http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/10338d970c7984fd719fd601aaa603ef.pdf 21e2952bbcbbba37155a074ce52e7e74 PDF Text Text MAY F E B2015 RUARY 2014 77O NO. 5 V O L U M EVOLUME 76 o N . 2 TOTE Launches 1st LNG-Powered Containership Historic Christening at General Dynamics NASSCO Signals New SIU Jobs The SIU took part in the historic christening of the world’s first LNG-powered containership: TOTE’s Isla Bella (photo at rar right), launched April 18 at General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. Sophie Sacco, wife of SIU President Michael Sacco, served as the vessel sponsor. She and the SIU president are shown in photo at immediate right; General Dynamics NASSCO President Fred Harris is also in the top photo as Sophie breaks the ceremonial bottle of champagne. Page 3. More New Jobs for Seafarers on the Way The first of four Crowley Maritime Corporation product tankers – the Ohio – recently was launched at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. Delivery of the SIU-contracted vessel is scheduled for August. The vessels are being constructed with consideration for the use of LNG for propulsion in the future. Finance Committee Meets Page 2 Seafarers Showcase Skills Page 4 ‘Sail-In’ a Success Pages 12-13 �General Dynamics NASSCO Starts Construction on Jones Act Tanker President’s Report Christening Reflects Success, Hope The christening of TOTE’s first LNG-powered containership last month in San Diego truly was a spectacular event. The sights and sounds of the busy shipyard and new vessel, the enthusiasm of the big crowd, and the powerful remarks from guest speakers during the ceremony all made for a memorable night. New-tonnage stories are always my favorite, but I had an extra interest in this one. My wife, Sophie, served as the vessel’s sponsor, and she did a great job with her remarks and with breaking the ceremonial bottle. (Really, aside from a winning locker room, how many chances do we have to drench people with champagne and get complimented for it?) The choice of a maritime union president’s wife as a ship sponsor is a big deal. It reflects the true partnership that exists with the SIU and our vessel operators – in this case, TOTE, whom we’ve worked with since Michael Sacco the company’s founding back in the 1970s. I also think the varied backgrounds of the guest speakers as well as others in attendance underscore the collective, industry-wide effort to revitalize every component of maritime. When labor and management, the military and our government are all pushing for the U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. shipbuilding, we’re a formidable team. That’s what was on display at the christening, which took place at a union shipyard: General Dynamics NASSCO. And we had a lot to celebrate together – first and foremost (for me) the jobs created and sustained by this new-build program. The environmentally friendly technology is important, too, as is the fact that these Marlin Class vessels will sail in the Jones Act trade. Seafarers know how important the Jones Act is to America’s national and economic security. This new ship is further proof that the Jones Act works, and it helps keep America working. It helps sustain the manpower pool of shipbuilders and seafarers who are so critical to our national security. It brings state-of-the-art tonnage into the American-flag fleet. And it gives everyone in our industry greater hopes for a bright future and a true revitalization of the U.S. Merchant Marine. Something that wasn’t widely reported after the launch, but that’s also noteworthy, is that the vessel and her sister ship are being financed through the Title XI shipbuilding loan guarantee program. As the U.S. Maritime Administration puts it, the agency’s Title XI program “promotes the growth and modernization of U.S. shipyards and the U.S. Merchant Marine by ensuring that American vessels are manufactured in American shipyards by American workers.” That’s a winning formula, especially when considering the fact that the program guarantees the repayment of loans. Again, it was a great night and a clear example that our industry not only can survive, it can flourish. Annual Sail-In Nearly a month before the christening, our industry was out in force for the annual Congressional Maritime Sail-In, as we delivered our message on Capitol Hill. Although our friends in Congress already know how critical our industry is to national and economic security, the Sail-In gives our people a chance to reinforce support while also presenting our issues to newly elected members on both sides of the aisle. One key topic this time was the U.S. Export-Import Bank. The bottom line is, unless Congress acts to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, the 80-year-old program will disappear. Congress’ indecision about Ex-Im may be brought about from misinformation they’ve been led to believe. The facts are, first of all, the Ex-Im Bank is not a uniquely American institution. At least 60 other countries have similar programs, though not all are self-sustaining like ours. Another common misconception is that Ex-Im loans only help big companies. That argument