http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/695a02805094e40884fa73289f3e44c6.pdf ad87b4d1ae751ba0b19ff741463ef99f PDF Text Text Official Publication of the Seafarers International Union• Atlantic, Gull, Lakes and Inland Waters District• AFL-CIO Vol. 48 No. S May 1986 It's Time to Work Together Drozak Unveils Merger Plan to Boost Maritime Labor Unless U.S. maritime unions come together in one consolidated organization, the decline of seagoing unions and the U.S. maritime industry will continue, SIU President Drozak said. In letters to AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland and the heads of the National Maritime Union, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, and Masters, Mates and Pilots, and the Sailors Union of the Pacific and the Marine Firemen, Drozak said it is time for the unions to begin a merger process. He also included a "talking paper" outlining many of the areas which need to be addressed in a merger. "It is my firm belief, that unless the maritime unions merge together as one, I can see nothing but continued decline in the maritime industry . . . it is in our best interests to merge together,'' he said. The continued decline in the U.S. maritime industry has had a tremendous impact on the seagoing unions. The number of jobs available to both unlicensed and licensed sailors has dwindled to less than half of the jobs available 10 years ago. Unions have found themselves on opposite sides of many maritime issues, and the battle for remaining jobs has led to bitter fighting among the unions. The latest reports from the Maritime Administration show the decline in the industry. As of March, there were 474 oceangoing ships under U .S.-flag, a decline of 28 from just a year ago. Jobs on those ships, not all of which carry union crews, totaled 10,929 for unlicensed personnel and reflects significant declines during the past 10 years in both licensed and unlicensed manning. In February Drozak told the AFLCIO's Executive Council about the problems facing the industry and the decline of maritime union membership. He also suggested that the Federation's Merger Committee meet with each union to explore the possibility of a merger. Lakes Fitout-Pages 1~18 The merger proposal submitted by Drozak went to the maritime unions and the Federation's Executive Council for review and discussion. "It has become apparent that world shipping and particularly that of North American countries, has been in a state of decline and is accelerating, with its serious adverse effects not only upon employment opportunities of the collective memberships but equally upon the trade union institutions themselves,'' Drozak said in the merger proposal. He noted throughout the proposal, which covers many areas, that the suggestions contained were only starting points in what would be a long and complicated process of merger. Here are some highlights of the merger proposal. Along with the four maritime unions, there are various affiliates which would be included in the consolidation. The structure of the merged union would include one international union made up of the maritime unions and their affiliates. Because all of the current maritime unions have affiliates which represent non-seagoing workers, whatever name is chosen would need to reflect its diversity. A constitution would need to be agreed upon by all parties. The proposal sugge ts an executive board of four union officials. Because the largest portion of the four current unions' membership consists of eagoingjobs, the officers and members of an executive board should reflect that. But at the same time, the non-seagoing sectors also should be properly represented. Any agreement concerning a merged organization and its structure would be approved by the memberships of each union. "It hould be made indisputably clear that unions participating in these (Continued on Page 4.) $60,000 for Education Scholarship Winners Selected Three deep sea Seafarers and four dependents of SIU members have won $60,000 in college scholarships (five for four years worth $10,000 each and two at $5 ,000 each for two years) under the Union's Charlie Logan Scholarship Program of 1986. The Scholarship Committee also named a deep sea four-year alternate, one deep sea two-year alternate and an inland dependent alternate. Seafarer Kevin Dale Hetherington, 29, an AB and 1977 Piney Point gradRenaldo Hernandez uate from Hasty, Ark., won the fouryear, $10,000 scholarship. Brother Hetherington was a sophomore at North Arkansas Community College in Harrison, and his first choice for college is the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. He plans to teach general science and biology. His brother, Gary, is a seaman. Seafarer James A. De Soucey Jr., 27, LNG AB and 1981 Piney Point grad of Fresh Meadows, Queens, N. Y., Michele Umphlett Inside: Insurance Crisis Hits Fishing Page 3 Maritime Unions Unite at Hearing Page 4 Inland Tug and Tow News Pages 5 & 6 Lundeberg School Section Government Services Division Pictures From Around the Union Seafarers on Politics and Kenya (Continued on Page 7.) Pages 9-12 Pages 20 & 21 Page 23 Page 25 �President's Report by Frank Drozak T HE headline in The Journal of Commerce read: ''CSX Aims for One-Stop Shipping." The story told how CSX, a giant international conglomerate which has substantial rail and water transportation holdings here and abroad, is buying Sea-Land Corp. In recent years, SONAT, an energy conglomerate, bought control of Interstate Oil which was then the largest tug and barge operation in the U.S. Internationally, consortia have been formed to pool shipping resources in Scandinavia and the Far East. The move everywhere in maritime shipping is toward consolidation of operations, pooling of resources and outright mergers. It is my firm belief that unless the maritime unions of this nation merge together as one, there can be nothing but continued decline in the maritime industry and a continued erosion of job opportunities for the members of all of our organizations. * * * I want to report to this membership on the initiatives I have taken to begin a dialogue on what I consider to be the most urgent business before all of us in the maritime labor community. At the winter meeting of the AFLCI O Executive Council, I reported on the condition of the industry and the decline in job opportunities and membership within maritime unions. I suggested that the AFL-CIO Merger Committee meet with each union to explore the possibility of a merger. Last month, I wrote to AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland to alert him again to the tremendous impact that the decline in our industry is having on all seagoing unions. I referred to the "Evolution of Work" committee report which was adopted at the AFLCIO convention last year, and which dealt with the merger of unions in related industries. Included in my letter to President Kirkland was a suggested merger proposal which I drafted. I asked him to review the proposal and to distribute it to the heads of all affiliated maritime unions and to the AFL-CIO Executive Council. I stressed that the proposal was "only a suggested paper for the purpose of beginning a dialogue among the unions .'' I am informed that President Kirkland has sent this proposal with his recommendation for the beginning of discussions to all unlicensed and licensed labor organizations. * * * The proposal for maritime merger is not new, nor is it a new concept within the AFL-CIO . In recent years a number of national unions have merged: in graphic arts and printing ; in clothing and textile; in plastics and glass, and in other basic industries . The reasons have been dwindling membership in the individual unions and increased anti-labor aggressions by the bosses. Within national unions , many smaller unions and locals have merged. The reasons have to do with economy in servicing and administration. Within our own maritime famil y, mergers have been talked about and have been effected. But, it has been piecemeal and not always for the best of reasons. The Masters, Mates & Pilots merged with the Longshoremen. The Inland Boatmen 's Union and the Marine Cooks & Stewards merged with the SIU 's A&G District. In the 1970s, a Joint Merger Committee was formed by the SIU and the National Maritime Union , with the encouragement of the AFL-CIO. A lot of good came out of thi s ad hoc committee , including a better understanding of our common problems. In a 1978 report, this SIU/NMU committee said: "There can be no question that the division on maritime workers and the rivalry among them has weakened our resources, consolidating our operations and merging our organizations. efforts in many directions. This division has confused our friends and aided our enemies.'' What was said then, stands today with even greater urgency. Today there are often four different unions representing 22 workers on one U .S.-flag ship. Soon there will be 18 seafarerstop to bottom-and the tren~ is downward. Evergreen is running with a 14man crew, and that' s our .common competition. In our efforts to persuade Congress and the administration to leg_islate on behalf of our industry, we have often been at cross purposes, defending our own narrow interests at the expense of our industry and the overall job security of our membership. With medical and insurance costs continuing to rise, it becomes clearer every day that there needs to be a pooling of resources and a consolidation of plans administration in order to continue to provide proper medical coverage and retirement security for all maritime workers. And , with the continuing trend toward mergers within the national and international shipping community, the need for unity and strength demands serious consideration of pooling our * * * Time is not on our side. We in the SIU are probably the healthiest maritime labor organization. Still, we have lost about 40 percent of our job base in the past six years. We are staying · afloat because our membership understands the problems we face and is willing to take those steps needed to maintain job security. But, it does no good to feel comfortable i.n our own good fortune when our brothers and · sisters are losing jobs and going hungry. An injury to one is an injury to all. I < ~ '• *• * * I hope that the leadership of our sister unions will take our proposals in the spirit in which they are given. We need serious discussion. Our membership looks to us to at least begin the process of dealing with our common problems. They deserve our hon- est and sincere best efforts. And, finally, our membership must understand that they will be the final judge of any merger agreement that may come out of our deliberations. You will vote, and you will decide. Next Month On the Set Of the SIU's Cape Romain, 'Star' for a Day Official Publication of the Seafarers International Union of North America, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Distnct, AFL-CIO May 1986 Vol. 48, No 5 Executive Board Frank Drozak President Joe DiGiorgio Ed Turner Secretary Angus "Red" Campbell Vice President Charles Svenson Editor Joe Sacco Vice President Mike Hall Managing Editor Executive Vice President Mike Sacco Leon Hall Vice President Vice President George McCartney Vice President . .'-8{ ...' .. Roy A. Mercer Vice President , ,..;.o;. rHl c,' -..,., Deborah Greene Max Hall Associate Editor Associate Editor Ray Bourdlus Assistant Editor 2 I LOG I May 1986 Lynnette Marshall Assistant Editor/Photos i The LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is published monthly by Seafarers lnterna!ional Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District, AFL-CIO, 5201. Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md. 20746, Tel.. ~990675. Second-class postage paid at M.S.C. Prince Georges, Md. 20790-9998 and at add1t.1onal mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md. 20746. • �Insurance Companies Are Major Culprits Improved Safety Would Lower Fishing Insurance One of the more pressing problems the fishing industry faces is the high L cost of insurance on its vessels and insurance to cover injuries or deaths of crewmembers. Premium rates have risen several hundred percent in some cases, and many boatowners cannot even buy insurance at inflated rates. The SIU, which represents several hundred fishing boats and their crews in New Bedford and Gloucester, Mass., has taken the initiative in trying to beat back this crisis, while at the same time protecting the rights of fishermen who are receiving an unfair share of the blame for the rising costs. HWe believe the crisis is primarily attributable to the commercial insur- ance industry itself, resulting from the mismanagement of underwriting operations and investment policies . . . The fishing industry seems to have escaped the scrutiny of the nation's concern for a safe, healthful working environment. The result has been a casualty record high and a high insurance risk category,'' SIU Legislative Director, speaking for President Frank Drozak told a joint House committee hearing last month. The hearing addressed five bills which attempt to find some way to solve the insurance problems. Pecquet and several other witnesses stressed that major problems are the lack of safety in a virtually unregulated industry and . ···~ . ·. 1' #. Fishing boatowners have cited enormous insurance premiums, and sometimes the inability to secure a policy, as one of their major problems. Preference Share Jumps On April I , new standards governing the application of this nation 's cargo preference laws went into effect. Sixty percent of all cargo covered under the 1954 Cargo Preference Act must now be carried on American-flag vessels , up 10 percent from last year. While implementing the new provisions did not cause any problemsindeed , the date passed almost unnoticed in many circles-there was furious behind-the-scenes efforts on the part of the Reagan administration to rescind the compromise, which was reached between the maritime industry and certain segments of the agricultural industry. ''There seems to be little interest on Capitol Hill in opening up old wounds," said SIU Director of Leg- islation Frank Pecquex. " Many people remember the events that led up to the compromise , the bitter rift between the maritime and agricultural industries. They don' t want to go through that ever again. " Indeed , 54 senators have sent a letter to the president stating that they would not support any attempts to change the existing law. Under the terms of the cargo preference compromise, certain kinds of cargoes such as Payment-In-Kind and Blended Credit were exempted from the provisions of the Cargo Preference Act of 1954. In exchange, Americanflag requirements were to be raised from 50 to 75 percent over a threeyear period. the way insurance companies operate. Fishing is one of the more dangerous occupations in the nation. An average of 75 fishermen die each year on the job, and some 250 fishing boats sink each year. With those kind of figures, it is little wonder that P&I insurance (protection and indemnity which covers the owner for crew injuries and deaths) and hull rates have jumped. In addition, premiums (the price an owner pays for his insurance) do not cover the cost of claims. Not just in the fishing industry insurance, but throughout the insurance world, companies derive the majority of the profits through investments of the premiums. Drozak' s statement to the panel said that when interest rates for investments skyrocketed in the 1970s, insurance companies scurried for money to invest and reduced premiums and issued risky policies which they did not have the money to cover if claims were made and if their investments soured. Both those things happened. "Nevertheless, insurance companies tend to shift the fundamental cause of their problems away from falling interest rates to the tort-law system (the court system), blaming escalating claims ·s ettlements driven by generous jury awards in lawsuits for much of their profit erosion," Drozak said. Fishermen are covered by the Jones Act, not any sort of workmen's compensation system, which gives them the right to sue if injured on the job, or their relatives the right if they are killed. In addition, if the fisherman can prove the vessel •'unseaworthy, ' ' he or she has the right to sue under that aspect. The insurance industry and some owners claim the costs of these court cases is the main culprit in the insurance problems. They want to place a limit on the amount of money awarded , reduce the rights of fishermen to sue and place limits on attorneys representing fishermen . Several of the bills attempt to do this , but most also attempt to raise safety standards. Many owners , however, testified at the daylong hearing that such safety measures would prove costly and shouldn't be implemented. ''Jurors are not fools andjudges are not idiots. Large judgments only result from clear proof of significant injuries with substantial financial and personal losses . . . Such a provision (limitation of awards) only strikes at the most seriously injured: the quadraplegic, parapelgic, the amputee or the burn victim," said Ross Diamond Ill, a maritime attorney. Drozak said that if the fishing industry were forced to become safer, in both equipment and training, a large number of the accidents, which lead to large claims, could be eliminated. "Unlike other commercial vessels, they (fishing boats) are exempt from annual Coast Guard inspections and extensive construction and operating safety regulations and minimal manning standards and safety equipment . . . We believe that combined with training, licensing and certification requirements, these safety features (contained in three of the five bills) will surely reduce the incident of accidents on fishing operations, with the subsequent result of lowering insurance premiums for coverage. In our view, implementation of safety measures on commercial fishing vessels will prevent many accidents from happening, thereby decreasing the number of lawsuits brought by the vessels' crews," Drozak said. But he also said the SIU did not believe that a fisherman's right to legal remedies should be restricted as it is in some of the bills. The insurance industry has not been able to assure boatowners that limiting a fisherman's right to sue would result in lower premiums or better coverage, Drozak said. " When such assurances are forthcoming and when operators take measures to afford our members a reasonably safe working environment aboard . fishing vessels through the implementation of meaningful safety standards and measures , then and only then can the SIU , in good conscience, entertain changes to the available remedies guaranteed under the tort (court) system ," he said . New Claims Number On May 20, 1986, the Seafarers Welfare Plan Medical Claims toll-free number will be changed. The new number will be l-800-CLAIMS4 (1800-252-4674). As part of the SIU's efforts to make your dealings with the Plan easier, this new system will route your phone call to a claims specialist trained to deal with your problems. When you dial l-800-CLAIMS4 with a touchtone phone, your call will be answered by a recording asking if you 're seeking information on eligibility or claims. The recording will then instruct you to punch a 1 or a 2 on your touchtone phone, then you will be automatically put through to the proper claims specialist. If you have a regular rotary dial telephone, just listen to the recording. Your call will be answered and you will be routed to the proper specialist. In addition, the new system will be able to tell through a computer check of the area code you are dialing from whether to put you in touch with an East Coast or West Coast (including Hawaii) claims specialist. The claims office will be staffed during normal business hours for all time zones so service can be provided to members throughout the Union. May 1986 I LOG I 3 �SIU, NMU, MEBA & MM&P Unions Join Forces at Maritime Bills' Hearing A united front of maritime labo.r unions presented a joint statement at a House Merchant Marine Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 4024 and related legislation that would completely revamp this nation' s existing system of maritime promotional programs. ''This labor consensus demonstrates the seriousness with which we view these proposed changes,'' read the joint statement. ''The proposals before this committee represent not some minor adjustment but rather a fundamental change in 50 years of maritime policy.' ' The four unions included the following: the Seafarers International Union of North America; the National Maritime Union; the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, and the National Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association. While the maritime unions were generally in favor of many of the proposed changes and agreed that something drastic needed to be done to save this country's merchant fleet, they did have serious reservations with at least two of the proposals contained in the various bills. The four unions were against putting a cap on crew sizes. According to the statement, this particular proposal ignores an important development. During the past four years, American maritime unions have achieved "the lowest possible manning scales in the history of modem American ships,'' and that Coast Guard minimums "don't necessarily relate to operational demands." The four unions also opposed allowing operators to acquire existing for- eign-built vessels . This opposition, however, did not extend to new vessels . " With regard to the foreign construction of merchant vessels, we have accepted the reality that it must be permitted ," read the statement. " We do not, however, support the position espoused by some that subsidized operators be given unlimited authority to acquire existing foreign-built vessels for reflagging. Such a policy will always keep us one step behind our international competitors. It will only saddle our industry with the rest of the world's cast-offs and less efficient vessels while diluting our subsidy supports." The four unions expressed strong support for provisions in H.R. 4024 that would require that all American oceanbome mail be carried on U.S.flag vessels. This provision was, however, strongly opposed by the administration. James E. Orlando, director of the Postal Service's Office of Transportation and International Services, claimed that such a move would "add many millions of dollars'' to his agency's transportation bill. A number of subcommittee members disputed this contention and noted that Communist bloc vessels carry a small percentage of this "vitally important" trade. Many of the congressmen present at the hearing used the occasion to lecture ''all segments'' of the maritime industry to "stop the fratricidal battles" that divide them , and to urge administration officials to rethink their opposition to all kinds of promotional subsidies. According to Rep. Walter B. Jones (D-N .C.) , chairman of the full committee, three conditions need to be met before Congress would be able to revamp this nation's maritime promotional programs. These conditions are as follows : * The industry must agree to a program that is fiscally responsible. * Unions representing seafarers must * agree to smaller crews, which would result in a lower subsidy for each ship. The Reagan administration, which opposes the essential features of the pending measures , must recognize that a minimum amount of subsidy is necessary for U .S.