toward the fighting fronts not many miles away. Said the Seatrain Lines of this exploit, “It was the men of the Seatrain Texas as well as Montgomery who turned the tide in North Africa.” They helped put Rommel to rout and, perhaps without exaggeration, played an important part in changing the course of history. No better accolade for the ship and her crew could have been given. Theirs had been an historic mission ably fulfilled. Action-packed voyages in the Mediterranean were not unusual for SIU-manned ships, from the time of the Malta convoys till after Italy had surrendered. The Liberty ship Daniel Huger of the Mississippi Shipping Company, for instance, was loaded with 6,000 tons of high octane gasoline in barrels when she was caught in an air raid in Bone, Algeria, in 1943 and hit by a bomb which wounded several gunners and started a fire in the ’tween decks. Battled Gasoline Although the ship threatened to blow up at any minute, with flames from exploding gasolines roaring 300 feet into the air, the crew stayed by their posts till the order came to abandon ship. Later a fire brigade arrived and crewmen volunteered to help the shoreside fire-fighters put out the flames and save ship and cargo. Several of the crew dared death to enter the hold adjacent to the fire and spray foamite over the red-hot bulkheads. When the Alcoa-operated William Wirt was attacked by Nazi bombers in the Mediterranean, the War Shipping Administration later said of its crew that “although it was the first experience in action for the majority of merchant seamen stationed with the guns, they served like seasoned veterans.” The same commendation could be made of many another SIU crew. After the SS Maiden Creek, a C-3 operated by Waterman, was torpedoed near the coast of North Africa in 1944, crewmen returned to the ship when it was seen she wouldn’t sink immediately, and volunteers went below to break out towing hawsers from the after-chain locker. As they were at work below, a second torpedo struck the vessel in the stern, with six sailors losing their lives and 12 others being injured as this SIU crew attempted to save their vessel and its valuable cargo of war supplies. SIU men played an important role in another thrill-packed theater of war, when the SS Robin Locksley of the Seas Shipping Company helped to rush food, gasoline and ammunition to beleaguered Malta, that brave bastion of the middle Mediterranean, which proudly bore the title of the “most bombed spot on earth.” German and Italian airmen had tried futilely to blast this 17-mile long island out of the war with innumerable raids, for Malta had three flying fields and British planes were using them to exact costly tolls from Axis convoys supplying Rommel in North Africa. But for several small and heavily protected Allied convoys that reinforced the island by running the “bomb blockade,” Malta might have fallen and the conquest of Africa been made immensely more costly in men and material. It was on November 17, 1942, that the Robin Locksley, the Bantam (Dutch) and the Denbighshire (Br.) left Port Said for Malta. Importance of the convoy is emphasized by the size of the escort they had: five cruisers and seven large destroyers! The first heavy attack was by seven Junkers 88s, which were driven off by intense ack-ack fire, but three torpedo planes came in soon after and hit the cruiser Arethusa. In this attack the Robin Locksley was given credit for downing one of the torpedo raiders. On the 19th, a flight of 27 Nazi troop-carrying planes bound for Africa made the mistake of passing over the convoy, and long range Beaufighters from Malta which were flying cover for the fleet at the time knocked down four of the transports with their human cargoes. Heavy seas and frequent overcast helped the convoy to reach Malta without loss on November 20, delivering a cargo that helped immeasurably to keep the island fortress in the war. The Robin Locksley and her companion ships skirted subs and bombs to arrive safely back in Port Said. The Russian Run As long as men from World War II still go to sea, there will be told stirring tales of the Russian run – the long, cold, hazardous voyage to Murmansk and the ports of the White Sea. Close to 350 American ships made the run to Russian with bombs, guns, tanks, ammunition, gasoline, beans, bandages, dried eggs, sugar, shoes, grain, and even gin for the big brass. Up to March of 1943, 32 American ships out of 143 setting out for the Barents Sea had been lost. Many of these, and not a few of those lost later, were manned by men of the SIU, for the number of ships crewed by Seafarers on the legendary run to Russia was almost legion. Greatest danger on this northern voyage came when the convoys approached North Cape, the Arctic tip of Scandinavia, which posed the last great hurdle before they reached their destination on the upper rim of the world. Some convoys delivered their cargoes without loss, but most of them saw action from planes, subs, and Nazi surface craft. Added to this were the natural hazards of bitter cold, storms, ice and fog. Nearly every ship setting out for Russia was given a load of explosives to carry: anywhere from several hundred to a thousand tons. It was “sudden death” that could – and more than once did –send ship and crew to kingdom-come in a sudden fearful roar. Seamen in convoy PQ-18, which included the Schoharie, Virginia Dare, William Moultrie, and other SIU ships, will never forget the end of the freighter Mary Luckenbach. Wiped Off the Sea During the heavy air attack, a torpedo bomber either crashed on her deck or dropped its torpedo like a bomb. No one can ever tell exactly what happened, for the vessel was completely obliterated. When the William Moultrie steamed over the spot (she was in column behind the Luckenbach) crewmen could not spot a single bit of wreckage from the unfortunate vessel – not even a board or shattered piece of life raft. The Skipper of the nearby freighter St. Olaf entered in his log that the Mary Luckenbach “flew into a million parts like a giant hand grenade.” Following the famous “Fourth of July” convoy – which was decimated by planes and subs when deserted by its escort – convoy PQ-18 was heavily protected, but still had to fight its way through to the White Sea. Of 40 merchant ships in this convoy,13 were sunk in bitter attacks that included as many as 40 torpedo bombers at one time, and which lasted even to the moment the fleet arrived in Archangel. Sailing the “road to Russia” was frequently quite exasperating to crews whose ships either sat at anchor for weary, uneventful weeks, or went wandering around over the ocean as Continued on Page 9 7/20/20 3:18 PM � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: U.S. SENATOR BACKS JONES ACT SCA HONORS MARITIME ADMINISTRATOR INDUSTRY CONTINUES GRAPPLING WITH CHALLENGES SIX MARITIME UNION PRESIDENTS DRAFT, SIGN MESSAGE ADDRESSING COVID-19 ABOARD AT-SEA VESSELS BOSUN SHARES EXPERIENCE COMBATTING CORONAVIRUS MATSON CHRISTENS MATSONIA IN SAN DIEGO U.S. CONGRESSMAN ROB WITTMAN UNDERSCORES NEED FOR STRONG U.S. SEALIFT, REVITALIZED RRF SEAFARERS' JOBS SECURE AS RAND LOGISTICS COMPLETES AMERICAN STEAMPSHIP COMPANY PURCHASE SECRETARY-TREASURER SENDS IMPORTAN MESSAGE TO SEAFARERS CONCERNING UPCOMING SIU ELECTION SIU ABSENTEE-BALLOT PROCEDURES ABSENTEE VOTING HAS DEEP ROOTS IN U.S. HISTORY SIU CREW, COAST GUARD RESCUE 3 SAILORS TWICS MAY BE USED TO OBTAIN 'TSA PRECHECK' Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 1, 2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. 82, No. 8 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/0e716f235b4f1821c6718346d527cb72.pdf 2ed17dd8d1838da3642b25037fa355c6 PDF Text Text JULY 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 7 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O SIU Supports DEFENDER-Europe 20 Six SIU-crewed vessels earlier this year played vital roles in a large-scale military exercise. Five of the ships are enrolled in the U.S. Maritime Security Program (segments of the exercise continued at press time). Above, an Abrams tank drives off the SIU-crewed MV Endurance (U.S. Navy photo by Travis Weger). In photo at right, mariners aboard the USNS Benavidez, including SIU Ordinary Seaman Jiamall Whitaker Brickers (far right), steer the ship into position during a convoy with the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf and the Seafarers-crewed MV Resolve (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jordan R. Bair). Pages 10-11. Halls Reopen, School to Follow SIU hiring halls reopened June 15, and the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education has announced plans to resume classes in early August. Across the board, many precautions are being taken – and the situations remain fluid in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crew changes are continuing, though not without assorted complications overseas. Meanwhile, the definition of PPE has expanded during the pandemic, as reflected in the group photo from the USNS Gordon (directly above). Pictured from left aboard the Ocean Shipholdings vessel are 2/E Shy, EO Rob Fink, Recertified Bosun Karl Mayhew, 3/M Forrest G., AB Karen Allen, Chief Engineer Ken, STOS Brandon Williams and C/M Andy Lucchese. They are sporting face coverings that were hand-made by a good friend of the ship’s 1st Engineer Elizabeth Mack. The photo at left shows SIU members lined up at the Jacksonville, Florida, hiring hall as it reopens June 15. Page 3. National Maritime Day Page 4 Jones Act Turns 100 Page 5 �President’s Report Opportunity for Justice For those of us in the labor movement, or, really, for anyone familiar with our work, the awful irony was impossible to miss. Vandals extensively damaged the lobby and other first-floor areas of the AFL-CIO headquarters building late on May 31. They broke windows and doors and set fires in the facility as other individuals engaged in peaceful, legitimate demonstrations in the nation’s capital (and across the country). For those who don’t know, the AFL-CIO building is across from the White House. Ultimately, as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, the building itself is just that – a building. Thankfully, no one was inside at the time, and the sprinkler system at least limited the damage, which nevertheless was extensive. The irony, of course, is that the federation and its affiliates, including the SIU, have long been on the front lines of the fight for racial justice – not just when it comes to law enforcement, but also Michael Sacco for economic equality. Unions typically have higher percentages of minorities in their memberships than the general public. The gains we’ve secured throughout the decades have helped union and unrepresented workers (of all colors) alike, but for those who enjoy the benefits of membership, we focus not on race but on the “black and white” written in the contract. Many, many years ago, the SIU was segregated. I am not blind to the racism that existed in the labor movement in general, either. Thankfully, we turned the corner within our ranks a long time ago. It’s certainly possible to cherry-pick examples of current individual discrimination, but on the whole, organized labor has been and remains at the forefront of this fight. While we’re on the subject, let’s get something straight. When someone says, “Black Lives Matter,” they are not saying other lives don’t matter. We all saw the video of George Floyd being suffocated by a police officer – a sickening sight that ultimately resulted in Floyd’s death. It’s not an isolated example, and it called attention to a longstanding problem in a way that cannot and must not be avoided. But that’s not the only struggle faced by our African-American brothers and sisters. I’m not sure how widely known this is, but historically, black workers have faced unemployment rates twice as high as those of their white counterparts. And from what I’ve read, the statistics can’t be explained away by differences in levels of education. At every level of education, the black unemployment rate is significantly higher than the white unemployment rate, even for those workers with college or advanced degrees. Outside the labor movement, there are also, to this day, significant wage gaps between white and black workers. No matter how you slice the data, that’s the reality. Here’s some more reality: Almost all police officers are decent people doing their best in a difficult job. Most people aren’t racists, and, as we saw with the AFL-CIO building, there are those who want to create trouble. But we still live in a world divided in many ways by color lines. To build a different, better economy and better way of life, we need power that can only come from solidarity – and solidarity has to start with having all our voices be heard. We should begin by acknowledging our own shortcomings and honestly addressing issues that are faced by the communities in which our members live – both the problems and the solutions. We have to find a way to see with each other’s eyes. As with any longstanding problem, there isn’t an overnight solution here. But I’m confident in our country, our movement, our union. Let’s keep the lines of communication and dialogue open and let’s work – together – for meaningful change. Secretary Chao Thanks Industry United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao released a video statement on May 7, in which she expressed her gratitude to the men and women of the American maritime industry. “During these challenging times, I want to send a grateful message to everyone in the U.S. maritime industry to thank you for your work and dedication,” Chao began. “Our nation is so thankful for your continued service to our country during this most unusual time.” She continued, “U.S. mariners and the U.S.-flag shipping fleet have been critical in helping to keep supply chains moving, and are an important part of our national defense. The department is on the job 24/7, doing everything possible to help you. Knowing that U.S. mariners will always respond to the call of duty gives all of us a sense of security. You are helping our country get through this crisis, and successfully prepare for economic recovery. “For that, you are to be applauded. You are an inspiration. Thank you, for all that you do for our country,” she concluded. The video is linked on the SIU website. Elaine L. Chao U.S. Secretary of Transportation Congressional Representatives Voice Strong Support for Merchant Marine U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) and Elaine Luria (D-Virginia) are reminding fellow members of Congress that the U.S. Merchant Marine is vital to national, economic and homeland security. Luria on May 5 hosted a press call featuring Hoyer along with American maritime industry leaders, including SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez; Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association President Marshall Ainley; American Maritime Officers National Vice President Christian Spain; Maritime Trades Department Executive Secretary-Treasurer Daniel Duncan; Maersk Line, Limited President Bill Woodhour, and several others. Luria and Hoyer said they are pushing to include U.S.-flag shipping in upcoming stimulus packages stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, they are urging that participants in the U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP) receive additional stipends. They also recommend increasing American-flag carriage of preference cargoes, and upholding the Jones Act. Tellez thanked both Luria and Hoyer for their continued and steadfast support of the maritime industry, describing them as “staunch allies.” His remarks focused on American mariners rather than the laws and programs that keep Old Glory flying on the oceans, lakes and waterways. “Our members play a vital role in keeping commerce flowing,” Tellez stated. “We’re the folks on the front lines of this crisis, ensuring that the nation’s economic and national security are protected and defended.” He added, “Our folks don’t get to go home at night. They are doing a job, many of them well beyond their normal tour of duty. They know the importance of what they do, and they are dedicated. On behalf of the unsung heroes of the U.S. Merchant Marine, thank you for everything you do for us.” Luria recently sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders asking for their support of American-flag ships and their crews. Expounding on that communication, she said during the call that a drop-off in both government cargo and commercial cargo means it’s the right time to boost the MSP. “This program is an essential part of our national security,” she stated, and then added her ongoing backing of the Jones Act and cargo preference. Hoyer, whose district includes the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, said the pandemic should remind everyone about the importance of maintaining U.S. manufacturing capabilities, American jobs – and a strong U.S.-flag maritime industry. “The maritime industry is an absolutely critical component of our national security infrastructure,” he stated. “COVID-19 has put a lot of our capabilities at risk. One thing it has made clear is the critical need to make things in America. It’s incumbent upon us to maintain our maritime capacity…. If we do not invest in keeping our maritime industry and our sailors ready to go, we will be in real trouble. This is not an optional investment.” He said the maritime industry “is facing the same problems every other business in America has run into. This industry is a national security priority – both the ships and the personnel are critically important. We need to make sure they have the resources to be sustained.” Hoyer also pointed out that Luria’s active-duty service in the U.S. Navy helps make her “a perfect advocate and somebody who has a deep knowledge of the vital role civilian mariners play.” Lastly, he expressed “great pride in the men and women who are in Piney Point (at the Paul Hall Center). They are a wonderful example of how industry and labor work together. The school is one of the great training centers in our country, and maybe in the world. Augie Tellez and the other leaders of our merchant marine are a critical component of our community.” Woodhour said the decline in cargoes “shows no realistic sign of ending anytime in the near future.” He is concerned that the mariner pool will dwindle, and said the proposed additional stipend will help avoid layups and layoffs, even though it’s not a long-term solution. “We stand beside our friends in maritime labor,” Woodhour said. Later, when answering a reporter’s question, Woodhour pointed out that many other countries heavily subsidize different sectors of their maritime industries, on a scale that dwarfs anything done in the U.S. Luria wrapped up the call by conveying her “thanks to civilian mariners. We will keep pushing to support the MSP and the other things that make the U.S. Merchant Marine continue to be a viable, important part of our economy and our national defense.” O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 82 Number 7 July 2020 The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Capital Gateway Drive; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. Reversed to White Reversed to White 2 Seafarers LOG U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Virginia) July 2020 �COVID-19 PANDEMIC Halls Reopen; School Resumes Aug. 1 Union Works with State Dept., Congress, Others for Overseas Crew Changes Editor’s note: The COVID-19 pandemic remains a constantly changing situation. Accordingly, SIU members are encouraged to check the union’s website and stay in touch with the halls for the latest information. There is a prominent COVID-19 section on the home page at www.seafarers. org. For major announcements, the SIU also sends text alerts linking to the web posts. As pandemic-related restrictions started to loosen across the United States, the SIU cautiously and deliberately reopened its hiring halls and announced plans to resume classes at its affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Many states began advancing to different phases of reopening from late May to midJune. However, the COVID-19 pandemic remained a massively serious threat – as of June 15, at least 114,000 people had died from the coronavirus in the U.S. and more than two million cases had been reported. Following are some of the major developments since publication of the June edition of the LOG: n A crew member from the USNS Leroy Grumman, which is part of the SIU Government Services Division fleet, became the first known American mariner to die from the coronavirus. Though not a union member, Joseph Bondoc was part of the unlicensed crew. He was one of more than 20 crew members diagnosed with COVID-19 while the vessel was in a Boston shipyard. A contractor from that same yard also died from the virus. n SIU hiring halls reopened June 15, with numerous safeguards. Vessel servicing also resumed on June 15, wherever allowable, and union headquarters (located in Camp Springs, Maryland) transitioned from a skeleton crew to fuller staffing in all departments. Pandemic-related modifications have been made at the halls, including extensive cleanings, installation of dividers, shipments of PPE for members and staff, rearranging seats to promote social distancing, and more. Members are required to wear a face covering when entering the building. (A limited number of masks are available at the halls.) Additionally, visitors must bring a completed medical questionnaire (available on the SIU website) with them when they arrive at a hall. Similar protocols and precautions are in place at headquarters. In an effort to keep the numbers down in Members return to the halls in Oakland, California (photo above) and in Jacksonville, Florida (photo at left, below). Face coverings and temperature checks are among numerous precautions being taken at the halls. SIU VP Nick Celona is at far right in photo above. the halls during this transition of reopening, members should be aware that even after June 15, registration and reclaims are still being done by phone, temporarily. Regular job calls take place for rotary shipping, and general business can be conducted at the halls (filing for vacation benefits, beefs, etc.). n The SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, in Piney Point, Maryland, is scheduled to reopen Aug. 1. An array of safety-related modifications are being implemented. Initially, the school will offer a limited number of upgrading courses, with reduced class sizes. The full course content will be presented in a shorter-than-usual period, in order to get students in and out more quickly. Apprentice training will resume in September. At least during the initial reopening period, students must remain on campus for the duration of their respective courses (including weekends). Students are asked to pack and prepare for their time at the school just as if they were heading to a ship. The school does not have a firm timeline for this policy, but envisions it as temporary. The original course schedule for 2020 has been completely scrapped. New course dates are available on the SIU website and will be published in the Seafarers LOG. Course dates will continue to be added. Many steps are being taken to help ensure both functionality and safety. Meal periods will be assigned, altered and staggered. Class starting times will be altered to help promote social distancing. No family members or guests should come to the school until further notice. Gym access will be limited. The following courses will be offered beginning in August: Able Seafarer Deck; Certified Chief Cook; Chief Cook Assessment Programs; BT Revalidation; Chief Steward; Government Vessels; and BT/Advanced Firefighting Revalidation. Those with questions should contact the admissions office by phone at (301) 9940010 (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Eastern Time), or by email at admissions@seafarers.org. n Crew changes have been among the largest challenges of the pandemic, particularly for the SIU-crewed “shuttle” ships that normally remain overseas. Nevertheless, significant progress was happening at press time. In late May, SIU President Michael Sacco and the presidents of five other U.S. maritime unions contacted the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Secretary of Defense with an urgent call to facilitate overseas reliefs for American mariners. Signing the letter were Sacco; AMO President Paul Doell; MEBA President Marshall Ainley; MM&P President Don Marcus; SUP President Dave Connolly; and MFOW President Anthony Poplawski. The letter – which was far from the SIU’s lone effort – reads in part, “Scores of U.S. mariners are presently trapped aboard cargo ships, unable to take leave or return home due to extreme COVID-19 lockdown measures imposed by foreign governments. This humanitarian crisis, if not resolved as soon as possible, may threaten the essential supply chain for some 200,000 active U.S. military personnel now serving overseas. The cargo carried on these U.S. flagged ships supports our troops, our allies and the global economy. “Ship’s captains, officers and crew members who sail under the American flag and perform these essential functions for our country have not been able to set foot on dry land in months. Their workplaces have become floating prisons. Crew members are in danger of losing access to life- sustaining medicines. In many cases, they cannot contact their loved ones at home in the United States as some of these vessels lack Internet access. “It is well documented that isolation and excessive time serving aboard ship can create increased fatigue and psychological stress, raising the risk of marine accidents. Thousands of mariners across the globe who work on foreign-flagged vessels are in the same predicament.” (The full text of the letter is available on the SIU website.) The SIU also is actively coordinating with vessel operators, U.S. embassies, the International Maritime Organization, International Labor Organization, World Health Organization, and directly with the host nations to expedite crew changes. Meanwhile, several SIU-contracted vessel operators chartered a plane to make crew changes in Diego Garcia. That plane returned to the U.S. in late May after the changes were made. Pre-boarding quarantines largely have become the norm, regardless of vessel location. With that in mind, the SIU in late May posted a message to the membership noting, “It’s extremely important that all members adhere to the agreed-upon protocols prior to joining a ship. This applies whether you are self-isolating at home or in a hotel. While we are navigating these uncharted waters, think of the pre-boarding safety regimen as your part of helping ensure the vessel’s crew remains COVID-free. And remember that if you fail to comply, you are affecting not only yourself but your future shipmates and the fellow members who are awaiting reliefs.” n The July membership meetings have been cancelled, but plans are being made to conduct the August meetings, with safety measures. n The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center (NMC) on June 4 announced several additional extensions for various documentation. Merchant mariner credentials (MMC) and medical certificates (national endorsements only) that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until Dec. 31, 2020. Mariners who are actively working on expired credentials that meet the expiration criteria must carry the expired credential with a copy of the NMC notice, which is posted in the Latest News and COVID-19 sections of the SIU website. The agency also announced that MMCs with STCW endorsements that expire between March 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020 are extended until Dec. 31, 2020. The same is true for STCW medical certificates that expire between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020. SHBP Relaxes Some Rules Governing Cobra Coverage During the course of this COVID-19 pandemic, the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan has relaxed certain time limits July 2020 for COBRA coverage and for the submission of appeals for denied medical claims. For detailed information on these changes, you can contact the claims department or the membership assistance department at (800) 252-4674. Seafarers LOG 3 �U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao (left), Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby (center) and Gen. Stephen Lyons (right) are shown in the National Maritime Day video produced by the U.S. Maritime Administration. MARAD Delivers Rousing Maritime Day Video The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and its Maritime Administration (MARAD) definitely made the best of a challenging circumstance for this year’s National Maritime Day celebration in the nation’s capital. The agency produced a half-hour video and posted it on the MARAD YouTube channel the morning of May 22. Viewer comments reflect sincere appreciation for the stirring tribute, which featured comments from DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) Commanding Officer Gen. Stephen R. Lyons, Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby, TV host Mike Rowe and World War II U.S. Merchant Mariners David Yoho, James Monteleone, George Shaw and Hugh Stevens. This year’s theme was, “Resilient Sealift for a Resilient Nation.” “It’s great to be with you today – if only virtually – but Maritime Day must go on,” Buzby said in his opening remarks. He then introduced Chao, whom he described as “a strong advocate for the importance of the maritime industry to our nation’s economic growth, and to our national security.” Chao offered a brief history of the day of remembrance: “National Maritime Day was established by Congress in 1933 to commemorate the first transoceanic voyage of the American steamship Savannah. It was a way to celebrate America’s long and deep maritime tradition, and the innovation that has powered it, from [steamships] to nuclear ships and beyond. In World War II, merchant mariners were an essential part of the war effort, and their casualty rate exceeded that of all the other Armed Forces.” She continued, “Today, we salute the men and women of the American maritime community, who have helped ensure that people, supplies and equipment get to where they need to be during times of peace, war and natural disasters. “Our U.S.-flag fleet is an integral part of our national security, and as we face the COVID-19 crisis of today, the department is doing everything we can to support our country’s maritime sector, and ensure that the industry is able to ramp up when the economic recovery begins.” Buzby then offered his remarks, speaking from the deck of the SIU-crewed Ready Reserve Force vessel SS Cornhusker State in Newport News, Virginia. “Our motto in the U.S. Merchant Marine is, ‘In Peace and War.’ It’s on our merchant marine flag, we talk about it in speeches all the time,” he noted. “It’s been a part of our industry since before this nation was even a nation. It’s what drives all of us who have served at sea and those of us who support those who go to sea. The idea is that we’re going to get it through, no matter what – whether it’s peacetime, wartime, no matter what, we’re going to get it through. “And certainly, throughout our nation’s history, this industry has persevered through a Revolutionary War, a Civil War, two global conflicts and any number of regional conflicts,” Buzby added. “The merchant marine has always been there, and has never faltered. Now here we are, facing a new foe, a new global conflict, but this time instead of man versus man, it’s man versus a virus. And the U.S. Merchant Marine is still persevering through it all.” Buzby then touched on the service of mariners during World War II, before saying, “Congress just approved recently the Congressional Gold Medal to award all those merchant marine veterans of World War II, who … persevered in wartime to make sure the Allies had victory in Europe and in the Pacific. Today, you mariners are facing the same, very grave challenges, and we have to do the very same thing. We have to come up with coun- termeasures, things that are going to mitigate that risk and keep our ships sailing, and you’re doing that – whether it’s through personal protective equipment, social distancing, contact tracking, the deep cleaning of our vessels, you’re making it happen and you’re still getting our ships through. And I think that’s a real tribute, as much to you and this generation as it was to those who preceded you and other generations who did what you had to do to get those ships through. I think it’s something that you all should be very, very proud of. “I’m very proud of the conduct of all of you, whether it’s been labor, the shipowners and operators, or whether it’s been government entities,” he continued. “The level of cooperation that has been exhibited, I think, says so much about this industry and why we are so strong and why we have been able to persevere through all these years.” Buzby concluded, “In the coming months, when we do get this thing behind us, every one of us that had the watch during this time should take a great deal of pride in the fact that, when it was our time, when our nation called upon us, when the challenges were issued, that we all stood tall, did what we had to do, and made it happen. In peace and war.” Lyons said, “As this audience knows, TRANSCOM, one of 11 combatant commands, is responsible to the Secretary of Defense and the Commander in Chief to deploy and sustain military forces around the globe to support our national security interests. In doing so, we count on a strong, U.S.-flag maritime industry – a maritime industry that has a long history of enabling military victory. Today, just as in World War II, the United States-flag merchant ships, the mariners who crew them, and our commercial sealift industry continue to play a critical role in our nation’s defense by providing sealift ships, mariners, and access to global seaport networks.” He continued, “As a result, the United President Issues Maritime Day Proclamation Since the founding of our great Nation, we have relied on merchant mariners to deliver goods to market and strengthen our national security. On National Maritime Day, we recognize the United States Merchant Marine for all it does to facilitate our commerce and protect our interests at sea. Our Nation’s merchant mariners enable peaceful trade with countries around the world and provide vital sealift support to our Armed Forces. Whether on the ocean or our inland waterways, merchant mariners support our economy by transporting billions of dollars of imported and exported goods. These men and women also sail bravely into combat zones to deliver supplies and weapons to our military men and women, playing a critical role in the success of their mission. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, we pay tribute to the United States merchant mariners who served as the “Fourth Arm of Defense” for our 4 Seafarers LOG Nation during the war. Earlier this year, I was proud to sign into law long-overdue legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the valiant civilian merchant mariners who maintained critical supply lines to our overseas troops and allies during the Second World War. Many of these mariners endured brutal attacks from German U-boats, and more than 6,000 of them perished at sea or were held as prisoners of war. This number includes 142 students of the United States Merchant Marine Academy – distinguishing it as the only one of the five service academies authorized to carry a battle standard. As we remember the tremendous sacrifices of the World War II merchant mariners, we also continue to honor the present-day citizen mariners who make up our Nation’s world-class Merchant Marine. Today, we pay tribute to their expertise, patriotism, and dedication to serving our country and ensuring our national security. States’ ability to project and sustain military power across transoceanic distances remains a strategic competitive advantage, and is admired by friends and adversaries. TRANSCOM, working with MARAD and key industry partners, provides an essential element of deterrence and, if necessary, the unquestionable ability to respond with overwhelming, decisive force, most of which will be moved by sealift. The resulting combined effort is a world order that encourages peace, and opportunities for freedom, while deterring a great power war for over 75 years and counting. “The United States is today, and always will be, a maritime nation,” Lyons concluded. “The most important resource of a maritime nation is people: professional men and women of high technical proficiency, who sail with high technical competency, hard work and innovation. That is why, at the end of the day, it is a U.S. flag on a ship, with U.S. crews at the helm, that remain essential to our national defense.” Yoho began by expressing his thanks on behalf of his fellow merchant veterans for the recent passage of the Congressional Gold Medal Act. He then gave a brief history of the merchant marine in World War II, to which fellow veterans Monteleone, Shaw and (now Captain) Stevens added their insights into the life of a World War II mariner. Following those remarks, Buzby placed a ceremonial wreath into the sea, as the traditional Eight Bells were rung in honor of fallen mariners. Afterwards, Rowe spoke about his relationship to the maritime industry, including an uncle who was a mariner, before concluding the ceremony with the singing of the Merchant Marine anthem, “Heave Ho.” Meanwhile, despite pandemic-rooted limitations, the SIU observed National Maritime Day in other newfound ways. SIU SecretaryTreasurer David Heindel and SIU Houston Safety Director Kevin Sykes were featured in separate online interviews about the industry. The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 20, 1933, has designated May 22 of each year as “National Maritime Day” to commemorate the first transoceanic voyage by a steamship in 1819 by the S.S. Savannah. By this resolution, the Congress has authorized and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation calling for its appropriate observance. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2020, as National Maritime Day. I call upon the people of the United States to mark this observance and to display the flag of the United States at their homes and in their communities. I also request that all ships sailing under the American flag dress ship on that day. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth. DONALD J. TRUMP July 2020 �Industry Celebrates Jones Act Centennial June 5 marked the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Within this important legislation is the language that governs America’s waterborne freight cabotage – the Jones Act. Named for the bill’s primary sponsor – U.S. Senator Wesley Jones (R-Washington) – the Jones Act simply states that cargo moved from one domestic port to another domestic port must be carried aboard a U.S.-crewed, U.S.-flagged, U.S.built and U.S.