couldn’t be more wrong. Nearly 90 percent of Ex-Im transactions in 2014 were in support of small businesses. Lastly, and this point can’t be made enough, the Ex-Im Bank is not a drain on the economy. It is self-sustaining, costing taxpayers nothing, and has contributed nearly $2 billion dollars towards paying down the national debt. As I mentioned last month, the SIU and our allies are fighting for this program, which is good for the country. FEBRUARY 2014 VOLUME 76 Volume 77 Number 5 o NO. 2 May 2015 The SIU online: www.seafarers.org ‘ECO’ Ships Mean New Jobs for Seafarers, Boost Environmental Safety General Dynamics NASSCO, a union shipyard, on April 2 signaled the start of construction of a third “ECO” tanker to be built for an affiliate of American Petroleum Tankers (APT) during a steel-cutting ceremony at the San Diego facility. As previously reported in the Seafarers LOG, this vessel (to be named Garden State), along with its two predecessors and still-to-come pair of sister ships will be managed by Seafarers-contracted Crowley Maritime when completed and will sail in the Jones Act trade. Deliveries are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2015 and continue through 2016. The new tankers have been described as innovate and energy-efficient. Each of the five 50,000 deadweight-ton product carriers to be constructed by NASSCO will be LNG-conver- sion ready, with a cargo capacity of 330,000 barrels. Each will be 610 feet long. According to the shipyard, the ECO design also incorporates environmental protection features, including a ballast water treatment system. “This is an exciting time in the U.S. maritime industry,” said Parker Larson, director of commercial programs for NASSCO. “These Jones Act product tankers demonstrate implementation of state-of-the-art design technologies that achieve world-leading fuel efficiencies and also represent new jobs in our shipyard.” The five-tanker contract is instrumental in helping to sustain and grow NASSCO’s workforce of nearly 3,800. NASSCO began construction on the first tanker under the current contract in September 2014. “We are very pleased to be commencing construction of our third ECO Class tanker at NASSCO,” said Rob Kurz, APT president. “These world class vessels will be a welcome addition to the APT fleet as we continue to strive toward providing our customers with the highest level of service.” The Jones Act requires that waterborne cargo moving between domestic ports be carried aboard ships that are crewed, built, owned and flagged American. On the books since 1920, the law traditionally has enjoyed strong bipartisan support while boosting U.S. national and economic security. Additionally, the Jones Act is responsible for maintaining nearly 500,000 American jobs while pumping billions of dollars into the economy. Finance Committee Approves 2014 Records A group of rank-and-file Seafarers in early April reviewed and approved the union’s financial records for 2014. The members handled their tasks in accordance with Article X, Section 14-c of the SIU Constitution, which lists the duties of the annual financial committee along with rules and procedures for electing the group. This year’s committee was elected at the April membership meeting in Piney Point, Maryland. That same week, they travelled to SIU headquarters in Camp Springs, Maryland, where they reviewed the union’s financial records for the previous calendar year. After closely examining that paperwork, the committee completed a report that will be read in all ports and presented for approval at the union’s May membership meetings. The report also has been submitted to the secretary-treasurer’s office. Serving on the committee were John Wells (chairman), Archie Eldridge Jr., Sherman Hudson, Donald Lumpkins, Daniel Marcus, Robert Ott, Timothy Pillsworth and (sitting in as an alternate) Thomas Cyrus. In its report, the committee stated, “We do hereby state that we have examined the procedure for controlling of the funds of the union and have found that the system of internal control is adequate to safeguard them properly…. We find that the headquarters of the union is taking all steps possible to safeguard union funds and to see that the disbursements of the union are in accordance with the authority delegated to them and that, at the same time, there is a striving effort to increase day-to-day efficiency of our operation.” Committee members fill out some preliminary paperwork (photo above) before digging into the financial records, and then gather for a group photo (below) as they finish their work. Pictured from left in the posed shot are (seated) Daniel Marcus, Thomas Cyrus, Timothy Pillsworth, Robert Ott, (standing) John Wells, Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel, Sherman Hudson, Donald Lumpkins, Archie Eldridge Jr. and Asst. VP Ambrose Cucinotta. The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Misty Dobry; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2015 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. 