-flag carriers to compete. West Coast Seafarers March Against Apartheid SIU members and officials joined tens of thousands of their Labor Movement brothers and sisters in demonstrations against the racist and oppressive South African government last month. In a combination anti-apartheid and Shell Oil boycott rally in San Fran- cisco, SIU members and other West Coast labor groups urged an end to the racist policies of South Africa and asked Americans to tum in their Shell credit cards and boycott Shell products because of that company's ties to South Africa. Union members and labor leaders from the Bay Area joined together for the rally. Here are SIU Patrolman Gentry Moore, V.P. Buck Mercer, V. P. George McCartney, Seafarer Art Henderson, Seafarer Richard Holland, retired Chief Steward "Smitty," UCFW President Bill Wynn, SUP President Paul Dempster, Ed Collins, AFL-CIO western regional director, and Al Gruhn, president of the California Labor Federation Drozak Unveils Merger Plan to Boost Maritime Labor (Continued from Page 1.) discussions are required prior to any final agreement to receive approval from their respective memberships ," the proposal stresses. The two areas of major concern for most members of the four unions would be the various benefit plans and jobs. The proposal suggests that current contracted employers would continue to make contributions to existing plans or funds, but any new companies organized under the merged organization would enter into a new contract agreement. A new benefit (health, welfare and pension) plan would be established for members working on those ships. As the proposal notes , the merged union would have to come up with an agreement between all the plans to make sure that members who spent time working for an SIU or other premerger-contracted company and then sailed with a newly-contracted firm would have a continuity or no break in service and that their benefits and pensions would be protected. Distribution of jobs under a merged organization would be one of the more complicated issues to agree on. Drozak' s proposal addresses several areas and offers suggestions and protections for each union's membership. The unlicensed unions would in the Seafaring Employment on United States-Flag Ships 1975 • 1980: 100 fob9 lost Reagan Admlnletmlon, 1981·1985: 6,800 Job• lost Source: Department of Transportation: Maritime Administration. •Estimate. Chart: MEBA· 1, PCD 4 I LOG I May 1986 beginning use their hiring halls and their shipping rules to fill jobs. For example, if an SIU-contracted company needed to fill three jobs slots , those jobs would be filled with former SIU members and the same would apply if an NMU-contracted company needed to filljobs , former NMU members would have first priority. Those jobs would only go to members of the other union if no other people were available for those jobs. "We've been fighting each other too long" To make it simpler, NMU members would be at the bottom of the seniority list for SIU-contracted companies, and Seafarers would be at the bottom for NMU-contracted companies. The same would hold for members of the SUP and the MFOW. However, as time goes on, companies would be organized under the banner of the merged organization. Then shipping rules and rosters would need to be consolidated. One pro po al would be to "dovetail" the current membership seniority Ii t into one. Ba ically, that would mean alternating places on the merged list with the most senior member from one union, followed by the most senior from the other, and so on. ' 'This is an issue which is too comp fox to merely discuss in a memorandum such as this ," Drozak said in the merger proposal. " It is suggested , however, that a separate committee be set up to carefully analyze the impact of this issue . . . and it is felt over a period of time this issue can be resolved to the general satisfaction of the parties. He added that ''the overall intent is to have a gradual movement of jobs from the individual unions ' shipping registers to a common consolidated register of the merged union organization. " Throughout the proposal , Drozak stressed that the ideas were only suggestions and that whatever comes from the discussions would be something all parties worked on and agreed upon , and that it would then be given to the membership of all unions to vote on. "This is just a starting point, but you've got to begin somewhere and you've got to begin soon. We've been fighting each other for too long. While the unions have been at each other' throats, we've seen the U.S. merchant marine start to disappear. We can either sit back and watch it vanish or get together and do something about it. I know what I intend to do," Drozak said. �Inland News Dark Clouds Seen Lifting Over Inland Lines Since 1982, depressed barge freight rates and economic losses, have plagued the inland waterways industry .But now the industry could be heading for better times. According to some inland lines' biggies, they believe the worst is over and that recovery is on the way. They add that conditions are just right now for an upturn in business. "I think there's a consensus that it has bottomed out. It's going to be a little better," says Bill Newstrand, director of ports and waterways for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. After four years of a severe overcapacity of barges which wreaked havoc on the inland field when many barge companies went bankrupt, some Contract Negotiations Under Way were sold to giant, non-maritime firms and most all incurred dire financial losses. Inland's main problem: too many barges today is less severe. Last year about 1,000 covered barges moving grain were scrapped or are moving other commodities. But there is still a surplus of 3,000 grain barges. VP Morris Larson of the St. Louis Merchants Exchange said, ''The number of grain barges dropped maybe 8 percent since last year. No one is building new barges, so that should continue." He added, "I expect rates to stay about where they've been. They'll improve at harvest time as always, but they won't go over 200." Also, the drop in the diesel fuel price (40 to 50 percent of barge oper- ating costs) will lower costs to let the companies make money on rates on which they wouldn't have made a profit in 1985. With cheaper diesel fuel, barge operating costs could dive 20 to 30 percent, says Director Newstrand. "If they [the operators] were breaking even [at a rate of] 160, they could start making money at 140." Realistically, the recovery in the inland field will depend very much on the increase in U.S. grain exports. In the short run, the Soviets may buy more American grain. And the 30 percent decline in the value of the U.S. dollar recently will make our grain prices more attractive overseas. That, plus the lower American agricultural price supports, should bring our grain prices more in line with world prices. ASC Bowlers Cop Tourney Title East Coast Run for the Valiant The American Steamship Co. (ASC) bowling teams of the port of Alpena, Mich. walked away with the top place money and the coveted Traveling Boat Trophy as champions of the third annual Boat Tournament recently. The lOASC ''Boys From Up North'' were victors with a final tally of 7 ,678 points; the John Munson bowlers came in second with a score of 7,593 points. The Munson team led the tourney after the second and third games of the match holding a 103-pin lead going into the last game. But a 1, 132 team game by the ASC bowlers in the final game gave them the match and tourney. High games for the tournament for the ASC teams were rolled by Doug Winfield at 224 points and Tony "Butch" Kowalski at 200 points. Receiving the championship awards at a luncheon were the two high scorers and ASC bowlers Charlie Neigebauer of Rogers City, Mich.; Bill Joppich, Mike Sobeck, Ken Bellmore, Torn Brege, Pete Dehring, Ted Getzrneyer and Dave Lijewski. hbas.-. Valiant cook Jim Lopez (left) and Capt. Dave Ellis take a coffee break in the tog's galley. The SIU-contracted tug Valiant works the port of Mobile, Ala. and runs through the Gulf and up the East Coast. Here the Valiant is tied up in Staten Island, N. Y. Two crewmembers relax for a minute on one of the Valiant's barges. May 1986 /LOG/ 5 �In Memoriam Pensioner George Weldon Armistead Sr., 56, died on Oct. 6, 1985. Brother Armistead joined the Union in the port of Norfolk in 1966. He sailed as an AB and boat operator for the Virginia Pilots Assn. from 1949 to 1974, Curtis Bay Towing Co. from 1974 to 1985 and for the Coal Terminal Towing Co. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Boatman Armistead was born in Mathews, Va. and was a resident of Dillon, S.C. Surviving are three sons, George Jr., Melvin and Marvin; two daughters, Margaret Ahmed of Chesapeake, Va. and Georgean Cooper, and a sister, Roberta Hudgins of Mathews. Pensioner Olen Page Brown Sr., 68, died on Feb. 11. Brother Brown joined the Union in the port of Baltimore in 1957. He sailed as a mate and captain for the Steuart Oil Transportation Co. from 1966 to 1983 and was a former member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 25 and the ILA from 1955 to 1966. Boatman Brown was born in Hagerstown, Md. and was resident of Glen Burnie, Md. Surviving are his widow, Willa and a daughter, Susan Martin. Pensioner Leon Adrian Dugas, 83, passed away recently. Brother Dugas joined the Union in the port of New Orleans in 1956 sailing as a chief engineer. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army before World War II. Boatman Dugas was born in Raceland, La. and was a resident of Gretna, La. Surviving is his widow, Mildred. Pensioner Alfred Paul Marquand Jr., 70, died in the U.S. Veterans Administration Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y., on Jan. 14. Brother Marquandjoined the Union in the port of New York in 1960. He sailed as a cook, deckhand, bridgeman and mate for the Penn Central Railroad from 1939 to 1976 and was a former member of the Masters, Mates and Pilots Union, Local 1 from 1939 to 1%0. Boatman Marquand was a veteran of the U.S. Army in World War II. A native of St. John's, Quebec, Canada, he was a naturalized U.S. citizen and a resident of Brooklyn. Burial was in the Calverton (N.Y.) National Cemetery. ,.- - ..._ i Pensioner Joseph Patrick McKeon Sr., 84, passed away from heart-lung failure in the South Amboy (N.J.) Hospital on March 20. Brother McKeon joined the Union in the port of New New Pensioners Pensioner Roscoe Frederick Conklin, 87, passed away recently. Brother Conklin joined the Union in the port of Baltimore in 1957. He sailed as chief engineer for the Eastern Transportation Co. from 1926 to 1944, the Chesapeake Light Co. from 1944 to 1947 and for the Curtis Bay Towing Co. from 1951 to 1964 aboard the tug Fells Pt .. He was born in Crab Pt., Va. and was a resident of Heathsville, Va. Surviving are his widown, Lillian and a daughter, Margaret Kent of Wicomico Church, Va. 6 I LOG I May 1986 Army during World War II and the Korean War. Boatman Sonnier was born in Gueydan, La. and is a resident there. Hughes S. Amero, 66, joined the SIU-merged Atlantic Fishermen's Union in the port of Gloucester, Mass. Brother Amero is a resident of Gloucester. Personals Joseph Ivy Sonnier, 65, joined the Union in the port of Port Arthur, Texas in 1964. He sailed as a tankerman and chief engineer for Slade Towing from 1955 to 1976. Brother Sonnier last sailed out of the port of Houston. He is a veteran of the U.S. James M. Elwell Please call Windsor Olson at (206) 282-7700. John M. Pasko Call Brother Stan at (201) 4770332. Dispatchers Report for Inland Waters APRIL 1-30, 1986 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class A Class B Class C Port Pensioner Joseph "Joe" Buczynski Jr., 69, died· on March 2. Brother Buczynski joined the Union in the port of New York in 1960. He sailed as a deckhand and bridgeman for the N. Y. Dock Railway aboard the Brooklyn from 1943 to 1977 and was a former member of the Association of Maritime Workers and the Masters, Mates and Pilots Union from 1946 to 1960. Boatman Buczynski was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was a resident of Centereach, N. Y. Surviving are his widow, Josephine and two daughters, Josephine and Estelle Di Meglio of Centereach. York in 1960. He sailed as an AB for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from 1919 to 1968 and was a former member of the Masters, Mates and Pilots Union from 1930 to 1960. Boatman McKeon was born in South Amboy and was a resident there. Interment was in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Sayreville, N .J. Surviving are his widow, Helen; a son Joseph Jr., and a daughter, Claire. Surviving are his widow, Julia and a daughter, Judith. Gloucester ........... . ........... New York ........................ Philadelphia ............ . ... ...... Baltimore .. ......... ..... ........ Norfolk . . .. ...... .... ........... Mobile ... .. ........ ........ . .. .. New Orleans . ............. . . ...... Jacksonville ................. ...... San Francisco . .. .................. Wilmington ....................... Seattle .......................... Puerto Rico ................... .. . Houston ....... . ................. Algonac .... ... .................. St. Louis ... .. ... ... ............. Piney Point ....................... Totals .......................... **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A Class B Class C DECK DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 9 55 1 2 5 0 2 0 0 5 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 13 0 1 10 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 3 19 0 16 0 0 3 0 4 1 88 30 50 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Port Gloucester ....................... New York ......... . . .. ........... Philadelphia . . ... ................. Baltimore .. ..... ............. .... Norfolk .. ..... ............... ... Mobile .......................... New Orleans ...................... Jacksonville ................. .. ... San Francisco ........... .. . .... ... Wilmington ....................... Seattle .......................... Puerto Rico . ........... .......... Houston ..... .................... Algonac .... ... ........ ...... . ... St. Louis ........................ Piney Point ....................... Totals .. ... ..................... TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class A Class B Class C 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 3 0 0 51 7 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 5 1 9 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 69 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 18 0 0 0 0 1 0 16 0 7 9 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 75 2 0 0 6 0 0 1 29 3 10 0 16 0 0 9 0 181 69 0 71 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 21 48 7 1 1 5 1 0 26 ENGINE DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 0 10 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 1 Port Gloucester ....................... . New York ... . .................... . Philadelphia ...................... . Baltimore ........................ . Norfolk . ...... .. .......... .. ... . . Mobile ... ................ . . ... .. . New Orleans . ...... ......... . ..... . Jacksonville ...................... . San Francisco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wilmington ....................... . Seattle . ... ...... . ............ ... . Puerto Rico ...................... . Houston .. ..... ..... ... .. .. .. ... . . Algonac ... ...... ........ .. .. .. .. . St. Louis ........................ . Piney Point .. ........... . ........ . . Totals ............. ............. . Totals All Departments .............. . . 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 17 0 1 56 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 0 0 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 7 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 8 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 1 117 41 59 85 18 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 0 4 0 0 1 0 12 1 0 27 0 0 0 6 0 0 9 21 264 97 93 8 1 *"Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping _pt the port last month. **"Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port.. at the end of last month. �profiles M ark Andrews, North Dakota's Republican senator, recently earned honors from fellow legislators, lobbyists and Capitol Hill insiders as the lawmaker who is most independent from pressure by party leaders. That is one reason he has been able to act as a mediator between the maritime and agriculture groups who have been battling for years. Mark Andrews has been instrumental in some key votes pitting the labor movement against the administration. Agriculture is the heart of North Dakota's economy , and Andrews has protected his state's interests vigorously. Yet at the same time he has been able to see that agriculture and maritime interests do not always have to clash. Cargo preference is one of those issues. Unfairly branded as a law which hurts farmers, cargo preference has been one of the more hotly contested fights in the farm community. While the senator did introduce a bill which would remove cargo preference requirements from Blended Credit shipments, he also was able to realize that both industries needed help. Last fall when the SIU and other maritime groups were looking for support on a compromise to benefit both sides, Andrews was there. The cargo preference compromise raised the rate of P.L. 480 shipments from 50 to 75 percent U.S.-ftag, but removed the preference guidelines from Blended Credit. Cargo preference, as the farm state senator's vote shows, does not cost the farmer because the bill is footed by the federal government. It does not add to the cost of American agriculture products. In addition, it helps maintain an American merchant fleet which is vitally important to national defense. Senator Andrews has a lengthy po- E Sen. Mark Andrews litical history. He has erved for nine consecutive terms in the House and in the Senate. For 17 of those years he was a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee in the Congress. He serves today in the Senate as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Tran portation, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, chairman of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs and a member of the Senate Budget Committee. A vote by Senator Andrews was crucial to maritime in November last year. The senator voted against a bill that could have stricken the application of the Davis-Bacon Act from military construction projects. The Davis-Bacon Act in general guarantees workers receive prevailing wage rates in specific government-contracted industries. In other labor and maritime related areas, Andrews has voted for labor grassroots political action committee activities and for transportation subsidy appropriations and federal nutrition programs. Scholarship Winners Selected (Continued from Page 1.) was picked as the four-year, $10,000 scholarship alternate. Brother De Soucey attended Queensborough Community College in New York. He plans to study international cargo transportation, engineering, management and maintenance. Seafarer Renaldo C. Hernandez, 29, one of the two two-year $5,000 scholarship winners, is a chief cook and 1981 Piney Point grad from San Antonio, Texas. Brother Hernandez graduated from the Gen. H.H. "Hap" Arnold High School, Wiesbaden, West Germany, attended the Stephen F. Austin State (Texas) Community College and worked in the dining hall of U.S.A.F. Lackland (Texas) Base. He also earned an associates degree from the Charles County (Md.) Community College. Hernandez plans to attend the San Francisco California Culinary Academy. The other two-year $5,000 scholarship winner is Seafarer Debbie Leonore P. Byers, 26, a chief steward and 1979 Piney Point grad from Inverness, Fla. Sister Byers holds an associates In its monthly series of interviews and reports, "PROFILES" will highlight key government officials instrumental in shaping national and maritime policy. degree from the Charles County Community College, La Plata, Md. and plans to study agricultural science at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. She got an FHA loan after high school to run her own plants and flowers nursery. Seafarer David Alan Englehart, 26, a 1981 Piney Point grad and cook and steward department delegate from Derwood, Md. is the alternate for the two-year $5,000 scholarship. Brother Englehart has attended Montgomery County (Md.) College, the Charles County (Md.) Community College, Rockville and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He plans to study labor management relations at the University of Maryland and law at the University of Baltimore Law School. Englehart worked as a cook for the Marriott Hotel Food Service. Winner of one of the four four-year $10,000 dependent scholarships is Catholic Girls H.S., West Philadelphia, Pa. senior Kathleen Curry, 17, daughter of Joseph and Geraldine Catherman. Boatman Catherman sailed for McAllister Brothers from 1967 to 1977. Miss Curry has studied ballet, d Garvey has two things going for him in his race for one of Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seats: his stance as a reformer and populist on the issues, and his opponent's record. Garvey, former executive director of the National Football League Players' Association (an AFL-CIO union) , knows that Wisconsin