-owned vessel. The Jones Act oversees the movement of goods along America’s ocean shorelines, Great Lakes ports and inland waterways. “The Jones Act remains a pillar of not only the United States maritime industry, but also our country’s national, economic and homeland security,” stated SIU President Michael Sacco. “It’s a source of family-wage jobs both on the water and ashore. It protects our nation in so many ways.” A 2019 study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute showed the Jones Act is responsible for 650,000 American jobs creating more than $40 billion annually in income. Workers whose jobs are related to the law can be found in all 50 states. Cargo shipping is not the only maritime aspect covered by the Jones Act. It includes the U.S.-flag dredging industry as well. “The Jones Act has been attacked by unsubstantiated claims for years,” declared Maritime Trades Department (MTD) Vice President Jerry Abell. “In this day and time of viruses that we have no vaccines for and unprecedented death tolls, this act should be our first line of defense to protect the American shipping and dredging industries and the health of the American workforce from foreign enemies. I cannot stress enough how important the Jones Act is to the security and economic success of the country.” (Abell is President/Business Manager for Dredging Local 25 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.) Throughout the decades, the Jones Act has received bipartisan support from the White House and members of Congress. Military leaders also have expressed their backing for the law as it not only provides well-trained American mariners who crew Legislators Issue Statements Backing Vital Maritime Law Following are excerpts of statements issued by members of Congress in recognition of the Jones Act centennial. “The Jones Act has been and remains critical to supporting U.S. mariner jobs and our maritime industry, not to mention bolstering our national security. Over its 100-year history, the Jones Act has been critical in times of war, national emergencies and natural disasters, and global crises such as the current pandemic.” --- U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) “The Jones Act is an integral part of our Nation’s success, and I am proud to recognize its longstanding contributions to our Nation and to advocate for its continued influence in the decades to come. The Jones Act has enhanced American prosperity and national security ever since its enactment on June 5, 1920. It puts America first over subsidized foreign shipbuilders and foreign vessel operators that do not pay U.S. taxes or comply with U.S. regulations. It continues to preserve our role as the world’s leader in commerce and thousands of precious jobs for our American citizens. When it comes to the Jones Act, there is an overwhelming sense of pride from the American people, especially from Mississippians.” --- U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) “At its core, the Jones Act is a critical labor standard that helps put U.S. mariners to work and maintains important workplace rights. In Washington’s Second Congressional District, the district I represent, the Jones Act supports 2,240 jobs which generate more than $130 million in labor income and more than $642 million in economic impact annually…. The Jones Act also underpins U.S. maritime defense policy and is essential to preserving national security interests at home and abroad.” --- U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington) July 2020 vessels taking needed goods for armed forces located around the world, but also supplies another set of eyes from American citizen-seafarers within U.S. ports, harbors and waterways for unlawful activities. “Many people do not realize that the Jones Act was not America’s first cabotage law,” noted MTD Executive SecretaryTreasurer Daniel Duncan. “In fact, among the original laws passed by the first Congress in 1789-90 were several designed to protect the nation’s fledgling maritime industry.” At one time, foreign-flagged and foreign-crewed vessels were permitted to sail along the inland waterways and on the Great Lakes. These vessels and crews did not then, nor have to now, meet America’s labor, building and safety standards. After a series of disasters that claimed American lives, Congress worked on various measures to strengthen the cabotage laws. During World War I, the United States did not have much of a merchant fleet. Many businesses depended on commercial vessels from Britain, France, Germany and other nations to export and import goods. When the war took these vessels away, Americans were forced to pay a premium to move cargo. This led to the 1920 Merchant Marine Act with its inclusion of the Jones Act. Despite its value to the American economy and the nation’s security, the Jones Act continually faces attacks from outside interests. The cabotage law of the Jones Act is not unique to the United States, either. The London-based Seafarers’ Rights International released a study in 2018 listing more than 90 countries that have some type of cabotage law on their books. Maritime unions around the world have identified the Jones Act as the flagship of cabotage laws. “This centennial is worth celebrating – and the Jones Act is worth fully preserving,” proclaimed Sacco. “America’s freight cabotage law has served us extremely well for a century, and that’s why it has always enjoyed strong bipartisan support along with powerful backing from top military leaders. “God bless the Jones Act, which I believe is the most ‘All-American’ law in existence.” “For 100 years, the Jones Act has been protecting Americans and our nation’s waterways. Not only is Louisiana’s First Congressional District number one in the country for Jones Act jobs, the Jones Act is a critical piece of America’s national and economic security. At its heart, this law strengthens American naval capabilities, prevents foreign ships from roaming throughout our inland waterways, and protects our country from unknown foreign threats. The U.S. maritime industry is an important backbone of America’s industrial base, and without the Jones Act, our maritime industry would be unfairly undercut by subsidized foreign entities. I will continue fighting to preserve the Jones Act so we can protect our national security, and to ensure these high-skilled, high-paying jobs remain in Louisiana and in America.” --- U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) “The bedrock principles and protections of the Jones Act are as essential today as they were when the bill was passed a century ago. We are, at our core, a maritime nation. The U.S. Merchant Marine enables the country to project force anywhere around the globe and ensures the security of our waters at home. We cannot be complacent in our defense of the Jones Act, which remains a critical component of U.S. maritime and military strategy.” --- U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) “This week, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Jones Act and its century of fostering our domestic maritime industry and supporting our national security. Named in honor of its author, former Senator Wesley Jones, the Jones Act has helped provide economic benefits in times of peace and has safeguarded resources to expand our military maritime capacity for times of war. For the Department of Defense, maintaining a U.S.flagged fleet is critical to ensuring we have sufficient U.S. sealift capacity, available at a moment’s notice, to defend our nation…. Not only does the Jones Act support this vital national security requirement, it also provides an economic benefit to our nation.” --- U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) Seafarers LOG 5 �Retired Paul Hall Center Instructor Bernabe Pelingon Passes Away May 2 at 68 When Bernabe Pelingon finished a 20-year stint in the U.S. Navy in 1997, he earnestly considered an array of second careers. But it didn’t take long for him to choose the SIU. Pelingon joined the union and sailed for two years before becoming an instructor at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Maryland. He taught at the school for nearly 20 years, mixing in some ongoing work as an active mariner, before retiring in late 2018. Pelingon, known to all as Bernie, cited health concerns when he retired. He died May 2 at age 68. “He was beloved by staff and students alike, and his influence can be seen on many people working in the deck department throughout the SIU,” said Paul Hall Center Acting Vice President Tom Orzechowski. “He was around when I took my AB course and he was a sailor’s sailor.” Stan Beck worked with Pelingon both in the armed forces and at the school. “Bernie was one of my shipmates in the U.S. Navy,” Beck recalled. “We were on the USS Detroit together and we were both at the Paul Hall Center (as instructors) for 20 years each. He loved teaching students and was everyone’s mentor. He was always willing to help with anything we needed, and he will be missed very much.” Another instructor, Tom Truitt, noted, “Bernie’s best interest was always for the student. He was always looking to give the students the most beneficial information so they could succeed after they left the school. He was a wealth of knowledge and I knew if I had a question, he would answer it or know where to find the answer. I really enjoyed working with him, and he was a true professional.” Even after retirement, Pelingon lived on the secondary road leading to the school. A native of the Philippines, Pelingon hailed from a family of educators. He received college degrees in nautical science and marine transportation and also secured his third mate’s license. In the Navy, he served as quartermaster first class, earning many decorations along the way in addition to working as an instructor. In Piney Point, he became the school’s lead instructor for able seamen – but he did far more than classroom work. Pelingon recruited other veterans to the school, both as students and instructors. He served as a peer tutor and mentor for upgraders, some of whom had English as a second language. In his retirement letter, Pelingon said that working at the school “has been a wonderful experience, and I will cherish the memories.” Bernabe Pelingon (left) was a fixture in Piney Point for nearly 20 years. He served as lead instructor in the deck department and also recruited for the school. USCG Waives MMC Fees For Active Duty Personnel Editor’s note: The following information was issued by the U.S. Coast Guard on May 26. The announcement is posted on the SIU website, in the Latest News section, and includes all of the related links. 6 Seafarers LOG The Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing has published CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-20 titled: Guidance on Waiver of Merchant Mariner Credential Application Fees for Active Duty Officials Release Procedures For Requesting Absentee Ballots For Upcoming SIU Elections Elections for the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters are scheduled for later this year. As in past SIU election years, a comprehensive guide will be published in the Seafarers LOG prior to the balloting. In the case of members eligible to vote who believe they will be at sea during the Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020 voting period or who otherwise think they will need absentee ballots, absentee ballots will be available. The SIU constitution ensures that members who are eligible to vote and who find themselves in this situation may vote. Procedures are established in the SIU constitution to safeguard the secret ballot election, including the absentee ballot process. Here is the procedure to follow when requesting an absentee ballot: 1. Make the request in writing to the SIU office of the secretary-treasurer, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. 2. Include in the request the correct address where the absentee ballot should be mailed. 3. Send the request for an absentee ballot by registered or certified mail. 4. The registered or certified mail Members of the Uniformed Services. Active duty members of the uniformed services are eligible for a waiver of fees for evaluation of an application for an MMC, the administration of an examination required for an endorsement, and for the issuance of an MMC. The waiver applies to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Nov. 15, 2020 and must be received at 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746 no later than Nov. 25, 2020. 5. The secretary-treasurer, after confirming eligibility, will send by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the address designated in the request, a ballot, together with an envelope marked “Ballot” and a mailing envelope no later than Nov. 30, 2020. 6. Upon receiving the ballot and envelope, vote by marking the ballot. After voting the ballot, place the ballot in the envelope marked “Ballot.” Do not write on the “Ballot” envelope. 7. Place the envelope marked “Ballot” in the mailing envelope which is imprinted with the mailing address of the bank depository where all ballots are sent. 8. Sign the mailing envelope on the first line of the upper left-hand corner. Print name and book number on the second line. The mailing envelope is self-addressed and stamped. 9. The mailing envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Dec. 31, 2020 and received by the bank depository no later than Jan. 5, 2021. Public Health Service. This policy is available on the Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credentialing policy website on the MMC Policy Webpage. It may also be accessed by selecting “Policy & Regulations” on the National Maritime Center’s website. Mariners and other interested parties should contact the Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division at MMCPolicy@uscg.mil or (202) 372-2357 with any questions or feedback. July 2020 �MTD Calls for Justice for All AFL-CIO Pledges to Continue Fighting for Reforms As demonstrations for just treatment of minorities spread across the country, two SIU-affiliated organizations spoke out in strong support of the peaceful protesters’ goals – most if not all of which are shared by organized labor. Many union members and their families were part of the grassroots mobilizations, often under the banner of Black Lives Matter. Both the Maritime Trades Department (MTD) and the AFL-CIO responded not only to the rallies but also to the destruction that occurred at the AFL-CIO headquarters building late on May 31. Vandals damaged the building, which is directly across the street from the White House. They broke windows and set fires in the lobby. SIU President Michael Sacco also serves as president of the MTD. The department’s statement reads, “The Sisters and Brothers of MTD affiliates who crew U.S.-flag ships, who build U.S.-flag vessels, who work on U.S. docks, and who supply these American workers know the value of teamwork and working together. These members of our Port Councils and unions have marched, do march and will march when we witness and experience injustice. The death of George Floyd was uncalled for and only the latest. The call for justice is valid. We will continue to work to bring equality and justice for ALL Americans. It must happen. “However, destruction solves nothing. Words mean little if there is no action. It is way past time for all Americans to realize that ‘We, the People’ needs to truly come to all – people of color, native Americans, immigrants seeking a better life. “Unionism is solidarity. The MTD stands, marches and fights for solidarity – peaceful solidarity – for all.” George Perry Floyd Jr. was an AfricanAmerican man who was killed by police during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25. Protests in response to both Floyd’s death, and more broadly to police violence against other black people, quickly spread across the United States and internationally. On June 1, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement: “My heart is heavy at the events of the past few days. I watched the video of George Floyd pleading for his life under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. No person of conscience can hear Floyd’s Union members gather near AFL-CIO headquarters for a spontaneous demonstration June 8 in the nation’s capital. (Photo courtesy Union Veterans Council) cries for help and not understand that something is deeply wrong in America. “What happened to George Floyd, what happened to Ahmaud Arbery, what happened to far too many unarmed people of color has happened for centuries. The difference is now we have cell phones. It’s there for all of us to see. And we can’t turn our heads and look away because we feel uncomfortable. “Racism plays an insidious role in the daily lives of all working people of color. This is a labor issue because it is a workplace issue. It is a community issue, and unions are the community. We must and will continue to fight for reforms in policing and to address issues of racial and economic inequality. Aboard the Safmarine Mafadi Recertified Steward Lauren Oram (right) reports that the galley gang aboard the Maersk Line, Limited vessel is quite busy keeping the ship sanitary. She’s pictured with (from left) SA Claribel Cabral and Chief Cook Juan Poblete Inostroza. July 2020 “We categorically reject those on the fringes who are engaging in violence and destroying property. Attacks like the one on the AFL-CIO headquarters are senseless, disgraceful and only play into the hands of those who have oppressed workers of color for generations and detract from the peaceful, passionate protesters who are rightly bringing issues of racism to the forefront. “But in the end, the labor movement is not a building. We are a living collection of working people who will never stop fighting for economic, social and racial justice. We are united unequivocally against the forces of hate who seek to divide this nation for their own personal and political gain at our expense. “We will clean up the glass, sweep away the ashes and keep doing our part to bring a better day out of this hour of darkness and despair. “Today and always, the important work of the AFL-CIO continues unabated. U.S. Coast Guard Announces AB and Lifeboatman Surveys Some SIU members soon may receive an email from the U.S. Coast Guard pertaining to a survey. The agency’s announcement, dated June 11, appears below and is available on the SIU website (check the Latest News section). Able Seaman and Lifeboatman Surveys The Coast Guard is seeking input from mariners who hold Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements as Able Seaman (AB) and Lifeboatman (LB) to validate information gathered as part of a Job Task Analysis (JTA). Since 2016, the Coast Guard has been working on several initiatives to improve the quality of the content of credentialing examinations. One initiative is to validate the real-world occupational tasks carried out by mariners in today’s merchant fleet by conducting JTAs. The first JTA is for AB and LB endorsements. We worked with members of industry with AB/LB experience to identify the tasks that AB and LB are responsible for while signed on a vessel. The Coast Guard is inviting you to be a part of this exciting and worthwhile effort by: n Validating the AB and LB tasks. n Telling us how frequently you complete the tasks. n Telling us how difficult it is to complete the tasks. n Telling us how important it is to complete the tasks. This is a unique opportunity for you to provide insight into your job, either as an AB/LB or as a supervisor, and contribute to Coast Guard examination improvements. The Coast Guard will use the results of the JTA in consultation with industry to evaluate and update examination content for these endorsements. Mariners who hold endorsements as AB and/or LB will receive an e-mail from JobTaskAnalysis@uscg.mil containing a link to the survey and the dates the survey is open. Your link to the survey will have a unique identifier to record your responses. It is not linked to you personally and the information you provide will remain anonymous. Your participation is encouraged for the benefit of the maritime community and safety of the Marine Transportation System. If you have questions regarding the survey, please contact us at JobTaskAnalysis@uscg.mil. Seafarers LOG 7 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU GOLDEN SHELLBACK – Mariners aboard the Matson ship M/V Kamokuiki recently crossed the Equator and International Date Line, and then received a Golden Shellback certificate. SIU Steward/Baker Adele E. Williams is pictured fourth from left. The crew also includes (from the MM&P) Capt. Louis E. Terramorse, C/M Robert G. Abbott, 3/M Jessica N. Mastrella, (from the MEBA) 2/M Robert M. Womble, C/E Evan C. Hafford, 1 A/E Glen K. Elliott, 2 A/E Lucas W. Frank, (from the SUP) Bosun Forrest A. Jackson, ABW Joshua S. Davis, ABW Christian G. Ortiz, ABW Richard N. Kahalewai Jr., AND (from the MFOW) Electrician Kevin L. Haymer and Oiler Walter J. Tangonan. Second Mate Womble is behind the lens. GUAM HALL – Pictured prior to the pandemic are (photo at left, from left) ABG Octavio Henriques, OS Franklin Muna and Recertified Bosun Gregory Jackson. Muna was receiving his full B-book. The individual photo in the center shows QEP Richard Digman receiving his A-book, while the photo at right includes (from left) SIU Port Agent Fred Sanchez and MDR Donald Dabbs, also receiving his A-book. HOUSTON HALL – Chief Cook Jorrell Davis (left) receives his B-book. He’s pictured with Patrolman J.B. Niday. ABOARD USNS MAURY – There are many Seafarers past and present among the engine crew aboard the Ocean Shipholdings vessel. (Note that the ship had been through two 14-day quarantine periods in the last two months and was deemed “clean,” hence the absence of social distancing and PPE for the photo at right.) Front and center are C/E Merrick Brow, an SIU hawsepiper, and Oiler Karl Morrow. Behind them, left to right, are 3A/E McCale Butto (Suny), 2A/E John Bimpong (SIU hawsepiper), Oiler Anias Stanford, Oiler Zach Cartwright, QMED Hermano Sillon, Storekeeper Michael Dupee and 1A/E Keith Bailey (SIU hawsepiper). Many thanks to Keith Bailey for the photo and info. ABOARD MAHI MAHI – Pictured aboard the Matson ship in mid-May (above, from left) are ACU John Canson, Chief Steward Ken Greenidge and Chief Cook Carmelo Dela Cruz. (Yes, we cheated and stitched two photos together.) 8 Seafarers LOG OAKLAND HALL – Members and port officials make the best of it May 15 as Seafarers stop by the hall to pick up shipping documents. July 2020 �Seafarers Rise to Occasion During WWII Battles at Sea Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from May 5-June 16. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of June 16. Continued from Page 20 sail their old, unarmed ships through “U-boat Lake” in early 1942. On the 20th of May, the George Calvert, a Bull Line Liberty, was sunk with a loss of three men while bound for Bandar Shapur with 9,116 tons of war supplies for the Russians. Another Bull Line ship, the Major Wheeler, disappeared in the Caribbean to become an unsolved mystery of the sea. And there was the City of Alma of the Waterman Company, en route from Port of Spain, Trinidad, to Baltimore on June 2, when she was hit by just one torpedo from an unseen submarine. Ripping a 40-foot hole in the hull, the “tinfish” almost sliced the freighter in two, and she sank so speedily that 10 men were saved only because they had jumped clear when she plunged, later climbing aboard a life raft which had broken loose and floated free. Sparks was caught in his shack, sending out calls for help. The Skipper, Second Mate, Chief Engineer, First, Second and Third Assistant Engineers and 22 other crewmen were lost on the City of Alma. The Little Millinocket, Bull Line, was warned of the proximity of a marauding sub, but too late to save herself. It was five minutes past five in the afternoon when Steward Ernest Oxley stopped by the wireless room and read a message which had just come in from San Juan. The radiogram warned that a submarine was in their vicinity. And correct it was, for Steward Oxley had no more than read the warning of danger when the ship shuddered from a torpedo explosion in the starboard side amidships. Oxley ran out on deck to see the Skipper, the Chief and the First Mate running toward the life rafts, with the Captain shouting “Let go the rafts. It’s our only chance. Let go the rafts.” That was the last he saw of the trio, for they went down with the ship. On watch below, when the torpedo hit, was the 4 to 8: Second Assistant Francis Amberger, Fireman Robert Baylis and Oiler Joe Lewnuk. Joe escaped – miraculously, it seemed – by climbing up the emergency cable ladder to the engine room skylight before the engine room flooded and the Millinocket settled by the stern. Seamen could never tell when their ship might get hit during these hectic days, for subs gave no warning. Captain Homer Lanford was pulling the whistle cord of the SS Del Mundo, to turn a convoy into the old Bahama passage off Cuba, when this Mississippi Shipping Company freighter got a torpedo in the engine room, killing all hands below. An old “Hog,” the Del Mundo was “commodore” of a 38ship fleet, and was carrying 30 Polish women war refugees as passengers. A number of other ships were sunk in the same attack, covering the sea with a maze of floating debris. Captain William B. Sillars, of the Waterman freighter Afoundria, sensed pending disaster to his ship on May 5, 1942, when the vessel was hit by a sub mid-afternoon off the northwest coast of Haiti. Total Registered Port All Groups A B Total Shipped C All Groups A B Registered on Beach C Trip Reliefs A All Groups B C Sensed Danger He had come on to the bridge just a few minutes before, saying to Second Mate James Chatfield, “I feel that right now we are at the most dangerous stage of our trip. Keep a very good lookout!” The Afoundria had a load of bombs up forward and a cargo of beans aft. Fortunately, the torpedo hit among the beans. All hands were saved. By the end of July, submarine sinkings in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico had been drastically cut, but ships continued to go down in these waters right up to the end of the war, and among them were freighters manned by SIU crews. Lack of space precludes the telling of even a part of the action-packed drama that these ships contributed to the story of the war at sea. The U.S. Merchant Marine emblem is included in the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. July 2020 Seafarers LOG 9 �SIU Delivers The Goods For Key Military Exercise Six Seafarers-Crewed Vessels Mobilize for DEFENDER-Europe 20 SIU-crewed vessels are part of a convoy Feb. 28 in the Atlantic. Pictured from left during the military exercise are the USNS Benavidez, MV Resolve and the guidedmissile cruiser USS Vella. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Waters) F ive vessels assigned to the Maritime Security Program fleet, augmented by a Military Sealift Command Bob Hope-Class ship – all crewed by SIU members – earlier this year proved their value to national defense. They carried vital materiel for a branch of the country’s armed forces during DEFENDER-Europe 20, an extensive military exercise designed to build strategic readiness by deploying a “combat credible” force to Europe in support of North American Treaty Organization and U.S. national defense strategy, according to the U.S. Army. (Segments of the exercise were ongoing at press time.) The SIU-crewed convoy (comprised of the MV Endurance, MV Resolve and MV Patriot, all operated by Tote Services; the Central Gulf Lines-operated MV Green Bay and MV Green Lake; and the U.S. Marine Management-operated USNS Benavidez) took center stage in what initially was billed as the largest deployment of troops from the United States to Europe in more than 25 years. The vessels and crews were charged with transporting Abrams tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy machine guns, mortars and much more from the United States to Europe. An estimated 20,000 U.S. troops reportedly were slated to participate in the exercise. This effort exercised the Army’s ability to coordinate large-scale movements with allies. In response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and recent guidance by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, however, the exercise was modified both in size and scope. By mid-March, all movement of personnel and equipment from the United States to Europe ceased. The health, safety and readiness of the U.S. military, civilians, and family members moved to the forefront. Prior to the reset, the Army deployed approximately 6,000 soldiers from the United States to Europe including a division headquarters and an armored brigade combat team. The SIU-crewed vessels at that point had transported more than 1.3 million square feet of materiel including approximately 9,000 vehicles and 3,000 other pieces of equipment from Army prepositioned stocks. At press time, the Army announced that another component of DEFENDER-Europe 20, originally scheduled for May, will take place at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 5-19. “Exercises like DEFENDER-Europe 20 continue to demonstrate that NATO allies and partners stand stronger together and that the U.S. commitment to NATO is ironclad,” the Army reported. Meanwhile, the U.S. Merchant Marine helped the U.S. Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) demonstrate its ability to project strategic readiness through their support of the DEFENDER-Europe 20 exercise. SDDC personnel successfully moved more than 3,000 pieces of equipment through multiple seaports from the United States to Europe. “Our commercial carriers and partners are key to our operations,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Farmen, SDDC commanding general. With the SIU-crewed MV Endurance in the background, an M88 Recovery vehicle heads ashore at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany for Exercise DEFENDER-Europe 20. (NATO photo) 10 Seafarers LOG AB Glen McCullough (left) and Second Mate Edmun Scott (a member of the Seafarers-affiliated American Maritime Officers) man the bridge aboard the USNS Benavidez while the vessel is at sea Feb. 17. The Benavidez was underway in support of Agile Defender 2020, a maritime portion of Defender 2020. (U.S. Navy photo by Bill Mesta) In photo below, OS Jai’mall Whitaker Brickers stands bridge wing lookout aboard the Benavidez (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jordan R. Bair). Part of what he sees (photo at immediate left) is the array of containers and other U.S. Army equipment that is staged on the vessel’s top-side deck. The SIU-crewed roll-on/roll-off vessel M/V Green Bay (photo above) arrives in Bremerhaven, Germany, to offload cargo for DEFENDER-Europe 20. The Green Bay transported more than 470 pieces of equipment across the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Travis Weger) Tracked vehicles (photo at immediate right) wait dockside to be loaded on the Seafarerscrewed MV Resolve in Beaumont, Texas. (U.S. Navy photo by Bill Mesta) July 2020 July 2020 Seafarers LOG 11 �Seafarers International Union Directory Inquiring Seafarer Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer This month’s question was answered by Tacoma-area members, via phone. George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Question: What does it mean to you to be in The Brotherhood of the Sea? Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 Ahmed Sharif QEE Being in the Seafarers has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Job security, good pay, and it helps me support my family. Being in the union means I’ll always have a job. Anytime I want to work, I’ll have a job, and it’s been that way my whole career. I’ve been in the union since 1997, and I feel blessed being a member of the SIU. Adel Ahmed Recertified Bosun It keeps us close together. You get to know new people every time you board the vessel, and you learn what different cultures have in common and what makes them different. My dad convinced me to join by telling me what the job was really like, what the lifestyle was like. I joined in 2001, and this job has let me take care of my kids, and earn money like you’d normally have to have a degree to make. Thanks to our union, and keep up the good work! Darryl Smith Recertified Bosun For one, it was the place that gave me an opportunity at 18 to start a good career. This line of business helps everyone in the country, as well as our military. It let me travel the world, meet new people, and gave me a clear career path that lets you move up as far as you want in life. I hope the union continues to bring in new mariners, and keep this industry thriving. Luke Coffelt OMU It means a sense of camaraderie, that we can rely on each other out at sea and ashore. It also provides a sense of security, that the union would have my back on a ship if I needed anything. The union gave me flexibility, way beyond what another job could. Being able to build my own schedule is a huge advantage in my life. Todd Williams QMED It means a lot. It presents a lot of opportunities to make a decent living and be a part of something that’s really great. You get to meet some great people, and it means a lot to me. It changed my life, that’s for sure, by being able to provide for my family and see a lot of different places around the world. Matthew Conyac Chief Steward It means that I’ve got a good union job and benefits available to me, and that we need to work on strengthening and growing our membership to keep the corporate and political interests that are against us, from endangering all we’ve worked to accomplish. Pics From The Past NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT 45353 St. George’s Avenue, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 These snapshots were submitted by the son of the late NMU Bosun John Ivo Valjalo. John joined the union in 1946, first serving on the SS Bartlesville Victory as deck maintenance. He remained with the union until 1985. John passed away peacefully in December 2015 in Liverpool, England, at age 92. Photo at right was taken aboard the SS Tyson Lykes during a 1959 voyage from Liverpool to Florida. The other is from Marseilles, France, January 1946. WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org 12 Seafarers LOG July 2020 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA PAUL ADAMS Brother Paul Adams, 69, joined the Seafarers International Union in 1979, initially sailing on the Pacer. He was a deck department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Adams most recently sailed on the John U.D. Page. He makes his home in Cocoa Beach, Florida. AL ALHAJ Brother Al Alhaj, 65, started sailing with the union in 1979 when he shipped on the Brooks Range. A member of the deck department, he last sailed on the John Boland. Brother Alhaj settled in Lincoln Park, Michigan. TOMMY BELVIN Brother Tommy Belvin, 70, signed on with the SIU in 1978 when he sailed aboard the Santa Mercedes. He was a member of the steward department and upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Brother Belvin’s final vessel was the Maunalei. He makes his home in Tacoma, Washington. URSULA CANCI Sister Ursula Canci, 65, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1996, initially shipping on the Silas Bent. An engine department member, she upgraded her skills at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Sister Canci last sailed on the USNS Stockham. She resides in Staten Island, New York. LEONARD CHAVIS Brother Leonard Chavis, 66, started his career with the union in 2004, first sailing aboard the Delaware Bay. He was a member of the engine department and most recently shipped on the Ohio. Brother Chavis makes his home in Port Arthur, Texas. NICK CIABATONI Brother Nick Ciabatoni, 69, embarked on his career with the SIU in 2001. He first sailed aboard the Cape Inscription, and worked in the deck department. Brother Ciabatoni upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2012. He last shipped on the Alaskan July 2020 Navigator and calls St. Augustine, Florida, home. STEVEN DICKSON Brother Steven Dickson, 66, signed on with the Seafarers in 1991, when he sailed on the USNS Wilkes. He was a steward department member and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Dickson most recently sailed aboard the Maersk Seletar. He resides in Bremerton, Washington. JEROME DOOMS Brother Jerome Dooms, 63, joined the SIU in 1989, first sailing aboard the Dewayne T. Williams. He was an engine department member and upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Dooms last sailed on the St. Louis Express and settled in Houston. JOSEPH HUMPHREY Brother Joseph Humphrey, 58, started shipping with the union in 1991, initially sailing on the Frances Hammer. He upgraded on numerous occasions at the Paul Hall Center and sailed in the deck department. Brother Humphrey’s final vessel was the Maersk Memphis. He lives in Honolulu. MICHAEL INGRAM Brother Michael Ingram, 65, joined the union in 1973. He was a member of the deck department and first sailed aboard the Falcon Lady. Brother Ingram upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. He most recently shipped on the Overseas Washington and settled in Klickitat, Washington. NORMAN JACKSON Brother Norman Jackson, 54, donned the SIU colors in 1989 when he sailed with Delta Queen Steamboat Company. A steward department member, he upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Jackson’s final vessel was the American Phoenix. He makes his home in Marrero, Louisiana. GREGORY KEENE Brother Gregory Keene, 61, signed on with the union in 1978, first sailing on the Great Land. He upgraded on multiple oc- casions at the union-affiliated Piney Point school and was a steward department member. Brother Keene’s last ship was the Maersk Michigan. He resides in the Philippines. CHARLES KENNEDY Brother Charles Kennedy, 73, joined the union in 1975, initially sailing aboard the Yukon. He worked in the engine department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Kennedy most recently sailed aboard the Overseas Key West and lives in Mobile, Alabama. PETER MENSAH Brother Peter Mensah, 71, began shipping with the union in 2003 when he sailed aboard the Global Link. He worked in both the steward and deck departments. Brother Mensah last shipped on the Dependable and resides in Willingboro, New Jersey. MARIANO NORALES Brother Mariano Norales, 65, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1990, first sailing on the Independence. He sailed in the steward department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions. Brother Norales’ last vessel was the Quality. He makes his home in Houston. AMELIA OCAMPO Sister Amelia Ocampo, 65, signed on with the SIU in 2000. She initially sailed aboard the USNS Gilliand and shipped in both the steward and deck departments. Sister Ocampo upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. She most recently sailed on the Resolve and makes her home in Jacksonville, Florida. ROCKY OLDS Brother Rocky Olds, 65, joined the Seafarers International Union in 1999. He was an engine department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Olds’ first and last vessel was the USNS Dahl. He makes his home in San Marcos, California. recently sailed with Moran Towing of Maryland. He resides in Sparrows Point, Maryland. JOSE RAMIREZ Brother Brian Wilder, 64, joined the SIU in 1991, first sailing aboard the Cape Bon. He was an engine department member and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Wilder last sailed on the American Pride and settled in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Brother Jose Ramirez, 65, started sailing with the union in 1990 when he shipped on the Independence. A member of the engine department, he upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Brother Ramirez last sailed on the Florida and settled in Houston. KASSIM SHAIBI Brother Kassim Shaibi, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1979 when he sailed aboard the Trader. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Shaibi’s final vessel was the Liberator. He makes his home in Shafter, California. ROBERT SHAW Brother Robert Shaw, 65, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1976, initially shipping with National Marine Service. A deck department member, he upgraded his skills at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Shaw last sailed on the Pride and resides in Rockaway, New Jersey. MICHAEL SPRANZA Brother Michael Spranza, 65, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1980 when he sailed aboard the San Juan. He worked in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Spranza last shipped on the Reliance. He calls Daly City, California, home. TIMOTHY VAN PELT Brother Timothy Van Pelt, 61, signed on with the Seafarers in 1978, when he sailed on the Overseas Ulla. He was an engine department member and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Van Pelt most BRIAN WILDER GREAT LAKES THOMAS CHABOT Brother Thomas Chabot, 65, started shipping with the union in 1973, initially sailing on the Paul H. Townsend. A deck department member, his final vessel was the Charles E. Wilson. Brother Chabot lives in Lachine, Michigan. LARRY SKOWRONEK Brother Larry Skowronek, 64, started his career with the union in 1990, first sailing aboard the Walter J. McCarthy. He upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions and was a member of the deck department. Brother Skowronek’s final vessel was the Burns Harbor. He makes his home in Alpena, Michigan. INLAND CHARLIE CARLSON Brother Charlie Carlson, 64, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1998. He was first employed with Penn Maritime and sailed in the deck department. Brother Carlson upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. He last sailed on the Resolve and lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. GARY DAVIS Brother Gary Davis, 66, signed on with the SIU in 1977, working with HVIDE Marine. He sailed in the deck department and concluded his career with G&H Towing. Brother Davis makes his home in Graves, Texas. Seafarers LOG 13 �Final Departures DEEP SEA HOWARD ALLEN Pensioner Howard Allen, 83, died April 10. He signed on with the SIU in 1963 and first shipped with American Steamship Company. Brother Allen was a member of the engine department. He concluded his career on the Liberty Wave and became a pensioner in 2008. Brother Allen resided in New Orleans. ALEXANDER BENDOLPH Brother Alexander Bendolph, 65, passed away March 18. Born in Alabama, he joined the SIU in 1978. An engine department member, Brother Bendolph first sailed aboard the Connecticut. He last shipped on the American Spirit and was a resident of Mobile, Alabama. WILLIAM BRAGG Pensioner William Bragg, 64, died March 16. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1980; his first vessel was the El Paso Howard Boyd. Brother Bragg worked in the steward department. He most recently sailed aboard the Charger and became a pensioner in 2013. Brother Bragg made his home in Thailand. DAVID CASTRO Pensioner David Castro, 68, passed away May 12. He became a member of the union in 1989, initially sailing aboard the USNS Algol. Brother Castro sailed in the engine department. He last shipped aboard the USNS Fisher before becoming a pensioner in 2018. Brother Castro lived in Borrego Springs, California. EDWARD HABER Pensioner Edward Haber, 70, died April 30. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1967, when he shipped on the Malden Victory. Brother Haber worked in the steward department and last sailed on the Elizabeth. He retired in 2002 and made his home in Palm Bay, Florida. 14 Seafarers LOG NATHANIEL HARRIS Brother Nathaniel Harris, 65, passed away March 30. He joined the SIU in 1973, initially sailing on the Overseas Progress. Brother Harris was an engine department member. He last shipped on the Thomas Lynch and settled in Mobile, Alabama. TED KOPECKY Pensioner Ted Kopecky, 75, died May 26. He joined the union in 2001 and first shipped aboard the Maersk Vermont. Brother Kopecky was a member of the deck department. He concluded his career on the Maersk Ohio and retired in 2011. Brother Kopecky lived in Poland. FRANCIS MCCALL Brother Francis McCall, 93, passed away May 6. He started sailing with the union in 1953 when he shipped aboard the Hastings. Brother McCall was a deck department member. He last worked on the Elizabeth in 1971 and was a San Francisco resident. BRYANT MCGIFFEN Brother Bryant McGiffen, 28, died December 27. He signed on with the Seafarers in 2016 when he sailed aboard the Liberty Grace. A member of the engine department, Brother McGiffen last shipped on the Pride of America. He resided in Saint James City, Florida. TIMOTHY MCHALE Pensioner Timothy McHale, 67, passed away May 18. He began his career with the SIU in 2001, initially sailing aboard the USNS Dahl. Brother McHale was a deck department member, and last sailed aboard the USNS Montford Point. He became a pensioner in 2017 and made his home in Troy, North Carolina. VLADIMIR NITRIANSKY Pensioner Vladimir Nitriansky, 74, died May 11. He joined the SIU in 2000, first sailing on the American Merlin. Brother Nitriansky shipped in the deck department. He concluded his career aboard the Patriot and retired in 2017. Brother Nitriansky called Theodore, Alabama, home. ANTHONY NOVAK Pensioner Anthony Novak, 96, passed away May 24. He joined the union in 1947 and first sailed on the Spartanburg Victory. Brother Novak was an engine department member and last shipped on the Overseas New York. He began collecting his pension in 1985 and settled in Minneapolis. TONY RABAGO Pensioner Tony Rabago, 86, died May 17. He donned the SIU colors in 1952, initially sailing aboard the Neva West. Brother Rabago was a steward department member and last sailed on the Overseas Alice. He retired in 1993 and made his home in Santa Fe, Texas. KENNETH ROETZER Pensioner Kenneth Roetzer, 74, passed away May 1. He began his career with the SIU in 1989, when he worked for Red Circle Transport. Brother Roetzer was a steward department member, and last sailed aboard the Marilyn. He became a pensioner in 2013 and made his home in Castlewood, Virginia. WAYMAN SELLERS Pensioner Wayman Sellers, 81, died May 5. He became a member of the union in 1989, initially sailing aboard the Silas Bent. Brother Sellers sailed in the deck department. He last shipped aboard the Keystone State before becoming a pensioner in 2004. Brother Sellers lived in Phoenix. WILLIAM WARE Brother William Ware, 85, passed away April 9. He joined the SIU in 1952. Brother Ware was a steward department member and sailed with States Steamship for the duration of his career. He called Waynesville, North Carolina, home. ROBERT WILSON Pensioner Robert Wilson, 75, died April 26. He joined the union in 1979 and first shipped aboard the Long Beach. Brother Wilson was a member of the deck department. He concluded his career on the Cape Horn and retired in 2016. Brother Wilson lived in Mount Shasta, California. GREAT LAKES MOHSIN HARHARA Pensioner Mohsin Harhara, 77, passed away April 27. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1976, initially sailing on the Hudson. Brother Harhara was an engine department member and concluded his career on the American Mariner. He went on pension in 2000 and settled in Allen Park, Michigan. INLAND RODNEY MCCASLIN Pensioner Rodney McCaslin, 61, died May 25. He started sailing with the SIU in 1986, first working for Moran Towing of Texas. Brother McCaslin shipped in the engine department. He concluded his career on the Integrity, and went on pension in 2016. Brother McCaslin resided in Winslow, Maine. HENRY METALLO Pensioner Henry Metallo, 73, has passed away. He signed on with the SIU in 1970. A deck department member, Brother Metallo sailed first and last with OSG Ship Management. He became a pensioner in 2006 and was a Baltimore resident. LOUIS SMITH Pensioner Louis Smith, 62, died April 10. He was a deck department member and began sailing with the union in 1997. Brother Smith worked with McAllister Towing of Virginia for the duration of his career. He retired in 2020 and resided in Hudgins, Virginia. RICHARD WARD Pensioner Richard Ward, 74, passed away December 11. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1981 when he worked for CG Willis. Brother Ward was a deck department member. He continued his employment with the same company until his retirement in 2007. Brother Ward lived in Jacksonville, Florida. with the SIU in 2000, first working with Riverboat Services. Brother Weaver shipped in the deck department. He concluded his career on the Legacy, and went on pension in 2019. Brother Weaver settled in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. JACK WYATT Pensioner Jack Wyatt, 74, passed away May 29. He signed on with the SIU in 1982. A deck department member, Brother Wyatt sailed with Crowley Towing and Transportation for his entire career. He became a pensioner in 2006 and was a resident of Lakeside, Arizona. NMU CARLOS CABEZAS Pensioner Carlos Cabezas, 79, died May 27. He was an NMU member before the 2001 NMU/ SIU merger. Brother Cabezas was a deck department member. He last sailed aboard the Cape Orlando and became a pensioner in 2006. Brother Cabezas was a San Francisco resident. CLARENCE MCCALL Pensioner Clarence McCall, 90, passed away May 21. Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, he began sailing with the NMU in 1957. Brother McCall shipped in the deck department. He began collecting his pension in 1995 and settled in Port Arthur, Texas. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. Name Age Araujo, Theophilus 78 Barnes, Linford 89 Colon, Luis 93 Crossen, Robert 88 Fernandez, Mario 89 Floyd, Anthony 79 Gantt, Rudy 86 Guevara, Paul 91 Jernigan, James 87 Kenny, Thomas 95 Liberatore, Frank 92 Moore, Aubrey 94 Moras, Constantino 97 Musa, Sharif 65 Olson, Hank 89 Perry, Archibald 91 Terry, Albert 84 DOD 05/17/2020 11/09/2019 04/19/2020 05/25/2020 05/04/2020 12/13/2019 05/09/2020 04/04/2020 05/04/2020 05/15/2020 03/26/2019 03/30/2020 05/01/2020 01/25/2020 03/28/2020 01/17/2020 04/12/2020 RICHARD WEAVER Pensioner Richard Weaver, 70, died May 11. He started sailing July 2020 �ITF Secures Back Pay, Repatriation For Mariners Stranded by Company After five months of being detained and abandoned, the crew of the Liberian-flagged M/V Evolution has finally been paid their due wages, and those who wished to be repatriated were sent home, thanks to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The 505-foot, runaway-flag cargo vessel was first detained by the U.S. Marshals Service on Jan. 31, after it arrived off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The vessel was abandoned by an overseas maritime firm called Smooth Navigation, which stranded the 21 mariners on board, waiting to receive the $355,000 in back pay they were owed. The crew, 19 from the Philippines, one Jordanian officer and one Lebanese officer, continued to perform their duties on the ship while being detained. Without the proper immigration documents, they were unable to leave the vessel and enter the United States. The vessels’ insurers demanded that the Evolution be put on the auction block to pay for a shipment of iron that was damaged by saltwater as the vessel sailed to Indonesia from Iran. They sought to recoup $1.45 million from the sale of the vessel. The Evolution is the first major vessel abandonment in the United Aboard Maersk Idaho States since crew abandonment insurance was created in 2018, according to ITF Inspector Corey Connor. “It does happen. It’s not uncommon, especially around the world, but it’s very uncommon in the United States,” said Connor. He added that the vessel was finally sold at auction in May for two main reasons: “One, the vessel is abandoned, so there’s currently nobody taking responsibility for it. So, the vessel needs to be sold to a new company. The second part of that is getting the crew paid. The crew hadn’t been paid in four months, so we were able to get everyone to agree to pay the crew with the money earned from the sale of the vessel.” The crew was partially repatriated on June 13, and the 19 Filipino crewmembers were allowed to return home. The officers chose to stay on board until the new owners take control of the vessel, and Connor was informed in a message from the crew that this was the “good ending” they had hoped for. The full amount of the wages owed to the mariners was on the way as of press time. The SIU is an ITF affiliate; SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel serves as chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section. Grateful crew members are pictured with ITF Inspector Corey Connor (wearing face covering). This pre-pandemic photo was taken much earlier in the year. That’s Paul Hall Center instructor John Thomas near the bottom left, hands on hips and wearing a dark hardhat. He visited the ship in order to help update the school’s fire fighting curriculums. (Nothing bad happened on the Idaho. Thomas was just taking general notes.) Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt July 2020 requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Consequently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 15 �Paul Hall Center Classes Apprentice Water Survival Class #860 – Graduated February 21 (above, in alphabetical order): David Argo, Tina Brown, Isaiah Cabral, Gregory Castor, Jonte Crenshaw, Dylan Jones, Raheem Joseph, Gabriel Kalima, Jocecil Lugo-Rivera, Jose Pena, Julianne Perez-Borroto, William Place, Ricardo Ramos-Rodriguez, Tyson Richardson, Gabriel Rivera, Julian Rubbo, Makanaonalani Sing, Tyseen Tolbert, Eddie Verrett Jr. and Jeffery Wixted. RFPNW – Graduated April 17 (above): Willie Smith Jr. Radar Observer – Graduated March 13 (above, in alphabetical order): Diego Fernando Barbosa, David Brusco, Carlo Mateo Gentile, Jason James and Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed Eissa. Class instructor Brian Moore is at the far left. UA to AS-D – Graduated March 13 (above, in alphabetical order): Sharde Baker, Robert Coleman III, Norman Routier Comeaux Jr., Michael Curtin, Kendall Davis, Christopher Eke, Carey Floyd, Antonio Manuel Gonzalez-Esteves, Michael Hickey, Nicholas Holt, Jackson McDaniel, Anthoine Nichols, Velislav Nikolov, Lane Plummer, Tyler Thompson and Mervin Zamora. 16 Seafarers LOG July 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes RFPNW (Phase III) – Graduated April 17 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Bryan Aleman Medina, Daniel Bost, Jessina Fernandez, Marck Mathias Hilgendorf-Sanchez, Ricardo Jose Valenzuela-Venegas and James Zaro. Upon the completion of their training, each plans to work in the deck departments of SIU-contracted vessels. Government Vessels – Graduated March 20: Charles Crawford (above left) and Manuel Lata Jr. Also graduating, but not pictured was Latosha Love. BAPO (Phase III) – Graduated April 17 (above, in alphabetical order): Nathan Johnson Jr., Gregory Nash, Jorge Gerardo Valencia Bon and Ronald Von Kaenel. Each plans to work in the engine departments of union-crewed vessels upon the completion of their training. Junior Engineer – Graduated March 6 (above, in alphabetical order): Joel Boyd, Caleb Donovan, Paul Hudgins, Jacob Laroche, Tyriq Mills, Re’sean Peters, Dontrell Riddick, Andy Salado, Maksim Shpylyevyy, Daniel Lowie Rivera Surell and Kevin Willis. Class instructor Christopher Morgan is at the far left. July 2020 Seafarers LOG 17 �Paul Hall Center Classes Junior Engineer – Graduated March 20 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Eduardo Arroyo, Justin Bodnar, Charles Collins III, Tom Dary, Francois Doucet III, Mark Feldhaus, Cody Fox, Thedford Jones Jr., Joshua Kraynak, Daniel Jaim Leon-Bruges, Ethan Love and Gabriel Santa Ramos. Class instructor Roy Graham is at the far right. Basic Training (Advanced Firefighting Revalidation) - Graduated March 13 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Julian Avila, Annie Bivens, Juan Alberto Lima, Martin Malia, Joseph Mesyna, Raymond Crestus Oglesby and Thomas Paytosh. (Note: Not all are pictured.) FOWT – Graduated March 20 (above, in alphabetical order): Reny Arzu, Marco Antonio Baez Millan, James Bithos Jr., Anthony Brown, Michael Day Jr., Mark Dennison, Keilah Keturah Israel Freeman, Lorenz Ronal Grice, Carlos Marcos Gutierrez, Deandre Henry, Kalanihooulumoku Holt, Roman Hutson, Cale Irons, Tony King Jr., Alika Matthew Kawika Kukahiko, Jack Lanier, Billy Sawyer III, Delson Smith, Anias Stanford, Neil Laconsay Tupas and Daniel Villarruel 18 Seafarers LOG July 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Basic Firefighting – Graduating from this class February 21 and February 28, respectively, were upgraders Jeremy Blake (above) and Willie Smith Jr. (below). Basic Training (Basic Firefighting) – Graduated March 6 (above, in alphabetical order): Gamaladin Hamood Al-Gazzaly, Garrett Allen, Velma Clarke, Rasim Jasiqi, Joseph Jones, Manuel Lata Jr., Matthew Troyer, Robert Varney, Dominic Washington and Ismail Salim Yahya. Galley Ops (Phase III) – Graduated April 17: Sophia Lewis (above). Upon the completion of her training, she plans to work in the steward department aboard unioncontracted vessels. Certified Chief Cook (Module 5) – Graduated March 6 (above, in alphabetical order): Carlos Colon De Jesus, Alexander Emrick, Supattara Inthapanti, Jose Luis Medina, Lekesha Stevenson and Philip Anthony Villaflor Zulueta. Advanced Galley Ops – Graduated March 13 (above, in alphabetical order): Stclair Browne Jr., Shawn Cox, Charles Crawford, Latosha Love, Adele Mba Messina and Marquisha Simmons. (Note: Not all are pictured.) July 2020 Certified Chief Cook (Module 1) – Graduated March 20: Sharon McNeal (above). Seafarers LOG 19 �VOLUME 82, NO. 7 JULY 2020 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O SIU Delivered During World War II Editor’s note: This is the third installment from a 1951 booklet titled “The Seafarers in World War II.” Penned by the late SIU historian John Bunker, the publication recapped SIU members’ service in the war. More than 1,200 SIU members lost their lives to wartime service in the U.S. Merchant Marine. The first two installments were published in the May and June LOGs, respectively, and are available on the SIU website. This one picks up aboard the SIU-crewed Clare, which had been hit by a torpedo. Crew members had also just seen another SIU-crewed vessel, the Elizabeth, get hit by a torpedo. That was a sobering thought and they pulled for the shore. It took about 15 minutes for the Clare to sink and they watched her settle, silhouetted against the tropic sky. No men were lost on the Clare. Not so fortunate were other SIU ships that are now rustling many fathoms under the surface in the lightless deeps of the Caribbean and the Gulf. Of the hundreds of men lost on SIU ships in World War II a large percentage made supreme sacrifice in these waters that looked so calm and peaceful, yet comprised one of the most hazardous sectors of the war. It was oil and bauxite, the two prime essentials of modern war, that lured the U-boats to the Caribbean in the first place. The tankers and the bauxite ships were their number-one targets, but they also sank anything else that came along. In the first six months of 1942, the subs shelled or torpedoed anything that steamed their way, without fear or favor. One of several bauxite-laden ships to get sliced with a tin fish in these waters was the little SS Suwied under command of the Captain Bernard David. She was off the south coast of Cuba bound for Mobile with aluminum ore when, on June 7, a torpedo exploded in her starboard side and she went to the bottom in just 1-½ minutes! Not many ships beat her record for sinking. Water and debris shot up the funnel as the boilers exploded and First Mate John Hume, one of the last to leave the plummeting ore carrier, walked off the deck in water over his shoulders after releasing the forward life rafts. The sub that torpedoed them surfaced nearby and watched the troubles the men had with their leaky lifeboats, but the Germans did not interfere in any way and the 27 survivors were picked up the next day by a Navy patrol vessel. It is pertinent to note in this regard that there were only one or two instances in all the sinkings in the Caribbean where submarine crews mistreated torpedoed men from American ships. In many cases they even gave the survivors water, bread and cigarettes, offered medical aid when needed, and gave the officers a course to the nearest land. A close competitor to the Suwied for the title of “the fastest sinking ship” was the Alcoa Pilgrim, which was torpedoed without warning early in the morning of May 28 while en route from Port of Spain, Trinidad, to Mobile with 9,500 tons of heavy bauxite aboard. She sank by the stern in a little over 90 seconds, with heavy loss of life. No Time For SOS This blacked-out, SIU-crewed freighter had three lookouts on watch, and was zig-zagging when the unseen U-boat sent Enrollees from across the country arrive at the United States Maritime Service training station at Sheepshead Bay, New York, in the early 1940s. a torpedo into her engine room on the starboard side just below the water line. Needless to say, there was no time to send out an SOS and no time to fire any guns even if the ship had been armed. The Alcoa Pilgrim plunged so quickly no boats could be launched, but nine survivors got aboard two life rafts which drifted clear and were picked up a week later by the SS Thomas Nelson. As was usual in sinkings of unarmed ships steaming alone, the sub surfaced, came up to the survivors, and questioned them about the ship and cargo. The Uboat was a big one, and bore the insignia of a ram’s head on her conning tower. After questioning the Pilgrim’s men, she steamed calmly away on the surface looking for more victims. Truly it can be said that the Caribbean in 1942 was a “U-Boat Lake.” 60 Seconds To Sink Although U-boats liked best to bag a bauxite ship or a tanker, because these cargoes were so vital to the war effort, they weren’t at all choosey about their targets – and molasses tankers got sunk as well as more “vital” prey during the war in the Caribbean and the Gulf in 1942. The SS Catahoula of the Cuba Distilling Company, a favorite among SIU men who liked the senorita run, was hit on April 5, to be followed by its sister ship the SS Carrabulle on May 26. There was a full load of molasses in the tanks of the Catahoula, as she stood north from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, toward Wilmington, Del., in the late afternoon of a warm clear day over a lazy, beautiful sea. Two men were on lookout, but they couldn’t see the sub waiting for them against the glare of the setting sun. The first torpedo hit on the port side in a terrific blast that blew up the deck plates, loosened the engine room bulkheads and carried away the catwalk. Pitched Battle Being one of the first ships equipped in some fashion to fight back against the sub, the general alarm was sounded; and a complement of Navy gunners manned their machine guns so well that the inquisitive sub had its periscope shot away – or so it seemed from the deck of the tanker. Not a bit daunted by the prospect of fighting a raider with .30 caliber pellets, the gun crew fired away till they consumed 200 rounds. But four minutes later after the first torpedo, the sub let them have another, which found its mark forward of the bridge to starboard – showing that the wary U-boat had made a quick circuit around the ship for its second try. After this hit, the Catahoula lost no time going down, and was under water fore and aft in little more than 60 seconds. Two of the crew had been killed in the first blast, and five more were crushed when the stack fell athwart the starboard lifeboat. One lifeboat and one raft on the port side got away safely and, thanks to Sparks having stuck by his post to get off four calls for help, 38 survivors were rescued the next day by the USS Sturtevant. Heroism of the Radio Operator and the tragic death of the Skipper and 23 men marked the sinking of the Carrabulle, which tried bravely to escape from a Uboat on the night of May 26, while en route from Good Hope, La., to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a cargo of emulsified liquid asphalt. The first they knew of a U-boat’s presence was the moan of a siren and a crack of a shot across the bow. Close Range In a moment or two, they saw the raider little more than a ship’s length off the beam, where it opened fire on them with a light gun, throwing shell after shell into the defenseless tanker while the general alarm summoned all hands to the boats and the order was given to abandon ship. They lowered away as the nearby Uboat moved around to the port side and opened fire again, the shells hitting in rapid succession against deck house and bridge. As the first boat pulled away from the ship’s side, the U-boat commander hailed them from the conning tower. “Are you all right?” he asked. They shouted “no” – that another boat was still preparing to cast off. They heard several men laughing on the raider’s deck, even while a second torpedo streaked past them and headed for the lifeboat that was just now shipping its oars beside the sinking Carrabulle. The men in the boat probably never saw the torpedo till it was all but on top of them, and then there was only time for a startled cry or two. The steel tube bulleted through the lifeboat, and hit the steel hull of the tanker in an explosion that stifled all cries or shouts for help, blowing boat and men into myriad torn pieces of human bodies and flying steel. It was one of the few known cases in which German submarines deliberately attacked lifeboat occupants from American ships. Six SOS Calls Before the Carrabulle sank, Sparks managed to get out six SOS calls, then ran out of the radio shack onto the flooded deck and jumped overboard just as she went under. Brave were the men who volunteered to Continued on Page 9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource July 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: SECRETARY CHAO THANKS INDUSTRY CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES VOICE STRONG SUPPORT FOR MERCHANT MARINE HALLS REOPEN; SCHOOL RESUMES AUG. 1 MARAD DELIVERS ROUSING MARITIME DAY VIDEO INDUSTRY CELEBRATES JONES ACT CENTENNIAL RETIRED PAUL HALL CENTER INSTRUCTOR BERNABE PELINGON PASSES AWAY MAY 2 AT 68 OFFICIALS RELEASE PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR UPCOMING SIU ELECTIONS MTD CALLS FOR JUSTICE FOR ALL U.S. COAST GUARD ANNOUNCES AB AND LIFEBOATMAN SURVEYS SIU DELIVERS THE GOODS FOR KEY MILITARY EXERCISE SIU DELIVERED DURING WORLD WAR II Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 7/1/2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol 82, No. 7 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/10bca92d7cb342de02013d7b240007c5.pdf 42da4248d7eb04c9f62714a9fdedd6c7 PDF Text Text JUNE 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 6 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O SIU Delivers During Pandemic Seafarers Adapt to Worldwide Challenges As the United States continues grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, dedicated SIU members are still on the job – in addition to assisting others in their respective communities. Virtually no part of life has been unaffected by the global outbreak, but despite a few vessels laying up in late April, the vast majority of SIU-crewed ships are still operating. In the large group photo at immediate right, Seafarers aboard the USNS Maury (operated by Ocean Shipholdings) demonstrate social distancing during a group photo. Pictured from left are (first row) OMU Kevin Willis, OMU Zachary Cartwright, MDR Brandon Maeda, SK Michael Dupee, (second row) Bosun Kwesi Adu-Gyamfi, (third row) SA Pedro Maysonet, AB Christian Nunez, GVA Mason Kamhed, GVA Arabi Muthala, (back row) Steward/Baker Christopher King and OMU Karl Morrow. In photo directly below, Recertified Bosun Ritche Acuman (right) checks the temperature of an oncoming individual at the gangway of the USNS Algol (Ocean Duchess) in San Francisco. Acuman built the testing area in part to block the wind. In the remaining photos at the lower right, SIU personnel pitch in with a Honolulu food drive to assist local residents. Pictured from left in the group photo are SIU Safety Director Amber Akana, Dion Dizon of the Hawaii AFL-CIO, and SIU Port Agent Hazel Galbiso. Page 3. New Coalition Page 4 SIU Election Info Page 6 Pension Plan Funding Notice Page 8 �President’s Report Worthy Addition to Next Stimulus For all the alterations to day-to-day life brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing that hasn’t changed is the SIU’s constant effort to promote and protect the U.S. Merchant Marine. As reported elsewhere in this edition and on our website, American maritime remains fully engaged in standing up for the Jones Act (which turns 100 this month), the Maritime Security Program, cargo-preference laws – and, most importantly to me, for the dedicated mariners who continue to deliver during this time of crisis. There is another important topic, however, that is flying at least a little bit under the radar as Congress weighs the potential contents of its next stimulus package. That subject is retirement security, and no matter what happens this summer, it’s certainly an issue we are bound to hear discussed during election season. We are fortunate in the SIU. Again as reported elsewhere in this issue, the Seafarers Pension Plan is fully funded and in great shape. (Members have additional avenues toward retirement security, including the Seafarers Money Purchase Pension Plan, and the Seafarers 401K Plan.) But that doesn’t mean the future is guaranteed, or Michael Sacco that many millions of our fellow Americans aren’t concerned about having enough money for retirement. Age doesn’t matter. True, a 25-year-old may not be looking at retirement income the same way a 55-year-old would, but planning a secure future is something that affects everyone. Thanks to the struggles of union members following World War II, blue-collar workers gave up part of their contracted pay raises to invest in pensions for retirement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. recognized this when he said, “The Labor Movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, government relief for the destitute, and above all, new wage levels that meant not mere survival but a tolerable life.” For many union members, multiemployer pension plans were created. These programs typically covered highly mobile workers who moved from one employer to another, often for short periods of time. Some of the industries included transportation, building and construction, entertainment, retail and others. In these industries, the workers would belong to one union but have different employers throughout their careers. The average plan would have between 500 to 2,000 participants, with between 20 to 40 contributing employers. Pensions supplemented by Social Security and savings were considered a mainstay of the middle-class. However, the financial downturns at the beginning of this century hit companies and workers hard. Industry deregulation and other factors led to companies merging or going out of business. Changes in the law allowed creative usage of bankruptcy by firms to discard their pension obligations. Therefore, fewer companies with downsized workforces were paying less into these plans. While many of the nearly 1,400 multiemployer plans weathered these storms, just over 100 have not been as fortunate. With that in mind, the AFL-CIO has endorsed passage of the Rehabilitation of Multiemployer Pensions Act, also known as the Butch Lewis Act. The bill addresses the multiemployer pension crisis facing more than one million Americans, serving as an important backstop to ensure that retirees do not lose the pensions they earned through decades of hard work. The Butch Lewis Act would address the pension crisis by creating a new office within the Treasury Department called the Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA). The PRA would allow pension plans to borrow money needed to remain solvent and continue providing security for retirees and workers for decades to come. In order to do this, the PRA would sell Treasury-issued bonds to large investors in the open market, such as financial firms. The PRA would then lend the money from the sale of bonds to the financially troubled pension plans with long-term, low-interest loans, buying time for the pension plans to continue providing benefits while refocusing their investments for long-term health. The Butch Lewis Act was awaiting action by the U.S. Senate after being approved in the House of Representatives last summer. It’s now a candidate for addition to the next stimulus package, and that’s a move that makes sense for our country. Defense Scholar: Time is Now To Refocus on U.S.-Flag Fleet Loren Thompson, the chief operating officer for the Lexington Institute, recently wrote an op-ed for the Forbes website strongly stating that the current coronavirus pandemic should refocus the government’s attention to rebuilding the U.S.-flag fleet. In an April 17 article titled “Coronavirus Makes the National Security Case for Rebuilding U.S. Maritime Power Compelling,” Thompson states as China continues to expand its maritime footprint around the world, especially in shipbuilding and global port operations, America is sailing away. “The problem here isn’t that China is competing with U.S. maritime interests and winning,” he notes. “The problem is that official Washington has largely deserted the field, failing to frame policies that can maintain a reasonable balance of maritime interests.” After recalling how U.S. maritime capabilities were severely lacking at the start of both World War I and II, Thompson reflects how in the present time, “This could be disastrous for the United States. In a major conflict, the U.S. might lack the capacity to import essential goods from other countries, it might lack the shipping tonnage to sustain a protracted sealift effort, and it might lack the merchant seamen to operate what vessels it does possess. “Without a reasonably robust American-flagged commercial fleet, there won’t be enough experi- enced seamen to sustain a military sealift operation in wartime,” he adds. Thompson saluted the efforts to support and protect the Jones Act (the nation’s freight cabotage law) and the Maritime Security Program (which provides annual stipends for 60 militarily useful U.S.-flag vessels capable of being deployed in military or national emergency operations), but they are not enough: “Such policies are helpful but inadequate.” He proposes Congress “bolster the American commercial oceangoing fleet and mariner community by raising the cargo preference requirement for all federally assisted loads to 100 percent.” In addition, he believes there should be a comprehensive domestic shipbuilding program and an effort to “defray the differential operating costs of U.S. ships once they went to sea, since some nations impose virtually no requirements on the credentialing and work conditions of merchant mariners.” Thompson wraps up his case by stating, “As policymakers rethink economic priorities in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, now would be a good time to recommit to being a first-class commercial seafaring nation.” The Lexington Institute is a Virginia-based public policy think-tank that focuses on national security-related issues. U.S.-Flag Maritime Industry United in Opposing Oil Companies’ Scheme for Jones Act Waiver Union and non-union mariners, shipowners, dredgers, schools, barge operators, pilots, suppliers and other stakeholders within the U.S.