2 Seafarers LOG Reversed to White Reversed to White May 2015 �SIU Participates in Historic Christening SIU officials were on hand April 18 for the historic christening of TOTE’s LNG-powered, Seafarers-contracted containership Isla Bella in San Diego – and Sophie Sacco, the wife of SIU President Michael Sacco, served as the vessel’s sponsor. Among the SIU officials who attended the ceremony at General Dynamics NASSCO were President Sacco and Vice President West Coast Nick Marrone. More than 3,400 gathered to watch the launch of the 764-foot-long ship. Vessel owner TOTE, in partnership with General Dynamics NASSCO, celebrated the completion of the first of two Marlin Class containerships headed to Puerto Rico later this year. According to TOTE, the use of LNG as a marine fuel in the U.S. defines a major shift for the industry. That use is expected to prove very beneficial for the environment. In his remarks at the ceremony, Anthony Chiarello, president and CEO of TOTE noted, “Building the Marlins has been about change as well as bold and innovative thinking. NASSCO and our other partners have enabled us to build these ships that reflect our commitment to the environment and doing what is right.” U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California), chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, provided the keynote address. “America’s maritime industry is critical not just for the economic benefits, but for national security purposes as well,” he said. “With the launch of the world’s first natural gas-powered containership, NASSCO and TOTE prove that American shipbuilders and American ships can lead the industry in innovation, and it is my hope that American shipbuilders and oper- Guests gather for the vessel launch. (Photo courtesy General Dynamics NASSCO) ators can continue to build upon this success.” Gen. Paul Selva, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, also spoke. “This first Marlin Class ship exemplifies the technology and innovation that the United States is known for,” he said. “It also highlights the commitment of companies like TOTE to supporting the U.S. military and maritime sector that is vitally important to our national defense.” “The launch of the Isla Bella signals a very significant milestone for the thousands of men and women at NASSCO,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO (a union shipyard). “Not only does it commemorate NASSCO’s 100th ship launch, it validates NASSCO’s capability to break new ground in green ship technology and lead in the design, construction, and conversion of ships to take advantage of the economic and environmental benefits of LNG.” The chairman of Saltchuk, TOTE’s parent company, Mark Tabbutt thanked the many partners who worked on the new generation of containership: “We especially want to thank the hundreds of men and women that did the real work – the welding, the piping, the lifting, the planning, the electrical, the designing, the logistics, the painting, and all the other work that went into making these ships a reality.” He went on to recognize the support of the U.S. Maritime Administration and NASSCO for their long-term partnership. The ship’s name, Isla Bella, was selected from a contest hosted in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico. Isla Bella translates to beautiful island in English and will serve as a reminder of the cultural and economic significance of the SIU President Michael Sacco speaks during a social gathering following the historic containership christening. ships for future generations. The Isla Bella will enter service in the fourth quarter of 2015 between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The second Marlin Class vessel will be launched in the third quarter of 2015 and will enter service in the first quarter of 2016. Visit our Facebook page and the image gallery section of the SIU website for additional photos from the christening. Maersk Line, Limited Continues Fleet Upgrade AB Eddie Ebanks Recertified Bosun Rafael Pereira GUDE Joaquin Martinez May 2015 SIU-contracted Maersk Line, Limited continues to replace some of its older vessels with newer tonnage – including the Maersk Kensington, which recently reflagged under the Stars and Stripes. The Kensington replaced the Sealand Intrepid, and is expected to sail in the Middle East container line trade. These photos were taken March 17 while the Kensington was in Houston. AB Desta Gebrai, SA Diana House, AB Pascal Masanilo, Recertified Steward Cleto Lindong, Chief Cook Cezar Avila Seafarers LOG 3 �USTRANSCOM Commander Backs Mariners, Jones Act Gen. Paul Selva Commander, USTRANSCOM The commanding officer of the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) recently reiterated his strong support for the U.S. Merchant Marine and for a key maritime law named the Jones Act. Gen. Paul Selva spoke at an April 14 forum just outside the nation’s capital, hosted by U.S. Maritime Administrator Chip Jaenichen. The gathering featured leaders from the military, Congress and various components of the maritime industry. Participants included U.S. Reps. John Garamendi (D-California) and Joe Courtney (D-Connecticut); Crowley Maritime Corporation CEO Tom Crowley and Maersk Line, Limited CEO/ President Russell Bruner. During a discussion about implementing a