voters need someone who will be able to help the state's agriculture and industrial sectors. Those two areas have been hit the hardest by Reagan administration policies during the past ix years. Sen. Robert Kasten, Garvey's Republican opponent and current officeholder, has been serving since 1980. The former state deputy attorney general, Garvey says his opponent has done little since his election except to worry about his re-election. "The interests of industry and agricultural need to be met in this state and Bob Kasten isn't meeting them." He noted that unlike many legislators from the country's hard-hit northeastern industrial belt, Kasten has done nothing to help bring about tax law changes which could encourage industries to operate in Wisconsin. "Other senators have also done pretty well at getting federal revenue , but Wisconsin has always been on the bottom of the list," Garvey said. Because his vote wasn't needed on the 1985 Farm Bill, Republican Party leaders allowed Kasten to cast a token vote against the measure, which Garvey calls the ''family farm destruction bill of 1985. '' Other than the meaningless "no" vote, Kasten has done little for the farmers in America's dairy state. The only people who will benefit from the farm bill will be the lenders and the bankers, Garvey charges. Estimates show that if some of the provisions of the farm bill are carried out, some 25 percent of Wisconsin's dairy farmers could be put out of business. Garvey wants the state to put a temporary ban on farm foreclosures while efforts are made to reopen the debate on the bill. In other matters, Garvey is fighting the selection of his state as a possible nuclear waste dump site. Some 24 Wisconsin counties are under consid- Ed Garvey eration by the administration's Department of Energy. Kasten has supported tax policies which would eliminate individual deductions for state and local taxes and yet maintain unfair tax breaks for oil companies and investors by continuing the oil depreciation allowance. On maritime issues, Kasten has opposed the farm bill compromise which hiked the cargo preference requirement for P.L. 480 shipments from 50 to 75 percent. He voted against an SIU-backed port development bill and has constantly voted against any increase in the fill rate of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Editorial writers across Wisconsin have questioned Ka ten's character following hi arre t for drunk driving in Washington , D.C. where police records show he told officers his occupation was selling shoes-not serving as a U.S. senator. He has also been criticized for not releasing his personal income tax figures, something even Ronald Reagan does annually. Garvey has a long and admirable track record in the Labor Movement. As the former chief of an AFL-CIO union, Garvey has spent years fighting for issues that have an impact on working men and women. He has been endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and by many international unions. Garvey is a Wisconsin native and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with degrees in law and political science. He lives in Madison with his wife and three daughters. acting and the violin. In the fall she plans to study mathematics and computer programming at La Salle University, Philadelphia. Another dependent scholarship winner is Stefan Alexander Czerwinski, 17, of Elmira Heights, N.Y., son of SIU Pensioner Alexander J. Czerwinski. Stefan has attended the Coming (N.Y.) Community College. He plans to study chemistry and pre-dentistry at the University of Rochester, N.Y. The next dependent scholarship winner is Madison Central H.S. senior Sharon May, 17, of Old Bridge, N .J. Sharon is the daughter of Seafarer George and Sally May. She plans to study at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N .J., majoring in Business Administration and specializing in marketing and sales for a technical company. The last but not least dependent scholarship winner is Mary Michele Umphlett, 18, a senior, cross country runner and newspaper editor at the Lancaster (Va.) H.S. and of White Stone, Va. Mary is the daughter of Capt. William A. Umphlett of the tug Egret (Allied Marine). She has toured West Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Miss Umphlett intends to matriculate at the Randolph Macon Women's College, Lynchburg, Va., studying Southeast Asian cultural anthropology for a research position at a museum or university. Finally, there is dependent scholarship alternate Tara Michelle Davis, 17, a Douglas Byrd H.S. senior from Fayetteville, N .C. She is the daughter of Boatman Rupert Carter of the Assn. of Maryland Pilots. Tara wants to follow a pre-med curriculum at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. May 1986 I LOG I 7 �Area Vice Presidents' Report Great Lakes by V.P. Mike Sacco D REDGING projects are in full swing now that the warm weather has hit the Great Lakes region. The Dunbar and Sullivan Dredging Company has been towing equipment from Cleveland, Ohio to projects in the Chicago Harbor and River, and to the Indiana Power Utility Company. Preparatory work is expected to begin within the next few days. These three jobs alone will provide jobs for roughly 15 percent of our membership on the Lakes. After these three jobs are completed, Dunbar and Sullivan will work on a $5 million "rock job," which is dredging talk for constructing the walled areas where polluted materials are stored. The work that our members do must meet the highest health and safety standards. One last note: SIU Port Agent Byron Kelley recently attended a dinner on behalf of Rep. John Dingell (DMich.). Congressman Dingell has been a good friend of the SIU. His support for the compromise on cargo preference last year made a big difference in the outcome of that battle. Thanks to his support, and the support of other congressmen like him, hundreds of SIU members who would otherwise be unemployed now have jobs. arguments on the constitutionality of the Gramm-Rudman Act. In a similar vein, the contractingout of the 12 MSC Oceanographic ships has now become a reality. This means drastic changes in the marine manpower ceiling at MSCPAC. Lavino Shipping Company of Philadelphia will operate the 12 ships, including three now in the Pacific Command-the DeSteiguer, the Silas Bent and the Chauvenet. Fortunately, there will be no reduction inforce in permanent marine personnel, though less fortunately, all temporary marine workers will have their employment terminated. Those temporary marine personnel who are being laid off can take certain steps to maximize their chances for a new job. For one thing, they should write to Admiral John Tierney at the following address: Lavino Shipping Company, 310 Penn Center Plaza, Philadelphia, Pa. 19102. Outline your document endorsements, the MSC ships on which you have served and your rating. You should also include your current address and telephone number. Be sure to say when you will be available for employment. More important, if you are a Union member, you should make certain that this same information is on record at the SIU Government Services Division office in San Francisco. the SIU's request for temporary restraining order to halt the sale on the grounds that immediate and irreparable harm had been done to the 150 SIU members who are employed in the company. Judge Sears has not yet presented the Union with a written decision outlining his reasons for denying our request. This has led to a delay in filing our appeal. These are tumultuous times for the entire transportation industry-not just the marine industry. Conglomerates have targeted airlines and tug and barge companies for takeovers. Longstanding relationships between management and labor have been disrupted. These issues have to be addressed on a national level. That is why programs like SP AD are so important and deserve the support of all the membership. The members of the Sabine negotiating committee deserve a warm round of applause for a job well done. Of course, it takes more than money to run a strong grassroots operation. It also takes time and commitment. SIU members in the Houston area gave both when they came out in droves to support Gov. Mark White in the Democratic primary which he won. West Coast by V. P. George McCartney T East Coast by V.P. Leon Hall Gulf Coast by V.P. Joe Sacco T Govemment Services Diviison by V.P. Buck Mercer SIU lobbyists in Washington are working hard to make sure that Congress and the administration understand the importance of maintaining a strong sealift capability. This can only be done by reversing the decline of the private-flag merchant marine and building up the government-controlled MSC fleet. Unfortunately, the MSC fleet is starting to feel the first effects of the budget crisis. We at the SIU have been closely monitoring the budgetary process to make sure that the MSC fleet receives adequate funding. Still, things are pretty much of a mess right now on Capitol Hill. No one is quite sure what is going on with the budget, and the Supreme Court is hearing 8 I LOG I May 1986 To give one example: the SIU has played a prominent role in several upcoming races in Maryland. SIU Port Agent Bob Pomerlane has been active in Rep. Barbara Mikulski's bid to become the first woman to represent Maryland in the Senate. He has worked closely with Councilman John Schaefer to make sure that Mikulski wins this seat. She is all-maritime, and would be a strong ally in the Senate. Schaefer comes from the waterfront and inner-city district which Mikulski now represents as a member of the House of Representatives. This district includes the Baltimore Union hall. Ben Cardin, who is also a long-time friend of the SIU and a supporter of the maritime industry, is mounting an effective campaign to take over Mikulski' s seat. HERE have been a number of farreaching developments that have occurred in the Gulf Coast. As I reported in my last column, Sabine Towing presented its final proposals on a new, three-year contract. We are still counting the results of our members' ballots. If enacted, the contract will be the first one in the inland field to include a dues check-off for SPAD. This is important. The present administration has made clear its intention to write off the maritime industry. In a similar vein, it has encouraged the transportation industry to pursue a mindless process of deregulation. In the short run, this leads to lower prices. In the long run, however, safety is threatened-and so are jobs. The tug and barge industry is feeling the full effects of that deregulation. An example of what I am talking about is what happened with National Marine, which arranged a sham sale of most of its equipment to evade contracts it had signed with the Union. After a delay of several months, federal Judge Morey Sears dismissed C SX, an international transportation giant whose holdings include tug and barge companies and railroads, has made a serious offer to take over Sea-Land, one of the largest shipping companies in the United States. The Sea-Land board of directors has voted to accept the offer, in large part because it wants to avert an unfriendly takeover by Harold Simmons, who had been buying up large chunks of Sea-Land stock. The move has far-reaching implications for the members of this Union and for the maritime industry. For one thing, Sea-Land is an SIUcontracted company. It generates a large percentage of jobs available to members of this Union. In addition, the CSX offer accelerates the trend toward intermodalism. Operators are trying to integrate their rail, trucking and tug and barge companies with liner terminals to provide shippers with lower overall transportation costs. The CSX offer will take time to process, especially since it needs to be approved by numerous regulatory agencies that will check into the legality of such a move. The other big story on the East Coast is the continuing success of this Union's grassroots efforts. HE face of the West Coast maritime industry experienced a drastic change the other day when Lykes Brothers Steamship Company announced plans to discontinue its West Coast operations. According to company spokesmen, Lykes Brothers has suffered massive losses over the past few years. It has put six new ships up for sale and plans to transfer four others to the Gulf Coast-Northern European run. A number of companies (Sea-Land, APL, United States Lines, and others) , are looking to take over the business that Lykes Brothers has left behind. In Wilmington, we have been holding committee meetings to come up with Union proposals for the upcoming Crowley contract. Shipping has been good in that port. In Seattle, the President Taylor and the President Wilson were laid up due to lack of cargo. The port has crewed up a number of Navy vessels, which now account for roughly one-third of all jobs there. Things are really booming in Honolulu. It's the one port where "C" cards have no trouble shipping out. The two American-flag passenger vessels and the upsurge in military work have totally transformed Honolulu from a sleepy backwater port to an area of real opportunity. Speaking of Honolulu, contract negotiations will begin for the passenger vessels out there. The Union is asking all members who work onboard those vessels to make suggestions on what they'd like to have included in the ne.w contract. I'd also like to commend all SIU members who work onboard the Salernum. The Navy administered a drug test to the crew of that vessel, and all SIU members tested drug-free. �Original Third, Second Assistant Engineer (Inspected Motor Vessel) Courses Prepare SIU Members for Advancement, and Higher Pay The Assistant Engineer course prepares qualified students to sit for the U.S. Coast Guard exam for Original Third Assistant Engineer Steam or Motor or Original Second Assistant Engineer Steam or Motor. The ten, week course covers the following subjects for the respective licenses: engineering safety; potable fresh and distilled water systems, auxiliary diesels; auxiliary boilers; refrigeration; air conditioning and ventilation; sanitary, sewage, bilge and ballast systems; steering, hydraulics and low pressure air systems; prints, tables and diagrams; propulsion diesels, fuel and lube oil systems; propulsion diesels, ~ooling, starting, intake and exhaust drive train systems; electrical theory, motors and generators; main boilers and steam cycles; turbine assemblies and fuel and lube oil systems. Also included in the course are CPR, first aid and the use of Coast Guard C.F.R.'s (Code of Federal Regulations). The requirements to sit for each examination are too varied and lengthy to list here. All students must have their applications officially approved by the U.S. Coast Guard prior to attending the SHLSS course. The approved application is written proof that you are eligible to sit for a specific license based upon the seatime you presented. Do not settle for a verbal "Looks O.K. to me "from the Coast Guard. Request that they validate your seatime on the appropriate form. Also, be sure you have three character references (signatures or letters). The signatures on license applications or letters must be from the Master of the vessel, Chief Engineer and one other licensed engineer with whom you have worked. The Assistant Engineer course is also available to those students eligible to sit for either the Motor Addendum or Steam Addendum examinations. Most students attend the last three or four weeks of the Assistant Engineers course to prepare for these exams. More information concerning this course can be obtained by contacting the SHLSS Admissions Department. Robin Cotton takes a test on Steam Turbines. .... _.,.. •·""" """"' I Instructor Bill Eglinton covers questions and answers concerning Coast Guard C.F.R.'S. (Code of Federal Regulations). Dan Rose takes a quiz covering the use of Coast Guard C.F.R.'S. May 1986 I LOG I 9 �.· .. ,.~1r . From {I. tor.), Joan and Arthur Gilliland, Howard Rode and Max Steen enjoy the relaxing atmosphere at the Seafarers Training and Recreation Center. Seafarers Retirement Program Opens The Seafarers Training and Recreation Center has recently opened its doors to receive SIU Pensioners. Fifty rooms have been set aside to accommodate them. Four pensioners are currently living in the Hotel and couldn't be more pleased with the service they are receiving. Arthur and Joan Gilliland were the first retirees to arrive. Arthur visited the Hotel a couple of months ago to look over the accommodations. He returned home with a colored brochure of the Hotel and discussed the situation with his wife. Joan said, ''I took one look at the Hotel brochure and started packing.'' Arthur was a little more hesitant about getting rid of all the things they had accumulated over the years, but Joan was ready to go. They haven't been disappointed with that decision. "Here, two can live cheaper than one,'' says Arthur, "and we don't have to worry about the bills. When you're on a fixed income, with prices going up, that's important. Everything's taken care of here.'' Howard Rode and Max Steen were the third and fourth SIU Pensioners to make the SHI.SS Hotel their retirement home. ''If people aboard ship were as nice and courteous as they are here, it would make a big difference,'' said Howard. ''Nothing can be perfect but this is a wonderful set·up." Max, who shipped in the Steward department said, " There's never been a meal you can kick about here. They have an excellent menu.'' All of the retirees are looking forward to having more pensioners join them. "It's nice to trade sea stories, play cards, watch movies together, you know, help occupy the time," said Howard. What is the message these retirees want other pensioners to receive? ''Come down to Piney Point, take a look around and see for yourself. It's a beautiful setup. Talk to us pensioners and you won't be sorry you did," said Howard. SHLSS Welcomes Visitors Students from the Marine Institute of Newfoundland view a computer simulated scenario in the SHLSS Simulator building. 10 I LOG I May 1986 ;. Luis and Naomi daughter Jessica. Ramirez with Ramirez Family Enjoys the Comforts of SHLSS Shipping out for three to six months at a time can be very difficult for a Seafarer and his family. Add to this the need to take courses to upgrade their ratings and family time becomes very precious. At the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship spouses and children are welcome to stay at the school while an SIU member attends classes. Luis Ramirez brought his wife Naomi and daughter Jessica with him while he attended the Recertified Bosun class. This was not the first time Brother Ramirez has come to SHLSS. He was here in 1981 for the Lifeboat, Firefighting, First Aid, CPR and Able Seaman courses. Mrs. Ramirez has also taken courses at SHLSS and is a graduate of Trainee Class #302. Both husband and wife are impressed with the modern facilities and quality courses offered at SHI.SS. SH LSS Archivist Kay Assenmacher discusses the school's historical collection with Sampson Shiferaw from the World Maritime University. ------SHLSS Graduates------ Third Assistant Engineer First row (I tor.) Richard Rosati, Steven Roznowski, Thomas Taylor, Joe DISarno, Robin Cotton. Second row (I. to r.) Richard Schwander, Dyke Gardner, Douglas Rakestraw, Dan Rose, John Ponti, Al Sczypiorski, Michael McNally, Kevin Cooper, Buddy Griffith, Fred Johnson. l Ref rlgerated Containers Advanced Maintenance I. to r. Eric Malzkuhn (Instructor), Tyler Womack, Manuel Piper. Not pictured Gene Speckman. Nautical Science I. to r. Brad Wheeler, John Kearney (Charles County Community College Coorctinator). . . Marine Electrical Maintenance First row (I. to r.) Louis McBride, Rashid Ali, Robert Scrivens, Ray Brownlee, Jan Thompson. Second row (I. tor.) John Herrlein, Donald Cox, Paul Hanley, Mike Mcllwain, Carl Merritt, Jose Valle. �1986 UPGRADING COURSE SCHEDULE Programs Geared to Improve Job Skills and Promote the U.S. Maritime Industry The following is the current course schedule for the 1986 school year at the Seafarers Harry Lunde berg School of Seamanship. For the membership's convenience, the course schedule is separated into six categories: deck department courses; engine department courses; steward department courses; adult education courses; all department courses and recertification programs. Engine Upgrading Courses Course Check-In Date Completion Date Inland Boatmen and deep sea Seafarers who are preparing to upgrade are advised to enroll for class as early as possible. Although every effort will be made to fill the requests of the members, the classes are limited in size - so sign up early. The course schedule may change to reflect the membership's needs. QMED - Any Rating July 11 September 19 September 12 December 11 Marine Electrica1 Maintenance August 22 October 16 SIU Representatives in all ports will assist members in filling out the application. Marine Electronics (LASH Crane) October 31 December 12 Refrigeration Systems Maintenance August 15 September 26 Refrigerated Containers Advanced Maintenance September 26 November 7 Diesel Engineer - Regular November 7 December 19 Welding June 27 November 7 July 24 December 5 Hydraulics July 25 August 21 Fireman/Watertender & Oiler September 12 November 6 Deck Upgrading Courses Check-In Date Completion Date License Mate (Third Unlimited · Master Mate Freight & Towing) August 1 October 10 Celestial Navigation October 10 November 14 Lifeboat June 16 October 6 October 10 June 27 October 17 October 24 Able Seaman September 2 October 24 October 24 December 19 Radar Observer July 18 November 14 July 31 November 28 Course Tankerman August 11 December 1 August 22 December 11 Radar Observer (Renewal) June 6 August 8 September 5 November 7 December 5 June 13 August 15 September 12 November 14 December 12 & Operations Recertification Programs Course Check-In Date Completion Date Steward Recertification November 3 December 8 Bosun Recertification September 2 October 6 Adult Education Courses Course Course Sealift Operations and Maintenance Completion Date June 6 July 25 September 5 October 17 November 14 July 3 August 22 October 3 November 14 December 12 Steward Upgrading Courses Check-In Date Completion Date Chief Cook June 25 October 1 October 3 Jan.9, 1987 Cook & Baker June 25 August 13 October 1 November 19 October 3 November 21 Jan. 9, 1987 Feb. 27, 1987 June 25 October 1 Jan.9, 1987 Course Chief Steward October 3 Completion Date For students who wish to apply for the GED, ESL, or ABE classes for next year, the courses will be six weeks in length and offered at these times: September 13 December 13 August 1 October 31 All Rating Upgrading Courses Check-In Date Check-In Date Seafarers who are applying for the upgraders Lifeboat classes and who are either ESL or may need some work on basic skills, may take the ESUABE Lifeboat course three weeks prior to the scheduled Lifeboat class. These classes will be offered: September 19 October 10 The Developmental Studies Class (DVS) will be offered one week prior to some of the upgrading classes. They will be offered as follows: Able-Bodied Seaman Hydraulics QMED Able-Bodied Seaman July 18 July 18 September 12 October 17 July 25 July 25 September 19 October 24 ----Important Notice-----. Hotel Bill Payment Policy Changed Effective January 1, 1986 all upgraders' dependents staying at the Seafarers Training and Recreation Center at Piney Point will be required to pay their bills bi-monthly. May 1986ILOGI11 �Apply Now for an SH LSS Upgrading Course ···•·············•··•••••··•••••••···•·····•·····•············•·········•••·••·····••·•••••··••••••·••······•····•··•·····••··••·•·•····• Seat are rs Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship Upgrading Application Name Date of Birth -----.