-flag maritime industry – large and small – recently joined together to send a letter to President Donald Trump indicating their vehement opposition to waiving the Jones Act, the nation’s freight cabotage law. The letter was sent to the White House on April 2, one day before the president met with executives from oil and petroleum companies who publicly expressed their desire to waive the 100-year-old law. SIU President Michael Sacco was among the letter’s nearly 250 signers. According to numerous sources, including ones from the meeting, the waiver request didn’t happen. “Waiving the Jones Act means outsourcing American maritime jobs to foreign shipping companies that do not pay U.S. taxes,” the letter reads. “Many of the foreign vessels would have been made in China and are operated by foreign crews who do not pay U.S. taxes and cannot be counted on to go into harm’s way for America’s interests.” The letter further notes, “The American domestic maritime industry produces 650,000 jobs nationwide that have been designated by the Department of Homeland Security as part of the essential critical infrastructure workforce.” Referring to the current coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it has caused, the letter continues, “A Jones Act waiver in these circumstances – replacing American mariners and American ships with foreign mariners and foreign ships in our home waters – is unnecessary and contrary to our collective need to come together as a nation to fight this virus.” The SIU has long fought for the Jones Act, which continues to receive bipartisan support on Capitol Hill despite continuous efforts by outside forces to cripple the law. More than 90 countries have some type of cabotage law on their books. With Seafarers Aboard Maersk Michigan O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 82 Number 6 June 2020 The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Capital Gateway Drive; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. Part of the SIU crew is pictured aboard the vessel in April while delivering cargo in the Far East. Included are Pumpman Walden Galacgac, AB Donald Bernard, Chief Steward Elizabeth Byrd, AB Zachary Ballard, GVA Ibrahim Ghalib, AB Hussen Mohamed, AB DM Fernando Haber, QMED Theodore Gonzales, AB DM Tomas Calderon Robinson and QMED Raymond Roldan. Thanks to vessel master Capt. T. Pham for the photo and IDs. Reversed to White Reversed to White 2 Seafarers LOG June 2020 �COVID-19 PANDEMIC The Global Sentinel deck gang is pictured behind a flag painting done by Thor Young. (See page 4 for additional photos from the Sentinel.) SIU Weathering COVID-19 Pandemic Union Ramps Up Crew Changes; USCG Eases Requirements With the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, SIU crews around the globe continued delivering the goods as of early May. At press time, a few SIU-crewed ships were on the verge of laying up due to lack of cargo – a direct result of the novel coronavirus that had infected more than one million people worldwide while claiming more than 66,000 lives in the United States. However, the vast majority of Seafarers-crewed vessels and tugs were still operating. Two noteworthy exceptions are the cruise ship Pride of America and the passenger ferries of NY Waterway. The cruise ship has been idled in Honolulu since mid-March, and it remains the only known vessel where any SIU members (a minimal number) have been diagnosed with the virus. Most of NY Waterway’s ferries are out of service because of quarantines in New York and New Jersey. With U.S. unemployment having already reached Great Recession levels and threatening to worsen, the U.S. Merchant Marine’s essential nature has been underscored while mariners remain on the job. Perhaps the two most visible examples were the CIVMARcrewed hospital ships USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, both of which were mobilized fairly early in the crisis. However, in terms of scope and sheer numbers, the larger contribution to U.S. national, economic and homeland security is being made by various cargo ships, tankers, tugs, barges and other platforms. Meanwhile, the SIU in late April implemented protocols for larger-scale crew changes following an initial month-long moratorium that was designed to protect members’ safety. Preparations also were being made to reopen the hiring halls whenever it’s safe to do so (there is no target date for now), and modifications were made to some of the Seafarers Plans in order to assist participants. The U.S. Coast Guard and Transportation Security Administration, respectively, also made numerous alterations covering testing for credentials, renewals, TWICs and more. Similarly, the State Department announced that U.S. Passport Services will accommodate mariners whose current valid passports expire within 13 months, and those who need a passport for international voyages. (Editor’s note: All of these developments are reported in detail on the SIU website. Check the COVID-19 section on our home page.) While Seafarers largely seem to have adapted to myriad changes caused by the pandemic, one contentious subject exists in Precautionary setups are now the norm on SIU-crewed ships, including the USNS Maury. June 2020 the SIU Government Services Division. The SIU (along with the MM&P and MEBA) filed a grievance against the Military Sealift Command because of a restriction-to-ship order that the unions charge is not being applied to non-crew members. In part, the SIU grievance (which only applies to federal-sector mariners) reads, “The SIU recognizes we are living through extraordinary and distressing times and we support all reasonable efforts to keep the CIVMAR crews safe, but this restriction is not achieving that goal and is causing extreme distress to the unlicensed members we represent.” Meanwhile, at least one SIU-crewed ship initially didn’t feel much of a disruption. The Global Sentinel (SubCom) had been at sea from Feb. 20 through most of April, laying cable on the West Coast. “We are one of the safest ships out there,” noted Recertified Bosun Lee Hardman. “We are about to touch dry land and then head out for 70 more days. The crew that is coming on has been quarantined for 14 days in a hotel. The entire ship is grateful and thanks the union for their support.” He added, “The crew has been great and just rolled with the punches.” AB Alicia Plunkett makes the most of extra shipboard time on the USNS John Glenn (Ocean Shipholdings) in Saipan. At press time, SIU headquarters continued operating with a skeleton crew, as did the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. The school was still training approximately 30 apprentices, but all upgrading courses had concluded. Modifications are happening in hiring halls for whenever the facilities can safely reopen. These late-April photos from Houston show new dividers at the counter (bottom right), fresh paint (left), and wider spacing of seating arrangements (top right). Seafarers LOG 3 �New Wisconsin Maritime Coalition Announced In late April, labor and business leaders from around the Badger State stood up the Wisconsin Domestic Maritime Coalition (WIDMAC) as the voice of the domestic maritime industry in Wisconsin. The coalition, comprised of leading unions and employers from throughout the state, launched with an announcement of 41% growth of domestic maritime industry jobs in Wisconsin. These jobs are critical to the state’s supply chain, enabling the delivery of vital resources and supplies that businesses and citizens need during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the findings of a new report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the Transportation Institute (TI), Wisconsin ranks among the top 20 states in the nation for the number of domestic maritime jobs, employing 9,670 individuals and generating more than $635.3 million in worker income. This thriving industry produces $2.2 billion annually for the Wisconsin economy – an 88% increase since the previous study was completed. The backbone of the domestic maritime in- dustry is the Jones Act, serving as a pillar of economic strength and job creation for Wisconsin. Specifically, this law states that the transportation of cargo between U.S. points is reserved for ships that are crewed, built, owned and flagged American. The new coalition will educate state leaders, media, and policymakers on the importance of this vibrant, growing industry, fighting for the nearly 10,000 domestic maritime workers in the state who continue to keep America’s supply chain moving forward in a safe and efficient manner. “It’s a fact – the Jones Act is a jobs creator and economic driver for Wisconsin,” said Michael Gerhardt, president of WIDMAC and vice president of the Dredging Contractors of America. “Shipyards alone account for more than 8,000 jobs and $437.2 million in worker income, having delivered over 1,800 American-made vessels for the U.S. government and private sector, including over 60 dredges. Deep-draft commercial ports and small recreational harbors are dredged and kept open by second- and third-generation family-owned, entrepreneurial U.S. companies, enabling domestic shipping companies to move millions of tons of cargo each year, which boosts local economies and strengthens the overall health of the state.” James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers’ Association, said, “Great Lakes vessels carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy. Our lakers are crucial to keeping the American economy running, and maritime workers across Wisconsin have stepped up to meet demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our ships are made and maintained in Wisconsin shipyards and move iron ore, grain, and coal from Wisconsin ports and deliver salt, cement, stone, and fuel to Wisconsin docks. With many of our sailors living in Wisconsin, we proudly stand up for this vibrant, all-American maritime economy.” “The state of Wisconsin is a leader in the domestic maritime industry, supporting over 9,000 family-wage jobs and contributing over $2.2 billion to the economy,” said James L. Henry, TI chairman and president. “The findings in our most recent study and growing impacts in Wisconsin demonstrate the strength and necessity of the Jones Act.” “These numbers show how the Jones Act is crucial to not only national security but also economic security and job growth. We’re proud to see the domestic maritime industry’s investments in Wisconsin lead to job growth like this,” said Michael Roberts, president of the American Maritime Partnership. Thanks to the Jones Act, the domestic maritime industry now employs approximately 650,000 Americans across all 50 states, creates $41 billion in labor income for American workers, and adds more than $154.8 billion in annual economic output each year. Nationally, there are more than 40,000 American vessels – built in American shipyards, crewed by American mariners, and owned by American companies – that operate in our waters 24-hours a day, seven days a week. With Seafarers Aboard Global Sentinel Galley gang, led by Chief Steward Josh Hinton Chief Electrician Aleksey Vigovskiy ABs Mike Pockat, Ivan Perez and Alex Reyes 4 Seafarers LOG AB Tony Arizala June 2020 �USA Maritime to Congress: Prioritize Sealift A major maritime coalition recently urged the United States Congress to support America’s sealift capability. USA Maritime, to which the SIU is affiliated, sent a communication in late April to the majority and minority leaders in both the House and Senate. The letter was signed by the SIU and other affiliates. It was delivered to the respective offices of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York), House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California), and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California). The letter reads as follows: “On behalf of the undersigned maritime labor organizations and U.S.-flag shipping companies belonging to the USA Maritime Coalition and operating and crewing all U.S.flag vessels enrolled in the Maritime Security Program, we respectfully ask Congress for urgently needed assistance to sustain our industry’s essential role in protecting and enhancing our nation’s economic and military security, and to ensure the continued retention and employment of the essential American maritime workforce who crew our U.S.-flag vessels. Assistance as requested below will ensure that the militarily-useful commercial vessels enrolled in the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and their U.S. citizen crews remain in a state of operational readiness available to provide the commercial sealift readiness capability as needed by the Department of Defense. We respectfully ask that such assistance be a priority as Congress considers the next Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. “The worldwide impact of COVID-19 is having a significant and extremely negative effect on the operation of U.S.-flag vessels in the international trades. The COVID-19 emergency has essentially stopped the global commercial seaborne trade and halted most U.S. military and civilian government cargo on which the U.S. maritime industry largely depends. This situation, which shows no realistic signs of ending any time in the immediate future, puts at severe risk the ongoing ability of our industry to provide the sealift readiness capability and surge support relied upon by the Department of Defense and to support American troops deployed anywhere in the world. Moreover, without the assistance we are requesting, there is a serious risk that the already dangerous shortfall in the number of trained and qualified American merchant mariners will worsen, thereby jeopardizing sealift readiness. “As you know, Congress has repeatedly reaffirmed its strong support for the Maritime Security Program and the critical importance of maintaining its maritime security fleet of 60 militarily-useful United States-flag and United States citizen-crewed commercial vessels. Congress has demonstrated this support most recently by including language in the last national defense authorizations legislation to extend the program through fiscal year 2035. Equally important, at the same time Congress GOP Senators Urge President to Leave Jones Act Alone Seven United States Senators — all Republicans — called on President Trump to keep the Jones Act intact, and even look for ways to strengthen it, during the nation’s coronavirus pandemic. The elected officials represent various parts of the nation. The signatories to the letter supporting the Jones Act are Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, and Deb Fischer of Nebraska. Dated April 27, the letter to the president reads: “We appreciate the strong leadership you have shown during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. As the nation prepares to reopen the economy, we urge you to oppose any proposal that would weaken the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly referred to as the Jones Act (P.L. 66-261). Undermining this law would cost American jobs and damage the domestic maritime industry. “The Jones Act has enhanced American prosperity and national security for 100 years. It ensures that maritime transportation between two U.S. ports is carried out by vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned and U.S.-crewed. The law is fully consistent with your Buy American, Hire American agenda. “Unfortunately, opponents of the Jones Act have used the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to attempt to undermine existing law. There is absolutely no connection between the Jones Act and COVID-19. In fact, the law has helped produce the types of vessels and qualified mariners necessary to support a variety of crisis response operations. If anything, the Administration and Congress should look for ways to strengthen the Jones Act. “We ask that you join us in opposing any efforts to weaken the Jones Act.” As noted in the letter, passage of the Jones Act occurred 100 years ago. Since the SIU was chartered in 1938, the union has fought constantly for the nation’s freight cabotage law, which declares any cargo moved from one American port to another must be carried by U.S.-crewed, U.S.-built, U.S.-owned and U.S.-flagged vessels. More than 90 nations have some form of cabotage laws in existence. June 2020 adjusted the annual stipend that supplements the revenue derived through the carriage of commercial and government cargoes in order to ensure the continued operation of the vessels enrolled in the maritime security fleet. Taken together, these three components – the annual stipend available under MSP, the carriage of commercial cargo, and the carriage of government cargoes – are the primary means by which the U.S.-flag international fleet ensures that our country can depend on the U.S.-flag vessels, worldwide intermodal logistics networks and U.S. citizen crews needed to provide the requisite commercial sealift readiness capability when needed by our nation. “Absent significant action by Congress, vessels enrolled in the MSP are facing protracted lay-up, and the American mariners who crew these vessels are facing long-term unemployment. The assistance we are requesting will significantly mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the U.S.-flag international fleet, the U.S. citizen merchant mariners who have been recognized as part of America’s essential workforce, and the commercial sealift capability provided by our industry under the Maritime Security Program. While the stipend plus an emergency relief payment will leave significant carrier expenses uncovered, including those related to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the emergency readiness payment will permit the MSP vessels to remain 100% militarily ready, including full crewing, during the crisis. “Specifically, we respectfully ask Congress to approve an emergency relief payment to offset the negative impacts of COVID-19. This payment is essential to maintain the U.S.-flag vessels enrolled in the MSP in a constant state of operational readiness, which includes the continued full employment of a vessel’s crew. We urge Congress to authorize and appropriate $109.8 million to provide $1.83 million to each MSP vessel for the period April 1, 2020 to the end of the current fiscal year, as well as to authorize $1.82 million per vessel with a total authorization of $109 million for the period October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 to be appropriated as needed. “Without this additional assistance, coupled with the loss of revenue associated with the carriage of commercial and government cargoes, vessel operators will not be able to maintain laid-up vessels in the readiness status needed by the Department of Defense, and the licensed and unlicensed American merchant mariners will be facing protracted unemployment. “Maritime labor and the U.S.-flag shipping companies stand together during this difficult time for our industry and our country. We will continue to do what we can to meet this current challenge. However, we need your help and we again ask Congress to provide the financial assistance discussed above to protect the jobs of American merchant mariners and to ensure the continued viability and effectiveness of the Maritime Security Program and the international U.S.-flag shipping industry.” UNREP in the Atlantic SIU CIVMARS from the union’s Government Services Division help in sending fuel and stores from the USNS Supply to the destroyer USS Donald Cook (foreground). The underway replenishment took place April 28 in the North Atlantic. (Photo by Lt. Lauren Spaziano, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet) BLS Says 30 Million People Are Jobless Another 3.84 million Americans filed for jobless benefits nationwide in the last full week of April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on April 30. That pushed the number of jobless individuals due to closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic to more than 30 million. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) warns that 30 million may actually be an undercount. Its survey of jobless people in the weeks before late April found 40% of those seeking to claim benefits from the various states couldn’t get through as the unemployment systems were overloaded and crashed. The BLS figure was seasonally adjusted, but the actual number of claims in the week ending April 25 was 3.49 million. That’s 792,000 fewer claims than the week of April 18. But the BLS also used a base of 145.79 million people in the workforce, and 30 million is more than 20% of that. The BLS says, however, the “seasonally adjusted” figure – not the actual number of jobless claims – is just short of 20 million. Michigan (21.8%) and Vermont (21.2%) now exceed the reported national jobless rate, the BLS said. They’re followed by Connecticut and Pennsylvania (18.5%), Nevada (16.8%), Rhode Island (16.7%) and Washington (16%). Nevada’s entire Las Vegas strip, which is highly unionized, is shut. EPI says even 30 million reported jobless may be too low. “Millions of the newly jobless are going without benefits as the unemployment system buckles under the weight of new claims, according to our new national survey, conducted in mid-April,” EPI senior analysts Elise Gould and Ben Zipperer reported. “For every 10 people who said they successfully filed for unemployment benefits during the previous four weeks, three to four additional people tried to apply but could not get through the system to make a claim and two additional people did not try to apply because it was too difficult to do so.” Which means, they added, that only “half of potential unemployment insurance applicants are actually receiving benefits.” The system needs basic reforms, Gould and Zipperer declared, starting with a change to a new basic assumption: That everyone who seeks benefits is jobless and deserves them, rather than having to prove they’re jobless before getting any cash. Proof can wait until later, “when the flood of claims slows down,” they added. For the week of April 18, that flood continued in Florida, which saw 326,251 more residents seek jobless benefits than did so in the week ending April 11. The next four states with rising numbers of claims – Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisiana and Texas – had an increase of slightly more than 119,000 new claims, combined. Seafarers LOG 5 �Secretary-Treasurer Sends Message to SIU Members Concerning Union Elections Editor’s note: This letter was mailed to active Seafarers in mid-April and also is available on the SIU website. April 17, 2020 Dear SIU Brothers and Sisters: In addition to 2020 being a presidential election year, we are also scheduled to conduct our union election. While we still plan to run the SIU election as usual pursuant to the union’s constitution, we are taking extra steps in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to help ensure the ongoing safety of all concerned while also promoting maximum participation. With that in mind, the union’s executive board has approved lenience for prospective candidates who are unable to pay their dues on time for the second and/or third quarters of this year because of the pandemic. Our constitution specifies that candidates must have been in continuous good standing for at least three years (12 calendar quarters) immediately prior to the nomination period (which is July 15-August 15). Per executive board action, any candidate who was in good standing for at least 10 consecutive quarters as of the end of the first quarter of 2020 will not be precluded from nomination because of late dues payments in the second or third quarters this year. Please also note that the board has cancelled the May membership meetings, again due to the pandemic. Normally, the president’s pre-balloting report is read at the May meetings. The report will be available on the SIU website and in the May edition of the Seafarers LOG. I urge you to look up the full report as it contains valuable information relative to our elections and specifically the upcoming nominations’ period. In addition, Articles XII and XIII of the constitution contain all the relevant information, and the full constitution is also available on the SIU website. We will ensure that all of our election-related communications are available online. That information also will be available at the hiring halls upon reopening. We are in regular contact with the U.S. Department of Labor to help ensure that we’re following “best practices” and keeping individual safety at the forefront while also facilitating a democratic election with robust participation. We will continually monitor the situation regarding this pandemic and we will try to remain as flexible as is needed, which might mean that additional changes may become necessary as time goes on. Lastly and as a reminder to anyone who’s unaware, we have added a COVID-19 section on our home page, with the intent of making our pandemic-related announcements easy to find. Elections for the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters are scheduled for later this year. As in past SIU election years, a comprehensive guide will be published in the Seafarers LOG prior to the balloting. In the case of members eligible to vote who believe they will be at sea during the Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020 voting period or who otherwise think they will need absentee ballots, absentee ballots will be available. The SIU constitution ensures that members who are eligible to vote and who find themselves in this situation may vote. Procedures are established in the SIU constitution to safeguard the secret ballot election, including the absentee ballot process. Here is the procedure to follow when requesting an absentee ballot: 1. Make the request in writing to the SIU office of the secretary-treasurer, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. 2. Include in the request the correct address where the absentee ballot should be mailed. 3. Send the request for an absentee ballot by registered or certified mail. 4. The registered or certified mail Fraternally, David Heindel Secretary-Treasurer Notice/Reminder Headquarters Located on Capital Gateway Drive Due to State-Ordered Address Change Both the union and the Seafarers Plans now have a new address despite not having physically relocated their headquarters operations. As previously reported in the Seafarers LOG, because of a Maryland State Gov- 6 Seafarers LOG Officials Release Procedures For Requesting Absentee Ballots For Upcoming SIU Elections ernment-ordered action, the street name changed from Auth Way to Capital Gateway Drive. The numerical portion of the address, as well as all phone and fax numbers for the building, remain unchanged. Thus, as of April 22, the new address became: 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, Maryland 20746 The old address, as members and most other stakeholders are aware, was 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746. It had remained unchanged since 1982, when the SIU relocated to Maryland from New York. The union nor Seafarers Plans sought this address change. In fact, both petitioned responsible officials envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Nov. 15, 2020 and must be received at 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746 no later than Nov. 25, 2020. 5. The secretary-treasurer, after confirming eligibility, will send by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the address designated in the request, a ballot, together with an envelope marked “Ballot” and a mailing envelope no later than Nov. 30, 2020. 6. Upon receiving the ballot and envelope, vote by marking the ballot. After voting the ballot, place the ballot in the envelope marked “Ballot.” Do not write on the “Ballot” envelope. 7. Place the envelope marked “Ballot” in the mailing envelope which is imprinted with the mailing address of the bank depository where all ballots are sent. 8. Sign the mailing envelope on the first line of the upper left-hand corner. Print name and book number on the second line. The mailing envelope is self-addressed and stamped. 9. The mailing envelope must be postmarked no later than midnight, Dec. 31, 2020 and received by the bank depository no later than Jan. 5, 2021. against it, but to no avail. Other organizations along the same street in Prince George’s County also are being forced to comply with the alteration. The street itself already had been named Capital Gateway Drive beyond the Seafarers building, which is next to a subway station. Mailings from headquarters were sent to SIU pensioners and other interested parties, alerting them of this change. June 2020 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU ABOARD USNS BENAVIDEZ – Thanks to American Maritime Officers member and Paul Hall Center alumna Capt. Jennifer Senner for these photos from the U.S. Marine Management vessel, taken in Vlissingen, Netherlands. The deck gang (photo above) includes Bosun Wallace William, AB Glen McCullough, AB Deontre Blount, AB William Zambula, AB Damon Zschoche, OS Vincent Williams, OS Lynne Hazelip and OS Jia’mall Whitaker-Brickers. Engine crew (photo below) includes EO Kurtis Solberg, QMED/E Donna Sylvia, QMED Scott Reynolds, QMED Arvin Heras, QMED Bobby Dunn, Jr. and Wiper Derreqwuan Carroll. Last but definitely not least is the steward department (photo at right), which includes Chief Steward Penny Taylor, Chief Cook Jack Boscia, ACU Elena Hoener, SA Tracy Ward and SA Kaberlyn Daniel. AT THE HONOLULU HALL – Both of these snapshots were taken well before the COVID-19 pandemic. In photo above, AB Dominador Hugo (right) receives his A-seniority book. Congratulating him is Shureen Yatchmenoff, administrative assistant. In the photo below, AB Robert Hinkley (left) picks up his first pension check. At right is Port Agent Hazel Galbiso. ABOARD WASHINGTON EXPRESS – On April 12, Seafarers aboard the Washington Express (Marine Personnel & Provisioning) extended their Easter greetings to fellow “brothers and sisters of the sea, working out there despite the hard times.” These snapshots were taken while the vessel was on its run in Northern Europe (all IDs are from left). In photo directly above are Chief Cook Pauline Crespo, Recertified Bosun Zeki Karaahmet and SA Nikia Cooper. Pictured in the photo at top right are AB Michael Ratigan, Cooper and AB Glenn Davis. In the photo at immediate right are Capt. Adam Labrato, Cooper, Crespo and Chief Steward Jasmine Garrett. June 2020 Seafarers LOG 7 �SHBP Offers COBRA Continuation Coverage to Union Members The Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) is notifying you of the right to elect to purchase continuation of health coverage if you lose coverage, or experience a reduction in coverage due to certain qualifying events. This continuation of coverage is known as COBRA. Generally, if you are the employee, you will be eligible to purchase COBRA coverage for a certain period of time if you lost coverage because you did not have enough days of covered employment (unless the job was lost due to gross misconduct). If you are the family member of a covered employee, you may also elect COBRA for a certain period of time when the employee loses coverage; or if you are going to lose coverage because of a divorce or the death of the employee; or in the case of a child of an employee, the child reaches an age at which the Plan no longer considers him or her to be a “dependent child.” In the case of a divorce or the death of an employee, you must notify the Plan within 60 days of the divorce or death in order to be eligible to purchase continuation coverage. If you do not notify the Plan in a timely manner, you may not be eligible to receive further coverage. If you are the spouse or dependent child of an employee, you may also elect COBRA if you experience a reduction in coverage when the employee retires. When you retire, if you were eligible for benefits from the SHBP at the time of your retirement, you will be eligible to purchase COBRA continuation coverage for yourself and/or your family members, even if you are eligible for retiree health benefits. This will enable you and/or your family to continue to receive the same level of benefits that you had prior to your retirement for a certain period of time. If you meet the eligibility requirements for retiree health benefits, you will begin to receive those benefits when the COBRA period ends. The Plan will now accept money orders as payment for the COBRA premium. For more information about continuation coverage rights under COBRA, please refer to the Plan’s “Guide to Your Benefits.” The guide is also available in PDF format on the SIU website, www. seafarers.org, under “Member Benefits-Seafarers Benefit Plans-Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan.” If you have questions regarding this notice or COBRA, contact the Plan at 800-252-4674. Annual Funding Notice Seafarers Pension Plan Introduction This notice includes important information about the funding status of your multiemployer pension plan (the “Plan”). It also includes general information about the benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”), a federal insurance agency. All traditional pension plans (called “defined benefit pension plans”) must provide this notice every year regardless of their funding status. This notice does not mean that the Plan is terminating. It is provided for informational purposes and you are not required to respond in any way. This notice is required by federal law. This notice is for the plan year beginning January 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2019 (“Plan Year”). How Well Funded Is Your Plan The law requires the administrator of the Plan to tell you how well the Plan is funded, using a measure called the “funded percentage.” The Plan divides its assets by its liabilities on the Valuation Date for the plan year to get this percentage. In general, the higher the percentage, the better funded the plan. The Plan’s funded percentage for the Plan Year and each of the two preceding plan years is shown in the chart below. The chart also states the value of the Plan’s assets and liabilities for the same period. Valuation Date Funded Percentage Value of Assets Value of Liabilities Funded Percentage 2019 2018 January 1, 2019 January 1, 2018 131.9% 142.9% $1,547,219,772 $1,634,843,633 $1,172,841,327 $1,143,708,805 2017 January 1, 2017 133.6% $1,467,872, 431 $1,098,922,827 Year-End Fair Market Value of Assets The asset values in the chart above are measured as of the Valuation Date. They also are “actuarial values.” Actuarial values differ from market values in that they do not fluctuate daily based on changes in the stock or other markets. Actuarial values smooth out those fluctuations and can allow for more predictable levels of future contributions. Despite the fluctuations, market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan’s funded status at a given point in time. The asset values in the chart below are market values and are measured on the last day of the Plan Year. The chart also includes the year-end market value of the Plan’s assets for each of the two preceding plan years. The December 31, 2019 fair value of assets disclosed below is reported on an unaudited basis since this notice is required to be distributed before the normal completion time of the audit which is currently in progress. Fair Market Value of Assets January 1, 2019 $1,760,410,000 January 1, 2018 $1,547,219,772 January 1, 2017 $1,634,843,633 Endangered, Critical, or Critical and Declining Status Under federal pension law, a plan generally is in “endangered” status if its funded percentage is less than 80 percent. A plan is in “critical” status if the funded percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). A plan is in “critical and declining” status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent (run out of money to pay benefits) within 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status or critical and declining status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Funding improvement and rehabilitation plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The plan sponsor of a plan in critical and declining status may apply for approval to amend the plan to reduce current and future payment obligations to participants and beneficiaries. The Plan was not in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status in the Plan Year. If the plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status for the plan year ending December 31, 2020, separate notification of the status has or will be provided. Participant Information The total number of participants and beneficiaries covered by the plan on the valuation date was 19,832. Of this number, 7,491 were current employees, 7,084 were retired and receiving benefits, and 5,257 were retired or no longer working for the employer and have a right to future benefits. Funding & Investment Policies Every pension plan must have a procedure to establish a funding policy for plan objectives. A funding policy relates to how much money is needed to pay promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to provide benefits from contributions by signatory employers under the terms of collective bargaining agreements between the Seafarers International Union of North America, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters and the employers. The Plan may receive the portion of the employer’ contributions made to the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan which the Trustees determine is necessary to provide for pension benefits based on the recommendation of the Plan’s Actuary. Investment Objectives Assets of the Plan shall be invested with sufficient diversification so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless it is clearly prudent under the then current circumstances not to do so. Plan assets shall be invested in a manner consistent with the fiduciary standards of ERISA and supporting regulations, and all transactions will be undertaken on behalf of the Plan in the sole interest of Plan participants and beneficiaries. Assets of the Plan shall be invested to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet benefit payment obligations and other Plan expenses. Investment Guidelines With respect to any Investment Manager who is appointed by the Trustees, the Investment Manager is a bank (trust company), insurance company, or registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Full discretion, within certain guidelines, is granted to each Investment Manager with regard to the sector and security selection and the timing of any transactions. Asset Allocation The Fund’s assets are invested in the following asset classes and maintained within the corresponding ranges. The Trustees make appropriate adjustments if one or more of the limits are breeched. Asset Class Domestic Equities Fixed Income and Cash Equivalents Real Estate Target 50% 40% 10% Range 40% - 60% 30% - 50% 0% - 20% Standards of Investment Performance Each Investment Manager is reviewed regularly regarding performance, personnel, strategy, research capabilities, organizational and business matters and other qualitative factors that may affect its ability to achieve the desired investment results. Consideration will be given to the extent to which performance results are consistent with the goals and objectives set forth in the Investment Policy and/or individual guidelines provided to an Investment Manager. The Plan’s investment policy outlines prohibited investments as well as limits regarding the percentage of the fund that may be invested in any one company and industry. Minimum credit quality guidelines are established and provided to investment managers. No investment may be made which violates the provisions of ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code. The Trustees review the Plan’s investment policy on a regular basis and make periodic changes when, based on 8 Seafarers LOG all available information, it is prudent to do so. Under the Plan’s investment policy, the Plan’s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets. Asset Allocations 1. Cash (Interest-bearing and non-interest bearing) 2. U.S. Government securities 3. Corporate debt instruments (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. All other 4. Corporate stocks (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. Common 5. Partnership/joint venture interests 6. Real estate (other than employer real property) 7. Loans (other than to participants) 8. Participant loans 9. Value of interest in common/collective trusts 10. Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 11. Value of interest in master trust investment accounts 12. Value of interest in 103-12 investment entities 13. Value of interest in registered investment companies (e.g., mutual funds) 14. Value of funds held in insurance co. general account (unallocated contracts) 15. Employer-related investments: a. Employer Securities b. Employer real property 16. Buildings and other property used in plan operation 17. Other Percentage 0 15 6 0 0 25 6 1 0 0 37 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 For information about the plan’s investment in any of the following type of investments as described in the chart above – common/collective trusts, pooled separate accounts, master trust investment accounts, or 103-12 investment entities, contact: Margaret Bowen, Plan Administrator, at 301-899-0675, or by writing to: Plan Administrator, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746. Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report Pension plans must file annual reports with the US Department of Labor. The report is called the “Form 5500.” These reports contain financial and other information. You may obtain an electronic copy of your Plan’s annual report by going to www.efast.dol.gov and using the search tool. Annual reports also are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling 202-693-8673. Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan’s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. Annual reports do not contain personal information, such as the amount of your accrued benefit. You may contact your plan administrator if you want information about your accrued benefits. Your plan administrator is identified below under “Where To Get More Information.” Summary of Rules Governing Insolvent Plans Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans that become insolvent, either as ongoing plans or plans terminated by mass withdrawal. The plan administrator is required by law to include a summary of these rules in the annual funding notice. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for that plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan’s available resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at the level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan’s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notice of its status to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected, including loss of a lump sum option. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only benefits that you have earned a right to receive and that cannot be forfeited (called vested benefits) are guaranteed. There are separate insurance programs with different benefit guarantees and other provisions for single-employer plans and multiemployer plans. Your Plan is covered by PBGC’s multiemployer program. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan’s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC’s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant’s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $600, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant’s years of service ($600/10), which equals $60. The guaranteed amount for a $60 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $35.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit is $357.50 ($35.75 x 10). Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $17.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $177.50 ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In addition, the PBGC guarantees qualified preretirement survivor benefits (which are preretirement death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies before starting to receive benefit payments). In calculating a person’s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under a plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan’s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. For additional information about the PBGC and the pension insurance program guarantees, go to the Multiemployer Page on PBGC’s website at www.pbgc.gov/multiemployer. Please contact your employer or plan administrator for specific information about your pension plan or pension benefit. PBGC does not have that information. See “Where to Get More Information About Your Plan,” below. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact the Plan Administrator at:Seafarers Pension Plan, Attn: Margaret Bowen, 5201 Capital Gateway, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746; 301-899-0675. For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor’s employer identification number or “EIN” is 13-6100329. June 2020 �Summary Annual Report – SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc. This is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., EIN 94-1431246, for the year ended July 31, 2019. The annual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Supplemental vacation pay benefits under the plan are provided by the SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., a Trust Fund. Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $1,611,056 as of July 31, 2019, compared to $1,198,443 as of August 1, 2017. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $412,613. This increase includes unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $14,680,171, including employer contributions of $14,593,925, realized gains of $2,326 from the sale of assets, earnings from investments of $82,706 and other income of $1,214. Plan expenses were $14,267,558. These expenses included $363,757 in administrative expenses and $13,903,801 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. Your Rights to Additional Information You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report. 1. An accountant’s report; 2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers; 3. Assets held for investment; and 4. Transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., the plan’s administrator at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, telephone number 415-764-4990. The charge to cover copying costs will be $6.25 for the full annual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof. You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge. You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107 and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. Summary Annual Report for SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund This is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, EIN 94-2430964, for the year ended June 30, 2019. The annual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Medical exam benefits paid under the plan are provided by the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, a trust fund. Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $108,088 as of June 30, 2019 compared to $(108,229) as of July 1, 2018. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $216,317. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $735,543, including employer contributions of $732,554, earnings from investments of $74 and other income of $2,915. Plan expenses were $519,226. These expenses included $230,708 in administrative expenses and $288,518 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. Your Rights to Additional Information You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report: 1. An accountant’s report; 2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers; and 3. Assets held for investment. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, the plan’s administrator, at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, telephone 415-392-3611. The charge to cover copying costs will be $2.50 for the full annual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof. You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge. You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. Annual Funding Notice MSC Supplementary Pension Plan Introduction This notice includes important information about the funding status of your multiemployer pension plan (the “Plan”). It also includes general information about the benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”), a federal insurance agency. All traditional pension plans (called “defined benefit pension plans”) must provide this notice every year regardless of their funding status. This notice does not mean that the Plan is terminating. It is provided for informational purposes and you are not required to respond in any way. This notice is required by federal law. This notice is for the plan year beginning January 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2019 (“Plan Year”). Funded Percentage The law requires the administrator of the Plan to tell you how well the Plan is funded, using a measure called the “funded percentage.” The Plan divides its assets by its liabilities on the Valuation Date for the plan year to get this percentage. In general, the higher the percentage, the better funded the plan. The Plan’s funded percentage for the Plan Year and each of the two preceding plan years is shown in the chart below. The chart also states the value of the Plan’s assets and liabilities for the same period. Valuation Date Funded Percentage Value of Assets Value of Liabilities 2019 January 1, 2019 314.91% $6,561,949 $2,083,726 2018 January 1, 2018 275.26% $6,668,926 $2,422,758 2017 January 1, 2017 164.79% $6,678,855 $4,053,069 Fair Market Value of Assets The asset values in the chart above are measured as of the Valuation Date. They also are “actuarial values.” Actuarial values differ from market values in that they do not fluctuate daily based on changes in the stock or other markets. Actuarial values smooth out those fluctuations and can allow for more predictable levels of future contributions. Despite the fluctuations, market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan’s funded status at a given point in time. The asset values in the chart below are market values and are measured on the last day of the Plan Year. The chart also includes the year-end market value of the Plan’s assets for each of the two preceding plan years. The December 31, 2019 fair value of assets disclosed below is reported on an unaudited basis since this notice is required to be distributed before the normal completion time of the audit which is currently in progress. Fair Market Value of Assets December 31, 2019 $6,700,795 December 31, 2018 $6,478,947 December 31, 2017 $6,843,579 Participant Information The total number of participants and beneficiaries covered by the plan on the valuation date was 735. Of this number, 308 were current employees, 300 were retired and receiving benefits, and 127 were retired or no longer working for the employer and have a right to future benefits. Funding & Investment Policies Every pension plan must have a procedure to establish a funding policy for plan objectives. A funding policy relates to how much money is needed to pay promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to make contributions in accordance with the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement, but in no event less than the minimum amount annually as required by law. Pension plans also have investment policies. These generally are written guidelines or general instructions for making investment management decisions. The investment policy of the Plan is to provide a source of retirement income for its participants and beneficiaries while attaining an annual investment return of 6%. To preserve capital, some of the assets are invested in a general account with Prudential Life Insurance Company that pays a guaranteed rate of interest each year. Approximately 30% of the remainder of the Plan’s assets is invested in equity securities with the balance invested in fixed income securities. Under the Plan’s investment policy, the Plan’s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets: Asset Allocations 1..Cash (Interest bearing and non-interest bearing) 2. U.S. Government securities 3. Corporate debt instruments (other than employer securities): Preferred All other 4. Corporate stocks (other than employer securities): Preferred Common 5. Partnership/joint venture interests 6. Real estate (other than employer real property) 7. Loans (other than to participants) 8. Participant loans 9. Value of interest in common/collective trusts 10. Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 11. Value of interest in master trust investment accounts 12. Value of interest in 103-12 investment entities 13. Value of interest in registered investment companies (e.g., mutual funds) 14. Value of funds held in insurance co. general account (unallocated contracts) 15. Employer-related investments: Employer Securities Employer real property 16. Buildings and other property used in plan operation June 2020 Percentage 0 9 12 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 50 0 0 0 17. Other 0 For information about the plan’s investment in any of the following types of investments common/collective trusts, pooled separate accounts, or 103-12 investment entities – contact Margaret Bowen, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746-4275, 301-899-0675. Endangered, Critical, or Critical and Declining Status Under federal pension law, a plan generally is in “endangered” status if its funded percentage is less than 80 percent. A plan is in “critical” status if the funded percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). A plan is in “critical and declining” status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent (run out of money to pay benefits) within 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status or critical and declining status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Funding improvement and rehabilitation plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The plan sponsor of a plan in critical and declining status may apply for approval to amend the plan to reduce current and future payment obligations to participants and beneficiaries. The Plan was not in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status in the Plan Year. If the plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status for the plan year ending December 31, 2020, separate notification of the status has or will be provided. Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report Pension plans must file annual reports with the US Department of Labor. The report is called the “Form 5500.” These reports contain financial and other information. You may obtain an electronic copy of your Plan’s annual report by going to www.efast.dol.gov and using the search tool. Annual reports also are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling 202-693-8673. Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan’s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. Annual reports do not contain personal information, such as the amount of your accrued benefit. You may contact your plan administrator if you want information about your accrued benefits. Your plan administrator is identified below under “Where To Get More Information.” Summary of Rules Governing Insolvent Plans Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans that become insolvent, either as ongoing plans or plans terminated by mass withdrawal. The plan administrator is required by law to include a summary of these rules in the annual funding notice. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for that plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan’s available resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at the level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan’s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notice of its status to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected, including loss of a lump sum option. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only benefits that you have earned a right to receive and that cannot be forfeited (called vested benefits) are guaranteed. There are separate insurance programs with different benefit guarantees and other provisions for single- employer plans and multiemployer plans. Your Plan is covered by PBGC’s multiemployer program. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan’s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC’s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant’s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $600, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant’s years of service ($600/10), which equals $60. The guaranteed amount for a $60 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $35.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit is $357.50 ($35.75 x 10). Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $17.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $177.50 ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In addition, the PBGC guarantees qualified preretirement survivor benefits (which are preretirement death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies before starting to receive benefit payments). In calculating a person’s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under a plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan’s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. For additional information about the PBGC and the pension insurance program guarantees, go to the Multiemployer Page on PBGC’s website at www.pbgc.gov/prac/multiemployer. Please contact your employer or plan administrator for specific information about your pension plan or pension benefit. PBGC does not have that information. See “Where to Get More Information About Your Plan,” below. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact the office of the Plan Administrator at: Margaret Bowen 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746, 301-899-0675. For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor’s employer identification number or “EIN” is 51-6097856.Annual Funding Notice MSC Supplementary Pension Plan EIN#51-6097856 Seafarers LOG 9 �UNION PLUS CAN HELP COVID-19 has impacted all of us. Union Plus can help. Our Union Plus program partners have accommodations for members struggling during this public health crisis. Participants in our Union Plus Mortgage, Credit Card, Personal Loan, or Supplemental Insurance programs may be eligible for additional hardship assistance through the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program and Union Plus Hardship Help. Visit unionplus.org and follow Union Plus on Facebook at facebook.com/unionplus for ongoing program updates and resources. Be well and stay healthy, The Union Plus team For details visit unionplus.org 6/20 10 Seafarers LOG June 2020 �Historian Recalls Role Played By Seafarers During WWII Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from April 3-May 4. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of May 5. Continued from Page 20 Caribbean ‘Carnival’ Just as the Atlantic seaboard in 1942 was called “U-boat Lane,” so could the Caribbean and the Gulf have been called “U-Boat Lake” – for the German undersea raiders roamed these waters at will, becoming so bold in their hunt for prey that they sank ships in the very mouth of the Mississippi, in the narrow passage between Key West and Havana, and at the entrance to the Texas oil ports. The height of bold audacity was reached on the evening of July 2, 1942, when a sub entered the harbor of Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, and sank the SS San Pablo. During the first two months of war, six American ships were torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean and the Gulf. Six more were sent to the bottom in April; and in May the Germans had a month-long field day, sinking no less than five ships on the 4th, two on the 6th, and three on the 12th. The total bag for the month of May in American vessels alone across the Gulf and the Caribbean was 31 ships. By the end of June 1942, a total of 167 Allied freighters and tankers had been sent to the bottom in these warm, southern waters! It was the SIU-manned Robert E. Lee, a former Eastern Steamship Lines passenger ship, that was sunk when almost within the “safety” of the mighty Mississippi – on July 30, with considerable loss of life among both passengers and crew. A surprisingly large number of these U-boat victims were cargo carriers manned by SIU seamen and it would seem, from a study of the war records, that the Germans had a special liking for Waterman, Bull, and Alcoa ships. An entire fleet of them was lost in 1942. Limited space permits describing only a few of the many dramatic incidents involving SIU ships during this phase of the war. A book would be needed to tell about them all. For the undersea raiders it was a Roman holiday – simpler than knocking off clay pigeons at a shotgun shoot. So it was with the Elizabeth and Clare of the Bull Line, as they plodded along the southwest coast of Cuba on the night of May 20, 1942. A bright moon lit up the sea and silhouetted the two ships as they headed south with their holds full of general cargo for the Islands. On the Clare’s bridge, the Skipper watched a light that had been reported a minute or so before by one of the lookouts. He couldn’t tell whether it might be a small Island freighter or a fishing boat, for it was moving across their bow and lay some distance off. Total Registered Port A All Groups B Total Shipped C A All Groups B Registered on Beach C Trip Reliefs A All Groups B C Lost in the Dark A rain squall blanketed the moon just as the Skipper was trying to identify the unknown craft, which seemed to be pursuing an erratic course. Up forward in the hot fo’castle, Fireman Ernest Torres was stretched out in his bunk, clad only in a pair of shorts. It was stickily hot and he was trying to read. He had almost decided to take his mattress on deck and stretch out on number one hatch, rain or no rain. Just then a bright searchlight blossomed out on the vessel ahead, playing over the Clare from bow to stern with a blinding intensity. Almost immediately a torpedo smashed into the hull at number one hold; just where Fireman Torres was about to stow his mattress for a cool snooze. “It made one hell of a noise,” says Torres. “The explosion threw me out of my bunk and onto the deck. The old Clare shivered like a shimmy dancer. All the lights went out and I ran like hell to my lifeboat station. I had the book in my hand all the time, but I never even thought of going back for my clothes or my papers. The spray from the explosion gave me a shower bath when I ran down the deck.” So violent had been the blast that water cascaded down the vents into the fireroom. There was no panic on the ship and the Captain visited all the crew’s quarters to make sure that no men were trapped in their rooms, after which he gave the order to abandon ship. Both boats lowered away and the men pulled as hard as they could for the shore. Elizabeth Gets Hit They hadn’t taken many strokes before the Elizabeth, still following along behind and caught proverbially “between the devil and the deep,” received a torpedo amidships, accompanied by a bright flash that momentarily lit up the vessel and then was gone. From the boats the crew of the Clare could see little lights blinking on the Elizabeth as her men ran out of the deck house doors and pushed aside blackout baffles on their way to the boats. Several of the men laughed at the sight, for it seemed amusing in a way to see other guys get it, too. “I bet they don’t save any silk stockings for the girls in Puerto Rico,” someone said. “It ain’t funny,” said an Oiler. “If they got hit in the engine room there’s some good guys goin’ down.” June 2020 Seafarers LOG 11 �Inquiring Seafarer Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President George Tricker, Vice President Contracts This month’s question was answered by members either outside or headed to the hiring hall in Oakland, California. In what may be an Inquiring Seafarer first, the question is the same as last month’s query. Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Question: What are some of your thoughts about the pandemic? David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Casey Coddington AB It’s kind of scary. My family is overseas, but luckily, they’re in the Philippines. I’m more afraid of being here, because there are so many more cases in the U.S. People are trying to get back to work. We’ve got to be flexible; I understand that. These guys here in Oakland are manning the phones and they’ve been a big help. Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 Richard Grubbs Bosun Right now, for those of us who are on the shore it’s absolute torture. We’re kind of in a comatose mode, trying to get through day by day. That’s how it feels. You’re just taking it day by day. It’s such a worry about what the future will hold. We wonder if anything will be back to normal again. I feel sorry for people whose lives and livelihoods have been turned upside down.. Nicholas Johnson GUDE It could be a good and a bad thing. A lot of people are getting to spend time with their families and loved ones. It might have delayed our plans to ship, but I believe everybody is where they’re supposed to be. A lot of people are struggling, but there’s always been people out of work. It’s all how a person wants to take it – what they want to make of it. Kevin Brown OMU It’s a hard time right now for everybody, but it’s especially hard for us sailors. Once you’re on a ship, you’re isolated already and away from your family. Then when you get back home, you can’t even do things you normally do. I feel really proud that we do a job where a lot of our vessels deliver essential cargoes. We have an essential purpose. I feel a sense of pride in that. Larry Tharp AB People need to come together mentally and spiritually. We can stay away from each other but still stay in contact. I’m getting closer with my kids. They’re grown and headed in different directions, but we’ve had family meals and cleared up a lot. It’s actually drawing my family closer. There are more important things than petty differences we had before. Joe Gallo Recertified Steward As merchant mariners, we have a duty to support and defend our country in peace and in war. And we have a privilege at this time to show the United States that after 245 years of proud tradition, we are at the helm. All individuals on ships and on the shore should be ready to man the ships until properly relieved. This is our duty. This is Brotherhood of the Sea. I understand there are some contractual issues to be ironed out, but duty comes before contract. We’ll sort all of that stuff out a later time. We are, in this war, the first line of defense. JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT 45353 St. George’s Avenue, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 Pic From The Past Retired Recertified Bosun Ronald Mena submitted this 1959 photo of his late father, Pedro Mena, sailing as a deckhand aboard the SS Mayflower. ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 12 Seafarers LOG If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org June 2020 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA RENE ALFARO Brother Rene Alfaro, 72, joined the Seafarers International Union in 2003, initially sailing on the Matej Kocak. He was a steward department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Alfaro most recently sailed on the SBX. He makes his home in Loxahatchee, Florida. SHIRLEY BELLAMY Perales most recently sailed aboard the Seabulk Trader. She resides in El Paso, Texas. most recently sailed aboard the Maersk Michigan and lives in Stockton, California. DAVID PERRY CHARLES WASHINGTON Brother David Perry, 70, joined the SIU in 2004, first sailing aboard the Atlantic Forest. He was a deck department member and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2016. Brother Perry last sailed on the USNS John Glenn and settled in Abbeville, Louisiana. Brother Charles Washington, 65, began shipping with the union in 1991 when he sailed aboard the Independence. He worked in the steward department and upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Brother Washington last shipped on the Cape Victory. He resides in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Sister Shirley Bellamy, 67, started sailing with the union in 1997 when she shipped on the Global Mariner. A member of the steward department, she upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Sister Bellamy last sailed on the Alliance Fairfax and settled in Jacksonville, Florida. Brother Kamin Raji, 69, started shipping with the union in 1989, initially sailing on the Independence. He upgraded on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center and sailed in the deck department. Brother Raji’s final vessel was the Maersk Atlanta. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey. MARCO GALLIANO HERMAN STITH Brother Marco Galliano, 71, signed on with the SIU in 1970 when he sailed aboard the Summit. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Galliano’s final vessel was the Liberty Pride. He makes his home in Spring Hill, Florida. Brother Herman Stith, 66, joined the union in 1997. He was a member of the steward department and first sailed aboard the Cape May. Brother Stith upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. He most recently shipped on the Maersk Carolina and settled in Norfolk, Virginia. MUHARAM HUSIN WALTER TAULMAN Brother Muharam Husin, 74, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1981, initially shipping on the Golden Monarch. A deck department member, he upgraded his skills often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Husin last sailed on the Maersk Kensington. He resides in Woodside, New York. Brother Walter Taulman, 71, donned the SIU colors in 1992 when he sailed aboard the Indian Ocean. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Taulman’s final vessel was the Maersk Kensington. He makes his home in Houston. STEPHEN AIKENS ROBERT VAZQUEZ Brother Robert Baumann, 65, signed on with the union in 1976. He first worked for Orgulf Transport and shipped in the deck department. Brother Baumann was last employed by Mariner Towing in 1987. He makes his home in Stratford, New Jersey. ALICE KWASNJUK Sister Alice Kwasnjuk, 65, started her career with the union in 1999, first sailing aboard the Kinsman Independent. She upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions and was a member of the steward department. Sister Kwasnjuk’s final vessel was the John Paul Bobo. She makes her home in Aitkin, Minnesota. RODOLFO OPINALDO Brother Rodolfo Opinaldo, 71, embarked on his career with the SIU in 2002 when he sailed aboard the Gus W. Darnell. He worked in the engine department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Brother Opinaldo last shipped on the Magnolia State. He calls Hayward, California, home. LETICIA PERALES Sister Leticia Perales, 65, signed on with the Seafarers in 1980, when she sailed on the El Paso Southern. She was a steward department member and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Sister June 2020 KAMIN RAJI Brother Robert Vazquez, 59, signed on with the union in 1989, first sailing on the Rover. He upgraded on multiple occasions at the union-affiliated Piney Point school and was a deck department member. Brother Vazquez’s last ship was the Maersk Yorktown. He resides in New York. CORNELIO VILLANO Brother Cornelio Villano, 73, joined the union in 1985, initially sailing aboard the Independence. He worked in the deck department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Villano JOHN WELLS Brother John Wells, 68, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1970, first sailing on the Sea Ohio. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions. Brother Wells’ last vessel was the USNS Seay. He settled in Moira, New York. STEPHEN WILLIAMS Brother Stephen Williams, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1977. A deck department member, he initially sailed aboard the Penn. Brother Williams upgraded at the Piney Point school within his first year. He most recently shipped aboard the Wilson and makes his home in Jacksonville, Florida. GREAT LAKES Brother Stephen Aikens, 70, joined the SIU in 1976 when he sailed aboard the E.M. Ford. A deck department member, he concluded his career on the J.A.W. Iglehart. Brother Aikens resides in Clovis, California. member of the deck department. Brother Grachico’s final vessel was the Dodge Island. He calls Portland, Oregon, home. TIMOTHY HAGAN Brother Timothy Hagan, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1974, working with Inland Tugs. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Hagan’s final vessel was the Developer. He makes his home in Deming, Washington. PHILIP INMAN Brother Philip Inman, 65, joined the SIU in 1975, first working for Stone Towing Line. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions and shipped in the deck department. Brother Inman last sailed with Express Marine. He settled in Wilmington, North Carolina. GREGORY LUCE Brother Gregory Luce, 62, became a member of the SIU in 1977. Sailing in the deck department, he was initially employed by Mariner Towing. Brother Luce last worked with Turecamo Maritime and makes his home in Philadelphia. INLAND CLIFTON NOE ROBERT BAUMANN Brother Clifton Noe, 62, signed on with the union in 1999 when he worked for Allied Transportation. A deck department member, he upgraded at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions. Brother Noe’s final vessel was the Resolve. He resides in Smyrna, North Carolina. PABLO LUIS PEREZ NOBREGAS MARK FITHIAN Brother Mark Fithian, 68, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1974. He was first employed with Gulf Atlantic Transport and sailed in the deck department. Brother Fithian upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 1993. He last sailed on the Manhattan Island and lives in The Villages, Florida. ISMAEL GRACHICO Brother Ismael Grachico, 67, joined the union in 2003. He first shipped aboard the Sugar Island and was a Brother Pablo Luis Perez Nobregas, 68, began sailing with the union in 2012, initially working with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He shipped in the engine department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Perez Nobregas most recently shipped aboard the Innovation. He calls Cape Coral, Florida, home. Star. He upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center and shipped in the deck department. Brother Raquet most recently sailed on the Courage. He lives in High Springs, Florida. MELVIN ROLON HUERTAS Brother Melvin Rolon Huertas, 66, began sailing with the Seafarers in 1986. He was first employed by Crowley Puerto Rico and sailed in the deck department. Brother Rolon Huertas continued to work for the same company for the duration of his career. He lives in Staten Island, New York. MITCHELL ROBERTS Brother Mitchell Roberts, 58, signed on with the SIU in 1990. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on numerous occasions. Brother Roberts worked for OSG Ship Management for the majority of his career and settled in Grantsboro, North Carolina. EMMANUEL ROLDAN Brother Emmanuel Roldan, 63, became a member of the union in 1989, initially sailing with OSG Ship Management. He upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions and sailed in the deck department. Brother Roldan worked for the same company for most of his career. He resides in Kissimmee, Florida. MICHAEL SCHMIDT Brother Michael Schmidt, 63, joined the Seafarers in 1978 when he worked for HVIDE Marine. A deck department member, he upgraded on several occasions at the unionaffiliated Piney Point school. Brother Schmidt was last employed by Crowley Towing and Transportation. He makes his home in Lynden, Washington. LOUIS SMITH Brother Louis Smith, 62, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1997. He shipped in the engine department and was employed with McAllister Towing of Virginia for the duration of his career. He lives in Hudgins, Virginia. WILBERT WILSON Brother Wilbert Wilson, 64, began sailing with the union in 1989. A deck department member, he was employed by Orgulf Transport for the duration of his career. Brother Wilson calls Fayette, Mississippi, home. BRUCE RAQUET Brother Bruce Raquet, 62, started his career with the SIU in 2009, initially sailing aboard the Noble Seafarers LOG 13 �Final Departures DEEP SEA ABDULLA ALMANSOOB Pensioner Abdulla Almansoob, 84, died March 30. He signed on with the SIU in 1976 and first shipped on the Overseas Juneau. Brother Almansoob was a member of the steward department. He concluded his career on the El Faro and became a pensioner in 2001. Brother Almansoob resided in Dearborn, Michigan. GERONIMO BARRENG Pensioner Geronimo Barreng, 66, passed away January 31. He joined the SIU in 1980. A steward department member, Brother Barreng first sailed aboard the Oceanic Independence. He last shipped on the USNS Petersburg and went on pension in 2005. Brother Barreng was a Honolulu resident. RICHARD HOUGHTON Pensioner Richard Houghton, 81, died April 22. He became a member of the union in 1961, initially working for Taylor Marine Towing. Brother Houghton sailed in the deck department. He last shipped aboard the Liberty Sun before becoming a pensioner in 2004. Brother Houghton lived in Highlands, Texas. JOE LOCKETTE Pensioner Joe Lockette, 67, passed away April 29. He signed on with the Seafarers in 2002; his first vessel was the Developer. Brother Lockette primarily worked in the deck department. He most recently sailed aboard the Green Cove and became a pensioner in 2017. Brother Lockette was a Houston resident. ANSELMO LOPEZ Pensioner Anselmo Lopez, 78, died April 7. He joined the SIU in 1991, initially sailing on the Independence. Brother Lopez was a steward department member and last shipped on the Maersk Georgia. He began collecting his pension in 2008 and settled in Brooklyn, New York. LYNN MCGIVENS Pensioner Lynn McGivens, 81, passed away April 9. She began sailing with the union in 1962 14 Seafarers LOG when she shipped on the Overseas Ulla. Sister McGivens was a member of the steward department. She concluded her career on the USNS Bellatrix and retired in 2005. Sister McGivens lived in New Orleans. JOSEPH MOORE Pensioner Joseph Moore, 78, died February 24. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1963 when he sailed aboard the Inger. Sailing in the deck department, Brother Moore last shipped on the Liberty Sun. He became a pensioner in 2004 and resided in Independence, Louisiana. MARIANO MOREIRA Pensioner Mariano Moreira, 91, passed away April 4. He began his career with the SIU in 1989, initially sailing aboard the USNS Altair. Brother Moreira was a steward department member, and last sailed aboard the Overseas Joyce. He became a pensioner in 1987 and made his home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. SUZANNE SANTORA Pensioner Suzanne Santora, 77, died April 14. She joined the SIU in 1998, first sailing on the Charles L. Brown. Sister Santora shipped in the steward department. She concluded her career aboard the Liberty Island and retired in 2007. Sister Santora called Hanover, Maryland, home. JOSEPH SPELLER Pensioner Joseph Speller, 86, passed away March 18. He started sailing with the union in 1957 when he worked for Ore Navigation. Brother Speller was a steward department member and last shipped on the Galveston Bay. He began collecting his pension in 1996 and settled in Brooklyn, New York. RANDOLPH TANNIS Pensioner Randolph Tannis, 79, died February 27. He donned the SIU colors in 1970, initially sailing aboard the Western Clipper. Brother Tannis was an engine department member and last sailed on the Maersk Missouri. He retired in 2006 and made his home in Staten Island, New York. GREAT LAKES KIRK DIENER Pensioner Kirk Diener, 71, passed away March 4. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1974, initially sailing on the Detroit Edison. Brother Diener was a steward department member and concluded his career on the American Mariner. He went on pension in 2013 and called Indiana River, Michigan, home. WILLIAM STRAUB Pensioner William Straub, 73, died March 14. He donned the SIU colors in 1968 when he worked for Esco Dredge and Oil. Brother Straub was a member of the engine department and last sailed aboard the St. John. He retired in 2009 and lived in Erie, Pennsylvania. INLAND JUAN CANALES Pensioner Juan Canales, 81, passed away April 5. He started sailing with the SIU in 1976, initially sailing aboard the Eagle Traveler. Brother Canales shipped in the deck department. He concluded his career on the USNS Soderman, and went on pension in 2003. Brother Canales resided in San Juan, Puerto Rico. HOWARD COOK Pensioner Howard Cook, 60, died March 28. Signing on with the SIU in 2000, he first worked for G&H Towing. Brother Cook was a member of the engine department. He continued to work for the same company for the duration of his career and became a pensioner in 2020. Brother Cook lived in La Marque, Texas. NASA JENNETTE Pensioner Nasa Jennette, 89, passed away April 8. He was a deck department member and began sailing with the union in 1967. Brother Jennette worked with IBCO for the duration of his career. He retired in 1991 and resided in Buxton, North Carolina. WILSON REX Pensioner Wilson Rex, 91, died April 10. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1981 when he worked for Interstate Oil. Brother Rex was a deck department member. He last sailed with OSG Ship Management and became a pensioner in 1999. Brother Rex lived in West Sand Lake, New York. RANDALL SCOTT Pensioner Randall Scott, 66, passed away April 12. He donned the SIU colors in 2003, first sailing with Crowley Towing and Transportation. Brother Scott shipped in the deck department and remained with the same company until his retirement in 2016. He made his home in Tallahassee, Florida. Seafarers in 1973, initially working with Allied Transportation. Brother Smith was a deck department member and last sailed with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He went on pension in 2015 and settled in Salem, Oregon. NMU In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. NAME AGE Campbell, Harold 81 Cimaglia, Nicholas 81 Coleman, Clifford 91 Dunwoody, Peter 67 Feliciano, Paulino 90 Foster, Edward 83 Hunt, Sidney 87 Jackson, Rubin 87 Jones, William 97 Knox, Quinton 97 Lake, Julio 86 Laurent, Verdell 87 Lawrence, Henry 90 Levy, Theodore 91 Lizano, Fernando 84 Martinez, Roman 84 Muehlberger, Floyd 82 Rosario, Amilcar 98 Santiago, George 73 Surillo, Manuel 75 Vazquez, Tomas 87 92 Villa, Julio Yip, Jow 94 Zorrilla, Daniel 90 DOD 04/28/2020 04/04/2020 04/03/2020 03/18/2020 04/11/2020 02/29/2020 02/08/2020 03/12/2020 04/15/2020 04/05/2020 04/20/2020 04/11/2020 04/04/2020 03/31/2020 04/08/2020 04/15/2020 03/03/2020 04/25/2020 04/08/2020 04/04/2020 04/19/2020 04/25/2020 02/06/2020 04/11/2020 CRAIG SMITH Pensioner Craig Smith, 69, passed away March 21. He joined the Absentee Voting Information With the COVID-19 pandemic dominating the news cycle, it can be easy to forget that 2020 is an election year. (Okay, maybe not easy, but at least possible.) The following information (accurate as of press time) outlines which states allow for some form of alternative voting. Absentee Voting Laws Thirty-four states offer “noexcuse” absentee ballots, and will mail residents an early ballot upon request: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. You can request your absentee ballot online by visiting www. absentee.vote.org, and filling out a short request form. Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington send ballots to all eligible voters, so residents do not need to request one. All states permit residents who will be outside their home county to vote absentee, as well as voters with an illness or disability. Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia also offer the option to elderly voters. Early In-Person Voting Laws Thirty-nine states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands offer the option to vote early and in-person. Only Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, do not offer early voting. Early voting periods range in length from four days to 45 days; the average length is 19 days. Visit www.vote.org for your specific county’s laws. June 2020 �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings OVERSEAS TEXAS CITY (Overseas Shipholding Group), January 19 – Chairman Jovan Williams, Secretary Keesha Holloway, Educational Director James Rodweller, Deck Delegate Romulo Gutierrez, Engine Delegate Gerardo Gamboa, Steward Delegate Randall Campbell. Chairman commended crew for a job well done with cargo. Everyone worked safely. Steward department thanked for doing a great job. Educational director advised members to upgrade at the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland, and to check the member portal. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested refrigerators and fans for all rooms. Members need new bath towels. NATIONAL GLORY (Crowley), February 2 – Chairman Jerrold Foke, Secretary Rose Ward, Educational Director Linarys Castillo Ortiz, Deck Delegate Vince Adolph. Chairman reminded members to address issues and follow proper protocols so problems do not escalate. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Vote of thanks given to steward department. Members request TV in crew lounge and stronger Wi-Fi availability. Ship continuing to deliver relief supplies to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and recent earthquake. Next port: San Juan, Puerto Rico. WASHINGTON (Intrepid Personnel & Provisioning), February 2 – Chairman Modesto Rabena, Secretary Samuel Harris, Educational Director Edgardo Barrios, Deck Delegate Dionisio Bermudez, Engine Delegate Philip Francia, Steward Delegate Gary Loftin. Chairman advised crew to encourage family members to apply for the apprenticeship program. He urged members to keep up with documents. Educational director recommended crew upgrade at the union-affiliated Piney Point school. No beefs or disputed OT The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. reported. Crew requested internet and Wi-Fi installation aboard ship. Next port: Oakland, California. ALASKAN NAVIGATOR (Alaska Tanker Company), February 23 – Chairman Adel Ahmed, Secretary John Hale, Educational Director Leland Peterson, Steward Delegate Keith Small. Chairman reminded members to renew documents and keep up with dues. He discussed the transition from Alaska Tanker Company to Overseas Shipholding Group. Educational director advised crew to view upcoming classes at the Paul Hall Center online. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members request increase pertaining to extra meal for steward department. Crew asked for increased optical benefits and vacation days along with improvements to pension plan. Next port: Long Beach, California. MAERSK MONTANA (Maersk Line, Limited), February 23 – Chairman Arsenio Omabao, Secretary James Cameron, Educational Director Steven Miller, Deck Delegate Julius Morala, Engine Delegate Antonio McAdams, Steward Delegate Richard Torres. Chairman urged members to take necessary courses at the Piney Point school. Secretary thanked SA and GVA for keeping house clean. He reminded members to leave clean rooms for oncoming crew. Educational director instructed crew to pay close attention to expiration dates on credentials. He encouraged everyone to renew well in advance. Vote of thanks given to steward department. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Secretary advised members to read the president’s report in latest Seafarers LOG. Crew requested increases to health, pension and vacation benefits. Members asked for upgrades to Wi-Fi. Bosun reiterated importance of donating to SPAD (Seafarers Political Activities Donation), the union’s voluntary political action fund. Easter Cookout on USNS Button Recertified Bosun Greg Jackson submitted these photos from the Crowley-operated vessel, where the steward department treated everyone to an Easter cookout. Pictured in the larger group photo immediately below (no particular order) are : Chief Steward Lamond Fulton, Chief Cook Steve Riley and SAs Sam Ortiz, Mario Siclot, Jasmine Donahue and Johanns Rivera. Jackson said the feast “was very much appreciated by all crew members.” The photo directly above includes (from left) Chief Mate/SIU Hawsepiper Michael J. Parks, AB Samuel Thatcher and Capt. Mark A. Schwamm. Thatcher designed and built the cornhole boards, with support from Parks. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt June 2020 requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Consequently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Capital Gateway Drive Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 15 �Paul Hall Center Classes Apprentice Water Survival Class #859 – Graduated January 24 (above, in alphabetical order): Lexter A. Alfaro-Rivera, Robert Dagata, Jessica Davis, Shamir Jameil Ford, Tyler Foster, Keon Hatcher, Austin Jandreau, Stephen Jarrell, Tanner Jefferies, Anson Johny, Roger Mathews, Kalin Mitchell, Peter Pataki, Taylor Rabb, Raul Soto, Chadon Williams and Woodrow Williams. Water Survival (Upgrader) – Graduated February 21 (above): Ameer Amin Hussein Ali. GMDSS – Graduated February 28 (above, in alphabetical order): Diego Fernando Barbosa, David Brusco, Carlo Mateo Gentile and Ian Michael McDonough. Class instructor Patrick Shoenberger is at the far left. RFPNW (Phase III) – Graduated February 21 (above, in alphabetical order): Diquan Adamson, Andre Barbary Jr., Kaleb Josef Bogan, Christian Spiros Cavathas, Zaid Cooper, Jacob Couvillon, Nicholas Kai Fortunato, Solomon Foster Jr., Allen Gilmore, Christian Kalinowski, Chauncey Malcolm Kaniloa Kukahiko, James Moody II, Draven Nolan, Marcell Gabriel Santos-Pascual, Jonathan Silva, Kenneth Smith Jr., and Luis Ricard Venegas Nolasco. Upon the completion of their training, each plans to work in the deck departments of unioncrewed vessels. 16 Seafarers LOG June 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes BAPO (Phase III) – Graduated February 21 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Ja’shon Adams, Jalen Denson, Christopher Fisher, Troy Hubbard, Robert Mason III, Zeke Alec Pasquarelli, Jahmiah Peets, Shannon Peterson and Anthony Rahsell Timmson-Brown. Christopher Morgan, their instructor, is at the far left. Once their training is completed, each plans to work in the engine departments of union-crewed vessels. Medical Care Provider – Graduated February 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Diego Fernando Barbosa, David Brusco, Carlo Mateo Gentile and Kevin Hunt. Government Vessels (Apprentices) – Graduated February 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Brandon Bradley, Eliezer Estremera, Alexus Guillory, Reinaldo Rivera, Johanns Rivera-Rivera and Kevin Santiago De Jesus. Government Vessels (Upgraders) – Graduated February 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Michael Bonifacio Adote, Saleh Musa Ali, Santiago Aquino, Arkady Bichevsky, Eric IvanRay Castle, Agustin Clotter, Antonio Jones, Richard Lawson, Mark Lettman, Juan McCakeren, Fayez Mohamed Mussa, Mohamed Ali Saleh Nagi, Bashir Mohamed Nasser, Steven Roberts and Marquisha Keyonna Simmons. June 2020 Seafarers LOG 17 �Paul Hall Center Classes Junior Engineer – Graduated February 7 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Joel Boyd, Caleb Donovan, Paul Hudgins, Jacob Laroche, Tyriq Mills, Re’sean Peters, Dontrell Riddick, Andy Salado, Maksim Shpylyevyy, Daniel Lowie Rivera Surell and Kevin Willis. Instructor Bill Dodd is at the far left. Tankship Familiarization DL – Graduated February 14 (above, in alphabetical order): Saleh Musa Ali, Eduardo Arroyo, Carlton Banks, Thomas Drummond III, Mark Feldhaus, Daniel Fields, Lance Gibson, Wayne Gomillion Jr., Brandy Griffin, Mohamad Mahmoud Kammoun, Joshua Kraynak, Salah Ahmed Muthana, Bashir Mohamed Nasser, James Sanchez, Shewanna Jones Stephenson, Travis Arnez Sumpter, Victor Jose Velez Perez and Wilfredo Velez. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Tankship Familiarization LG – Graduated February 7 (above, in alphabetical order): Eduardo Arroyo, Frederick Ashby, Thomas Drummond III, Lance Gibson, Wayne Gomillion Jr., George Kee Jr., Joshua Kraynak, Dennis Naing Morallo, James Sanchez, Shewanna Jones Stephenson, Travis Sumpter and Victor Jose Velez Perez. (Note: Not all are pictured.) 18 Seafarers LOG June 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Tankship Familiarization DL – Graduated February 28 (above, in alphabetical order): Mark Bolin, Todd Colabella, Kevin Hale, Frank Harris III, Dominic Hix, Mason Con Melland and Gavin Scott. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Basic Training (Advance Firefighting Revalidation) – Graduated February 14 (above, in alphabetical order): Karen Gossett, Richard Huffman, Gilbert Johnson, Tyrone Leonard and Joseph Longo. Combined Basic & Advanced Firefighting – Graduated February 14 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Austin Anderson, Diego Fernando Barbosa, David Brusco, Eric Garcia, Carlo Mateo Gentile, Michael Hodges, Kevin Hunt, Melvin Hunter Jr., Antonio Jones, Vicente Ordonez, John O’Shaughnessy and Andrzej Tlalka. Basic Self Unloading – Graduated February 14 (above, in alphabetical order): Gerald Birgy, Maurice Antonio Brodie, Hayder Jebur, Brian Smith and Parker Tiffany. Class instructor Don Jaegle is at the far left. Galley Ops (Phase III)– Graduated February 21 (above): Osmar Luis Ramos. Upon the completion of his training, Ramos plans to work in the steward department aboard SIU contracted vessels. Galley Operations – Graduated February 21 (above, in alphabetical order): Hussein Monsar Al-Qari, Roche Aurea Bonita, Claribel Cabral, Atrenique Tramani Deamus, Agnes Jocson Gamboa, Maurice Henry Jr., and Sharde Merria Ross. Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated February 28 (above, in alphabetical order): Monserrate Blas Jr., (Note: Not all are pictured.) Daniel Kane, Rashaad Jalloud Mangram, Saleh Mohsin Saleh and Milton Sivells. June 2020 Seafarers LOG 19 �VOLUME 82, NO. 6 JUNE 2020 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O SIU Played Vital Role in WWII Editor’s note: This is the second installment from a 1951 booklet titled “The Seafarers in World War II.” Penned by the late SIU historian John Bunker, the publication recapped SIU members’ service in the war. More than 1,200 SIU members lost their lives to wartime service in the U.S. Merchant Marine. The first installment was published in the May 2020 LOG and is available on the SIU website. This one picks up aboard the SIU-crewed Seatrain Texas, which had just arrived on a site strewn with wreckage off the East Coast (around the Carolinas). The date was June 19, 1942. U-Boat Lane The men stopped at one wave-washed collection of flotsam, lifted an inert body aboard and then went to another, where a grimy seaman half lifted himself out of the water, trying to grip the gunwales of the boat. Strong Hands Help Strong hands bore him to safety, while those on the Seatrain’s bridge used megaphones to direct the crew to where a third and fourth body could be seen half-alive, half-dead in the winter sea. In a matter of minutes, the boatmen had done their work, and were back at the vessel’s side to be hoisted aboard with their human cargo. At first the survivors were too weak to talk, but when they had been warmed with hot coffee and wrapped in blankets, they revealed that their ship had been the City of Atlanta. They told how the one-time passenger vessel had been torpedoed without warning early that morning – how she had gone down so fast that there had hardly been time to jump over the side … how the burning hulk had rolled over to starboard onto the only lifeboat that cleared the ship, crushing its unfortunate men beneath the sea. For a while after the sinking, they recounted, some of the crew had floated around on bits of wreckage while they joked and sang in an attempt to keep their spirits up. Then, one by one, all but five of them had sunk beneath the cold, dark waters. And of the five who were still afloat at daybreak, only three were alive when the Seatrain Texas hove by. The others lay astride their bits of wreckage, but had died sometime during the morning hours. Living to tell the story of the City of Atlanta, one of the most costly sinkings along the Atlantic Coast, were Oiler Robert Fennell, Jr., Seaman Earl Dowdy, and Second Mate George Tavelle. Captain Albert Dalzell and Chief Engineer Tom Kenney of the Seatrain Texas heard their story without wanting to believe it could be true. Tragic Coincidence For the Chief it was a hard story to hear. His father was Chief Engineer of the City of Atlanta. Both Capt. Dalzell and Chief Kenney had started their seafaring careers on the City of Atlanta many years before, when she was a well-known coastwise passenger liner. Capt. Dalzell’s father had commanded her for many years before Capt. Leemon Urquehart took over. “U-boat lane” they called Atlantic coastal waters now. Nazi submarines ambled down the seaboard on sinking sprees that cost hundreds of lives, and sent scores of ships to the bottom with a huge loss in precious cargoes. The SIU-crewed Seatrain Texas docks in Northern Ireland in October 1943. (Photo courtesy National Archives) There was no naval defense worthy of the name, and it was to be five months yet before the first convoy was organized for protection of shipping along the seaboard, in the Gulf and the Caribbean. Merchant ships, in the meantime, sailed unescorted and, in most cases, unarmed – with the Uboats so bold, they shelled their prey even within sight of the Delaware Capes. As the rate of sinkings increased, no seaman could be sure that his ship would reach its destination. Legion were those that didn’t, but they kept sailing, nonetheless, and none of them idled in port for lack of crews. In some cases, there were even more men willing to “ship out” at SIU Halls than swimming soon.” This call came two minutes later: “Torpedoed twice. Ship still afloat but listing badly. Captain requests assistance immediately.” He then gave the ship’s position a number of times. The third and last message was heard at 1:22 a.m. “Cannot stay afloat much longer.” No more reports came through, for soon after the radio man had tapped out this message on his key the Venore sank and Sparks, true to the tradition of his calling, stayed at his post too long to escape. Several lifeboats were launched by the Venore’s crew and the survivors were picked up 38 hours later. “In some cases, there were even more men willing to ship out at SIU Halls than there were ships for them to sail.” - John Bunker, SIU Historian there were ships for them to sail. At the old New York Hall of the SIU, at number two Stone Street, across from famous Bowling Green, men reported for the hourly “calls” as though there was no war within ten thousand miles. They manned the ships and kept the cargoes moving. On January 25, torpedoes struck again, sinking the 550-foot Venore off Cape Hatteras with a loss of 18 men. She, too, was a well-known SIU ship. The end of this vessel is dramatically told in the terse, urgent calls for help sent out by her radio operator. At 12:47 a.m. he flashed this SOS: “Two crashes so far. Will keep informed. Think Sinking declined along the Atlantic seaboard after coastal convoys were inaugurated in May of 1942, but the U-boats prowled these waters off and on right up till the end of the war. In fact, the collier Black Point was torpedoed just a few miles from the big naval base at Newport, Rhode Island, on the fifth of May, 1945, the last American ship to be lost in the war. Many more SIU vessels were to be numbered among the 154 Allied ships sunk along the coast and in the northwest Atlantic between January and June of 1942. Among them were the Robin Hood, Alcoa Guide, Oakmar, Marore, Major Wheeler and Pipestone County. The Major Wheeler – of the Bull Line – completely disappeared, never to be heard from again, while the Robin Line Pipestone County, a well-liked freighter among men who sailed SIU ships, was sunk en route from Trinidad to Boston, about 200 miles due west of Bermuda. Two of her boats spent 16 days at sea before being picked up. Chilore Gets it U-boats continued their attacks despite the use of convoys, and the SIU-manned Chilore of the Ore Shipping Company was hit while in a heavily protected convoy under escort of surface ships, planes and blimps. Known as convoy KS 520, this fleet of 19 merchantmen left Lynnhaven Roads in the Chesapeake on July 14, 1942. When it was off Cape Hatteras the next day it ran into a flock of torpedoes. No one even saw a tin fish until the Chilore got smacked, to be followed a minute or so later by the tanker Mowinckel. The Bluefields, a small Nicaraguan freighter carrying explosives, was blown up while the escort ran around dropping depth charges and the escorting bombers spattered the water with bombs and machine gun fire. It was the freighter Unicoi, however, which got credit for sinking the doughty sub, along with an Army patrol bomber. The Chilore and Mowinckel dropped out of the convoy and headed for the nearby shore under their own power, but both of them ran into a minefield and suffered more explosions. The big Chilore capsized and sank while being towed toward Baltimore several days later. Continued on Page 11 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource June 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: SIU DELIVERS DURING PANDEMIC DEFENSE SCHOLAR: TIME IS NOW TO REFOCUS ON U.S.-FLAG FLEET U.S.-FLAG MARITIME INDUSTRY UNITED IN OPPOSING OIL COMPANIES' SCHEME FOR JONES ACT WAIVER SIU WEATHERING COVID-19 PANDEMIC NEW WISCONSIN MARITIME COALITION ANNOUNCED USA MARITIME TO CONGRESS: PRIORITIZE SEALIFT GOP SENATORS URGE PRESIDENT TO LEAVE JONES ACT ALONE BLS SAYS 30 MILLION PEOPLE ARE JOBLESS SECRETARY-TREASURER SENDS MESSAGE TO SIU MEMBERS CONCERNING UNION ELECTIONS OFFICIALS RELEASE PROCEUDRES FOR REQUESTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR UPCOMING SIU ELECTIONS SIU PLAYED VITAL ROLE IN WWII Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 6/1/2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. 82, No. 6 http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/4be606fbd818eb94f41d471b0105944a.pdf 86495d97cb79e0120b67e4ec2afe05be PDF Text Text MARCH 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 3 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Unions, Companies Team Up For Puerto Rico Relief Effort Jones Act Carriers Deliver Supplies Labor organizations and businesses are working together on a large-scale relief operation dedicated to helping people in Puerto Rico who are recovering from earthquakes that hit the territory beginning late last year. Donations for the outreach have come from numerous organizations; rankand-file Seafarers are among many volunteers making sure the supplies get delivered. The SIU hall in San Juan hosted a planning meeting early last month with a delegation from the American Federation of Teachers. Pictured from left (photo at top right) are AFT National Representative Alfredo Chuquihuara, AFT Exec. VP Evelyn DeJesus, SIU Port Agent Amancio Crespo and AFT Exec. Asst. Adriana O’Hagan. In photo at immediate right, SIU Bosun Jorge Soler (left) distributes water in his hometown of Gurabo, Puerto Rico. Remaining photo shows (from left) Oiler Oscar Lacayo, Oiler Fernandez Wilcox and AB Vince Adolph aboard the SIU-crewed National Glory, which has carried relief supplies. Pages 10-11. Oakland Hiring Hall Gets Facelift The hiring hall in Oakland, California, is sporting a new paint job (photo below), and the facility also underwent some minor refurbishments late last year. Seafarers (photo at left) are pictured outside the hall. The building is located at 1121 7th Street. PRO Act Passes House Page 3 Remembering Ed Kelly Page 4 �President’s Report Ongoing Relief Efforts As our relief efforts for Puerto Rico continue, I thank every individual and every organization that has stepped up. While the earthquakeinduced damage in the territory is extensive, so too are the collective responses of labor and management. We’re committed to helping, as much as possible for as long as needed. Be sure to read our coverage in this edition, and for those of you who use social media, note that we’re regularly posting progress reports and other updates on Facebook and Twitter (and occasionally on our regular website). One of the most uplifting aspects of the current outreach is that we all sprang into action – labor and management, together – without being asked. The Jones Act community saw a need and immediately rallied to help our brothers and sisters on the island. Unfortunately, that need remains significant, mostly in the territory’s southern region. Homes, businesses, schools and roads were damaged or destroyed. There are no quick fixes, but we’re taking Michael Sacco steps to bring as much relief (and restore as much functionality) as possible. Stay tuned. PRO Act While we in the labor movement aren’t kidding ourselves about the prospects of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 quickly advancing in the Senate, the House’s passage of this pro-worker bill is still quite noteworthy. It establishes an important building block and lets us see where legislators stand on labor law reform and workers’ rights. The surest way to grow the middle class is through collective bargaining and union representation. Government data and other studies consistently show that union members earn more money and enjoy better benefits than their unrepresented counterparts. Union apprenticeships (many of which are done in partnership with employers) often provide a clear path to rewarding careers, too. Management also benefits from strong unions. When workers have a voice on the job and are compensated fairly, they’re much more likely to be reliable and efficient and to stick around, thereby reducing turnover and its associated costs. Unions provide accountability on both sides as well. By any reasonable measure, many of America’s labor laws are broken. More often than not, the deck is stacked against workers who seek to join or form a union – and there’s no recourse against employers who violate their employees’ rights in union organizing campaigns and elections. The PRO Act is good for workers and good for America. The SIU stands behind it and will work to overcome any obstacles to it becoming law. Gateway to Success The union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (based in Piney Point, Maryland) remains an essential tool for Seafarers who want to continue advancing in their careers. This fact was summed up quite well earlier this year by Seth Harris, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor and a onetime SIU field representative. As he noted in testimony before Congress, “SIU members do not have to guess which skills and credentials to pursue. They know exactly what skills and credentials they need to make themselves more valuable to their employers. Their union and the employers with which it works have solved this problem. SIU members also do not navigate career pathways on their own. They had clear and well-established career pathways even before the phrase ‘career pathways’ had been coined. Those career pathways have been married to a skills acquisition curriculum. As a result, SIU members know exactly how they can climb career ladders by acquiring well-defined competencies and credentials.” That’s a terrific endorsement, and on that note I encourage all Seafarers to take advantage of the opportunities in Piney Point. O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 83, Number 3 March 2020 The SIU online : www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2020 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. 2 Seafarers LOG ITF: Save Australian Shipping An international team of maritime heavyweights recently travelled to Australia and urged the government to save its shipping industry through sound, time-tested policy. SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel was one of six panelists who testified Feb. 6 before the Australian Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. Heindel also serves as chair of the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s (ITF) Seafarers’ Section. Also testifying at the hearing in the capital city of Canberra were Jim Given, president of the SIU of Canada and chair of the ITF Cabotage Task Force (which met earlier in the week); Johnny Hansen, president of the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union; Joe Fleetwood, national secretary of the Maritime Union of New Zealand; Jacqueline Smith, ITF maritime coordinator; and Deirdre Fitzpatrick, executive director of Seafarers’ Rights International. Collectively, they implored the Morrison government to reverse the decline of the Australian shipping industry and invest in the creation of a new strategic fleet to aid Australia’s emergency response capacity to natural disasters. They spelled out models that would help Australia move to protect the nation’s economic, environmental, fuel and national security interests by boosting its merchant fleet. The session began with an extension of solidarity and support to the Australian people for the tragic loss of life and property and catastrophic damage to Australia’s unique natural environment caused by recent wildfires across that region. The international group also acknowledged the significant emergency maritime response to the crisis. Union leaders and researchers appearing before the committee presented details on current maritime cabotage legislation around the world. They explained why a strong domestic maritime industry is critical to safeguarding Australia’s economic and national security – providing jobs, protecting the environment, and providing emergency assistance during natural disasters. They noted that 91 countries representing 80 percent of the world’s coastal UN Maritime States have cabotage laws restricting foreign maritime activity in their domestic coastal trades. Heindel stated, “Our (U.S.) domestic maritime cabotage laws have produced 40,000 American vessels built in U.S. shipyards. They provide roughly 650,000 sustained American jobs with $41 billion in labor compensation and ultimately contribute $150 billion in annual economic output.” He added, “Ultimately, the United States, like any nation, can only truly count on its own civilian mariners to get its troops and supplies to any combat zone. Without U.S. strategic sealift capability, supported by cabotage laws, U.S. enemies would become emboldened, U.S. commitments would become worthless, and American wars would become home games, according to former U.S. Transportation Command leader General Darren McDew. This could be said for any nation and certainly could be problematic for an island nation like Australia or New Zealand. Further, the economic benefits of having citizen crews contributes heavily to the country and local communities in labor income and a sustaining tax base.” Given told the government officials, “The reason for our appearance before you today is to discuss the importance of retaining and reinvigorating a domestic marine shipping industry. I’m regularly reminded of how the Coasting Trade Act in Canada, and the Jones Act in the United States, are so integral to the overall success of our shipping industries and such a large contributor to the economies of both Canada and the United States of America. These policies are often regarded by Continued on Page 8 BLS Numbers Are in, But They Fail to Tell the Whole Story Last year, the percentage of wage and salary workers who were members of unions in the United States – the union membership rate – was 10.3 percent, down by 0.2 percentage point from 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Jan. 22 in its 2019 Union Members Summary. The number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions, 14.6 million in 2019, was little changed from 2018, the agency added. In 1983, the first year for which comparable union data are available, the union membership rate was 20.1 percent and there were 17.7 million union workers. According to the AFL-CIO, the foregoing numbers reflect the tremendously difficult barriers workers continue to face while seeking to form a union. Additionally, they reveal the unmatched resilience of working people in their desire to win bargaining power on the job. Despite the latest report, federation officials labeled 2019 as a year of undeniable momentum for collective action and collective bargaining. They listed the following as just a few examples of the extraordinary ways that workers stood together in 2019 to fight for our workplaces and communities: Following 2018’s notable year of teacher activism, thousands of teachers went on strike in states including Colorado and West Virginia. In Chicago, CTU-AFT members walked out for a historic 11 days, winning a 16% salary increase over five years. More than 30,000 Stop & Shop workers and UFCW members in New England fought and won a three-month battle for better pay and benefits. Nearly 50,000 UAW members at General Motors Co. walked off the job on Sept. 16, starting one of the longest and largest automotive strikes in decades. After 40 days on the picket line, GM workers secured a contract with higher pay, no change to their health care plan, a defined path for temporary workers and improved time-off policies. 20,000 CWA members in the Southeast went on strike to protest unfair labor practices at AT&T, winning a new contract with higher wages and additional job security. Graduate student employees across the coun- try fought for basic workplace protections. Early this year, at Harvard University, thousands of recently organized student employees and UAW members went on strike as they sought a first contract. Unions used collective political power to expand organizing rights in 2019. The labor movement has elected thousands of union members to public office after passing a 2017 convention resolution, and it continues to pay off. For example, labor won public sector collective bargaining in Nevada (similar efforts are underway in Colorado and Virginia), farmworker collective bargaining in New York, and logger and wood hauler collective bargaining in Maine. Moreover, in California, AB 5 is a landmark law to prevent the misclassification of employees as independent contractors that will protect the rights and improve the working conditions of more than 1 million workers. Meanwhile, public approval of unions continued to rise in 2019, reaching a nearly 50-year high. This comes at a time when union activists in unorganized workplaces are gaining momentum, specifically in the hospitality, electric bus manufacturing, technology, videogame and media industries. It’s worth noting many of these dozens of campaigns in digital news have yet to be ratified – meaning there are hundreds, if not thousands, of new union members unaccounted for. And all of this forward progress is despite a federal government that is actively making it harder to form a union. According to the federation, a highly politicized National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is abandoning its mission to uphold and protect workers’ right to form unions and bargain collectively, as employers are violating the law in more than 40% of all union election campaigns. This comes on the heels of the Janus decision allowing workers a free ride to be covered by union protections without paying dues, throwing out 40 years of legal precedent in an effort to undermine collective bargaining in the public sector. Despite these unprecedented attacks, many of the AFL-CIO’s public sector unions still grew in 2019. March 2020 �Trumka: ‘A Win for Workers Everywhere’ House Passes Protecting the Right to Organize Act AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called it “the most significant step Congress has taken to strengthen labor laws in the United States in 85 years and a win for workers everywhere.” The U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 6 passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (HR 2474), with bipartisan support. The final tally was 224 in favor and 194 against. Also known as the PRO Act, the bill would change some of the nation’s labor laws by penalizing companies that retaliate against workers who try to organize. The bill aims to strengthen collective bargaining rights, and to weaken stateenacted right-to-work (for less) laws. For example, there are currently no penalties on employers and no compensation for a worker when an employee is fired or faces retaliation for trying to organize a union. As passed, the PRO Act would call for fines for violations of the National Labor Relations Act. It would require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to go to court for an injunction to reinstate workers if the NLRB believes they illegally have been retaliated against for union activities. The PRO Act also establishes a timely process for gaining a first contract – including mediation and, if needed, binding arbitration. The bill would permit unions and employers to reach a “fair share” clause requiring all workers covered by a collectively bargained contract to contribute towards the cost of bargaining and administering the agreement in all 50 states. Among its reforms, the PRO Act would repeal the section of the Taft-Hartley Act that permits states to enact so-called right-to-work laws. It also would outlaw “captive audience” meetings where bosses can force workers to listen to anti-union presentations, often from outside consultants (better known as union-busters). The bill will also tighten the definitions of independent contractor and supervisor, making sure that eligible workers can organize if they so choose. The legislation would prohibit employers from permanently replacing strikers. At a press conference in the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 5 conducted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trumka let others know the importance of the bill: “Those who would oppose, delay or derail this legislation, do not ask us – do not ask the labor movement – for a dollar or a door knock! We won’t be coming!” he said. Pelosi said, “I am so proud to stand here with Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO; Chris Shelton, president of Communication Workers of America; Jennifer Dorning, president of Department for Professional Employees of the AFL-CIO; John Samuelson, president, Transport Workers Union; Jim Slevin, president, Utilities Workers Union of America; Tim Driscoll, president, International Union for Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers; and representatives of many other unions who are here with us today.” Also speaking at the press conference were House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Florida), U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-New Jersey), U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) and U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Michigan). “We all want to talk about a seat at the table,” Pelosi said. “The most important table to us is America’s kitchen tables, where families come together to make decisions about their families. And we don’t want them to have to struggle unnecessarily, when there is an opportunity for them to do better. And I want to thank the AFLCIO and all in the labor movement for what they have done to make the future better for so many families in America.” She added, “This is so important to America. It’s so important to our economy. Nothing is more important to our economy than the education of our children and also to have purchasing power on the part of the middle class. That can only happen when workers get respected for the work that they do and receive the wages and salaries that they deserve. And so, the PRO Act is a vehicle in that direction.” “I know how important it is to give workers a voice and protect them from unfair labor practices because I lived it,” said Norcross, a former business agent for the IBEW Local 351 and president of the Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO. “I fought for New Jerseyans at the negotiating table for decades. Workers win when they can band together and collectively bargain for safer workplaces, higher wages and better benefits. Today, my colleagues and I took a major leap forward in restoring fairness to an economy that’s rigged against workers. I urge the Senate to act swiftly and pass the PRO Act to level the playing field for American workers and their families.” Levin, vice chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, made the following remarks on the House Floor after voting in favor of the bill: “I have spent most of my career helping workers form unions and bargain collectively. The power of workers to unite and demand fair wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions is truly inspiring, and it’s essential for working families simply trying to get by. Right now, corporate profits are skyrocketing while the share of health care costs paid by employers is falling. Worker productivity is at its peak, yet House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) promotes the PRO Act during a Capitol Hill press conference Feb. 5 in the House Rayburn Room. Behind her are (from left) U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-New Jersey), U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Michigan) and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (DFlorida). The congressional representatives all belonged to unions. wages are stagnant. The gap between the rich and the poor is the highest ever recorded. It should be no surprise that while all this is happening, union membership is at its lowest point in decades. The PRO Act is about reversing these trends so workers can enjoy their fair share in the economy that they help create. Recent studies have shown that in cities where union membership is strong, children in low-income families go on to ascend to higher income levels than their parents. Isn’t that what every parent wants? Creating a pathway to a better life – that is the American dream, and that is the power of a union. “The PRO Act is about that most American of ideals: freedom,” he continued. “All we are doing today is allowing workers to decide on their own, free of harassment and intimidation, whether or not they wish to form a union and bargain collectively, and to access their other rights under the NLRA. When we pass the PRO Act today, we say loud and clear that we are not on the side of the special interests. We stand proudly on the side of working families.” In a press release, Trumka (a longtime friend of the SIU) said, “I applaud the U.S. House for passing the PRO Act. America’s labor laws are no longer an effective means for working people to have our voices heard. The long-overdue PRO Continued on Page 8 Lurline in Service Matson’s newest ship, the ConRo Lurline, was delivered late last year and is sailing in the Jones Act trade. Pictured aboard the vessel in Oakland, California, on Jan. 23 are (from left) Patrolman Adrian Fraccarolli, Recertified Steward Stephen Valencia, Chief Cook Richard Walker, Asst. Cook Majed Alsunbahi, Capt. John Bloomingdale and Port Agent Nick Marrone II. March 2020 Seafarers LOG 3 �Retired Port Agent Kelly Dies at 78 The SIU is mourning the passing of retired Port Agent Ed Kelly, who died of natural causes Feb. 3 in Houston. He was 78. Kelly, who came from a long line of Seafarers (including his father and five uncles, one of whom was a charter member), began working for the union in 1981. He spent most of his time in Mobile, Alabama, where he served as port agent from 1999 until his retirement in 2007. “He was a diehard SIU guy – very meticulous, very professional, by the book,” said SIU New Orleans Port Agent Chris Westbrook. “He was a straight shooter and he did his job for the membership. I really liked Ed.” SIU Senior Political Consultant Terry Turner stated, “Ed’s reliable political instincts regarding our southern Congressional delegation was only surpassed by his love and dedication to the labor movement.” Despite his family’s history, Kelly took an unusual route into the maritime industry and labor movement. He had been a schoolteacher and was employed as head coach of the track and cross country teams at the University of South Alabama when he opted for a career change and landed a job as an SIU patrolman. Thinking back on those days, Kelly in 2007 said with a laugh, “At first, I thought, what the heck did I get myself into? But I’ve made friends for life in the SIU. I loved servicing, meeting the members and ‘preaching’ about the SIU. The union became my home and my family.” In addition to working at the Mobile hall, Kelly at various times was based in Houston, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was the secretary-treasurer of the Greater Mobile Port Maritime Council (part of the Maritime Trades Department). A native of Moss Point, Mississippi, Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree from Livingston College (later renamed the University of West Alabama) in 1965. He was an avid golfer, and moved to The Woodlands, Texas, a few years ago. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Ed Kelly SIU Officials, Members Politically Active in Houston WITH CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON – SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey (right) is pictured with longtime maritime supporter U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) at an NAACP event in Houston. The congressman chairs the House Homeland Security Committee. CONGRESSWOMAN VISITS HALL – U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) (fourth from left), an ardent supporter of workers’ rights and the U.S. Merchant Marine, poses at the hiring hall with (from left) Patrolman J.B. Niday, Safety Director Kevin Sykes, SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey, Capt. Rodney Nix and SIU Asst. VP Mike Russo. (Nix recently retired after a long career at G&H Towing.) MEETING WITH CITY COUNCILMAN – Michael Kubosh (center) won his runoff election in December and returned to his at-large position on the council. With him are SIU Asst. VP Mike Russo (left) and SIU Safety Director Kevin Sykes. HOSTING EX-IM CHAIR – The SIU-crewed Ocean Grand (operated by Crowley) recently welcomed aboard Kimberly Reed, president and chair of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. She said she enjoyed meeting the crew and appreciated the fact the vessel helps provide good-paying American jobs. Pictured from left are the chief mate, Bosun Reny Arzu, SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey, Reed, AB Joshua Maughon and AB Anwar Martinez. GRASSROOTS ACTION – Seafarers are starting 2020 the same way they spent much of 2019 – namely, volunteering for grassroots outreach on behalf of pro-labor, pro-maritime candidates. In the photo above, SIU personnel are pictured in January with others from the Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, preparing for block walks. Seafarer Angelica Gamez is pictured in the photo at the far right. 4 Seafarers LOG March 2020 �Seafarers Scholarship Winner Offers Thanks Meeting with Marines SIU Asst. VP Nick Celona (center) recently met with Col. Ross Parrish (right) and Sgt. Major Gerardo Ybarra (left) on the West Coast to discuss the vital role of the U.S. Merchant Marine in supplying our troops as America’s fourth arm of defense. Laura Paulina Vega, daughter of Cook/ Baker Robin Palmer and Retired Electrician David Vega, recently completed her education with the help of a Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) scholarship awarded to her in 2014. Vega recently sent a letter of thanks to SIU headquarters. “Many students do not get the opportunity to focus on their studies due to the financial burden that tuition, books, and transportation places on them,” she wrote. “It leads so many young people with potential to struggle and even leave their academic pursuits. I was so very fortunate to have this burden relieved when the Seafarers International Union provided me with the Charlie Logan Scholarship. I have been able to focus on my studies and nurture my academic potential.” She continued, “It is my greatest pleasure to say that in May 2019 I graduated from Towson University, debt-free! I now have a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, and I owe much of my success to the fact that I could focus on my schooling, not the hefty price of education.” Commenting on her future plans, Vega wrote: “Today, now that I am debt-free, I intend to go even further and pursue a doctoral degree in medicine. I have been continuing to work hard to continue my education and have been fortunate to shadow doctors and surgeons in the medical field to prepare myself for the rigors of medical school.” She concluded, “I would like to thank the Seafarers International Union scholarship fund for helping me to reach this point in my life and giving me the financial boost I needed to actualize my academic dreams.” The SHBP annually offers eight scholarships totaling $132,000 to Seafarers and their dependents who are looking to continue their education. Three are awarded to active Seafarers while five are given to dependents. One of the scholarships for Seafarers totals $20,000 and is for a four-year course of study at an accredited college or university. The remaining two awards for Seafarers are for $6,000 each Laura Paulina Vega 2014 SHBP Scholarship Recipient and intended for Seafarers interested in pursuing two-year courses of study at community colleges or vocational schools. Each of the five scholarships for dependents is worth $20,000. These are awarded to dependents (spouses included) of active as well as retired Seafarers who are pursuing four-year courses of study at accredited colleges or universities. More information is available at www.seafarers.org. Go to the ABOUT tab, navigate to the Seafarers Health and Benefit Plan menu (Participant Letters and Notices of Material Modification section) and select SHBP Scholarship Application (PDF). Spotlight on Mariner Health Medical Dept. Provides Useful Information About Polio Virus Editor’s note: This article was provided by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan Medical Department. Polio (poliomyelitis) is a contagious, viral illness that can cause nerve injury leading to paralysis, shortness of breath, and on rare occasions, death. The last case that occurred naturally in the United States happened in 1979. Despite a worldwide effort to wipe out polio, the polio virus continues to affect children and adults in parts of Asia and Africa. The Centers for Disease Control advises taking precautions to protect yourself from polio if you are traveling anywhere that is at high risk. Adults that are traveling to these areas and who had the polio vaccine as a child should get a booster shot of inactivated polio virus vaccine (IPV). This will boost their immunity for a lifetime. Polio can be transmitted through direct contact with someone infected with the virus or through contaminated food and water. The polio virus lives in the throats and the intestines of an infected person. Peo- March 2020 ple carrying the virus can spread it for weeks in their stools/feces. A person who develops symptoms from the polio virus can possibly have one or many of these indicators: possible paralysis, fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, fatigue, back pain, neck pain, pain in the arms or legs, and muscle weakness. The most serious form of the disease is rare. The person can have all or some of the symptoms already mentioned and then develop loss of reflexes, floppy limbs, difficulty breathing, and intolerance to cold temperatures. See your doctor if you suspect any possible link to a polio exposure. Remember that you must complete all of the series of the polio vaccinations in order to be completely immunized. Treatment for polio is mostly supportive and may include bed rest, pain meds, antispasmodic drugs to relax muscles, portable ventilators to help with breathing, and physical therapy/possibly braces to help with walking. Get your vaccinations and booster shots as instructed in order to build up your immunity. Healthy Recipe Braised Paprika Chicken Thighs Servings: 12 Ingredients and Seasonings 6 pounds chicken thigh without skin, boneless cut in halves 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons smart balance 2 teaspoons garlic, minced fine 4 cups onion, finely chopped 3 cups roasted red pepper, finely chopped 2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 cup tomato sauce 4 tablespoons paprika, sweet 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons marjoram 2 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 cup reduced fat sour cream Cornstarch, mix with cold water Preparation 1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. 2. Heat oil and butter in large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Stir in bell peppers, tomato paste, paprika and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and stir it gently into the onion mixture. Sprinkle with marjoram and add broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over medium low heat until the chicken is very tender, about 50 minutes. 4. When the chicken is done, remove it to a plate. Stir the sour cream into the sauce; return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the spoon. Reduce heat to low, return the chicken to the sauce and reheat, about 1 minute. Serve garnished with parsley, dill and/or chives, if desired. Nutrition Information: Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 271 Calories; 13g Fat (41.8% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 109mg Cholesterol; 486mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 ½ Vegetable; 1 ½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates. Provided by Chef Robert “RJ” Johnson of the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education’s Lundeberg School of Seamanship Seafarers LOG 5 �B-BOOKS IN OAKLAND – Recently receiving their respective B-books at the hiring hall were (photo at left) Chief Cook Charlito Asebero (right, with SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone) and (photo above, from left) Madina Lawless, Ahmed Saleh and Abdulhamed Musa, also pictured with VP Marrone. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU A-BOOK IN SAN JUAN – AB Luis Ramos Rosa (left) receives his A-seniority book from Port Agent Amancio Crespo at the hall. A-BOOK IN ALGONAC – Chief Cook Nasr Almusab (left) picks up his A-seniority book at the hiring hall late last year. He’s pictured with SIU Safety Director Gerret Jarman. AT THE BALTIMORE HALL – In photo above, Recertified Bosun Richard Wilson (right) picks up his first pension check. He’s pictured with Port Agent John Hoskins. The photo at right shows SA Mohamad Khodeiri (right) receiving his B-book from Safety Director DeCarlo Harris. AT THE JACKSONVILLE HALL – In the photo at left, AB Edwin Pagan (left) and GUDE Antonio Norflett (right) receive their full books. They are pictured with Port Agent Ashley Nelson. In the other photo, Recertified Steward Edward Porter (left) picks up his first pension check. He’s also pictured with Nelson. SANTA AND A SEAFARER – SA Diane MacDonald (right) visits with a guest in Long Beach, California, prior to Christmas. She reported feeling relieved when told she had been good throughout the year. ABOARD EMPIRE STATE – Pictured (photo at right) from left to right aboard the Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning vessel (photo above) in Selby, California, are Chief Cook Rondell Richardson, Recertified Steward Donna Rye, AB L Johnson, AB David Pelczmann, SA Raed Ghilan and SIU Port Agent Nick Marrone II. 6 Seafarers LOG March 2020 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU PHILLY FELLOWSHIP & PHILANTHROPY – Seafarers on Dec. 20 celebrated the winter holidays during a gathering at the hiring hall (photos above and at right) and by delivering donated gifts through a local charity (photo at left). The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 25 and the Maritime Port Council of Delaware Valley also played big roles in the “adopt a family” toy drive, which netted bicycles, electronic items, gift cards and more. INDIANA HARBOR A GREAT FEEDER – During a recent stop at SIU headquarters, Bosun Jeremy Shenett (photo at left) commended the work of Chief Cook Saleh Saleh (photo at immediate right) aboard the Indiana Harbor (American Steamship). Some of the chief cook’s inspired creations are shown in the picture of him as well as in the photo immediately below. WELCOME ASHORE IN HOUSTON – Chief Engineer Bruce Beam (second from left) stops by the Houston hall to pick up his first pension check following a long career at G&H Towing. SIU Asst. VP Mike Russo is at far left, while Patrolman J.B. Niday is at far right. ABOARD SUNSHINE STATE – Pictured (photo at left) from left aboard the Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning vessel (photo above) in Jacksonville, Florida, are Recertified Bosun Marc Marcus, AB Daniel Harris, AB Randy Shaw and Third Mate Julian Martinez. March 2020 Seafarers LOG 7 �Agencies Weigh In On Coronavirus Outbreak Coast Guard Provides Guidance for Maritime Industry Editor’s note: Visit the SIU website for the latest U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Bulletins concerning coronavirus. By now, all Seafarers are probably aware that a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCo, hereafter referred to as coronavirus) is front and center on the world stage. First detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, Peoples Republic of China, the virus has since spread globally. Already, as of mid-February, more than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the virus in China and another 31,000 individuals in that country have been confirmed infected. Because Wuhan City is a major domestic and international transportation hub, odds are high that mariners and maritime commerce as well as airline and aviation workers worldwide could be affected. A myriad of health agencies and stakeholder bodies have weighed in on the situation and provided an abundance of guidance on how mariners and other transportation-sector workers can best protect themselves from contracting the virus. These include, but are not limited to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the U.S. Coast Guard, and several SIU-contracted companies. Following are some of the actions promulgated by the former entities: The WHO on Jan. 30, 2020 declared the coronavirus outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. One day later on Jan. 31, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the coronavirus situation to be a Public Health Emergency in the United States. The agency then issued a quarantine order for specific airline passengers returning to the United States from the Hubei Province of China. Also on Jan. 31, President Trump issued a proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Non-immigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures to Address This Risk. The proclamation included temporary suspension of foreign nationals (with some exceptions such as vessel crew members) who were physically present in the People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. The CDC issued a Level 3 Travel Health Warning to avoid all nonessential travel to China and the U.S. Department of State increased its Travel Advisory for all of China to Level 4 (“Do not travel to China”). The CDC Travel Health Warning contains precautions to protect travelers and others if one must travel to China. The U.S Coast Guard in a Marine Safety Information Bulletin dated Feb. 2 issued the following guidance: „� Illness of a person onboard a vessel that may adversely affect the safety of a vessel or port facility is a hazardous condition per 33 CFR 160.216 and must be immediately reported to the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) under 33 CFR 160.206. Cases of persons who exhibit symptoms consistent with 2019-nCoV must be reported to the COTP. Such persons will be evaluated and treated on a case by case basis. „� Per 42 CFR 71.21, vessels destined for a U.S. port are required to report to the CDC any sick or deceased crew/passengers during the 15 days prior to arrival at a U.S. port. U.S. flagged commercial vessels are also advised to report ill crewmembers in accordance with the requirements of each foreign port called upon. The Coast Guard further advised that vessel owners/operators and local stakeholders should be aware of the following: „� Passenger vessels or any vessel carrying passengers that have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked passengers who have been in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States. If all passengers exceed 14 days since being in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) and are symptom free, the vessel will be permitted to enter the United States to conduct normal operations. These temporary measures are in place to safeguard the American public. „� Non-passenger commercial vessels that have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked crewmembers who have been in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days, with no sick crewmembers, will be permitted to enter the U.S. and conduct normal operations, with restrictions. Crewmembers on these vessels will be required under COTP authority to remain aboard the vessel except to conduct specific activities directly related to vessel cargo or provisioning operations. „�The Coast Guard considers it a hazardous condition under 33 CFR 160.216 if a crewmember who was in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the past 14 days is brought onboard the vessel during transit. This requires immediate notification to the nearest Coast Guard Captain of the Port. „� The Coast Guard will continue to review all “Notice of Arrivals” in accordance with current policies and will communicate any concerns stemming from sick or deceased crew or passengers to their Coast Guard chain of command and the cognizant CDC quarantine station, who will coordinate with local health authorities. „� Vessel masters shall inform Coast Guard boarding teams of any ill crewmembers on their vessel prior to embarking the team and Boarding Teams should verify the type of illnesses with CDC if concerns arise. „� Local industry stakeholders, in partnership with their Coast Guard Captain of the Port, should review and be familiar with section 5310 Procedures for Vessel Quarantine and Isolation, and Section 5320 – Procedures for Security Segregation of Vessels in their Area Maritime Security Plan. „� Local industry stakeholders, in partnership with their Coast Guard COTP, should review and be familiar with their Marine Transportation System Recovery Plan. The ITF is closely following all advice from the WHO regarding the current outbreak. The body has called on all governments and transport companies to implement all measures available to them to limit the risk of transmission of the deadly coronavirus to transport workers globally. This is particularly important for seafarers and port workers, as well as airline, border and cruise workers, who are in the frontline of the outbreak. WHO has advised governments to prepare for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation, case management, contact tracing and prevention of the onward spread of infections. Governments were also prompted to act immediately and implement strict biosecurity protocols in airports and ports, including procedures to identify potentially infected passengers, crew and seafarers from areas of concern, to contain the outbreak and minimize any chance of exposure and safeguard workers from the deadly outbreak. Moreover, WHO mandated that airlines, airports, cruise line operators, shipping companies and port operators must provide workers with the latest information regarding the outbreak, follow best practice in regard to health and safety protocols and supply of personal protective equipment, International Team Urges Australian Govt to Save Country’s Shipping Industry Continued from Page 2 our colleagues in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia as the gold standard for the protection of seafarers’ rights, and the safety of our domestic maritime industries. Not only do strong cabotage laws ensure that domestic seafarers retain their jobs, they are also tremendous catalysts of economic growth for countries with such policies in place.” 8 Seafarers LOG put into effect procedures to identity symptomatic travelers, crew and/or workers, and set clear guidelines for workers managing suspected cases of infection. Advice for the maritime industry, seafarers and dock workers There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus infection. The best way to protect yourself from infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. In this vein, the International Maritime Health Association issued the following advice specifically for the maritime industry, seafarers and dock workers: „�Do not restrict embarkation/disembarkation of seafarers in non-affected ports. „�Do not restrict necessary ship visits by port agents, chaplains, service personnel and others. „�Do not visit food markets in China and avoid provision of fish and poultry in China. „�Do not consume raw eggs, milk, meat. „�Observe strict food hygiene to avoid cross contamination. „�Ensure facial protection is provided for all crew (5 pieces /per person). „�Provide influenza vaccination, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and facial protection for ship inspectors and other crew who travel to China. „� If a crew member on board falls sick and has been travelling to affected areas 2-12 days before embarkation, the person must stay in his/ her cabin. „� If a crew member is sick on board a ship, fill out the maritime declaration of health and notify the relevant port authority and consult a healthcare provider in the next port. In addition to the foregoing, WHO also released the following list of everyday actions from the United Nations mariners should take that can help prevent the spread of the virus: „�Frequently wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds or use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer. „�Cover your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing. „�Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. „�Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough. „�Seek early medical help if you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share your travel history with healthcare providers. „�Avoid direct, unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals when visiting live markets in affected areas. „� Avoid eating raw or undercooked animal products and exercise care when handling raw meat, milk or eggs to avoid cross-contamination. CDC Recommendations While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help respond to this emerging public health threat: „� It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed. „� If you are a healthcare provider, be on the lookout for people who recently traveled from China and have fever and respiratory symptoms. „�If you are a healthcare provider caring for a coronavirus patient or a public health responder, please take care of yourself and follow recommended infection control procedures. „�For people who have had close contact with someone infected with 2019-nCoV who develop symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, and tell them about your symptoms and your exposure to a coronavirus patient. Other resources The coronavirus virus outbreak is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. The WHO (www. who.int/health-topics/coronavirus and CDC (www.go.usa.gov/wdDsW) will provide updated information, as well as updated guidance, as it becomes available. U.S. House Passes Significant Legislation, Takes Major Step to Strengthen Labor Laws Continued from Page 3 Act will provide significant protections for workers exercising our legal right to form a union, a right that’s been trampled on for decades by union-busting consultants and antiworker politicians.” He recently pointed out that unions are now more popular than ever, saying, “A Gallup poll found that 64 percent of Americans approve of unions and research from MIT shows nearly half of non-union workers – more than 60 million people – would vote to join today if given the opportunity. Twenty-five years ago, only one-third of workers said the same thing. What explains the gap between desire for union representation and existing union representation? Simply put, unscrupulous employers and outdated labor laws have created an environment where it has never been harder to form a union.” He continued, “Despite the unrelenting attacks, 2019 was a year of undeniable progress in the labor movement. Nearly 50,000 UAW members at General Motors fought on the The case also was made that cabotage not only provides jobs for a country’s mariners and shipyard workers, but also safeguards foreign seafarers against exploitation posed by liberalization in the global shipping industry and so-called flag-of-convenience (FOC) vessels, the owners of which usually pay sub-standard wages and flout safety laws. “Most shipowners want to earn as much money as possible, so if they can use cheaper crews, they will do that,” Hansen said. “A lot of Norwegian shipowners changed their flags on their vessels and this issue has been escalating.” Smith told the senators that the only ones benefitting from FOC ships are the shipowners. The delegation also countered arguments from opponents of cabotage laws who take the erroneous view that if laws enable domestic shipping companies to charge higher rates, costs are passed on to consumers. picket line for 40 days over better pay and benefits. Thousands of public-school teachers – proud AFT members – went on strike across the country to demand smaller class sizes, higher wages and better conditions for their students. Thousands more media workers, sick of layoffs and budget cuts, unionized through voluntary recognition. Now these workers are demanding changes in our labor law. “In short, unions are good for our economy and our society. With the PRO Act, lawmakers can finally make the life-changing promise of a union available to all those who want it. It’s time,” Trumka said. With the bill’s passage in the House, the PRO Act heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The Washington Post reports the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), has said the measure will not be considered this year. Despite this stoppage, the passage of the bill in the House is a crucial first step on a road to becoming law, one that will continue beyond this important upcoming election year. “What is the true cost, and what is the true cost we should focus on?” Given asked. “Is it the cost to the shipping company? Or the cost to Australia? As politicians, and as community leaders of the country, are the people not more important than the profit, because that is what it boils down to.” Given said the administration must examine laws through the prism of local jobs, national security, fuel security and protecting the environment. The delegation also renewed the call from maritime unions attending the ITF Cabotage Task Force meeting in Sydney to act immediately to purchase the Aurora Australis, to strengthen Australia’s disaster response capacity as a first step in the creation a strategic fleet of Australian-crewed vessels and reinvigoration of Australia’s domestic shipping industry. The ship is a multi-purpose research and resupply ship scheduled for retirement later this year. March 2020 �Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 Inquiring Seafarer This month’s question was answered by students in the junior engineer class at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. Question: Why did you decide to become a mariner? Kevin Willis Oiler I can answer that easily. The pay is much different than on land. The possibility to progress in my career. Before I did this, I was an electrician. The main reason is it’s not a 9-to-5 job. I go out and work hard, then play hard. The free time after working hard is great. Maksim Shpylyevyy Oiler It seemed like a good opportunity for someone my age. I was 18 when I started. There are lots of opportunities to progress. I’ve gotten to travel and make decent money and also have time off. This lets me set my own schedule instead of a 9-to-5 job. Joel Boyd QMED To better my family. I picked the union and it was a good choice. I travel the world, make good money, meet new people and hone my craft. I’ve been sailing since 2012 and I aspire to become a third engineer. Dontrell Riddick Oiler I decided to become an SIU mariner because I wanted to be part of a brotherhood. I get to see the world on my own terms, and it’s working out great. I’ve been to northern Europe, the Middle East, Turkey. Lately I’ve been sailing tankers, so I’ve been stateside, and that’s been fun, too. Caleb Donovan Oiler I got bored with business sales and decided to find something that would be more interesting and let me travel. After looking around at my options, this seemed the most interesting. I can travel the world and learn a useful skill set. I love it. Paul Hudgins Oiler I wanted to better myself and get away – travel, have a little bit of fun. I want to be an engineer someday, and this was the best way to do it. I joined in 2017 and it’s been great. I’ve been able to see a lot of the world already. ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (787) 721-4033 Pic From The Past Retired Seafarer John Courtney is pictured aboard the Steel Voyager (Isco. Inc.) during a 1972 voyage from Saigon to Taiwan. He sailed as an oiler when the photo was taken, but later upgraded to QMED and then engineer. Courtney sailed with the SIU from 1969-1985. He lives in Florida with his wife, Mary, who also sailed with the SIU (most recently as an AB). ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org March 2020 Seafarers LOG 9 �Chief Cook Christian Borroto Lopez (right in photo at left) distributes water in his hometown, Santa Isabel, near Ponce. SIU personnel (photo above) team up to deliver water to more than 100 families in Ponce. The union group included Port Agent Amancio Crespo, Recertified Bosun Noel Otero, QMED Lazaro Rivera Rodriguez and pensioner Luis Roman. The Houston hall collected a large donation in late January. SIU Asst. VP Mike Russo helps store some of the newly donated goods at the Houston hall Unions, Jones Act Carriers Team Up For Humanitarian Aid to Puerto Rico Voluntary Relief Efforts Follow Series of Earthquakes in U.S. Territory T he SIU and numerous allies have stepped up in a big way to help people in Puerto Rico who are recovering from a series of earthquakes that struck the territory beginning late last year. The union has facilitated collection, transportation and delivery of donated relief items as small as handheld flashlights and as large as tents big enough to serve as full-sized classrooms. More than $50,000 worth of supplies had been donated as of early February. Rank-and-file SIU members have helped collect and load items at hiring halls in Philadelphia, Houston, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Members in Puerto Rico not only have helped unload relief supplies at the hall in San Juan, they’ve also voluntarily distributed water, food and other items throughout the territory. But the union definitely isn’t alone. “This is a team effort and the SIU is proud to be part of it,” stated Seafarers President Michael Sacco. “We are in this for the long haul, and we’re committed to helping our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico.” Working together on the relief operation are the SIU; the Maritime Trades Department and its port councils; the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); the AFL-CIO; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (AMPR, part of the AFT); the AMO; the ILA; the Teamsters; Crowley Maritime; TOTE Maritime; SEACOR Holdings; National Shipping of America; and the Bakery Workers. (Others may have joined the informal coalition since press time.) While the tents by far are the biggest-sized items, the donations have included numerous additional components. The list includes cases of bottled water, cots, folding chairs, camp stoves, tarps, sleeping bags, thermal cups, mosquito nets, gas lanterns, food, hygiene products, propane canisters, diapers, insect repellent, flashlights, water filters, solar-powered lights, medicines, batteries, generators, coolers, battery-powered fans and more. All of the items have been shipped (pro bono) on Jones Act vessels. SIU Port Agent Amancio Crespo, based in Puerto Rico, has worked with several local labor organizations to distribute goods wherever needed, but especially to the southeastern corner of the island. He said Seafarers and other trade unionists are loading their own pickup trucks with supplies to take them to areas 10 Seafarers LOG where damaged roads and infrastructure cannot handle larger trucks hauling containers. Among the first places where union-donated supplies arrived were 10 tent communities near main highways around Ponce, Puerto Rico. “The only questions union members ask is ‘Where can I take help?’” Crespo stated. “Members hear supplies have arrived and they know we have to get them out…. I do not have words to express our deepest gratitude, but rest assured that your donations and actions do make a big difference, and are being distributed to those in need.” Many of the commercial tents and sidewalls have been manufactured by American Tent, based in Milwaukee. Those tents will serve as temporary classrooms for students and educators in some of the hardest hit areas in the island’s south where thousands of homes, schools and commercial buildings were destroyed and damaged. A majority of the 856 schools on the island remain closed due to concerns over structural damage and asbestos, and up to a fifth are considered structurally unsound. On January 21, AFT President Randi Weingarten travelled to Guánica to witness the devastation firsthand. “Puerto Rico is confronting a crisis and it is our moral duty to come together to help our fellow American citizens,” Weingarten said. “The generosity of thousands of donors has enabled us to work hand-in-hand to find ways to help communities get back on their feet. The true measure of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable, and only by coming together can we begin to repair the damage and build resilience. The earthquakes wreaked havoc, but they couldn’t shake the courage and the spirit of the people of Puerto Rico.” “Crowley is proud and honored to collaborate with our longtime labor partners and fellow shipping companies to deliver these much-needed supplies to our fellow U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico,” said Crowley Vice President of Labor Relations Ira Douglas. “As the longest-serving U.S. shipper for Puerto Rico, Crowley alongside our allies stepped up to help those in need on the island. By pooling our resources and working together, we can help Puerto Rico recover.” AFSCME issued a statement that read in part: “The thousands of members Servidores Publicos Unidos de Puerto Rico (SPUPR), AFSCME Council 95 have been working tirelessly to rebuild and heal Puerto Rico’s communities amid unthinkable disaster. They, too, face displacement from their homes, vast power outages and the threat of disease. For their commitment to Puerto Rico at this trying time, they deserve respect and support. We are proud to join this partnership with other committed unions and businesses to continue mobilizing and expanding the amount of resources that we can offer to help the people of Puerto Rico.” Puerto Ricans are still recovering from 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria; many roofs still have telltale blue tarps as reconstruction has repeatedly stalled. The AFT and AMPR launched Operation Agua (the SIU also joined the effort), which raised more than $2 million and distributed more than 100,000 water filters. AMPR president Elba Aponte Santos said, “This has been a devastating three years for all Puerto Ricans and the experience has drained the social and emotional wellbeing of students and educators. It is incumbent on unions and business to join together to help. We will not rest until communities have recovered and secured the supplies they so desperately need.” The Bakery Workers delivered this sizable donation at the hiring hall in Philadelphia. Paul Hall Center Apprentice Ricardo ValenzuelaVenegas (left) is thanked by a grateful resident of Ponce as he delivers water. From left, AB Andre Winningham, Oiler Fernandez Wilcox and AB Stan Bailey help prepare the National Glory to sail from Houston with relief supplies. March 2020 SIU Jacksonville Port Agent Ashley Nelson (left) and Erik DeLoach of Liberty Marine Services prepare tents for shipment. The Crowley-operated National Glory is pictured in late January in Houston. Among other cargo, the vessel transported relief cargoes to Puerto Rico. March 2020 QMED Lazaro Rivera Rodriguez (left) delivers water to a resident in a mountain community in Ponce, Parcelas Amalia Marin. Seafarers LOG 11 �School Still Offers Culinary 2.0 The SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education continues to offer Culinary 2.0 classes designed to help students boost their skills while complying with a new rule that took effect at the beginning of this 2020. Completing the coursework also is intended to aid individual shipping opportunities. Shipping Rule 5.A.