national maritime strategy, Selva – who as head of USTRANSCOM oversees a vast network of aircraft, ships, vehicles and trains that move weapons and other materiel both Seafarers Showcase Superb Training, Grit During Massive At-Sea Refurishment Project Seafarers are the best-trained mariners in the world. This often-referenced fact was affirmed once again in mid March by SIU crew members aboard the USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus when they beat the odds to accomplish a highly problematic mission. With the Lummus (operated by Maersk Line, Limited) in open-sea anchorage in the waters off of Saipan, vessel Master David Hagner requested that members of his crew perform a daunting task: overhaul the vessel’s six-sheave assemblies of four separate 39-ton Hagglund cargo crane jibs. In terms of size, these assemblies are about the dimension of four large stacked/spaced semitruck tires, but with the weight of high tensile steel, according to Hagner. Put succinctly, the assemblies were extremely heavy and potentially harmful. As part of the overhaul, each assembly had to be delicately lowered from and hoisted to a tight enclosure as an assembled unit on a pitching/rolling ship. The task as a whole involved several crucial elements: extensive chain fall rigging, skillful support crane operation, constant attention to safety and strong spot leadership. “Rather than grumble that the project was traditionally suited for a ship repair workforce in a harbor-protected facility, our SIU crew threw themselves into the job as an opportunity to experience something different and valuable,” wrote Hagner in a letter describing the open-sea refurbishment to John Hoskins, SIU port agent in Guam. “They listened to and shared our concern for the bigger picture: how the project affected the ship’s mission readiness and customer expectations, how visible its success or failure would be and how critical it was to see the job though promptly without any injuries or equipment damage.” The overhaul project was successfully concluded April 2 when the final crane was stowed and the Lummus immediately went to 4 Seafarers LOG standby engines for an overnight transit to Guam. The Lummus entered Apra Harbor the following morning where it raised the cranes and took on fuel and other provisions. On April 4, proof weight tests were successfully performed on the last two cranes that were overhauled and the vessel was readied for its scheduled departure for a 30-day sea transit and participation in Exercise African Lion 2015 in Agadir, Morocco. During the work phase of the undertaking, crew members “shared our frustration at the inevitable parts and weather delays and they shared our satisfaction watching the reassembled cranes lift off of their dunnage supports under the pull of their own wires,” Hagner said in his letter. “They (members of the crew) endured random call-outs and late hours to meet repair milestones and provided fire watch while our welders renewed the structural steel supporting the shaves. “We are immensely proud of our SIU crew here on the Lummus,” Captain Hagner concluded, “and this project made them even better.” Hagner lauded the following crew members for a job well done: Bosun Victor Sahagon, AB/Relief Bosun Jerald Martinez, ABs Hector Regaldo, Matthes Bailer, Bryan Howell, Renee Cannady, Lloyd “Barry” La Beach, Julio Martinez and Sterling MCosh. Also cited were Ordinary Seamen Roger “Alex” Attanasio, Clifford Christopher and Edward Copeland Jr.; QMED/Electrician Jonathan Tucker, QMED/Pumpman Richard Digman, QMEDS Randy Corey, Keith McIntosh, and Brian Jackson; and GUDEs Carlos Arzua-Flores and Rodney Carr. The captain also commended Storekeepers Renee Clayton and Fred Rufo for their logistical support; and Steward/Baker Harlan Alonzo, Chief Cook Erik Loret, and SAs Mario Siclot, Casey Pearson, Rey Baluyot and Ferdinand Charite for keeping his entire “Dream Team” well fed. in times of peace and war – was asked about his support of the Jones Act. He replied, “I am an ardent supporter of the Jones Act. [It] supports a viable shipbuilding industry, cuts costs and produces 2,500 qualified mariners. Why would we tamper with that?” The Jones Act requires domestic cargo to be moved on ships that are crewed, built, owned and flagged American. Although the Jones Act fleet consists of privately owned vessels, many are militarily useful, and the law also helps sustain a pool of reliable, welltrained, U.S. citizen mariners. Many of those individuals also sail aboard ships that mobilize in support of our troops. At the forum, Selva also talked about how maintaining a strong U.S. Merchant Marine helps protect American independence. “When we get to the issue of national sovereignty [and] the capacity to use the national defense capabili- ties of the nation to impose our will as necessary on an enemy, that demands that we have access to a viable pool of merchant mariners who can crew those ships, who will make us successful,” he stated. “So finding a way to a strategy that says we value what the merchant mariners bring to the nation ... if we can find a congressional solution to build that manpower, I am all for it. “My