~.-----...----­ Mo./Day/Vear (Middle) (first) (Last) Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~~~---------------------(Street) (City) Deep Sea Member D Telephone -..,,........(Area .....c..--o---de-.-)_ _ __ (Zip Code) (State) Pacific D Lakes Member D Inland Waters Member D Social Security# _______ Book# _______ Seniority _______ Department _ _ _ _ _ __ Date Book Port Presently Was lssued __________ Port lssued __________ Registered In _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Endorsement(s) or License(s) Now Held _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS Trainee Program: D Yes No D (if yes, fill in below) Last grade of schooling completed _ _ _ __ Trainee Program: From _ _ _ _ _ _ to~----(dates attended) Have you attended any SHLSS Upgrading Courses: 0 Yes No D (if yes, fill in below) Course(s)Taken _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Do you hold a letter of completion for Lifeboat: D Yes No D Firefighting: D Yes No D CPR: D Yes No D Date Available for T r a i n i n g - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Primary Language Spoken - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I Am interested in the Following Course(s) Checked Below or Indicated Here if Not Listed :-------------D-E_C_K______________________E_N_G-IN __ E_______________ . S_T_E_W_A_R_D-------------------~ D 0 D D D D 0 D 0 D D D 0 C 0 0 Tankerman AB Unlimited AB Limited AB Special Towboat Operator Inland Towboat Operator Not More Than 200 Miles Towboat Operator (Over 200 Miles) Celestial Navigation Master Inspected Towing Vessel Mate Inspected Towing Vessel 1st Class Pilot Third Mate Celestial Navigation Third Mate Radar Observer Unlimited Simulator Course Sealift Operations & Maintenance No transportation will be paid unless you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. 0 0 0 D D D D D D D D C C C C FOWT OMED-Any Rating Marine Electronics Marine Electrical Maintenance Pumproom Maintenance & Operation Automation Refrigeration Systems Maintenance & Operations Diesel Engines Assistant Engineer (Uninspected Motor Vessel) Chief Engineer (Uninspected Motor Vessel Third Asst. Engineer (Motor Inspected) Refrigerated Containers Advanced Maintenance Marine Electronics (LASH Crane) Hydraulics Hagglund Crane Maintenance 0 D D 0 Cook & Baker Chief Cook Chief Steward Towboat Inland Cook ADULT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 0 Adult Basic Education (ABE) D High School Equivalency Program (GED) 0 Developmental Studies C English as a Second Language (ESL) 0 ABE/ESL lifeboat Preparation ALL DEPARTMENTS C~ Welding C lif eboatman - Sealift Operations & Maintenance RECORD OF EMPLOYMENT TIME-(Show only amount needed to upgrade in rating noted above or attach letter of service, whichever is applicable.) VESSEL RATING HELD DATE SHIPPED DATE OF DISCHARGE SIGNATURE_~~~~~~~~~~~--~~ DATE _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION TO: Seafarers Harry Lundeberg Upgrading Center, Piney Point, MD. 20674 Rev 5/86 ••••••.•••..••...........•....•...............•...........................•...•. , .....................................••• .--:::.-- 12 I LOG I May 1986 • ••• ..•• �Not All the Heat Is in the Kitchen SIU stewards are usually known for their culinary skills and morale-boosting meals and treats onboard ship. But like all shipboard workers, they are integral parts of a team that is responsible for safety. That's why they learn how to fight fires-one of the most dangerous emergencies that can be encountered on a ship. A recent class of recertified stewards attended the Military Sealift Command's firefighting school in Bayonne, N .J. where they traded their ladles and spatulas for charged hoses. They were there to take care of something a lot more serious than burning buns. The class consisted of: Virge B. Dixon Revels R. Poovey Edward L. Johnson Herlies A. Evans Tobe Dansley, Jr. Sofronio L. Amper Gene C. Sivley Robert M. Kennedy Joseph F. Miller Charles F. Gardenhire The stewards take the charged hose to douse the Oames of fire in a confined area of the ship. An MSC instructor shows the class the way to use emergency gear in case of a fire. Choose a Union Long Distance Telephone Co.-AT&T (CWAU) Save the jobs of tens of thousands of union members-long-distance telephone operators. As a result of the divestiture of the Bell System, telephone users in your community-and throughout the nation-will soon be required to choose which company they will use for long-distance service and telephone equipment including coin/pay telephones. This may be the largest-scale consumer choice in history between unionized and non-union companies. Of all the major companies competing for longdistance customers, at present only AT&T Communications has unionized work forces. While Communications Workers of America Union members' jobs are in danger today, the jobs of members of your union may be in danger tomorrow. The battle for long-distance telephone consumers will et a pattern for many industries, especially those facing deregulation and technological change. That's why the AFL-CIO Executive Council has unanimously approved a resolution entitled "Call and Buy Union." This resolution urges "each affiliated union, state federation, central labor body, and the millions of union members throughout the United States to choose only a }<»Jg-distance carrier with a unionized work force and purchase only telecommunications equipment made in America with union labor.'' Students learn how to contain fires that break out in the open. More DOD Cargoes For U.S. Flag Ships Rep. Helen Delich Bentley (R-Md.) early last month got the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to carry their cargoes in U.S.-flag vessels as mandated by the Military Transport Act of 1904. Right after Bentley was tipped off by American steamship companies that a foreign DOD subcontractor for the prime contractor, the airplane manufacturer McDonnell Douglas Corp., had shipped ammunition on two foreign-flag ships for the U.S. Army Armament, Munitions and Chemical Cmd. (USAAMCC) of Illinois, she got Marad to protest to the USAAMCC for its repeated non-compliance with the 1904 statute. The AAMCC had awarded a $88million prime contract to McDonnell Douglas which gave a $23-million sub- contract to a foreign supplier who used the non-U .S.-flagship . Prime contractors thought only they were affected by the law, not subcontractors. Following Bentley's protest, the Army ordered all of its prime contractor to tell their subcontractors that every pound of merchandise purchased for the DOD must move on American-flag bottoms as of 12:20 p.m. April 9 regardless of who the shipper IS. Bentley said, 'The law is very clear on the use of American flag hips for military purchases whether being shipped abroad or being brought in from foreign countries. This action can mean in exce s of $50-million in revenues to our U.S. shipping industry this year.'' �Drug Program Ready to Help The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Center is putting the final touches on its new drug program, which is specifically tailored to meet the needs of seamen who are addicted to drugs. The center is hiring new staff memhers who are trained to counsel people suffering drug dependency. In addition, the center's Valley Lee, Md. facilities have been enlarged so that the counselors can work with more people. These steps are being taken to combat an alarming increase in the use of drugs. The problem is being felt by all segments of American society. "Over the past two years," said Rick Reisman, head of the Seafarers Rehab Center, "we have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people who are cross-addicted. Seventy percent of all people who come into the program to deal with a drinking problem also have some kind of problem with drugs." The problems that these members have with drugs run the gamut, from mixing their drinking binges with an occasional hit of marijuana to an expensive and sometimes deadly addiction to cocaine. ··we are finding that the people who are cross-addicted," said Reisman, "have a special set of problems. For one thing, they tend to go downhill more rapidly than other abusers, because one addiction feeds the other." ·'There is a growing awareness that something needs to be done to halt the growing drug epidemic in this country," said SIU President Frank Drozak. "While we insist that our members' constitutional rights be respected, we want our members to understand that we cannot guarantee their job security if they use drugs." More than one-quarter of all companies on Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 companies employ some kind of mandatory testing for drug use. High'-On the list of federal workers to be tested are those employed in the · transportation sector. It is therefore important for the members of this Union to be aware of the fact that onethird of all jobs available to them are onboard federally-controlled merchant ships that have been contracted out to the private sector. Three years ago, less than 10 percent of the jobs available to SIU mem-· bers were onboard military vessels. That figure is expected to rise to 50 percent within the next five years. "By opening up this program," said Drozak, "we are giving our members who have a serious drug problem a chance to stay in the industry. "Members addicted to drugs have to realize that they are hurting more thanjust themselves. The more people who test positive for drug use on SIU contracted vessels will ultimately mean fewer jobs for everyone. No operator-be it the federal government or a private company-wants to entrust their multi-million dollar investment with a crew composed of people who test positive for drug use," he said. "One final thing. You don't have to be embarrassed by asking for help. Our counselling center has helped hundreds of our members to recover from alcoholism and drug dependency," Drozak said. "If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, help is available to you. All you need is to be willing to ask for that help." The St. Louis (Sea-Land Service) Pays Off in New York Recertified Bosuns Visit Hill This group of recertified bosuns takes time off from their studies recently to visit Capitol Hill. The group includes Ron Beckner, Bobby Riddick, Jerry Borucki, John Owen, Alvin McCants, Bernard Jackson, Ray J. Ramirez, Al Caulder, Carlton Hall, Luis Ramirez, his wife Naomi, daughter Jessica and SIU lobbyist Liz Demato. Operation Mulberry We have had a number of letters from retired seafarers saying that the Veterans Administration is not receptive to their claims of veterans status granted for their service in Operation Mulberry. We have contacted the Defense Department once again and have received a new release from them which gives specific information about obtaining a certificate and where to send it. Here is the information: "Applications can be submitted using Defense Department Form 2168 available from Veterans Administration Offices. Each applicant must provide documentation to support service on a blockship--including name of ship, date the applicant was notified for duty by the Army for that blockship, and the date the applicant was released from the Army-before the officials can properly process the application.'' Completed applications should be mailed to: Commander, U.S. Army Reserve Components Personnel and Administration Center (PSN-P-A) 9700 Page Boulevard St. Louis, Mo. 63132 We printed the names of the Mulberry Project ships in the December 1985 issue of the LOG. Steward Committee Picks Next Class Crewmembers Eduardo Vasquey, chief cook; AB Pablo Pacheco; Bosun Frank Adams, and FOWT Otto Pariam wait for the payoff while Rep. Mangram checks his paperwork. Rep Kermett Mangram and AB John Quirke check on a contract point during a payoff on the St. Louis recently. 14 I LOG I May 1986 The Recertified Steward Committee met recently at headquarters to select the next recertification cl~ (April and October). The committee members are (1.-r.) Morgan CarroU, Rudy Debo~ierie and Otis Pascal. �The Real L ren't Found in L. A. Fitout-Winter's En for The celebration of spring in the Midwest is incomparable to anywhere else in the country. It is perhaps because the winters are so brutal. Spring on the Lakes is a slow awakening. It is in early March that the fullblown spring is planned for (even rushed by Detroit's winter weary residents) in the Great Lakes. In Detroit, on Lake Michigan, people say spring has arrived when the J. W. Wescott II begins its deliveries of mail to merchant vessels. The only floating mail delivery boat of its kind, this year the Wescott left from Detroit on April 9. It is in early March that fitout unfolds all across shoreside ports on the Lakes. This year the I. A. W. lnglehart led off the Great Lakes season. It departed Cleveland for Alpena, Mich, March 13. An SIU crew was onboard. Some 57 vessels in all are expected to be fitted out for service on the Lakes this year. As the 1986 season began, SIU A stream of coal running through a ship-to-shore conveyor trestle is monitored by Jack Bennet aboard the Buffalo. (Photos and Story by Lynnette Marshall) ers members registered for hundreds of jobs on Lake carriers. The scaffolding was immediately raised for the paint work, the scraping and welding began. While stewards were mainly concerned with having enough stores onboard and the stove stoked to working condition, Seafarers about the engineroom were busy getting together their inventories of spare engine parts. On deck, workers painted over the rust of ships' hulls. By April, the winds are still blustery, but without the cold. American Steamship had 10 of its vessels sailing in the month of April on the Lakes. Among the vessels was the SIU-contracted Buffalo bulk carrier. It left from St. Claire in April for a "round robin" trip first for Stone Port, Mich. to load stone for Chicago, then on to Escanaba, Mich. to load ore for Ashtabula, Ohio. The vessel has 18 SIU members aboard. (Continued on Page 18.) Though the water had not been turned on aboard the H. Lee White, the steward department, with a little ingenuity and a lot of patience, was able to put together a full lunch for the crew. The chefs (I. to r.) Mohssan Ghani, Dan Welty and Salem Ali were able to smile through the ordeal. The Paul Thayer (Pringle Steamship Co.) stretched out before the lakefront of Cleveland, Ohio this spring. As hammers continued with the task of shaping the Thayer for duty, lights on the skyline from office windows flickered with the activity of urban night life. Eli Zindei will sail in the engine room of the Ste. Claire. May 1986ILOGI15 �Fito Night falls over the Cleveland harbor, but by the glow of work light, Seafare rs work outside threading winnowed trains of frayed rope back together on the Medusa Challenger. Below deck, John Sandstrom relaxes with a cigarette. Fitout is officially over several hours later when the Medusa journeys out into the darkness on her first trip of the 1986 shipping season. • gsa Long-time Laker, OS-Deck Abdul Saeed is ready for another season on the Paul Thayer. In April a cold front blows into Detroit hr' Saeed (left) and watchman Kenneth Shork Mohamed Sharian registered to work the '86 season on the Lakes as an oiler for the BobLo Lines cruise ship Ste. Claire. On the Belle River, O.S. Dave Wilson. An SIU member rapels down a cargo hold on the Buffalo, a bulk carrier undergoing fitout on the Lakes this spring. Rivets were loosened from a damaged teflon-coated hold plate, and moments later the plate was pulleyed to the deck where SIU deckhands could make repairs. 16 I LOG I May 1986 When the crew came aboard the H. Lee W Throughout the long and dark winter month Fox will forego sailing as a wiper to carry o vessels laid up outside Toledo, Ohio. He sta �a ith it gray skies and flurries. On the open deck of the Belle River, shipmates OS Wahia t the work of fitout. AB Watchman Mohamed Muthana on the Paul Thayer . .. Alie G. Mutahr (above) with his own homemade blueberry pie and vanilla frosted chocolate cake. Mutahr is shipping out in the galley department on the Richard Reiss this spring. n Fox handed over the ship's keys. watched over the White. This season keeper for four American Steamship re one, Mc Kee Sons. Two friends from the engine department of the Paul Thayer. May 1986 I LOG I 17 �Fitout (Continued from Page 15.) Another SIU-contracted American Steamship vessel, the Belle River, had jobs for 20 SIU members this 1986 shipping season. The Belle's first trip out was to load coal at Lake Superior April 1 and to clear the locks April 3. The H. Lee White (American Steamship) came from fitout April 14 with SIU members on hand. The Richard Reiss (Erie Sand and Gravel) will be loading iron ore taconite pellets, stone, sand, coal and gypsum with 24 SIU members in the crew. The Boblo Cruise ships (owned by American Automobile Assn.) are operating pleasure cruises to Bob-Lo Island amusement park with SIU crews. And the Paul Thayer (Pringle Steamship Co.) and the Medusa Challenger sailed from Cleveland under warm spring weather. The Thayer runs all four lakes, Superior, Huron , Erie and Michigan. April 7 at midnight , the Medusa Challenger left Cleveland, but, as spring would have it, on April 8 and April 9 it snowed. \@fa.fr n:ttII&.. _. -~· The Richard J. Reiss will make its first trip of the season delivering stone and sand to the Erie Sand and Gravel depot. (Below) AB Wheelsman Allen Beck takes a short break onboard the Paul Thayer. Edward Biel and Jack Allen met 17 years ago when both were sailing on the <}eorge Steinbrenner. This year Biel will work on the Richard J. Reiss as a 2nd c.<>?k. ~s m past years, SIU Rep. Allen will service the vessel, and take time out for a visit with an old and trusted friend. Mohamed Mashrah is an AB Wheelsman on the Paul Thayer. 8JLO �I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • I • I r•I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I •• I I I I I I I I The past month was one of the more hectic in recent memory. A partial list of some of the stories that attracted national attention is breath-taking in its scope and for the potentially far-reaching consequences that these events pose for American seamen. The stories include the following: American bombers attack terrorist camps in Libya. With the exception of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was condemned by a majority of her countrymen, not one of the European allies demonstrated any support for the retaliatory action. Radical Islamic groups promised to take revenge against American and British targets. One group, the Islamic Jihad, threatened to blow up American ships and embassies. A nuclear reactor in the Soviet Union at Chernobyl experienced a meltdown because of inadequate safety standards. Domestic consumer groups questioned regulatory standards in this country. Other groups drew attention to standards in the transportation and energy sectors in light of this administration's stated desire to further deregulate both industries. The American-flag merchant marine continued its uninterrupted decline. Administration figures refused to offer any new programs to revive the industry, and even threatened to jettison the few remaining programs still in existence. A growing number of congressional leaders criticized the failure of the administration to do anything to help the American-flag merchant marine, citing the important role that the maritime industry serves in providing this country with sealift support during international emergencies. They questioned the validity of the "Effective U.S. Control Doctrine," which states that the U.S. can rely on foreign-flag fleets to help meet its security needs. Many of the same congressional leaders criticized the maritime industry for its inability to overcome long-standing internal differences. SIU President Frank Drozak calls on the heads of four major maritime unions to merge into one single union-the Maritime, Industrial and Service Union of America. Oil prices decline to their lowest point in years, giving the U.S. what some economists call a "second chance" to halt the erosion of its industrial base. The American trade deficit reached a new monthly record: $14.7 billion. Congress considers tax reform and passage of the 1987 budget. The Supreme Court hears arguments on the constitutionality of the Gramm-Rudman Act, which mandates across-the-board cuts in the budget if certain goals to eradicate the deficit are not met. Sea-Land, one of the largest American shipping companies, votes to accept a take-over bid from CSX. Sea-Land is a major supplier of jobs to SIU seamen. The country is experiencing the effects of a full-fledged crisis in the insurance industry. Among other industries, it has hit the maritime industry particularly hard. The House Merchant Marine Subcommittee considered the merits of several promotional bills, including one offered by the chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.). Viewed separately or together, the bills seek the complete overhaul of the existing system of merchant marine subsidies. During the course of the hearings, several congressmen told representatives of the U.S.flag shipping industry to "stop the fratricidal battles," because if they don't "it will be impossible'' to enact a new promotional program . * * I I I I * • Lcgislcttive. Admmiscr.ltivc .rnd R~gul.1tory H.1ppcnings Marldme Overhaul * 1"- I May 1986 Washington Report * I I I I I I •I I I I I m Seafarer~ lnccrnacional Union of North America. AFL-CIO I I + * * * * * * * Oil Prices Falling oil prices have resurrected two maritime issues: the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and the ban on the export of Alaskan oil. A growing number of newspapers (Washington Post, etc.) and political figures (Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J.) are calling for the United States to take advantage of falling oil prices by stocking up on SPR supplies. By doing this, the United States could help further several important national goals: keep oil prices low; provide relief to the hard hi domestic and Mexican oil industries; beef up on oil supplies at a time when prices are low. Unfortunately, some politicians have used the falling oil prices to argue for a repeal on the ban of the export of Alaskan oil on the grounds that something needs to be done to turn things around for the sagging economy of Alaska. The SIU has thrown its full weight behind H.R. 3817, a bill that would amend the Export Administration Act (EAA) to ban the export of Cook Inlet oil. While the amount of Cook Inlet oil is relatively small, there is concern that certain forces want to use it as a test case to repeal the ban on all Alaskan oil. At present, 103 members of the House of Representatives have agreed to cosponsor the bill. * * * Build and Charter An $852 million build and charter program that had been hailed as the first major shipbuilding program since the elimination of the Construction Differential Subsidies in 1980 has hit rough sailing in the Seapower Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. Legislation authorizing the bill had been previously reported out of the House Merchant Marine Committee. It was scheduled to be marked up in the House Seapower Subcommittee. While the mark-up did begin, it was not completed. "If a further mark-up does take place," said Bob Vahey in the Area Vice-President's May report to the membership, ''it appears that there will be major differences [between both versions of the bill]. "The Seapower Subcommittee's legislation gives almost total control of the program to the Navy, virtually eliminating Marad involvement. Since the merchant marine bill calls for extensive Marad involvement, this could ultimately undermine prospects for enactment of the legislation.'' Japanese Can, Bilateral Treaties The House Merchant Marine Subcommittee has considered and approved two important bills that, if enacted, would provide much needed cargoes to the U .S.