(6), which went into effect January 1, 2020, states, “Within each class of seniority in the Steward Department, priority shall be given to those seamen who possess an advanced Culinary 2.0 certificate from the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, in the event such program is being offered and that the seaman is registered in Group I, Steward Department.” While every new member of the steward department who completes their apprenticeship at the Paul Hall Center’s Lundeberg School of Seamanship will have successfully passed Culinary 2.0, it’s important to remem- ber that those already sailing as chief cooks and chief stewards must also take the coursework in order to exercise preference and priority beginning next year (unless they have received training after January 1, 2017 at the Piney Point, Maryland-based campus). For those seamen currently employed as permanent stewards aboard commercial vessels, they must attend Culinary 2.0 in order to maintain their current employment status. For those already sailing as chief cooks and chief stewards, there are two new revalidation courses that have been designed to ensure a consistent level of culinary training and efficiency: Orientation/Assessment Chief Steward 2.0 and Orientation/ Assessment Chief Cook 2.0. The courses are being offered regularly, but spaces are limited, so members are encouraged to plan ahead and enroll as soon as possible. For more information, contact your port agent and/ or the school’s admissions office. March & April Membership Meetings Piney Point..........................................Monday: March 2, April 6 Algonac..................................................Friday: March 6, April 10 Baltimore..........................................Thursday: March 5, April 9 Guam...............................................Thursday: March 19, April 23 Honolulu...............................................Friday: March 13, April 17 Houston.................................................Monday: March 9, April 13 Jacksonville....................................Thursday: March 5, April 9 Joliet.................................................Thursday: March 12, April 16 Mobile.........................................Wednesday: March 11, April 15 New Orleans........................................Tuesday: March 10, April 14 Jersey City..........................................Tuesday: March 3, April 7 Norfolk.............................................Thursday: March 5, April 9 Oakland............................................Thursday: March 12, April 16 Philadelphia................................Wednesday: March 4, April 8 Port Everglades...............................Thursday: March 12, April 16 San Juan.........................................Thursday: March 5, April 9 St. Louis...........................................Friday: March 13, April 17 Tacoma............................................Friday: March 20, April 24 Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea “Total Registered” and “Total Shipped” data is cumulative from Jan. 12-Feb. 11. “Registered on the Beach” data is as of Feb. 12. Total Registered Port All Groups A B Total Shipped C C Trip Reliefs ATTENTION SEAFARERS Another New Ship SPAD Works For You Contribute To The Seafarers Political Activities Donation SPAD 12 Seafarers LOG A All Groups B C 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 5 4 2 0 0 3 1 1 0 1 3 2 1 26 1 1 0 6 0 7 3 18 18 7 0 3 16 4 2 3 3 8 0 10 110 64 3 6 30 4 20 18 83 58 58 7 18 32 27 5 4 13 43 5 48 546 21 1 1 18 0 7 5 34 38 19 7 6 14 7 4 9 2 17 0 18 228 1 1 0 5 0 5 0 3 7 3 0 3 9 3 6 1 1 7 3 6 64 2 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 14 5 0 2 4 3 1 1 2 5 0 3 45 10 1 2 17 1 4 17 23 24 20 5 3 18 14 4 2 3 20 2 19 209 1 1 2 15 1 4 6 21 24 10 2 4 21 4 2 5 7 10 0 13 153 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 1 3 1 1 5 2 0 0 0 3 1 2 29 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 37 2 3 12 1 15 10 48 29 36 6 11 20 18 2 5 8 19 2 20 304 14 2 1 10 0 7 4 28 22 9 5 3 15 5 1 7 8 7 0 9 157 1 0 0 4 0 4 0 5 5 4 0 3 7 2 2 0 3 4 2 4 50 Deck Department 5 1 1 2 1 2 19 7 5 0 12 3 7 3 42 21 28 16 30 12 0 2 6 4 25 15 10 5 2 1 3 4 7 1 16 5 0 1 25 5 244 110 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 6 1 1 14 1 3 2 11 17 16 4 3 10 8 3 1 3 10 1 14 129 1 0 2 14 1 1 5 19 12 4 1 3 9 2 2 2 4 10 2 10 104 2 0 1 4 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 17 Engine Department 2 2 1 0 3 1 10 4 0 1 1 1 6 2 13 5 23 11 10 4 0 0 4 5 12 9 5 2 3 2 0 0 6 2 10 7 1 2 6 7 116 67 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 9 1 1 9 1 3 13 15 15 11 2 2 20 11 2 5 0 8 2 23 153 0 2 0 6 2 1 3 9 8 2 2 2 12 3 2 2 3 1 0 7 67 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 11 Steward Department 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 4 1 0 6 1 4 1 20 7 17 3 4 0 1 1 3 0 13 7 11 2 0 1 3 3 3 3 10 2 0 0 9 6 114 41 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 7 9 1 0 0 4 6 1 2 3 2 0 7 47 14 1 1 17 3 5 14 27 31 18 1 5 24 28 5 4 2 16 5 37 258 2 3 1 6 3 3 4 8 16 2 2 6 16 6 0 2 3 2 0 14 99 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 2 1 2 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 18 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 3 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 5 0 0 19 11 1 1 3 2 3 1 16 18 12 1 0 10 10 0 2 0 8 1 19 119 15 1 1 4 0 3 5 4 16 3 1 1 19 3 0 7 0 7 1 8 99 Entry Department 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 3 4 10 0 16 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 0 0 2 12 12 85 2 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 14 1 0 0 14 3 1 7 0 4 0 4 55 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4 6 2 0 0 1 2 0 6 1 2 0 5 31 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 8 0 4 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 6 0 7 34 18 2 3 7 0 3 6 27 48 20 1 0 18 25 1 1 0 21 1 47 249 26 1 2 8 2 3 5 14 48 13 4 1 41 10 0 4 2 16 2 33 235 GRAND TOTAL: 605 447 177 96 233 1,047 729 346 Wilmington...................................Monday: March 16, April 20 Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m Registered on Beach All Groups A B 486 303 March 2020 �The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings MAERSK PITTSBURGH (Maersk Line, Limited), November 10 – Chairman Domingo Leon, Secretary Darryl Goggins, Educational Director Mahare Kidane, Engine Delegate Roger Nesbeth, Steward Delegate Valerie Russo. Wi-Fi to be hooked up soon. Bosun thanked crew for a safe voyage. Secretary reminded all members to leave clean rooms for oncoming crew. Educational director advised members to upgrade their skills at the Paul Hall Center. He provided information on sea time inquiries and going on the SIU website. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew discussed engine-department manning. Vote of thanks given to deck and engine departments. Members requested raises in pension and vacation benefits. Next port: Charleston, South Carolina. MAERSK ATLANTA (Maersk Line, Limited), November 16 – Chairman Thomas Flanagan, Secretary Glenn Williams, Educational Director Shawn Pantschyschak. Chairman urged crew to be safe. He reminded mariners to have rooms ready upon departure and announced payoff at sea. Secretary gave thanks to deck department for helping out with store, painting the pantry and being good shipmates. Members were instructed to put dirty linen in bags that will be placed on B and C decks. Secretary thanked electrician for helping steward department when needed. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members asked that union look into transportation for New Jersey. Ship in need of new washing machine, vacuum cleaner and new juice machine. Steward department was commended for a job well done. MAERSK DETROIT (Maersk Line, Limited), November 24 – Secretary Gerald Kirtsey. Ship in need of new steam cleaner. Chairman reported about Wi-Fi services. Educational director advised members to upgrade at Piney Point. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members requested 100% dental coverage for members and their families. Crew asked for pension increases and a decrease in time required to qualify. Vote of thanks to the steward department. Next port: New Jersey. MAERSK HARTFORD (Maersk Line, Limited), December 1 – Chairman Anecito Limboy, Secretary Ali Matari, Educational Director Christopher Eason, Deck Delegate Dennis Saggese, Steward Delegate Edwin Sebastian. Chairman encouraged members to contribute to the Seafarers Political Activities Donation (SPAD), the union’s voluntary political action fund. Educational director reminded crew to go to the Paul Hall Center and upgrade. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members requested a reduction in required sea time and an increase in vacation days. Vote of thanks given to steward department. ALASKAN EXPLORER (Alaskan Tanker Company), December 8 – Chairman Charles Ford, Secretary Justo Reyes, Educa- tional Director Winfred Opare, Engine Delegate Kevin Kelly, Steward Delegate Roberto Martinez. Crew asked for ETA for DirecTV installation. Bosun thanked steward department for a great Thanksgiving meal. All three departments doing great. Chairman thanked everyone for working hard and staying safe. Educational director reminded members to upgrade at Piney Point. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew reviewed meeting minutes from October. Members would like physicals to be required annually and asked for a raise in vacation days. New dryer for crew laundry room to arrive soon. Members discussed importance of donating to the SPAD and brainstormed ideas for Christmas presents. Next port: Long Beach, California. MAERSK COLUMBUS (Maersk Line, Limited), December 8 – Chairman Ion Irimia, Secretary Fernando Lopes, Educational Director Tousif Ahmed. Chairman encouraged crew to perform at their best while working safely. Educational director advised members to upgrade as often as possible. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested increases in standby wages, in vacation days and in retirement benefits. Members requested Wi-Fi availability on ship. STOCKHAM (Crowley), December 9 – Chairman Munassar Ahmed, Secretary Steve Parker, Educational Director Randy Slue, Deck Delegate Ethan Mims, Engine Delegate Mohamed Elazzouzi, Stew- ard Delegate James Abilad. Members reviewed old business including travel, coveralls, Wi-Fi and steel-toed shoes. Bosun thanked crew for demonstrating teamwork. Secretary thanked members for a pleasant and professional trip. Educational director stressed the importance of unity aboard ship and encouraged members to look out for one another. He urged crew to always set a high standard for their jobs. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Ongoing questions and concerns with old business. Members requested availability of Wi-Fi aboard ship. Vote of thanks given to steward department. MAERSK DENVER (Maersk Line, Limited), December 15 – Chairman James Walker, Secretary Marcelo Param, Educational Director Herman Castro. Chairman praised crew for their good work while staying safe. He advised members to update documents six months prior to expiration. United States Coast Guard is possibly boarding ship. Secretary and educational director reminded crew to upgrade their skills at Piney Point. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members are happy with newly installed Wi-Fi. Crew discussed vacation benefits and requested a vacuum. CAPE MOHICAN (Ocean Duchess, Inc.), December 18 – Chairman Anthony Pace, Secretary Salah Omar, Educational Director Lakhbir Pooni, Deck Delegate Zaid Said, Steward Delegate Mohamed Omar. Chairman encouraged members to continue their outstanding service in each of their respective positions. Ship is in ROS docked in Port of Oakland, California. Each position filled accordingly. All Coast Guard and SIUrequired documentation properly placed with the chief mate. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New electrician on board. Crew discussed President’s Report in the LOG and unanimously agreed with viewpoints expressed by SIU President Michael Sacco. Members are in good spirits. HONOR (TOTE), December 21 – Chairman Nathaniel Leary, Secretary Vernon Roberts, Deck Delegate Joseph Crane, Engine Delegate Wayne Linnette, Steward Delegate Sheki Bradley. Chairman reminded members to continue to upgrade at Piney Point and to keep an eye on expiration dates on documents. No beefs or disputed OT reported. OVERSEAS LOS ANGELES (Overseas Ship Management), December 24 – Chairman Teodulfo Alanano, Secretary Louis Johnson, Deck Delegate Russell Hayden. Members are working safely. Educational director encouraged crew to take advantage of upgrading opportunities at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Maryland. Dispute over equal distribution of deck overtime. Members asked union to consider reducing frequency for physicals. Steward department was thanked for good food. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. The annual financial committee will be elected during the April 6 headquarters membership meeting to review the 2019 records. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Ap- March 2020 peals Board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Conse quently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION (SPAD). SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 Seafarers LOG 13 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA PATRICK BISHOP Brother Patrick Bishop, 65, signed on with the Seafarers in 1977, initially sailing aboard the John Tyler. He upgraded his skills at the Piney Point school on numerous occasions and sailed in the engine department. Brother Bishop’s final vessel was the Cape Juby. He calls Virginia Beach, Virginia, home. JUAN CASTILLO Brother Juan Castillo, 67, embarked on his SIU career in 2004 when he sailed on the Eugene A. Obregon. He was an engine department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Castillo most recently sailed on the Mykonos and is a resident of Bronx, New York. ment member. Brother Espinoza concluded his career on the Overseas Key West. He lives in Channelview, Texas. JOSE GUZMAN Brother Jose Guzman, 61, donned the SIU colors in 1991 when he sailed on the Cape Henry. He worked in the steward department and upgraded on numerous occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Guzman’s last vessel was the Gopher State. He resides in Newport News, Virginia. ROBERT HINKLEY Brother Robert Hinkley, 65, joined the Seafarers in 2000 when he sailed aboard the Eric G. Gibson. He upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. The deck department member’s final vessel was the Horizon Consumer. Brother Hinkley makes his home in Honolulu. EFREN ISBERTO Brother Raymond Clock, 65, joined the union in 1978 when he shipped on the Chase. He was an engine department member and upgraded on several occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Clock last sailed on the Voyager. He resides in Seward, Alaska. Brother Efren Isberto, 68, signed on with the SIU in 2002, first working aboard the Defender. Sailing in the deck department, Brother Isberto concluded his career on the Horizon Kodiak. He settled in Des Moines, Washington. J CLOTHIER BOBBY JAVIER Brother J Clothier, 60, began sailing with the SIU in 1998, initially shipping out on the Cape Juby. He sailed in the engine department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on several occasions. Brother Clothier most recently sailed aboard the Cornhusker State. He makes his home in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Brother Bobby Javier, 68, joined the union in 1992 when he sailed on the Global Link. A deck department member, he upgraded on multiple occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Javier’s last vessel was the Horizon Navigator. He makes his home in Honolulu. RAYMOND CLOCK HOWARD DANIELS Brother Howard Daniels, 65, signed on with the union in 1979, initially sailing aboard the Exchange. He sailed in the engine department and upgraded on multiple occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Daniels last shipped on the Patriot in 1992. He resides in Suffolk, Virginia. OBENCIO ESPINOZA Brother Obencio Espinoza, 66, became a member of the SIU in 1988, initially sailing with Bay Tankers. He upgraded on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center and was a steward depart- 14 Seafarers LOG with the SIU in 1989, initially sailing aboard the Independence. She was a steward department member and upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. Sister Mast most recently shipped on the Horizon Enterprise. She resides in Oakland, California. DANIEL MILLER Brother Daniel Miller, 65, began his career with the SIU in 1978. He was a deck department member and first worked for Union Boat Services. Brother Miller upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2004. He last sailed on the Maersk Carolina and settled in New York City. ERROL MULLINGS Brother Errol Mullings, 71, joined the Seafarers in 1980, initially sailing aboard the Pacer. Sailing in the steward department, he concluded his career on the American Pride. Brother Mullings lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Brother Nasser Muzayyad, 65, donned the SIU colors in 1980 when he shipped aboard the Overseas Juneau. He primarily sailed in the steward department. Brother Muzayyad’s last vessel was the Performance. He makes his home in Melvindale, Michigan. VIRGINIA PANONCILLO Sister Virginia Panoncillo, 65, joined the SIU in 1999 when she sailed on the Independence. She shipped in the steward department and upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Sister Panoncillo’s final vessel was the Mohawk. She lives in Cibolo, Texas. KEVIN QUINLAN Brother Romero Jomoc, 65, began shipping with the SIU in 2004. His first vessel was the Paul Buck and he primarily sailed in the deck department. Brother Jomoc last shipped on the Intrepid and is a resident of San Francisco. Brother Kevin Quinlan, 59, signed on with the union in 1981, initially sailing on the Overseas Valdez. He was a member of the engine department and upgraded on numerous occasions at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Quinlan most recently shipped aboard the Cape Ray and resides in Portsmouth, Virginia. Brother Khamisi Kayanda, 66, embarked on his career with the Seafarers in 1990 when he shipped on the USNS Silas Bent. He upgraded his skills on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center and was a deck department member. Brother Kayanda most recently sailed aboard the Florida. He is a resident of Long Beach, California. COLLEEN MAST Sister Colleen Mast, 65, signed on FORTUNATO RANARIO Brother Fortunato Ranario, 67, began his career with the SIU in 2005, initially sailing aboard the Green Lake. He worked in the deck department and most recently sailed on the Maersk Peary. Brother Ranario settled in Bellflower, California. WOODROW SHELTON Brother Woodrow Shelton, 65, became a member of the union in 1987. He sailed in the deck department and upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Shelton’s first vessel was the Paso Sonatrach; his last, the Leo. He makes his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. NASSER MUZAYYAD ROMERO JOMOC KHAMISI KAYANDA school in 2011 and sailed in the deck department. His final vessel was the Liberty and he resides in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. STEVEN RAMOS Brother Steven Ramos, 65, sailed with the NMU prior to the 2001 NMU/SIU Merger. His first vessel with the SIU was the Keystone Texas. Brother Ramos upgraded at the Piney Point BERNARD SMALLS Brother Bernard Smalls, 65, sailed with the NMU prior to the 2001 NMU/ SIU Merger. He initially sailed on the Chelsea and was a member of the engine department. Brother Smalls upgraded at the Piney Point school on several occasions. He most recently shipped aboard the Cape Douglas and resides in Goose Creek, South Carolina. GREAT LAKES MICHAEL LAFOILLE Brother Michael Lafoille, 65, began shipping with the Seafarers in 1977, initially sailing aboard the J.A. Kling. He shipped in the deck department and upgraded his skills in 2008 at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Lafoille concluded his career on the St. Clair in 2012. He resides in Manistique, Michigan. INLAND JOHN ACORD Brother John Acord, 62, donned the SIU colors in 1976, first sailing with International Bulk Transport. He upgraded the following year at the Piney Point school and worked in the deck department. Brother Acord was last employed with Interstate oil. He settled in Mays Landing, New Jersey. WADE CONNER Brother Wade Conner, 57, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1989. He primarily sailed in the engine department and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2001. Brother Conner worked for Moran Towing of Texas for the duration of his career. He lives in Orange, Texas. BARRY SCHUFFELS Brother Michael Thompson, 65, joined the SIU in 1989 when he sailed aboard the William Baugh. He was a deck department member and upgraded on numerous occasions at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Thompson last shipped on the Maersk Idaho. He settled in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Brother Barry Schuffels, 62, started sailing with the union in 1976, initially working for National Marine Service. He upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions and was a deck department member. Brother Schuffels concluded his career with South Bay Barge and makes his home in Long Beach, California. DAVID VEGA ALAN SCOTT Brother David Vega, 68, signed on with the SIU in 1991 when he shipped on the Richard G. Matthiesen. He upgraded often at the Piney Point school and sailed in the engine department. Brother Vega last worked on the Maersk Kensington. He is a Baltimore resident. Brother Alan Scott, 66, donned the SIU colors in 1974, initially working for Maritrans. He shipped in the deck department and upgraded at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center in 1977. Brother Scott last worked for McAllister Towing of Virginia. He calls Norfolk, Virginia, home. MICHAEL THOMPSON March 2020 �Final Departures DEEP SEA SAEED ALAHMADI Brother Saeed Alahmadi, 59, has passed away. He joined the union in 2003, initially sailing on the Bernard F. Fisher. Brother Alahmadi was a steward department member and most recently shipped on the Ocean Glory. He called Brooklyn, New York, home. JOHN BUMGARNER Pensioner John Bumgarner, 70, died January 13. He signed on with the Seafarers in 1991 when he shipped on the Charleston. Brother Bumgarner was a member of the deck department. He concluded his career aboard the Savannah before retiring in 2014. Brother Bumgarner was a Baltimore resident. DOMINGO DECOSTA Pensioner Domingo Decosta, 84, passed away October 1. A steward department member, he joined the union in 1992. Brother Decosta’s first vessel was the Independence; his last, the USNS Gilliand. He made his home in New York. STANLEY FERNANDES Pensioner Stanley Fernandes, 69, passed away December 2. He joined the SIU in 2001 when he sailed aboard the Overseas Chicago. Brother Fernandes shipped in the deck department. He last sailed on the Overseas Boston, and went on pension in 2015. Brother Fernandes resided in Renton, Washington. JEREMIAH HARRINGTON Brother Jeremiah Harrington, 59, died February 1. He started sailing with the union in 1979 when he shipped on the Baltimore. The deck department member’s last vessel was the Horizon Reliance. Brother Harrington called Dorchester, Massachusetts, home. passed away. He started sailing with the SIU in 1990 when he shipped out aboard the Richard G. Matthiesen. Brother Noor was an engine department member and last sailed aboard the Energy Enterprise. He became a pensioner in 2015 and lived in Elmhurst, New York. WILLIAM PAYNE Pensioner William Payne, 79, died November 15. He donned the SIU colors in 1990 when he shipped on the Lawrence Gianella. Brother Payne was an engine department member and concluded his career sailing on the Horizon Discovery. He retired in 2007 and settled in Jacksonville, Florida. URIP SANTOHIR Pensioner Urip Santohir, 91, passed away January 16. He joined the union in 1969, first sailing on the Cantigny. Working in the deck department, Brother Santohir concluded his career on the Maersk Alaska. He went on pension in 1996 and was a resident of Dover, Delaware. was an engine department member. He last sailed on the Courier before boing on pension in 2002. Brother Smith was a resident of Mobile, Alabama. JOHN THOMAS Pensioner John Thomas, 81, passed away December 26. He joined the Seafarers in 1962, initially sailing aboard the Hurricane. Brother Thomas was a steward department member. He concluded his career on the Stonewall Jackson before retiring in 2000. Brother Thomas lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia. LUKE WELLS Brother Luke Wells, 57, died December 21. He began sailing with the SIU in 1981 when he shipped out aboard the Innovator. He was a member of the deck department and last sailed on the Maunalei. Brother Wells lived in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. GREAT LAKES HANABLE SMITH Pensioner Hanable Smith, 75, died January 28. Working for Alcoa Steamship, he signed on with the Seafarers in 1964. Brother Smith EARL DEROSIA Pensioner Earl Derosia, 95, passed away November 23. He started sailing with the Seafarers in 1977, ini- tially shipping on the JAW Iglehart. Brother Derosia was a steward department member and concluded his career on the Steel T. Crapo. He became a pensioner in 1989 and made his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. MESSAID ELJAHMI Pensioner Messaid Eljahmi, 95, died January 9. He joined the SIU in 1958 and first sailed aboard the Coeur D. Alene Victory. Brother Eljahmi sailed in all three departments. He last sailed on the Southdown Challenger before retiring in 1989. Brother Eljahmi called Dearborn, Michigan, home. INLAND WILLIAM RUSSELL Pensioner William Russell, 69, died January 20. He joined the SIU in 1979 and was a member of the deck department. Brother Russell’s first vessel was the Manhattan Island; his last, the Terrapin Island. He retired in 2012 and lived in Sandwich, Massachusetts. on the USNS Henson. He resided in New Caney, Texas. NMU MANUEL OLIVEIRA Pensioner Manuel Oliveira, 95, died January 5. He was an NMU member before the 2001 NMU/SIU merger. Brother Oliveira was born in New Bedford, Connecticut. He began collecting his pension in 1971 and lived in New York. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. Name Abdullah, Ansari Ahmed, Joseph Boyd, Marion Doruth, Edward Elbuhel, Pasqual Erazo, Roberto Figueroa, Ruben Frank, Gabriel Hurst, Bessie Medina, Enrique Noble, Lloyd Perez, Luis Proctor, Philip Rojas, Roberto Silot, Onesimo Squires, Anthony Tervalon, Leo Twite, Mary Walker, Ozene Wilson, James Age 74 83 91 93 86 79 93 91 84 91 84 86 94 96 88 70 97 84 104 89 Death Date 11/12/2019 10/25/2019 01/30/2020 02/04/2020 12/02/2019 12/12/2019 01/23/2020 01/28/2020 02/10/2020 01/13/2020 01/28/2020 12/17/2019 01/02/2020 01/21/2020 01/29/2020 01/27/2020 01/03/2020 01/19/2020 01/02/2020 01/26/2020 REGINALD WALKER Brother Reginald Walker, 62, has passed away. Born in Washington, D.C., he signed on with the union in 2014. He initially worked for G&H Towing and shipped in the deck department. Brother Walker last sailed Burial at Sea In accordance with their wishes, the ashes of both the late SIU Brother Joseph Kalata and those of his wife, Sarah, were committed to the sea together on Jan. 27 from aboard the Seafarers-crewed M/V Honor (operated by TOTE Services). Joseph, an AB, passed away in November at age 93. He sailed with the SIU from 1954-1991 and was a Baltimore resident. Sarah preceded him in death by many years. The crew conducted a solemn ceremony while the ship was headed from Southampton, UK to Baltimore, roughly 180 nautical miles east of Cape Henry.Thanks to vessel master Capt. Shawn Hagerty for the photos and information. THOMAS MCCORMACK Pensioner Thomas McCormack, 80, passed away November 13. He became a member of the SIU in 1999. A deck department member, Brother McCormack first sailed on the Stephen W. Pless. He last sailed on the Independence II before retiring in 2010. Brother McCormack resided in Port St. Lucie, Florida. SJARIFUDIN NOOR Pensioner Sjarifudin Noor, 68, has March 2020 Seafarers LOG 15 �Paul Hall Center Upgrading Course Information The following is a schedule of courses at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland, for the next several months. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Course Advanced Refer Containers May 4 May 15 Title of Course BAPO March 23 April 17 Engineroom Resource Management August 24 August 28 FOWT April 20 May 15 Start Date Date of Completion Gap Closing Courses Start Date Date of Completion Engine Department Upgrading Courses MSC Storekeeper Basic August 17 September 4 Junior Engineer Program April 20 June 12 MSC Supply Configuration Management March 16 April 10 Machinist June 29 July 17 Marine Electrician June 29 July 31 Marine Refer Tech May 18 June 26 Pumpman July 20 July 24 Welding March 23 April 10 Deck Department Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer Deck April 20 June 22 May 8 July 10 AB to Mate Modules Modules must be taken in order. Those who are not in the mates program cannot apply for these courses. Contact the Admissions Office for further details. Steward Department Courses Advanced Meteorology May 4 May 8 Advanced Galley Operations Advanced Shiphandling May 11 May 22 Chief Cook Advanced Stability April 27 May 1 Chief Steward March 16 April 24 ARPA March 16 August 3 March 20 August 7 Galley Operations March 23 April 17 Bosun Recertification July 20 August 3 Orientation/Assessment Chief Cook 2.0 March 9 March 23 March 13 March 27 Crane Familiarization March 9 March 13 Orientation/Assessment Chief Steward 2.0 ECDIS May 25 May 29 March 30 April 13 April 3 April 17 Fast Rescue Boat July 20 August 10 July 24 August 14 Steward Recertification March 16 April 6 GMDSS July 6 July 17 Basic Training Revalidation March 20 March 20 Lifeboat March 9 April 6 May 4 June 29 March 20 April 17 May 15 July 10 Basic Training/Adv. FF Revalidation March 9 March 13 Combined Basic/Advanced Firefighting April 27 June 22 May 1 June 26 Leadership and Management Skills August 31 September 4 Government Vessels Radar Renewal (one day) Contact the PHC Admissions Office March 16 March 30 April 13 March 20 April 3 April 17 Radar Observer July 20 July 31 Medical Care Provider April 20 April 24 RFPNW March 23 May 18 April 17 June 12 Tank Ship Familiarization - DL April 6 April 10 100 Ton Master August 17 September 4 Tank Ship Familiarization - LG March 30 April 3 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name ________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth __________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member † Lakes Member † Inland Waters Member † If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #_________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? † Yes †�No If yes, class # and dates attended __________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? †Yes †�No _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, MMC, TWIC, front page of your book including your department and seniority and qualifying sea time for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. Must have a valid SHBP clinic through course date. I authorize the Paul Hall Center to release any of the information contained in this application, or any of the supporting documentation that I have or will submit with this application to related organizations, for the purpose of better servicing my needs and helping me to apply for any benefits which might become due to me. 16 Seafarers LOG June 15 July 10 Modules run every other week. Contact Admissions for exact date. Safety/Open Upgrading Courses COURSE ____________________________ ____________________________ START DATE _______________ _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION ________________________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, or any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 3/20 March 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Water Survival (Upgraders) – Graduated November 1 (above, from left): Hamlet Michael Ferreras, Jose Gonzalez and Hisham Almraisi. Important Notice To All Students Apprentice Water Survival Class # 856 – Graduated November 1 (above, in alphabetical order): William Aebi, Jorge Alamo Pagan, Erik Bain, William Flores-Gueits, Jacob Garatti, Austin Leamer, Anthony Solovyov, Blake Stollenwerck, Desmond Unutoa, Ahbram Ventura-Bishop and Roberto Wadsworth. BAPO – Graduated October 11 (above, from left): Christian Cruz and Hisham Almraisi. Students who have registered for classes at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, but later discover - for whatever reason - that they can’t attend, should inform the admissions department immediately so arrangements can be made to have other students take their places. Watchkeeping – Graduated October 25 (above, in alphabetical order): Karleen Grenier, Christopher Hickey, Mason Con Melland, Yuriy Prytchak, Scott Salo and Dexter Madrona Turija. Instructor Brian Moore is at the far left. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Marine Refrigeration Tech – Graduated October 11 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Christian Bryant, Laura Hollar, Reginald Hunter, Gajatri Normatova, Martin Obrien, Orlando Vallangca Pajarillo Jr. and Lamont Lateef Robinson. Their instructor, Christopher Morgan, is at the far left. March 2020 Seafarers LOG 17 �Paul Hall Center Classes UA to FOWT (Motor) – Graduated November 8 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): William Alston III, Joshua Nino Bonita, Kevin Brown, Daveyon Burton, Micah Champion, Timothy Jones, Joshua Mann, Ivan Gabriel Meza, Brandon Reed, Quinton Sashington and Harry Whitney IV. Basic Training (Basic Firefighting) – Graduated October 25 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Ali Hussein Ali, Peter Azubike, Faustino Tmodrang Cosby, John Morrison, David Pappas, Daniel Sanchez Matos and Elaine Watts. Crane Familiarization – Graduated October 11 (above, from left): Chris Marcani, Primus Nkemnyi and Maurice Woodhouse Jr. Galley Ops (Phase III) – Graduated October 11 (above, from left): David May and Michael Pena. Upon the completion of their training, each plans to work in the steward departments of SIUcontraced vessels. Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated October 25 (above, from left): Steven Bowmer, Marilou Dumlao Toledo and Mike Adorno. 18 Seafarers LOG Advanced Galley Ops – Graduated October 18 (above, from left): Keith Everette Small and Antonio Derrell Holmes. Certified Chief Cook (Module 5) – Graduated October 18 (above, from left) : Kenneth Cabrera Roman, Mohamed Ahmed Nour and Cesar Andres Rosado. March 2020 �Paul Hall Center Classes Galley Ops – Graduated October 11 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Taleb Yahya Alarqaban, Nasser Yahya Mohamed Alarqban, Bobby Atkins, Rasheed Lee, Anthony Maltese, Randy Baldoz Sudario and Timmy Williams. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Certified Chief Cook (Module 1) – Graduated November 1 (above, from left): Malia Arianna Bouchee and Najeeb Ali Ginah. Chief Steward 2.0 – Graduated October 11 (above, in alphabetical order): Wilfredo Sabido Espinosa, Mayra Evelis Gines, Malcolm Holmes and John Reid Jr. Chief Steward 2.0 – Graduated November 1 (above, in alphabetical order): Marlon Brown, Douglas Satoshi Flynn, Frank Martin, Clifton Medley III and Jose Rigoberto Norales. March 2020 Certified Chief Cook (Module 2) – Graduated September 6 (above, from left): Jaren Daguio Ildefonzo and Diana House. Seafarers LOG 19 �MARCH 2020 VOLUME 82, NO. 3 Text “Join” to 97779 To Sign Up for SIU Text Alerts O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O A small icebreaker clears the bay as other vessels wait for daylight before shifting to the pier. The vessel anchors off Hammernesodden, Norway. Maersk Valencia Completes Challenging Offload The SIU-crewed Maersk Valencia reflagged under the Stars and Stripes last October in Newport News, Virginia. Two months later, the 574-foot-long containership deftly handled an interesting offload in Hammernesodden, Norway. The ship on Dec. 8 anchored in an icy inlet “because it was too dangerous to continue to the pier in the dark,” according to a note from an official with Maersk Line, Limited (MLL). A day later and with improved visibility, the vessel (which is operated by U.S. Marine Management for MLL) docked and cargo operations commenced. Despite little daylight and several snow-filled days, the operation successfully concluded Dec. 13. The Maersk Valencia then sailed for Nordenham, Germany. The SIU-crewed ship sits moored alongside the working pier, which is only 328 feet long. Editor’s note: Thanks to vessel master Cap. Chris Bartlett and MLL VP Ed Hanley for supplying the photos on this page The Maersk Valencia is pictured during container offload. AB Patrick Slade (above) keeps the gangway ice-free and clear of snow. The Maersk Valencia (below), built in 2006, reflagged U.S. last October. Pictured from left to right are Dayman Joe Eaton, Dayman Rommel Martinez-Arriola, Bosun Harsono Saratoga and Chief Mate Rebecca Main. 20 Seafarers LOG March 2020 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2020-present Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXXII of the Seafarers Log and beyond Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 2020 Description An account of the resource Headlines: ITF: SAVE AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING BLS NUMBERS ARE IN, BUT THEY FAIL TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY TRUMKA: 'A WIN FOR WORKERS EVERYWHERE' RETIRED PORT AGENT KELLY DIES AT 78 SEAFARERS SCHOLARSHIP WINNER OFFERS THANKS MEDICAL DEPT. PROVIDES USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT POLIO VIRUS AGENCIES WEIGH IN ON CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK UNIONS, JONES ACT CARRIERS TEAM UP FOR HUMANITARIAN AID TO PUERTO RICO MAERSK VALENCIA COMPLETES CHALLENGING OFFLOAD Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 3/1/2020 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. 82, No. 3