concern is that we still need to meet the requirements of an economically viable, militarily useful pool of ships and experienced mariners who are proven,” he continued. “That will make us successful in wartime. So as we commit as a nation to put our forces into harm’s way, we better be ready to deploy and sustain them with the tools of war that will make them successful. The men and women that do that are largely the men and women who volunteer to be part of our merchant marine.” SIU Active in ‘Military2Maritime’ Event Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (at podium) kicks off the event in Norfolk, Virginia. The union and its affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education helped ensure the success of the latest “Military2Maritime” job fair, which took place March 31 in Norfolk, Virginia. Representatives of the SIU and the school participated in the popular event, which attracted more than 500 guests. It was the latest in an ongoing series of gatherings across the country aimed at helping U.S. military veterans find work in the maritime industry. Representatives from all segments of the industry were on hand for the American Maritime Partnership-sponsored day. Paul Hall Center Instructor Mike Mason, SIU VP Government Services Kermett Mangram SIU Representative Sam Spain (left) and VP Kermett Mangram (second from left) chat with some of the guests. May 2015 �SIU of Canada Continues Push to Preserve Jobs AFL-CIO, Canadian Labor Congress Promote Trade Deals that Work for All A recent oil spill in Vancouver’s English Bay has become a real-life example of what the Seafarers International Union of Canada has been saying since the first discussions about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA): It only takes one mistake to cause irreversible damage to the environment. On April 8, the Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier Marathassa began leaking bunker oil into the waters of Vancouver, requiring emergency crews to attempt to contain and clean the spill. While the majority of the oil was recovered, the incident reflects what the SIU of Canada, Canadian Maritime & Supply Chain Coalition (CMSCC), and Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) warned the Canadian government could happen if they allowed exceptions to Canadian cabotage laws. “The SIU of Canada is outraged that the Conservative Government is risking the St. Lawrence River’s and Great Lakes’ fragile ecosystem in the name of trade,” said SIU of Canada President Jim Given, who also chairs the CMSCC. He also pointed out that within CETA’s maritime provisions, exploited and overworked foreign crew, unfamiliar with Canada’s fragile ecosystem, would be allowed to operate between two Canadian ports – trade previously reserved for Canadian-flagged, Canadian-crewed vessels. CETA not only threatens Canadian cabotage laws, and therefore thousands of good-paying middle class jobs, but also the safety and security of Canadian wa- terways, Given said. “Foreign crews often lack the skills needed to operate in Canada’s confined waterways and struggle to meet our rigid safety standards. The government of Canada is taking a huge chance with the pristine waters of the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes,” continued Given. “Foreign vessels and crew have no vested interest in the protection of our waterways. They do not live or raise their families here, nor do they rely on these waters exclusively like Canadian seafarers do.” “This is exactly why domestic shipping must remain a Canadian industry,” said Peter Lahay, Vancouver-based national coordinator for the International Transport Workers’ Federation. “In our hands, such a catastrophic event is unlikely to occur, and if it did, the owner of the ship is right down the street. They have a stake in their community. Most importantly, we know who they are. They’re not some slipperynumbered company in the Cayman Islands, Panama or Cyprus.” Less than two weeks prior to the spill in Vancouver, the CLC and the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) issued a joint statement calling for modification of potential rules in three pending trade deals involving the United States, Canada or both: CETA, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The statement called on governments to put citizens first when discussing potential trade agree- U.S. Representative Garamendi Supports America’s Shipbuilders U.S. Congressman John Garamendi (DCalifornia), an ardent backer of the American maritime industry, recently called for expansion of U.S. shipbuilding. Garamendi, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, spoke April 9 at the Bay Planning Coalition’s 2015 Decision Makers Conference in Oakland, California. He primarily focused on shipbuilding – a key component of U.S. national and economic security – but also touched on other maritime topics. “We’re not building big ships in the United States except for the U.S. Navy. These are strategic national assets,” he said. In addition, he voiced his support for the Jones Act and the Surface Transportation SIU Asst. VP Nick Celona (left) is pictured with U.S. Rep. John Garamendi