-flag fleet. The first bill, H.R. 3662, would require that bilateral shipping agreements be negotiated with major U.S. trading partners. The SIU has long supported this position. The second bill, H.R. 3655, would require that an equal number of Japanese cars imported into the U.S. be carried on U.S.-flag vessels as are carried on Japanese vessels. The Japanese auto carriage bill in particular has aroused a great deal of attention because of a growing perception that Japan is engaging in unfair trade practices. Some people are talking about a Bo-Ko San-which is Japanese for ''Trade War.'' While some Japanese companies have agreed to let American-flag vessels enter into this trade, most people feel that the gesture is "too little, too late." "The number of cars involved is roughly 60,000 out of a total of 2.2 million,'' said Frank Pecquex, SIU director of legislation. "The only reason why it was offered is that the Japanese government wants to prevent enactment of H.R. 3655." Full committee mark-up on both bills is scheduled for some time later this month. Delta Queen The Senate has approved a bill that would permit the continued operation of an American heirloom-the Delta Queen (Delta Queen Steamboat Co.). The Delta Queen has provided Louisiana and other states on the Mississippi River with millions of tourist dollars and has generated dozens of jobs for SIU Boatmen. It is one of the last remaining wooden hull boats still in operation. The Senate bill also would close a loophole that permits foreign-flag tugs to tow foreign vessels into U.S. ports. This is now allowed if the foreign vessel's last port of call was a foreign port. The House and Senate had passed another version of this bill which the president vetoed. The SIU is encouraging the House to support this amended legislation. Tuna The U.S. tuna industry is in the midst of a severe economic decline precipitated in large part by antiquated tariffs that favor waterpacked tuna. Water-packed tuna is assessed a 6 percent tariff, while the tariff on oil-packed tuna is 35 percent. This loophole has led to a massive import surge-an increase of 128 percent since 1979. There is now only one tuna cannery left in the continental United States. I Ma 1986/LOG/19 ....... �America Hits Libya For Its Role in Promoting Terrorism The United States carried out a bombing raid against selected Libyan targets in response to that country's support of terrorism. Even though some kind of American retaliatory action had been predicted for weeks, the bombing came as a shock. The American action received virtually no support in the world community. Only three countries-Canada, Great Britain and Israel-stood squarely behind President Reagan's actions. For weeks, the United States had been trying in vain to get its European allies to enact some kind of economic blockade of Libya for its role in promoting terrorism. President Reagan later said that the bombing raid had become "inevitable" once this country came upon ''incontrovertible proof' linking Libya to the bombing of a Berlin disco frequented by American servicemen. The bombers, F-11 's, were launched from bases in Great Britian. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the What Is the EUSC Doctrine? by SIU President Frank Drozak. "Sealift readiness comes from two principal sources: U.S. government owned ships and the U.S. flag merchant marine. "Other sources for Strategic Sealift have their basis in laws, treaties and international agreements. Examples of these are Effective U.S. Controlled (EUSC) fleet and European NATO flag shipping. Combined, all of these readiness sources provide Strategic Sealift in time of war or national emergency , depending on the nature of the threat and area of confUct ... " MSC pamphlet on readiness Since the end of World War II, the United States has relied upon the EU SC doctrine to protect American security interests. Yet the few times that it has been tested, it has met with questionable success , and even outright failure. The basis of the doctrine is this: that the United States can rely on foreign-flag fleets to augment its sealift capability, without which the United States could not sustain any kind of extended conflict away from its shores. Yet according to Irwin M. Heine, one-time economist and statistician for the Maritime Administration, the EUSC doctrine contains many serious flaws. He outlined the most serious of those flaws in this 1981 study: ''The fact that EUSC ships play an important role in U.S. mobilization planning is based on agreements, not treaties, with Panama, Honduras and Liberia. These agreements specify that ships of U.S.-controlled foreign affiliates of American citizen companies registered in these countries will be returned to U.S. control in time of national emergency or war. This may be for as long as friendly relations continue. In recent years, however, many governments of the Third World, particularly in Latin America and Africa, have experienced political upheavals. Under international law, only the state of registry has the right to requisition and exercise control of its national flag ship!; " Heine then went on to give examples of when the EUSC doctrine failed to work. In 1973, during the Yorn Kippur War, Liberia prevented ships documented under its registry to carry military and civilian supplies to Israel, even though the United States q~emed such movement vital to its national interest. And during the Vietnam War, Heine relates, a small number of foreign-flag ships chartered by the Military Sealift Command were prevented from carrying American supplies to South Vietnam because their crews opposed U.S. policies and actions in that region. Indeed, international events of the past six years raise serious questions about the EUSC doctrine. For one thing , as demonstrated in Iran , Ethiopia, Sudan and Nicaragua, today ' s friendly surrogate can become tomorrow's deadly enemy. Many of the countries which provide the American Navy with sealift support are experiencing serious political difficulties. Honduras and Panama are situated in a region, Central America, that is being engulfed by widening Communist guerrilla war. As a member of the so-called ·'Contadora Group'' Panama opposes America's policies in the region. Honduras, which has quietly supported the American tough line, has a common border with Nicaragua and may be the subject of the same kind of guerrilla activity that now bedevils El Salvador. Liberia, the other major source of sealift, has been in the throws of a major political upheaval since 1979, when former President William Tolbert, his family and top advisers were dragged from their beds one night and shot. Tolbert was replaced by a military dictatorship headed by Lt. Sam Doe. Dissatisfaction with the Doe regime is. said to run high, and there was a recent attempted coup. only world leader given advance notice of the attack in order to gain her approval to have the British bases used for such an action. Tens of thousands of Western Europeans took to the streets in Great Britain, West Germany and Italy to protest the raids. American bombers had to fly several thousand miles out of their way because this country could not obtain permission from Spain and France to use their airspace rights. After the raid, Prime Minister Thatcher appeared before the House of Commons to explain her reasons for giving the United States her approval to use the bases. "It is inconceivable," said Thatcher, "that the U.S. should be refused the right to use American aircraft and American pilots . . . to defend their own people." Thatcher was booed by the members of the opposition Labor Party and even from some of her own backbenchers. Liberal Party Leader David Steel said that Thatcher's decision had turned Great Britain ''from a British bulldog into a Reagan poodle'' while a number of influential labor politicians said that they would press for the closing of the bases should their party ever return to power. British polls showed that two-third of the British people opposed the raid. After the raid, Western European leaders tried to narrow the differences between their countries and the United States on the Libyan issues by expelling small numbers of Libyan students and diplomats. ''The United States should do everything it can to protect the lives and safety of its citizens abroad,'' said SIU President Frank Drozak shortly after the raid. "Many people try to laugh off the Libyan threat," said Drozak "by stating that Libya is just a small country of three million people. Meanwhile, Libya has given billions of dollars to groups that have targeted American~ embassies and ships for death. "We have to earmark more money for the MSC fleet," said Drozak, "because in the final analysis it is not clear if we can count on the aid of our NATO allies in case of an extende action against Libya. We also have to reverse the decline of the American flag merchant marine, which has continued unabated since the end of the Korean War." ~ ·~ ·~ ' '·. : : ' .,. Vessels like this U.S. Naval Hospital in the MSC fleet provides this country with adequate sealift capability in time of war. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy). �Assignment of Mariners Note: The Civilian Marine Personnel (CMP) has issued new instructions covering the assignment of mariners. It has asked that these assignments be posted and publicized. 2-1. GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS-Mariners are assigned to MSC ships for a minimum of six months. Crewmembers who have at least six months aboard ship may request to be relieved. Reliefs are made based on the operational commitments of the ship and the availability of fully qualified replacements. Therefore, there is no guarantee that mariners will be relieved after six months aboard ship. The six-month tour of duty may be served aboard more than one ship when operational necessity dictates ship to ship transfers during a tour of duty. ,_ Assignments are made based on the operational requirements of the comand. Therefore, a mariner may serve aboard the same ship or ship type for two or three assignments or receive assignments to different ships each ' time he/she returns from leave. When assignments are made, first consider.ation will be given to employees who occupy permanent ratings of the positions to be filled. Further consideration is given to employees who have the most time ashore. The Crewing and Receiving Branch will consider and rant an employee's request for assignment to a particular ship or geographic area whenever possible proided that a bona-fide vacancy exists and the mariner requesting the assignment is not required to fill an assignment of hig~er priority. 2-2. ASSIGNMENT OF KEY PERONNEL-Master and Chief Engineer j positions are key shipboard managerial positions. Certain positions aboard pecial mission ships may also be designated as key positions due to the specific technical expertise vital to ccomplishing the sponsor's mission (Chief Officer, Cable, Boatswains Mate Cable, Second Assistant Engineer, Deck). The Crewing and Receiving Branch will reassign these key personnel to the same ship or ship type on a regular basis whenever possible to ensure continuity of operations. 2-3. ASSIGNMENT OF FEMALE MARINERS-Female officers and crewmembers may be assigned to any ship in the MSC fleet provided that adequate berthing is available. Common berthing arrangements aboard MSC ships are: private stateroom, shower and toilet for officers; private stateroom with shared shower and toilet for Chief Petty Officers (CPO's) and semi-private staterooms (two or more crewmembers) with shared shower and toilet for unlicensed crewmembers. Female officers may be assigned to any ship. Female CPO's may be assigned to ships where shower and toilet facilities shared with male CPO's lock to ensure complete privacy. Unlicensed female crewmembers may share multi-berth staterooms with other female crewmembers. Facilities shared by other crewmembers must lock to ensure complete privacy. 2-4. ASSIGNMENT OF PREGNANT MARINERS-Pregnant mariners who qualify for positions aboard ship may be assigned to any MSC ship following the policy stated in paragraph 2-3. Each pregnancy case will be handled individually giving due consideration to the ship assignment, the mariners' medical history, her physical condition and her ability or inability to perform satisfactorily in her assigned position. 2-5. ASSIGNMENT TO SHIPS SUBJECT TO THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS PERSONNEL RELIABILITY PROGRAM-MSC operates three ships which are subject to the Nuclear Weapons Personnel Reliability Program (PRP): USNS Marshfield (T-AK (FBM)282), USNS Vega (T-A~ (FBM)286), COMSCLANT and USNS Kilauea (T-AE 26), COMSCPAC. Assignments to these ships are made to mariners accepted into the PRP. In addition to meeting employment requirements set by MSC and the U.S. Coast Guard, mariners assigned to these ships must successfully meet the stringent requirements of the PRP. Entry into the program is voluntary Last month's LOG contained a story of the USNS Mispillion (T-AO 105), which ran aground off the coast of Japan. The vessel sustained serious damages. and mariners are selected after they have met the reliability standards of the program established by the Navy. The candidate must have twelve months satisfactory service as an MSC civilian marine employee. Satisfactory Federal, civilian, or military service, or satisfactory U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, state maritime academy, or maritime college service may be credited toward this twelve month service requirement. The screening process is conducted in stages. During the first stage, the Placement Officer will review the mariner's personnel records and interview the mariner to determine if he/she has the qualifications to enter into the program. Due consideration is given to the absence of disqualifying factors as well as to the presence of qualifying factors such as motivation, professionalism and technical competence. When it has been determined that the mariner meets the minimum requirements, the Placement Officer commences the initial screening by forwarding appropriate documents to the Medical Department. A physical examination including drug urinalysis screening will be conducted to ensure that the mariner meets the physical requirements of the program. The next stage of the screening process covers security clearance requirements. Clearance requirements for critical and controlled positions in the PRP are slightly different from standard clearance requirements in that the investigation on which the clearance is based must be completed prior to assignment. Interim clearances are not allowed except under specific circumstances. Mariners in critical positions must have a complete Background Investigation (Bl) for secret or top secret clearances. Mariners in controlled positions must have a minimum confidential clearance based on a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI). Assignments are made for six month tours of duty and mariners in the PRP may, on occasion, be assigned to other ships in the fleet which are not subject to the PRP. Rescreening, including drug urinalysis testing will be conducted when a member of the program is reassigned to duties under the PRP after having been administratively assigned to duties aboard ships not requiring PRP certification. The second half of these MSC instructions will be carried in next month's issue of the LOG. U.S. -P.I. Friendship Affirmed IU Vice President Buck Mercer, right, and SIU Patrolman Gentry Moore listen to peakers at an anti-apartheid rally in Union Square, San Francisco, Calif. Philippines Vice President Salvatore Laurel said that he was now assured that President Reagan ''fully'' supports the new Aquino administration. Laurel met Reagan in Indone ia, where the president was on the first leg of a 13-day trip to Asia. "I got what I wanted," said Laurel,'' confirmation of the fact that as far as (Reagan) is concerned the legitimate president is Corey Aquino and not Marcos. It swept away the cobwebs." The cobwebs of doubt, said Laurel, were caused by Reagan's long-term friendship with Marcos and the slow pace he took in supporting the former dictator's overthrow. After the Laurel-Reagan meeting, Secretary of State George Shultz emphasized that the United States had quickly recognized the new Aquino government and that it was committed to its survival. In hi meeting with Reagan, Laurel had asked for increased military and economic aid, especially since the new government had to act quickly to meet the threat posed by a Communist insurgency that had spread to many regions of the country. ''The Communists are tough hombres," said Laurel, noting the need for increased aid to hore up the Democratic process that began with the overthrow of Marcos and the ascension of Aquino to the presidency. May 1986 I LOG I 21 �Sailing Aboard the S.S. constitution Part of the galley crew includes (I. tor.) Robinson Tacang, cook trainee; Francis Clark, 2nd cook; Russell Barnett, cook trainee, and Frank Martin, assistant cook. Thomas Bullen, OS, rings the Constitution's bell for anchors aweigh. Enjoying a few samples from the dessert table are Tina Sivola, deck lounge stewardess, and Ramon Calderon, head waiter. Jackie Davis, bartender. 22 I LOG I May 1986 Gary Coats, hotel joiner. Roger Haugen, chief reefer. �SIU Members Around the world The Seafarers International Union was well represented at a Service Employees International Union informational picket at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Wash. The SEIU was protesting the lack of progress in their negotiations with Swedish Hospital administrators. Pictured, left to right, are SIU Seattle Port Agent George Vukmir, Owen Duffy, Lowell Miller, former Seattle SIU Field Rep Rich Berkowitz, Stan Ruzynski and Joseph Rioux. Oscar Williams, left, and Gary Mitchell, oiler maintenance men aboard the USNS Regulus, make a last minute check before the ship sails from Tacoma, Wash. to Korea. Floyd Sanderson, left, receives a certificate and congratulations from West Coast Vice President George McCartney for passing his third assistant engineer's exam. Sanderson was graduated from the trainee program in Piney Point in 1974 where McCartney was his Union Education instructor. Off Madeira Is., Portugal, these Seafarers aboard the PFC Eugene A. Obregon prove to be good fishermen as well. With their catch are, (I, to r.) Steward P. L. Hunt, Bosun James Todd and AB Thomas Bonner, Jr. SIU Vice President Joe Sacco, right, and QMED E. Welch, left, enjoy some Louisiana gumbo prepared by Steward/Baker Bill Goff aboard the MN Ambassador (CCT). May 1986 I LOG I 23 �ITF Meets in Geneva Legal Aid SIU Wins Runaway Flag Fight Seafarers from 28 nations met in Venice, Italy at the March 24-26, 1986 International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) Seafarers' Section Conference. Frank Drozak participated in the meetings representing the Seafarers International Union. Agenda items at this three-day meeting included a number of issues of vital concern to all SIU members, including flag-of-convenience operations, minimum manning and safety and training programs, programs for maritime mobile hijacking and piracy of ships, and cooperation and job solidarity between licensed and unlicensed personnel. Throughout the conference, Drozak took strong stands on behalf of SIU members and all seafarers. Also attending the meeting were: Roman Gralewicz, president, SIU of Canada; Ray McKay, MEBA-2; Fred Schamann, MEBA-1; Shannon Wall, NMU; Daniel Colon, MEBA-1; Rene Liolanjie, NMU, and Harvey Strichartz, American Radio Officers Association. Unanimous approval was given to a SIU resplution calling on all ITF affiliates to urge their governments not to ratify or implement the UNCTAD Convention on Conditions for the Registration of Ships, adopted in Geneva Feb. 8, 1986. In his successful effort on behalf of this resolution, Drozak said, "This proposed international agreement attempts to whitewash and legalize flags of convenience and their runaway operations and should be promptly buried." On occasions in the past and at this conference, ITF seafarers have taken positions that if a vessel's proposed sailing itinerary includes a war-like operations zone, advance notice of such scheduling shall be given to all seamen aboard. Then, any member of the crew shall have the right not to continue on that vessel and shall be returned to his port of engagement at the shipowners' cost without any risk of losing his employment or suffering any other detrimental effects. Drozak and Roman Gralewicz, as well as Masters, Mates and Pilots and Marine Engineers Beneficial Association officials clearly stated that this is not the policy of their members and their organizations and made strong objections to it. They stated that they will continue to sail their ships as they have done in the past. Drozak also stated that he will continue to urge the United States government, particularly the U.S. Navy, to adopt and implement policies and programs for protection and self-defense of seafarers in hostile situations. On the subject of hijacking, piracy, and terrorism at sea, the conference adopted a recommendation that all seafarer organizations continue to press governments and shipowners to pay less regard to simply protecting their investments and profits and show more concern for the protection of human lives. The recommendation also urged that ships' crews be given no less protection and safety consideration than ships' passengers. The final agenda item of the conference dealt with the issue of requirements for and the functions of ships' radio officers. This topic and the instances of radio operators performing work assigned to unlicensed electricians, gave Drozak the opportunity to express his concern over the fact that in recent years it has been unlicensed jobs that have been eliminated in order to protect and preserve officers' positions. He strongly urged that all brothers and sisters at sea and ashore support each others' employment rights and areas of work. Drozak concluded with an urgent call for full cooperation and job solidarity by all. Billy Nuckols ETC Employee of the Month LNG Recertified Bosun Billy Keith Nuckols was recently named the second winner of the Employee of the Month A ward by the Energy Transportation Corp. (ETC) for his talent, dedication and performance aboard their ships. Brother Nuckols joined the SIU in the port of New York in 1954 sailing as a ship's delegate. He also sailed during the Vietnam War and graduated from the Union's Recertified Bosuns Program in 1975. Seafarer Nuckols hit the bricks in the 1962 Robin Line beef. Nuckols was a former member of the United Mine Workers Union and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Born in Ansted, W.Va., he is a resident there. His daughter, Angela Sue, was a 1971 SIU Scholarship winner attending Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va. Are You Missing Important Mail? We want to make sure that you receive your copy of the LOG each month and other important mail such as W-2 Forms, Union Mail and Welfare Bulletins. To accomplish this, please use the address form on this page to update your home address. If you are getting more than one copy of the LOG delivered to you, if you have changed your address, or if your name or address is misprinted or incomplete, please fill in the special address form printed on this page and send it to: SIU & UIW of N.A. Address Correction Department 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, Maryland 20746-9971 Your home address is your permanent address, and this is where all official Union documents, W-2 Forms, and the LOG will be mailed. -~----------------------------~----------------------------- HOME ADDRESS PLEASE PRINT Date:----------- Social Security No. Phone No. ( ) Area Code Your Full Name Street - City Apt. or Box# Book Number 0 SIU 0 UIW State 0 Pensioner ZIP Other-------- UIW Place of E m p l o y m e n t - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This wlll be my permanent address for all official Union malllngs. This address should remain In the Union file unless otherwise changed by me personally. (Signed)----------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------~--~----J 24 I LOG I May 1986 In the event that any SIU members have legal problems in the various ports, a list of attorneys whom they can consult Is being published. The member need not choose the recommended attorneys and this llst Is intended only for Informational purposes: NEW YORK, NEW YORK Schulman & Altman 84 William Street, Suite 1501 New York, New York 10038 Tele.# (212) 422-7900 BALTIMORE, MD. Kaplan, Heyman, Greenberg, Engelman & Belgrad Sun Life Building Charles & Redwood Streets Baltimore, Md. 21201 Tele. # (301) 539-6967 CHICAGO, ILL. Katz & Friedman 7 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Ill. 60603 Tele. # (312) 263-6330 DETROIT, MICH. Victor G. Hanson 19268 Grand River Avenue Detroit, Mich. 48822 Tele. # (313) 532-1220 GLOUCESTER, MASS. Orlando & White 1 Western Avenue Gloucester, Mass. 01930 Tele. # (617) 283-8100 J ., HOUSTON, TEXAS Archer, Peterson and Waldner 1801 Main St. (at Jefferson) Suite 510 Houston, Texas 77002 Tele. # (713) 659-4455 & Tele. # (813) 879-9842 LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Fogel, Rothschild, Feldman & Ostrov 5900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2600 Los Angeles, Calif. 90036 Tele. # (213) 937-6250 WILMINGTON, CALIF. Fogel, Rothschild, Feldman & Ostrov 239 South Avalon Wilmington, Calif. 90744 Tele. # (213) 834-2546 MOBILE, ALA. Simon & Wood 1010 Van Antwerp Building Mobile, Ala. 36602 Tele. # (205) 433-4904 NEW ORLEANS, LA. Gardner, Robein & Healy 2540 Severn Avenue, Suite 400 Metairie, La. 70002 Tele. # (504) 885-9994 NORFOLK, VA. Peter K. Babalas & Associates, P.C. Suite 700 Atlantic National Bank Bldg . 415 Saint Paul's Boulevard Norfolk, Va. 23510 Tele. # (804) 622-3100 ,'.:, PHILADELPHIA, PA. Kirschner. Walters, Willig , Weinberg & Dempsey Suite 110 1429 Walnut Street Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 Tele. # (215) 569-8900 ST. LOUIS, MO. Gruenberg, Sounders & Levine Suite 905-Chemical Building 721 Olive Street St. Louis, Missouri 63101 Tele. # (314) 231-7440 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. John Paul Jennings Henning, Walsh & Ritchie 100 Bush Street, Suite 440 San Francisco, Calif. 94104 Tele.# (415) 981-4400 SEATTLE, WASH. Davies, Roberts, Reid, Anderson & Wacker 201 Elliott Avenue West, Suite 500 Seattle, Wash. 98119 Tele. # (206) 285-3610 TAMPA, FLA. Hamilton & Douglas, P. A. 2620 West Kennedy Boulevard Tampa, Florida 33609 Tele. # (813) 879-9842 :.. �Ke~ya: By CHARLES BORTZ In the July 1984 LOG, Seafarer Charles Bortz wrote about a scrawny cat which boarded the MN Ranger as she was about to leave Greece. Then in September 1985, he updated us on the kitten left behind. In this, his third article, Bortz (now aboard the C.S. Long Lines) abandons pussy cats ... for bigger game. F you are a working seaman--or even a passing tourist-you simply have to be impressed by Kenya. With the countries around it-Uganda, the Sudan, Tanzania-convulsed by evil war or creaking under doctrinaire Marxist regimes, Kenya goes its own merry way, taking in everybody's money and smiling up at the African sun. I A Great Place to Stop! In October the SIS F airwind spent 23 days alongside the dock in Mombasa unloading wheat, and a grand time was had by all. This despite the fact that the carrier Kitty Hawk and her escorts dropped in to join us on our very first weekend. Nine thousand American sailors and marines hit the beach, most of them young and most of them with two months' pay in their pockets. Many of the boys decided there was no point in even going ashore, but once out of uniform, Mombasa absorbed those 9,000 swabbies like a sponge does water. All week the sophisticated ladies of Nairobi and their less polished sisters from as far away as Uganda and Ethiopia had been trooping into town. The souvenir shops Getting Families Involved By AL CAULDER Al Caulder sails as a bosun out of the port of Seattle and is currently attending the Bosun Recertification Program at Piney Point. I have been a member o t e SIU for 19 years. Being a Union man, I am a great believer in the power of unity and strength in numbers. Which brings me to my point: How many times has our Union asked us to participate in a rally for the good of our Union or one of its affiliatesand we had to decline, having promised the family we would do something together that day. As members of the SIU, we should try to make every effort to attend and support our Union's causes and not forget that when the SIU tells an affiliate that we will show up and support them in force, a verbal commitment has been given. Participating in a Union cause doesn't have to mean a day away from the family. Rather, it should be looked upon as a new and exciting experience for the entire family. Being away nine months a year, I use every opportunity when I am home to be with my family. Anyone from Seattle knows I am a family man body and soul. I am seldom seen in the Seattle hall without my wife Pam and our two children. By making calls with me, it gives us precious time together. And everyone in the hall has always been pleasant and respectful to them. Many have become friends to Pam, Brandon and Kelly and are motivated by their support and enthusiasm for the Union. Rallies are a great time to be with the family as well as carry out our Union obligations. Bringing our families to these functions does three things. First, it gives SIU members a day to be with their families, sharing an important cause together and still having a great time. If you doubt it, watch a child's face when he or she is walking a picket line with dad. It gives all concerned a new experience and a sense of pride. Second, it gets the family involved in what you are doing and helps them understand what you and your Union stand for. It shows them how to stand up for what they believe in-to get involved and not be an onlooker. It also instills pride and shows them there is individual strength in unity effort. Third, bringing your family to a rally shows those we oppose that when we make a stand for an issue, we support it 110 percent, not only as members of the SIU but with family unity. When I show up at a rally with my family, those we oppose know my son and daughter are there with me learning about my Union, our causes and the power unity can have when used properly. By learning about unionism at an early age, my children will not hesitate one future day to stand fast in a picket line or rally with their families. When people see children holding a sign for a cause their parents believe in, it brings attention to the cause. And those who haven't been involved may feel guilty for being passive on an issue of importance while a child is standing up for them-and they may join the group. When the opposition sees my wife at an event with me, they know that she supports our cause. And if a product is involved, ours is one household they won't be selling to. And our friends and family will probably support our stand as well. It makes them think. In closing, brothers and sisters, I want to urge you to take the time to keep your families informed of our Union's goals and ideals-and get them involved. They can better support your efforts and be proud of you for standing up for the Union and what it means. If you doubt it, ask my son Brandon if he's proud of his daddy the next time we're picketing for an issue. So how about it, brothers and sisters-get the family involved! had loaded their shelves, and taxidrivers stocked up on "No-Doz" to keep the operation going around the clock. No one was disappointed. When the fleet sailed five days later, it left $3 million behind. The shelves, the ladies and the cabbies were all exhausted. The day after, the city looked like a ghost town. Hardly a cab or a lady on the prowl. To the credit (and amazement) of practically everyone, there was not a single police incident during the whole stay. This says a lot for the amiability of the inhabitants and something too about the new maturity of the American sailor. It also indicates the law and order situation in Kenya. The Kenyans have not yet adopted the casual attitude of so many of the world's citizens toward robbery and mayhem. If a thief is detected, he is lucky if the police are the first ones to lay a hand on him. If the people catch him, he is likely to be strewn all over the pavement. On the F airwind, after the first few days, we grew careless about locking ourfoc's'les. The shore workers made no attempt to enter the crew's quarters, not even pestering the galley. Indeed, it was rare to have anyone bum you for anything, aship or ashore. With the grain dust enveloping the ship like a cloud , there was not much the diminished ( 14-man) crew could do in the way of work. That left time for sightseeing. Hardly 50 miles from Mombasa, the great Tsavo Game Preserve begins; Tsavo, the home of giant tuskers, rhinoceros and famed man-eating lions. (Incidentally, the Tsavo lions are famed for having eaten up 28 Indian coolies at practically one sitting. There is still a "Maneater Junction" halfway to Nairobi.) Two hours up the coast is Kenya's favorite watering place, Malindi, with luxury hotels and big-game fishing. For the really adventurous, Mt. Kilimanjaro could be reached in a bone-jarring seven hours over dusty dirt roads. Still, not many of the Fairwind' s crew managed to tear themselves away from Mombasa. The street scene was too engrossing. Tourists from 50 countries mingled with natives from as many tribes in the Indian shops, the Chinese restaurants and the sidewalk cafes. Besides, beer was 40 cents a bottle, and some of the Nairobi ladies had decided to take up residence. At the end, though, everyone got a glimpse of Tsavo. An empty Fairwind was taken out late one afternoon and tied up to buoys to await the scrapmen. The crew piled into a double-decker bus and roared into the African night on a 300-mile dash to Nairobi International Airport. The game lands lay dark on either side, and just before we turned into the airport, a single, solitary giraffe loomed up in the bus's headlights. That was our farewell to Africa and to Kenya-a great place to stop! Brandon Caulder, age 3, joins his father AJ Caulder (left) and AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland at a recent anti-apartheid rally in Washington, D.C. May 1986 /LOG/ 25 �Sugar Islander Brings Relief The Sugar Islander (Pacific Gulf Marine) recently completed a voyage from Texas to Maputo , Mozambique. The SIU-contracted ship carried a load of corn to the southeastern African nation. During their time in port, Sea- farers had an opportunity to see firsthand what less fortunate men and women must cope with. Many Maputo residents scavanged the spilled corn from rail tracks at the port. After the Sugar Islander unloaded its cargo, many people gathered what spilled. The Sugar Islander tied up at Maputo. ., ... - ·=~···· )' '• • Bosun J. Lundborg and Chief Mate Burton pose with the Maputo stevedore boss. Summary Annual Report for MCS-AFL-PMA Supplementary Pension Trust Fund This is a summary of the annual report for MCS-AFL-PMA Supplementary Pension Trust Fund , 51-6097856, for the year ended June 30, 1984. The annual report has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service , as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Basic Financial Statement The value of Plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the Plan , was $7,819,305 as of June 30, 1984, compared to $7,935,750 as of July 1, 1983. During the Plan year, the Plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $116,445. This decrease included 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 Plan assets at the beginning of the year, or the cost of assets acquired during the year. The Plan had total income of $1,031,538, including employer contributions of $739,484 and earnings from investments of $292,054. Plan expenses were $1,157,937 and are comprised of two types: (I) Pension benefit expenses of $1,144,439 and (2) Administrative expenses of $13,498. The $1,144,439 Pension Benefit payments were made directly to participants or their beneficiaries. Administrative expenses were comprised of salaries, fees, and commissions, fiduciary insurance premiums and general administrative expenses. Summary Annual Report GLT&D Pension Plan This is a summary of the annual report of Great Lakes Tug & Dredge Pension Plan, l.D. Number 13-1953878, for Jan. 1, 1984 to Dec. 31, 1984. The annual report has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). 26 I LOG I May 1986 Bosun J. Lundborg and the Maputo gang which helped off-load the cargo. Basic Financial Statement The value of Plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the Plan, was $7,963 ,725 as of Jan. l , 1984, compared to $8 ,692,743 as of Dec. 31 , 1984. During the year the Plan experienced an increase in its net asset of $729,018. This included unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of Plan assets: that is the difference between the value of the Plan's assets as of the end of the year as compared to 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 $1,252,002 including employer contributions of $389,383 and earnings from investments $862,619. Plan expenses were $522,984 and are comprised of two types: (l) Pension benefit expenses of $358,538 paid directly to participants or their beneficiaries; and (2) Administrative expenses of $164,446, which were comprised of salaries, fees and commissions, fiduciary insurance premiums and general administrative expenses. 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. Assets held for investment. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of Mr. Al Jensen, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md. 20746. The charge to cover copying costs will be $1.00 for the full annual report, or $0.10 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 right to examine the annual report at the main office of the Plan, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md. 20746, 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. Request to the Department should be addressed to Public Disclosure Room N4677, Pension and Welfare Benefit Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20216. �I~ c:~=W=li=~=®=ll=i~=============:i<a,:~~~'~<~,>==========uJD)~O~~~@~~M~~~' Deep Sea Pensioner William Andrew MacGregor, 65 , died of heart-lung failure in the U. S. Veterans Administration Medical Center, New Orleans on Jan. 14. Brother MacGregor joined the SIU in 1946 in the port of Baltimore sailing as an AB. He walked the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer MacGregor was born in Coblentz, West Germany and was a resident of New Orleans. Interment was in the Westlawn Park Cemetery, Gretna, La. Surviving are his widow, Clara and another relative, L.E. MacGregor of Frederick, Md. Theodore "Teddy Bear" Washington Nix, 66, succumbed to a heart attack in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Jan. 1. Brother Nix joined the SIU in the port of San Francisco in 1958 sailing as a chief steward for the American Presidents Line. He began sailing during World War II. Seafarer Nix was born in Omaha, Neb. and was a resident of Seattle. Burial was at sea in the Indian Ocean off the SS President Cleveland (APL). Surviving are his widow, Alda May; a son, Robert, and two daughters, Charlene and Barbara Jones. Pensioner Jacob Albert Otreba, 61 , succumbed to cancer in the Hotel Dieu Hospital, New Orleans on Jan. 25. Brother Otreba joined the SIU in 1946 in the port of Baltimore sailing as a wiper. He hit the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime beef. Seafarer Otreba was born in Maryland and was a resident of Chalmette, La. Burial was in the St. John's Gardens Cemetery, La Place, La. Surviving are his widow, Alice; his mother, Margaret of New Windsor, Md., and a sister, Shirley Brock of Seattle. Pensioner Yu Song Yee, 71,diedonFeb. 25 . Brother Yee joined the SIU in 1948 in the port of Norfolk sailing as an AB. He began sailing before World War II. Seafarer Yee was on the picket line in the 1961 Greater N. Y. Harbor beef. Born in China, he was a resident of New York City. Surviving is his widow, Song Marchuk. Great Lakes Pensioner Glenn H. Cumming, 86, passed away from heart failure in the Oakwood Hospital, Dearborn, Mich. on March 2. Brother Cumming joined the Union in the port of Algonac, Mich. sailing for the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Car Ferries in 1965. He was born in Wisconsin and was a resident of Dearborn. Interment was in the Cadillac West Gardens Cemetery, Westland, Mich. Surviving in his widow, Dena. My Darling, A Man of the Sea Pensioner Manuel Francis Strite, 77, passed away from lung failure on Jan. 23. Brother Strite joined the SIUmerged Marine Cooks and Stewards Union in the port of San Francisco sailing for the American Presidents Line. He began sailing on the West Coast in 1942. Seafarer Strite was born in California and was a resident of Woodland, Calif. Cremation took place in the East Lawn Crematory, Sacramento, Calif. Surviving are his widow, Virginia; a son, Arnold of Concord, Calif., and a brother, August of Culver City, Calif. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS For a woman to the man of the sea, she has to step aside for his first love will always be the sea. The sea (she) has a hold on him as no woman could ever do. This hold is a bond no woman should ever break. If she breaks this bond she will destroy him as no woman could ever destroy a man. For their bond is so deep within their heart, soul and mind. This is only a gift from the good Lord and no one could give a greater gift on this earth than the sea. This is something I feel as a daughter and woman of men of the sea. I feel this bond in them and I will always and forever be waiting when my man's journey ends on the shores of happiness. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SHIPPING RIGHTS. Your shipping rights and seniority arc protecteJ exclusively hy the contracts hetween the Union and the employers. Get to know your shipping rights. Copies of these contracts arc posted and available in all Union halls . If you feel there has hcen any violation of your shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts hctwccn the Union anJ the employers. notify the Seafarers Appeals BoarJ hy ccrtifieJ mail. return receipt requesteJ. The proper aJJrcss for this is: Angus "Red" Campbell Chairman, Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Auth Way and Britannia Way Prince Georges County Camp Springs, Md. 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to arc available to you at all times. either hy writing directly to the Union or to the Seafarers Appeals BoarJ. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls . These contracts specify the wages anJ conJitions unJer which you work anJ live ahoard your ship or hoat. Know your contract rights. as well as your ohligations. such as filing for OT on the proper sheets anJ in the proper manner. If. at any time. any SIU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU constitution are availahlc in FINANCIAL REPORTS. The constitution of the SIU Atlantic. Gulf. Lakes anJ InlanJ Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarJing the membership's money and Union finances. The constitution requires a detailcJ auJit by Certified Puhlic Accountants every three months. which are to he suhmitteJ to the membership by the Secretary-Treasurer. A quarterly finance committee of rank anJ file mcmhers. electeJ hy the memhership. makes examination each quarter of the finances of the Union anJ reports fully their finJings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommcnJations anJ separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust fun<ls of the SIU Atlantic. Gulf. Lakes anJ lnlanJ Waters District are aJministered in accorJancc with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funJs shall equally consist of Union anJ management representatives anJ their alternates. All expcnJitures anJ Jishursemcnts of trust f unJs are ma Jc only upon approval hy a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial recorJs are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. Betty Ketchem Lebanon, Mo. all Union halls . All memhers should ohtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents . An y time you feel any memher or officer is attempting to Jeprivc you of an y constitutional right or ohligation hy an y methoJs such as dealing with charges, trials. etc., as well as all other Jctails. then the mcmhcr so affccteJ shoutJ immediately notify headquarters . EQUAL RIGHTS. All mcmhers arc guarantecJ equal rights in cmployrrn:nt anJ as memhers of the SIU . These rights a rc clearl y set forth in the SIU constitution an<l in the contracts which the Union has ncgotiatcJ with the employers . Consc4ucntl y. no memher ma y he Jiscrimi nateJ against hcc ause of race. crecJ , color. sex anJ national or geographic origin . If an y memhcr feels that he i"' JenieJ the equal rights to which he is entitleJ. he shoulJ notify Union heaJquarters. patrolman or other Union offbal. in your opinion, fails to protect your contract righrs properly. contact the nearest Sl U port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY - THE LOG. The Log has traJitionally refraineJ from publishing any article serving the political purposes of an y individual in the Union. officer or mcmher. It has also refraineJ from puhlishing articles Jcemcd harmful to the Union or its collective membership. This estahlished policy has heen reattirmeJ hy membership action at the Scptemhcr. 1960. meetings in all constitutional ports . The responsihility for Lo~ policy is vestcJ in an editorial hoard which consists of the Executive BoarJ of the Union . The Executive Board may delegate. from among its ranks. one inJiviJual to carry out this rcsponsihility . PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to he paiJ to anyone in any otlicial capacity in the SIU unless an ofticial Union receipt is given for same. Urn.lcr no circumstances shoulu any memher pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment he made without supplying a receipt. or if a memher is re4uireJ to make a payment anJ is given an otlicial receipt. hut feels that he shoulJ not have heen re4uired to make such payment. this shoulJ immeuiatcly he reporteJ to Union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION -SPAD. SPAD is a separate segregateJ funJ . Its proceeJs are useJ to further its ohjects anJ purposes incluJing, hut not limiteJ to, furthering the political. social anJ economic interests of maritime workers. the preservation anJ furthering of the American Merchant Marine with improveJ employment opportunities for seamen and hoatmcn anJ the aJvancement of tra<lc union concepts. In connection with such ohjccts. SPAD suppllrt"i and contrihutes to political canJiJatcs for elective otlice. All contrihutions arc voluntary. No contrihution may he soliciteJ or recciveJ hecausc of force. joh Jiscrimination. financial reprisal. or threat of such conJuct. or as a condition of memhcrship in the Union or of employment. If a contrihution is maJe hy reason of the ahove improper conJuct. notify the Seafarers Union or SPAD hy certified mail within 30 Jays of the contrihution for inve,tigation anJ appropriate action anJ refund . if involuntary. Support SPA D to protect anJ further your economic. political anJ social interests. and Amer ican trade unilln concepts. If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he has been denied his constitutional right of ~ to Union records or information, he should immediately notify SIU President Frank Drozak at Headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The add~ is 5201 Auth Way and Britannia Way, Prince Georges County, Camp Springs, Md. 20746. May 1986 /LOG/ 27 - �Vincent Meehan, 63, joined the SIU sailing as a QMED, most recently out of the port of San Francisco. Brother Meehan is a resident of Kobe, Japan. Deep Sea Harry Payne Davis, 65, joined the SIU in the port of Jacksonville, Fla. in 1967 sailing as an AB. Brother Davis is a veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II. He was born in Jacksonville and is a resident there. ~~~~Jllll\ - Charles "Chuck" Errington Hill Jr., 58, joined the SIU in 1947 in the port of Houston sailing as a recertified bosun. Brother Hill graduated from the Union's Recertified Bosuns Program in 1974. He hit the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime beef and the 1961 Greater N. Y. Harbor strike. Seafarer Hill also sailed inland for G & H Towing in 1960. And he was a Houston delegate to the Piney Point Educational Conference No. 5. Bosun Hill was awarded a Letter of Commendation from the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Maritime Affairs, Andrew E. Gibson, " ... for courageous action . . . in a succes fuJ attempt to save the (SS) Madaket, on Aug. 26, 1970, when a (500 lb.) napalm fire bomb was dropped (accidentally) into the hold (full of bombs) causing immediate fire and the threat of violent explosion at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam." Seafarer Hill is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. Born in Houston, he is a resident of Shepherd, Texas. James Morgan, 59 ,joined the SIU in 1947 in the port of New York sailing as a chief cook. Brother Morgan last sailed out of the port of New Orleans. He walked the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Morgan was born in Louisiana and is a resident of New Orleans. And he also worked as a mechanic and real estate broker. Sanicola is a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II. Born in New York City, he is a resident of Sunrise, Fla. Adan Quevedo, 65 ,joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1960 sailing as a wiper. Brother Quevedo last sailed out of the port of Santurce, P. R. He was born in Puerto Rico and is a resident of Ponce, P.R. Otto Tonner, 84, joined the SIU in the port of San Francisco in 1963 sailing as an AB. Brother Tonner attended the 1970 Piney Point Crews Conference No. 11. He was born in Germany and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Seafarer Tonner is a resident of Reno , Nev. Dario Rios, 65, joined the SIU in 1945 in the port of New York sailing as a chief steward and steward delegate. Brother Rios was on the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime, 1947 Isthmian, 1961 Greater N. Y. Harbor and 1962 Robin Line beefs. He was born in Puerto Rico and is a resident of Rio Piedras, P.R. Ward "Slim" Marshall Wallace, 65, joined the SIU in 1947 in the port of New York sailing as a recertified bosun. Brother Wallace graduated from the Union's Recertified Bosuns Program in 1974. He last sailed out of the port of Jacksonville. Seafarer Wallace walked ~- the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime, 1947 Isthmian, 1961 Greater N . Y. Harbor and the 1962 Robin Line beefs. Wallace is a veteran of the U.S. Army in World War II. Born in Virginia, he is a resident of Daytona Beach, Fla. ·111 Alfred Salem, 63, joined the SIU in the port of New York in 1953 sailing as a recertified chief steward. Brother Salem graduated from the Union's Recertified Chief Stewards Program in 1983. He last sailed out of the port of Houston. Seafarer Salem is a veteran of the U.S. Army in World War II. Salem attended the National Teachers College in the Philippine Is. and graduated from the Hospital Dietary Supervisor School and the Radio Operator Training Institute there. A native of Samar, P.I., he is a resident of Houston. Henry August Sormunen, 65, joined the SIU in the port of New York in 1963 sailing as a FO WT. Brother Sormunen last sailed out of the port of San Francisco. He hit the bricks in the 1963 maritime beef. Seafarer Sormunen was born in Michigan and is a resident of San Francisco. Frank Ciro Sanicola, 68, joined the SIU in the port of New York in 1964 sailing as a chief electrician and 2nd assistant engineer. Brother Sanicola last sailed out of the port of Jacksonville. He graduated from the SHLSS-MEBA District 2 Engineering School, Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1967. Seafarer Sanicola was on the picket line in the 1965 District Council 37 beef. Great Lakes John Paul Fletcher, 67, joined the Union in the port of Detroit, Mich. in 1960. He sailed as a bosun and watchman for the American Steamship Co. from 1967 to 1971. Brother Fletcher began sailing in 1942. He last sailed out of the port of Algonac, Mich. and is a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II. Laker Fletcher was born in Royalton, Wis. and is a resident of Crawfordville, Fla. Victor Wilbur Knechtel, 65, joined the Union in the port of Detroit in 1960. He sailed as a wheelsman for the Boland and Cornelius Steamship Co. Brother Knechtel last sailed out of the port of Algonac. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy during World War II. Laker Knechtel was born in Alpena, Mich. and is a resident there. BOOZE AND DRl.I~ #AVE YOU .OOWNP NELP 15' A VAii.ABLE. CONTACT Y()UR PORT AGENT, OR 6.1.ll ORUG AJlf) ALCOIKJt. PROGRAM. WEY)>(J/NTND. 28 I LOG I May 1986 �r I AMERICAN CONDOR (Pacific Gulf Marine), March 2-Chairman Alfonso Armada; Secretary Burdette; Educational Director McRae. No disputed OT. There is $35 in the ship's fund. A suggestion was made to start some arrival pools to earn money for the fund . Also, the bosun will look into the fund from the previous voyage which is now missing. Previous beefs were satisfactorily taken care of by the New York patrolman at payoff and clarification given that overtime is available to department delegates. Bosun Armada talked about the possibility of Pacific Gulf Marine getting another RO/RO (the Clipper) to operate on the same run as the Condor. It was suggested that each member read the shipping agreement to understand precisely what is and what is not payable when restricted to the ship, and a committee was appointed to look into the rules and regulations pertaining to being restricted aboard ship. The importance of contributing to SPAD and of upgrading at Piney Point was also stressed. Next ports: Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Char1eston, S.C. and Baltimore, Md. LNG AQUARIUS (Energy Transportation Corp.), March 23-Chairman Robert Callahan; Secretary L. Conlon. Everything is running smoothly onboard the Aquarius. Upon arrival at the last port, Capt. Shekem and Chief Mate Palmer settled the beef pertaining to the disputed penalty OT regarding tank cleaning for the deck department. All deck department members were ' satisfied with the outcome. And Raleigh Minix came aboard in Tobata, Japan, and settled a dispute in the engine department to mutual satisfaction. There is $80 in the ship's fund which will be turned over to the captain until service is resumed. Everyone is expected to make an effort to clean their quarters prior to entering the shipyard in Nagasaki around April 20. All hands involved were notified of a transfer to other vessels in order to secure enough time for benefits, vacation, etc. Members were reminded to be respectful of their fellow mates onboard ship. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for keeping the galley cleaned at night, and to Capt. Shekem for the donation of beer and soda for the pool parties. Next ports: Arun, Indonesia and Osaka and Nagasaki, Japan. , ITB BALTIMORE (Apex Marine), March 20-Chairman John J. Pierce; Secretary Edward M. Collins; Educational Director A. Alexalcis. Some disputed OT was reported in the deck department for tank cleaning and two holidays (Lincoln's birthday and Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday). Otherwise, everything is running pretty smoothly. The captain said payoff will be Sunday, March 23 around 9 a.m. The secretary wished to thank the crew for helping keep the messroom clean. He also said, "I know you all know what we are facing in the shipping business now. So ...donate to SPAD so that our voice will be heard in Washington." The same old movies are onboard, and crewmembers would like to get some new ones. A vote of thanks was given to Chief Steward Ed Collins and Chief Cook Pedro LaBoy for jobs well done. Next port: New York. COVE LEADER (Cove Shipping), March 23-Chairman Robert G. Lawson ; Secretary Henry W. Roberts; Educational Director M. Williams ; Deck Delegate H. Meeder; Steward Delegate George Malone. No beefs or disputed OT. Robert G. Lawson came on in Texas City, Texas for a 60-day bosun relief. A safety meeting was held at which time the captain discussed safety procedures to be followed during loading and unloading of cargo. He also announced that there is to be no more coffee, cokes, bowls of grapes, etc. when coming on watch. Crewmembers are to bring only gloves and a flashlight. Also, any old rags lying around are to be disposed of. There should be no cups on deck at any time. The galley is still in need of an icebox and an electric slicing machine. All hands were asked to keep the messroom door closed during meal hours due to a draft being pulled across the steam table which makes it hard to keep the food hot. The steward department was given a vote of thanks from the crew for a job well done. Next port: Texas City, Texas. Director E. Fahie; Deck Delegate James Haims. No beefs or disputed OT reported. The chairman reminded members to report all hazardous conditions they find while working aboard ship. He also urged memers to take advantage of the upgrading facilities at Piney Point and stressed the importance of contributing to SPAD-an important tool "in fighting our Anemies in the halls of Congress." The secretary noted the necessity of reading the LOG to keep up with news of SIU activities and of the maritime industry as a whole. It has been a smooth sailing with a good ship and a man urged all eligible members to upgrade their skills at Piney Point because "entry jobs are becoming very scarce." Next port: Portland, Ore. WILLIAM B. BAUGH (Maersk), March 16-Ghairman Bernard Saberon; Secretary A. Hurk; Educational Director A. Keil. Some disputed OT was reported in the deck department regarding painting in the pumproom. A cadet is standing the AB's watch. This is the second time this has happened aboard this vessel, even with a full complement of hands. And the cadet is receiving overtime which rightly should be the AB's. There is approximately $140 in the ship's fund which will be used to purchase a microwave oven. The microwave will be installed in the crew mess hall for everyone's use. The new acrossthe-board wage increases as printed in the LOG were explained to the crew. Members wish to have confirmation of these increases sent to all vessels so that they can better understand the actions taken on these matters by the Union and by the company. Deck department members also want to know why they cannot work OT on weekends aboard this vessel and request a notice of work rules to that effect. The educational director stressed the importance of contributing to SPAD and of utilizing the upgrading facilities at Piney Point. The steward department was given a vote of thanks for their fine work, particularly A. Hurk for performing two jobs (chief cook and baker). Next port: Diego Garcia. Tony Sacco, third mate aboard the M. V . Sugar Islander (Pacific Gulf Marine), sends along this photo of the ship 's crew, enjoying one of " Milton 's" great cookouts from the last voyage. The Sugar Islander went 'round the world on a 5 1h month trip: loading grain in the Gulffor Mozambique , then on to Singapore and into the shipyard. She then went on to Hawaii to load sugar for Crockett, Calif. where she recently paid off. GROTON (Apex Marine), March 23Chairman Neil D. Matthey; Secretary M. Deloatch; Educational Director A. Gardner; Deck Delegate Allen F. Campbell; Engine Delegate Gerardo Vega; Steward Delegate Pedro Mena. No disputed OT. The chairman reported that the ship will be going into Norfolk shipyard for repairs and that all members will be laid off. Any crewmember who wants to reclaim his job should register in the port of Norfolk. The secretary urged all hands to contribute to SPAD to help the Union fight for a stronger merchant marine, and the educational director stressed the importance of practicing safety at all times. The crew extended a vote of thanks to the steward and chief cook for the very good food . The steward, in return, thanked the crew for helping keep the messrooms clean. Next port: Norfolk, Va. OMI LEADER (OMI), March 30-Chairman Orla Ipsen; Secretary F. Mitchell ; Educational Director/Chief Pumpman Charlie Durden; Deck Delegate Michael Hurley; Engine Delegate J. Rosario; Steward Delegate Allen Manuel. No beefs or disputed OT reported. There are two funds aboard the Leader: a ship's fund of $60 and a movie fund of $103. The chairman gave a brief report on Union activities and some information from previous meetings. He advised all delegates to fill out the repair lists and give them to the steward so he can type them up and deliver them topside. At this time there was no information on when the ship would pay off. A motion was made to contact the Negotiating Committee (or appropriate persons) to see if the SIU can prevent any additional cutting of crew. Members feel that in some instances it is "just plain unsafe seamanship when a seaman has to do too much work and hasn't had proper rest due to the fact that the departments are so short." Some discussion ensued about repairs that need to be done. The recreation room needs new furniture and the washing machine is not level. All hands also were reminded to take care of the movies and tapes and secure them when not in use. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for a fine job. Next port: New York. S EA·LAND LI BERATOR (Sea-Land Service), March 22-Chairman A. J. Eckert; Secretary C. M. Modellas; Educational good crew. Compliments were given to the steward department on the quality and service of food. Payoff will be in Oakland upon arrival March 26. At that time Capt. A. J. Sutter will retire after 25 years sailing for Sea-Land. Members extended best wishes to him on his retirement. Next port: Long Beach, Calif. ULTRAMAR (American Maritime Crewing Co.), March 2-Chairman A. P. Blaunsot; Secretary Jesse Thrasher Jr.; Educational Director D. Dobbins; Deck Delegate Stanley W. Parker; Engine Delegate Steve W. Bigelow. Some clarification was requested in the deck department pertaining to tank cleaning overtime. The crew rejoined the Ultramar following a 10-day layup in the Singapore shipyard. Very few repairs were completed in the galley, crew rooms, showers and messhalls. The chair- Official ships minutes also were received from the following vessels: ADOllS PORTWIO PRIDE Of TEXAS AMERICAll CORllORAIT ROYER AURmA ST.LOUIS ALTAIR COURIER CAGUAS COVE lllERTY COISTITUTIOI GREAT LAID l•PDDEICE 1.118 LEO llAUI MOIU PAllU IEWARI OMI CllAMPIOI OMI CllAR&ER OMI SACRAMEITO OMI WABASH OVERSEAS UTAUE SALERIUM SAM HOUSTOll SAi PEDRO SEA-WO COISUMER SEA-WO EXPRESS SEA-WO FREEDOM SEA-WO LEADER SEA-WO MARIB SEA-WO PACER SEA-W VEITURE SEA-WO VOYAGER 2nd LT. JOHii P. BOBO SEIATOR SUGAR ISi.AiDER THOMPSOI PASS ULTRASEA Monthly Membership Meetings Port Date Deep Sea Lakes, Inland Waters Piney Point . . . ........... Monday, June 2 .. . . . .. . .. . ........... 10:30 a.m. New York .. ... . .. . . .. . . .Tuesday, June 3 ........... .... ... . .. 10:30 a.m . Philadelphia ........ . . .... Wednesday, June 4 . .. .. .. ..... . .... . . 10:30 a.m. Baltimore .... . ... . .... . .. Thursday, June 5 .... . .... .. .... . . .. .. 10:30 a.m. Norfolk .... . ......... ... Thursday, June 5 .. ....... . . . . . ....... 10:30 a.m. Jacksonville .............. Thursday, June 5 ...... . .............. 10:30 a .m. Algonac ................. Friday, June 6 .............. . ........ 10:30 a. m. Houston ........ .. ....... Monday, June 9 ...................... 10:30 a. m. New Orleans ............. Tuesday, June IO ......... . ..... . .... 10:30 a. m. Mobile .................. Wednesday, June 11 .................. 10:30 a.m. San Francisco ............ Thursday, June 12 .................... 10:30 a.m . Wilmington .............. Monday, June 16 ..................... 10:30 a.m. Seattle .................. Friday, June 20 ...................... 10:30 a.m. San Juan ................ Thursday, June 5 . .................... 10:30 a.m. St. Louis ................ Friday, June 13 ...................... 10:30 a.m. Honolulu ................ Thursday, June 12 .................... 10:30 a.m. Duluth .................. Wednesday, June 11 .................. 10:30 a.m. Glouce ter ............... Tue day, June 17 .................... 10:30 a.m. Jersey City ............... Wedne day, June 18 .................. 10:30 a.m. May 1986 I LOG I 29 �CL L NP Directory of Ports -Company/Lakes -Lakes -Non Priority Dispatchers Report for Great Lakes APRIL 1-30, 1986 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP Port 70 21 5 34 18 4 11 6 2 88 25 9 Algonac ................... DECK DEPARTMENT 99 28 4 15 33 11 8 19 3 3 4 3 28 45 14 Totals All Departments.. . . . . . . 203 70 20 169 36 5 54 101 *"Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month. **"Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month. 31 Port Algonac ................... ENGINE DEPARTMENT 48 5 1 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 22 3 0 ENTRY DEPARTMENT 0 0 0 Port Algonac ................... Port Algonac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Drozak, President Ed Turner, Exec. Vice President Joe DIGlorglo, Secretary Leon Hall, Vice President Angua "Red" Campbell, Vice President Mike Sacco, Vice President Joe Sacco, Vice President George McCartney, Vice President Roy A. Mercer, Vice President **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP HEADQUARTERS Dispatchers Report for Deep Sea APRIL 1-30, 1986 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Graups Clan A Claa B TOTAL SHIPPED Class C Port Gloucester . .. ............... New York ................... Philadelphia ................. Baltimore ................... Norfolk ..................... Mobile ..................... New Orleans ................ Jacksonville ................. San Francisco ............... Wilmington .......... ... .... Seattle ..................... Puerto Rico ...... . .......... Honolulu ................... Houston .................... St. Louis ................... Piney Point .... . ............ Totals . .. ................... - Port Gloucester .. .. . .... .. . . ..... New York ......... ..... ..... Philadelphia . . .... ...... . .. .. Baltimore .. . . ... ....... ..... Norfolk .. ... . . . ......... . .. . Mobile ......... ....... ..... New Orleans ...... . . . . ...... Jacksonville . . ............ ... San Francisco ........ . ..... . Wilmington ................. Seattle ..................... Puerto Rico . ................ Honolulu ............ ... .... Houston ................ . ... St. Louis ................... Piney Point ................. Totals ...................... 1 55 6 12 22 6 49 42 35 17 42 0 7 35 0 0 329 2 10 3 7 11 2 7 14 13 9 11 0 18 8 0 2 117 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 8 All Groups Class A Class 8 Class C Reliefs DECK DEPARTMENT 1 1 0 31 6 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 13 9 0 3 2 0 4 33 0 28 8 2 4 0 25 22 7 0 27 6 0 0 0 0 11 5 0 26 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 1 5 2 10 4 14 5 12 3 0 0 216 67 2 0 4 28 0 1 202 1 7 1 0 6 1 10 3 8 4 9 0 10 3 0 0 63 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 5 0 13 0 2 4 3 21 18 12 7 14 0 6 14 0 1 115 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 5 0 3 0 0 0 2 9 0 0 0 0 2 0 33 2 Port Gloucester . . ................ New York .............. ..... Philadelphia ................. Baltimore ................... Norfolk .. ..... . ...... . .. . ... Mobile ...... . ........ ... ... New Orleans ................ Jacksonville ................. San Francisco ............... Wilmington .. ..... .......... Seattle ....... .. ............ Puerto Rico .. . . .. .. ...... ... Honolulu . .................. Houston .................... St. Louis ................... Piney Point ............ . .... Totals . .. . . ............ . .... 1 26 1 1 5 6 20 16 33 14 25 0 8 16 0 1 173 0 4 2 1 1 0 2 5 5 1 10 0 21 0 0 1 53 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 20 0 0 0 21 0 11 1 0 2 3 13 9 24 9 10 0 6 7 0 1 96 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 5 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 11 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 13 Port Gloucester .................. New York ............... . ... Philadelphia ................. Baltimore ................... Norfolk ..................... Mobile ..................... New Orleans ................ Jacksonville ................. San Francisco . ...... . ....... Wilmington ..... . . . ..... . ... Seattle ....... . ............. Puerto Rico ................. Honolulu ................... Houston . . .... . ...... . ... . .. St. Louis ................... Piney Point ...... ... ........ Totals ... ... ................ 0 19 2 2 7 3 23 7 39 17 24 0 4 17 0 0 164 1 40 2 7 11 3 0 5 1 2 2 0 14 11 19 0 4 249 0 1 0 0 0 0 11 0 2 0 1 0 196 1 0 0 212 9 0 7 9 0 0 89 Totals All Departments . . ...... 868 482 246 516 0 37 4 4 8 8 36 24 15 15 18 18 13 6 12 18 0 104 10 Trip 10 ENTRY DEPARTMENT 0 0 15 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 5 1 4 0 6 0 7 0 13 1 0 0 86 86 10 0 0 0 0 0 152 88 279 105 **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A Class B ClusC 5 113 9 15 26 15 104 71 56 32 65 0 8 18 8 11 18 2 16 23 21 11 9 1 26 10 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 4 61 12 59 0 3 585 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 6 2 7 4 1 2 3 0 0 30 1 94 9 7 15 16 69 49 40 27 44 1 5 48 0 3 428 2 13 2 1 12 4 12 7 14 7 11 0 10 7 0 0 102 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 7 0 0 1 14 0 3 0 0 1 0 3 2 14 2 2 1 47 3 0 0 78 1 45 3 3 15 12 36 22 76 18 42 1 5 23 0 1 303 0 6 2 2 2 1 5 7 9 3 14 1 32 1 0 2 87 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 34 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 54 5 3 20 4 40 15 93 32 45 1 8 22 0 1 343 8 82 7 9 20 13 31 30 23 23 43 1 133 11 0 6 439 0 4 0 0 0 1 20 6 4 1 4 0 304 1 0 0 345 169 1,659 814 405 0 0 1 186 10 •"Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month. **"Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month. Shipping in the month of April was down from the month of March. A total of 1,069 jobs were shipped on SIU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the 1,069 jobs shipped, 516 jobs or about 48 percent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were filled by "B" and "C" seniority people. A total of 169 trip relief jobs were shipped. Since the trip relief program began on April 1, 1982, a total of 2,805 jobs have been shipped. 30/ LOG I May 1986 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, Md. 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC, Mich. 520 St. Clair River Dr. 48001 (313) 794-4988 BALTIMORE, Md. 1216 E. Baltimore St. 21202 (301) 327-4900 CLEVELAND, Ohio 1290 Old River Rd. 44113 (216) 621-5450 DULUTH, Minn. 705 Medical Arts Building 55802 (218) 722-4110 GLOUCESTER, Mass. 11 Rogers St. 01930 (617) 283-1167 HONOLULU, Hawaii 636 Cooke St. 96813 (808) 523-5434 HOUSTON, Tex. 1221 Pierce St. (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. 3315 Liberty St. 32206 (904) 353-0987 JERSEY CITY, N.J. 99 Montgomery St. 07302 (201) 435-9424 MOBILE, Ala. 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 36605 (205) 478-0916 NEW BEDFORD, Mass. 50 Union St. 02740 (617) 997-5404 NEW ORLEANS, La. 630 Jackson Ave. 70130 (504) 529-7546 Toll Free: 1-800-325-2532 NEW YORK, N.Y. 675 4 Ave., Brooklyn 11232 (718) 499-6600 NORFOLK, Va. 115 Third St. 23510 (804) 622-1892 noo2 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 2604 S. 4 St. 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT, Md. St. Mary's County 20674 (301) 994-0010 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. 350 Fremont St. 94105 (415) 543-5855 SANTURCE, P.R. 1057 Fernandez Juncos St. Stop 16 00907 (809) 725-6960 SEATTLE, Wash. 2505 1 Ave. 98121 (206) 441-1960 ST. LOUIS, Mo. 4581 Gravois Ave. 63116 (314) 752-6500 SUBIC BAY, Rep. of Philippines 34 21 st St., W. Bajac Bajac Olongapo City C-2201 222-3533 WILMINGTON, Calif. 408 Avalon Blvd. 90744 (213) 549-4000 I �Policy Editorial Is There a Maritime Plan? O NE is a congressman who says he doesn't go in for "presidentbashing.'' The other is an active duty Navy officer who is sworn to carry out the orders of the commander-inchief. Yet both these men recently had harsh words for the state of the country's maritime policy and strategy. "I must sadly c-onclude that for whatever reason-whether it is ideology, obsession with cost or pure neglect-this president is not really concerned about the maritime industries of the United States," said Rep. Walter Jones (D-N.C.), chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. "Every organization needs policy objectives . . . The same is true of our maritime policy. The policy itself doesn't need changing, but the strategy necessary to achieve these objectives must be kept current," said Capt. Robert Kesteloot, director of Strategic Sealift for the Navy. While Jones is certainly beholden to no president, Kesteloot's remarks show that even military planners and thinkers find the current administration's policy seri9usly lacking. The captain said the country has a fine maritime policy-the Maritime Act of 1936. For years the SIU and other maritime groups have aid the same thing. The problem has been that no one in the government has been carrying out the programs outlined in the Act. What Kesteloot was saying, in effect, was that the Reagan administration must shoulder a large share of the responsibility for the decline of the U.S.-flag fleet because , after all , for the past six years they have had the obligation to carry out the policy set forth in the 1936 Act. They haven ' t. One of the major cornerstones of the Act is to provide a merchant fleet that can be counted on during times of national emergency to carry and supply our troops . One way to do that , according to the Act , is to support and provide for a healthy commercial merchant marine fleet. That is not being done today . " Facts are facts, " Kesteloot said. Indeed they are. Here are a few he cited: Ill" The loss of militarily-useful dry cargo ships has dropped 75 percent, from 575 to fewer than 200. Ill" We have lost 43 percent of our tanker fleet in the past 15 years. Ill" The fleets of our NATO allies have dropped similiarly. Ill" "Warsaw Pact countries drive to the war while U.S. troops must deploy across thousands of miles of ocean.'' Kesteloot said that if maritime policy were carried out, perhaps some of the problems the industry faces would not be so severe today. He cites Section 101 of the Act, "It is necessary for national defense and development of its foreign and domestic commerce that the United States shall have a merchant marine . . . '' According to Rep. Jones, here is what has been done to fulfill the act: ,,,.,, An end to Construction Differential Subsidies, (CDS); ,,,.,, Refusal to enter into new Operating Differential Subsidy contracts; ,,,.,, Request to repeal the Capital Construction Fund; ,,,.,, Plans to abolish the Title XI Program; ,,,.,, A major incursion into the Jones Act as a result of the CDS payback rule. What has been the result? The government has been forced to spend $5 .4 billion to augment military sealift capability. ''The really sad aspect of the president' s policy (or lack of it) is that he and his people assume that it is costfree. Well I'm here to say it is a delusion. It is not cost-free when the Defense Department has to pay $5 .4 bil1ion to augment its own sealift fleet because it can no longer rely on the private merchant marine for sealift in emergency . How can anyone say a dollar spent by the Defense Department is anymore cost-free than one spent by the Transportation Department?" Jones asked. Good question, Congressman . If the 1936 Merchant Marine Act is still the law of the land , then let's carry it out. If it means the return to old programs, fine. If it means new programs, fine again. Remember the law , " It is necessary for the national defense and the development of its foreign and domestic commerce that the United States shall have a merchant marine.' ' 'Airline Pilots Support Fishermen ... ' Over the years the Air Line Pilots Association has been involved in labor-management disputes, each involving different issues or circumstances, and we have enjoyed the support of many other labor unions. Certainly at the top of this list are our brothers and sisters of the Seafarers International Union, who have supported our various causes by walking our picket lines and contributing generously to our various strike funds. And now it is our turn! Please do us the honor of forwarding the enclosed contribution to our brothers and sisters who are on strike in New Bedford. I sincerely hope that our brothers and sisters in New Bedford know that they are not alone in this struggle and that we in the Air Line Pilots Association are supportive in seeing this crisis to a successful completion. Fraternally, Captain Bick Hundley ALPA AFL-CIO Coordinator 'Keep Up the Good Work ... ' I have recently returned to work from vacation. I just read the November LOG last night. The article concerning PPH [Preferred Provider Hospitals] was exceptionally interesting. In these days of outrageous medical prices, we really need some kind of plan like this. As you know, we the membership have already given our pay increases and our COLA increases to the Welfare Plan just to try to keep our medical plan operating. As I understand the article, this plan will reduce (to some extent) our overwhelming medical expenses. This was a great idea. Keep up the good work. An SIU member aboard an LNG vessel 'Remembering With the SIU ... ' It is not easy to be old and sick. Thanks to the SIU and our medical and pension plans, I'm doing O.K. I still remember my sailing days way back. Sincerely, Evald Kamm K-123 Astoria, N.Y. An Effective Counter-Terrorism Policy by Senator Patrick Leahy There is a new plague loose in the world and it threatens the most basic values of civilization. This 20th century virus is terrorism. Over the past year, there has been a continued increase in the violence directed against the United States by organized terrorists. During 1985 alone, 23 Americans were killed and 160 wounded by terrorists. The first line of defense is a determination not to let terrorists win any of their objectives. When forced to deal with them to save lives, there should never be abject capitulation. Though we cannot strike back blindly, we must reserve the right to use all legitimate means including force against those who commit terrorist outrages. What we need is an effective, consistent counterterrorist policy. In my view, there are four main ingredients for such a policy: 1. There must be good intelligence which permits deterrent or retaliatory action. Clearly, one of the main reasons it has not been possible to use force in past terrorist incidents is because precise intelligence has been lacking. But we are getting better. 2. The safety of Americans or of any innocent people must be the first consideration in a terrorist incident. Once the terrorists have seized their victims, it is almost certainly too late for the discriminate use of force. A rescue attempt makes sense only where the lives of the hostages are in imminent peril or where conditions are truly favorable for freeing the hostages without loss of their lives. 3. There must be carefully constructed military options tailored to specific situations. Surgical force is necessary. We are quickly developing impressive capabilities for this kind of counterterrorist action. But so far there have been limits on our ability to get these forces to a terrorist incident at the right time and in the right place with the vital information needed to conduct the operation. We can and must get better at this. 4. Perhaps the most important of all. there must be the will to act firmly, and this must be founded on a solid consensus among the president, Congress and the people. When the U.S. moves against terrorists, we do not need hesitations , second-guessing and partisan divisions. The key to such a consensus is agreement between Congress and the president. To date, this has not happened. Terrorism is going to be a menace to U.S. interests for many years to come. It is time the administration adopted a policy of another popular Republican president by "Walking softly and carrying a big stick." May 1986 I LOG I 31 �Independence Skipper Lauds Deck Crew for Dousing Ship's Fire in Laundry Capt. Robert K. Leopold of the SS Independence (American-Hawaii Cruises) recently sent letters of commendation to 18 Seafarers of the liner's deck crew Emergency Squad for their rapid and professional dousing of a smoky fire in the ship's laundry room without injuries or major damage. The honored crewmembers were: Bosun Thomas W. Lasater, Bosun Mate John T. Shepher, Carpenter Chris Curcio, Joiner Jeffrey Higgins , Supp/ Joiner William Anderson, ABs Bruce Greeley, William Daniels, James Walker, Brian O'Hanlon , Dana M. Cella, Pamela L. Taylor and Richard S. DeMont, ABs/Maint. Charles Spence, Douglas A. Hodges Herbert K. W. Won and Henry Scott , OS/ Maint. Charles Williams and 2/E Robert A. Deane The letters from the captain read: "On the morning of March 5, 1986, a fire broke out in the ship's laundry . Despite heavy smoke and adverse conditions, you responded immediately and effectively. As a direct result of your efforts, the fire was contained. There were no injuries and damage was minimal. "On the morning of March 12, 1986, you again responded , this time for a Coast Guard evaluation of the ship's Emergency Squad incident to their APL's Washington in Oakland Four of the six members of the Washington's steward department (I. tor.) are Assistant Cook James Price, Steward Assistant Tommy Belvin, Steward Assistant Leonardo Sinisi, (with Patrolman Gentry Moore) and Steward Utility Peter Lup. quarterly inspection of the ship. Your response to a simulated fire in the "Purple Palace" was again rapid and thoroughly professional, prompting the Coast Guard inspector to favorably comment on the organization and professionalism of the ship's Erner- gency Squad. ''The foregoing are evidence of a high state of training, readiness and dedication on your part. The ship, its guests , and its crew are safer as a result of your excellence. Well doneand thank you for your efforts.'' New T-5 Matthiesen in Florida Here is part of the Matthiesen's steward department (I. to r.) Steward/Baker George Luke, Chief Cook Mike Meany and Steward Assistant David Bond. ,'I~ .:~I' • it :::··:··:" . :· ·.:...' · ~ . .::. :. t.:.m;, Steward Assistant Liza Sainz. 32 I LOG I May 1986 The Richard G. Matthiesen is one of five new T-5 tankers scheduJed for long-term charter to the MSC. Operated by Ocean Carriers Inc., the Matthiesen crewed earlier this year. Above is part of that original crew (I. to r.) Chief Cook Michael Meany, AB Robert Grubbs, AB Roan Lightfoot, AB Nickolas Zervos, SA David Bond, SA Lisa Sainz, QMED Robert Caldwell, Steward/Baker George Luke, QEP Jimmie Nicholson, AB Randy Dole, Bosun Jack Rhodes, QMED Donzell Bush, UDE Willie Thigpen, AB Frankie Rediker and Patrolman James B. Koesy. Chief Cook Jimmy Ramlan (left) and Assistant Port Steward Jake Dusich pose in the Washington's galley. Dusich is a former SIU official. Bob Pomerlane Honored by 'Day' In a proclamation, Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer designated April 24, 1986 (Bob's birthday) as "Robert 'Rabbit' Pomerlane Day" in the port city. Patrolman Pomerlane (a post he has held since 1972) was also honored that night with presentations from Maryland U.S. Reps. Barbara Mikulski and Helen Delich Bentley, State House Speaker Ben Cardin and three Baltimore councilmen. Brother Pomerlane joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1953. The mayor' s proclamation said in part: ". . . Baltimore's own Robert Pomerlane is a shining example of a leader who has always been committed to people . . . Born in the town which he has come to cherish and which, by the way, has also come to cherish him, Bob was reared in Fell's Point . . . and as an active youngster he acquired the nickname of ''Rabbit'' while playing sandlot softball. " ... His courage, wisdom and superior athletic capabilities . . . were demonstrated early on when he defeated the heavyweight champion of Bainbridge while in Navy bootcamp, and he went on to distinguish himself as a highly-acclaimed and greatly-feared Golden Gloves champion and unbeaten professional fighter . . . ''For more than four decades Bob "Rabbit" Pomerlane has played a key role in helping to carry out the noble principles of the renowned Seafarers International Union and is heralded the world over as a devoted international representative and political consultant ... " � 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 1980-1989 Description An account of the resource Volumes XLII-LI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993; Seafarers Log Scanned Issues 1984-1988, 1994-Present 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 May 1986 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES DROZAK UNVEILS MERGER PLAN TO BOOST MARITIME LABOR IMPROVED SAFETY WOULD LOWER FISHING INSURANCE PREFERENCE SHARE JUMPS UNION JOIN FORCES AT MARITIME BILLS’ HEARING WEST COAST SEAFARERS MARCH AGAINST APARTHEID DROZAK UNVEILS MERGER PLAN TO BOOST MARITIME LABOR DARK CLOUDS SEEN LIFTING OVER INLAND LINES ASC BOWLERS COP TOURNEY TITLE ORIGINAL THIRD, SECOND ASSISTANT ENGINEER (INSPECTED MOTOR VESSEL) COURSES PREPARE SIU MEMBERS FOR ADVANCEMENT, AND HIGHER PAY SEAFARERS RETIREMENT PROGRAM OPENS RAMIREZ FAMILY ENJOYS COMFORTS OF SHLSS CHOOSE A UNION LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE CO. -AT&T (CWAU) MORE DOD CARGOES FOR U.S. FLAG SHIPS FITOUT- WINTER’S END FOR SIU LAKERS SIU IN WASHINGTON MARITIME OVERHAUL OIL PRICES DELTA QUEEN JAPANESE CARS, BILATERAL TREATIES BUILD AND CHARTER TUNA AMERICA HITS LIBYA FOR ITS ROLE IN PROMOTING TERRORISM WHAT IS THE EUSC DOCTRINE? ASSIGNMENT OF MARINERS U.S.-P.I. FRIENDSHIP AFFIRMED ITF MEETS IN GENEVA SIU WINS RUNAWAY FLAG FIGHT KENYA: A GREAT PLACE TO SHOP! IS THERE A MARITIME PLAN? AN EFFECTIVE COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICY INDEPENENCE SKIPPER LAUDS DECK CREW FOR DOUSING SHIP’S FIRE IN LAUNDRY BOB POMERLANE HONORED BY ‘DAY’ Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Scanned Issues 1984-1988, 1994-Present 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 5/1/1986 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. 48, No. 5 1986 Periodicals Seafarers Log