at a recent transportation forum. May 2015 Act, which he said should be modeled after President Barack Obama’s GROW America Act. The representative also explained that he is always urging Congress to better support the U.S. Merchant Marine, through introducing new legislation and defending existing laws. He then spoke about the role in emerging export markets that the American-flag fleet should play. “What if we recognized that the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG), when and where deemed appropriate, provides us with a unique opportunity to rebuild the American shipbuilding industry and strengthen our U.S. Merchant Marine,” he said. “When we export LNG, we need to make sure that the export of this natural asset is being conducted by American sailors on American ships. In doing so, we will revitalize America’s shipbuilding industry in a big way.” Garamendi in December co-authored the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014, which was signed into law. Within the legislation were requirements that the Department of Transportation encourage the maximum amount of LNG exporting on ships that are built, crewed and flagged American. During his remarks in Oakland, the congressmen intimated that the road to revitalization undoubtedly would involve plenty of challenges. But, he stated, “We have an opportunity to make sure that a very significant part of the American economy has an opportunity to blossom and grow – not just the shipyards – but the entire supply chain: electronics, engines, and more.” He concluded with a call for support of U.S. shipbuilding: “We’re going to build in America and make it in America....What I need from all of you is your interest and support in building the American shipbuilding industry. If any of you would like to join me in this effort, let me know.” ments, ahead of profits. It read in part, “[We] support and welcome trade and economic policies that create good, family-wage jobs, strengthen protection for internationally recognized labor rights (including freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining), protect our environment, and promote shared prosperity and a virtuous cycle of rising wages and rising demand. “Having lived through NAFTA and its progeny for 20 years, we also know the danger of destructive economic rules that expand the rights and privileges of multinational corporations at the expense of working families, communities, and the environment. Neoliberal economic policies, including many of the rules enshrined in NAFTA and the World Trade Organization, have promoted a race to the bottom in terms of wages, labor rights, environmental protection, and public interest regulation…. “Of the rules tilted against labor and for global capital in these proposed agreements, one of the most egregious is investor-to-state dispute settlement, or ISDS. ISDS provides extraordinary legal rights to foreign investors so that they can seek taxpayer reimbursement for losses to expected profits from laws, regulations, administrative decisions or virtually any other government measure. The rights protected go far beyond traditional property rights and its private tribunals are staffed not by professional jurists sworn to promote the public interest, but by for-profit attorneys, many of whom represent investors when they are not sitting in judgment.  The U.S. and Canada first incorporated this separate but unequal system into a comprehensive trade deal in NAFTA, Jim Given President, SIU of Canada and today, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are each in the top 11 most-challenged nations under the ISDS system. Such extreme rights to challenge democracy are not good for domestic businesses (which cannot use this private justice mechanism), not good for citizens (who may see popular policies withdrawn by governments in order to avoid adverse judgments), and not good for rule of law (which is undermined by the separate parallel system for foreign investors only).” Remembering Senator Inouye SIU President Michael Sacco (right in photo above, left in photo below) recently was interviewed at the union’s headquarters for an extensive project honoring the legacy of the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, a decades-long friend of the SIU who passed away in 2012. Dr. Brien Williams (also shown in both photos) conducted the interview on behalf of the Daniel K. Inouye Institute. More information is available online at http://danielkinouyeinstitute.org/ Seafarers LOG 5 �Belize residents await surgery aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Tomarius Roberts) USNS Comfort on Global Mission of Assistance Seafarers and U.S. military personnel aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort have mobilized for a global humanitarian mission that’s expected to last six months. Operation Continuing Promise 15 (CP15) includes members of the SIU Government Services Division along with units from every branch of the armed forces. It began April 1 when the vessel left Miami; a ceremony took place April 10 when the Comfort made its first stop, in Belize City. According to the U.S. Navy, CP-15 will “focus on the efforts of the United States and our partner nations to improve our collective capacity with regards to medical, engineering, veterinary and humanitarian assistance activities.” The schedule includes 11 mission stops in Latin American and Caribbean nations – among them Belize, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama. The ship also will visit Dominica and Honduras for the first time. In announcing the kickoff, the Navy reported this is the first Continuing Promise since 2011. The primary focus will be medi- Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Hillgrass, an anesthesiologist, prepares a patient for surgery aboard the vessel on April 11. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lance Hartung) Health Insurance Lapses May be Costly Individuals who lost their health insurance coverage in 2014, or didn’t have insurance, may have been in for a surprise when filing taxes. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there are potential monetary penalties for people without health insurance. Even if a person had coverage through part of the year, if it lapsed at any point for more than two months, he or she may be assessed a fee based on income level and number of dependents. However, a person may be exempt from the coverage requirements if any of the following are true: n The individual is part of a religion which is opposed to acceptance of benefits from a health insurance policy. 6 Seafarers LOG n The person is incarcerated. n He or she is a member of a Native American tribe. n The individual’s income is below the threshold for filing a tax return ($10,000 for an individual, $20,000 for a family) n The person has to pay more than 8 percent of his or her income for health insurance, after taking into account any employer contributions or tax credits. n The person is not legally present in the U.S. As part of the initiative to make sure everyone gets health insurance, the penalties will increase each year. For 2014 taxes, according to the White House, the penalty is either one percent of a person’s cal, dental, veterinary and engineering missions ashore. Teams will provide a variety of services in each country visited. “We expect to serve over 133,000 patients, performing over 1,000 surgeries aboard USNS Comfort and over 800 subject matter expert exchanges,” the Navy noted. The Comfort features specialized medical equipment and is staffed by military and civilian health care providers. CP-15 will allow for sharing of the best practices between subject matter experts, making available the most effective, economical treatments to regional medical teams. Working with the crew of the Comfort will be a 50-person volunteer medical team from the group Operation Smile. The team includes plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, dentists and speech therapist, who will work side-by-side with the Navy to pro- vide free cleft surgery to 400 patients during the mission. “Just as in previous years’ missions, the goal is to increase unity, security and stability by fostering strong partnerships and working as a team to improve the lives of thousands of men, women and children from these countries,” said Rear Adm. George Ballance, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet. At the ceremony, Capt. Sam Hancock, CP-15 mission commander, stated, “On behalf of the over 1,000 crew members aboard Comfort, I would like to thank everyone for welcoming us to Belize. We are excited to meet, interact and provide medical, dental, veterinary and engineering services to the people of Belize while working alongside our Belizean counterparts.” The Seafarers-crewed USNS Comfort prepares to depart Miami for its sixth-month mission. (Photo by Raymond Sarracino, U.S. Southern Command) yearly household income, or $95 per person ($47.50 per child under 18), whichever is higher. As calculated by the IRS, the maximum penalty amount is $2,448 per individual, or $12,240 for a family with five or more children. This year, if a person still doesn’t have coverage, the penalties will be either two percent of yearly income, or $325 per person (162.50 per child under 18), whichever is higher. The maximum penalty will be the 2015 national average premium for a “bronze plan” as calculated by the government. To avoid these penalties next year, a person must apply for and maintain health insurance coverage throughout the year. This insurance can come from a variety of sources, including coverage provided by an employer, a plan that is purchased independently, Medicare or Medicaid, TRICARE, or the veterans’ health plan. There is no penalty for a short lapse in coverage of two months or less. For Seafarers, another option is con- tinuation coverage purchased through the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). COBRA allows employees (in this case, Seafarers) who have experienced what the act calls a “qualifying event,” (such as a change in employment status, divorce, death or reaching age 26) to temporarily extend their health coverage until they reestablish eligibility under the SHBP.  According to the ACA, “COBRA continuation coverage qualifies as minimum essential coverage. This means if you have COBRA coverage you don’t have the pay the fee that people without coverage must pay.” Seafarers can get more information about COBRA by contacting the SHBP at 1-800-252-4674 or online at www.seafarers.org. Look for the Summary Plan Description Guides that are posted in the SHBP area of the Member Benefits and Resources section. May 2015 �The photo at left and the one above were circulated along with correspondence from international maritime groups to world heads of state. They depict the overcrowded conditions aboard the often unseaworthy vessels migrants and refugees use to take to the seas. The photo above shows a large scale rescue at sea being conducted by a merchant marine vessel. (Photo at left by TORM A/S; photo above by Stolt Tankers B.V.) Maritime Groups Advocate Humanitarian Efforts Four major international maritime groups are calling on world heads of state (including heads of government of the European Union and European Economic Area) to ramp up efforts to formulate solutions that will rectify the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea. In a correspondence dated March 31, 2015, officials from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), to which the SIU is affiliated; the European Community Ship owners’ Associations; the European Transport Workers’ Federation; and the International Chamber of Shipping urged world governments to do more to help prevent the loss of life to hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees who routinely cross the Mediterranean from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe. According to the four organizations – which are supported by global shipping organizations BIMCO, Intercargo, Interferry, InterManager, Intertanko and the World Shipping Council – more than 3,500 people have lost their lives since 2014 while attempting the crossing in overcrowded boats that are not fit for the journey. The organizations asserted that there is a terrible risk of further catastrophic loss of life as ever-more-desperate people attempt this deadly sea crossing. The groups credited the navies and coast guards of EU member states on the front lines for making impressive efforts to respond to the predicament, but voiced the position that all EU and EEA member states have a collective responsibility to prevent the loss of thousands more lives. They described the need for action on the situation as urgent. In 2014, merchant ships rescued some 40,000 people who were attempting the crossing, according to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Unless the political situation in Africa and the Middle East improves, how- ever, this number is expected to increase in 2015, UNHCR predicts. Already the situation is so dire that all member states need to become far more engaged, the four international maritime groups said in their letter. “In short, we believe it is unacceptable that the international community is increasingly relying on merchant ships and seafarers to undertake more and more large-scale rescues, with single ships having to rescue as many as 500 people at a time,” the maritime groups said in their communication. “Commercial ships are not equipped to undertake such large-scale rescues, which also create serious risks to the safety, health and welfare of ships’ crews who should not be expected to deal with such situations.” The groups’ dispatch pointed out that while all EU and EEA member states have search and rescue (SAR) obligations under international law, state-funded resources for carrying out these responsibilities should in- crease proportionally as the crisis escalates. In addition to increasing SAR resources, the groups pointed out that there is also a need for a political solution while citing the lawless situations that exist in both Libya and Syria. “As suggested by UNHCR and other UN agencies including the International Maritime Organization,” the correspondence said, “the shipping industry believes that the EU and the international community need to provide refugees and migrants with alternative means of finding safety without risking their lives by crossing the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats.” The groups also requested that—as a matter of urgency—the humanitarian crisis issue be added to the agenda of the European Council and to that of the next relevant meetings of the EU council of Ministers, including Foreign Affairs, Justice and Home Affairs and Transport. Horizon Pacific Crew Honors Brother Tidwell With Burial at Sea Seafarers and officers aboard the Horizon Pacific gathered solemnly on her deck Feb. 24 to bid farewell to OMU George Tidwell and to commit his ashes to the sea. Brother Tidwell died Jan.10 in Hawaii at age 75. Vessel Capt. Walter Graf conducted the shipboard memorial service which, among other elements, included prayers, the reading of scripture and the delivery of a eulogy. Crew members present were afforded the opportunity to offer OMU George Tidwell September 1939 - January 2015 May 2015 reflections on the life and times of their late brother and Graf read tributes provided by some of Tidwell’s friends. During a moment of silence and with the Horizon Pacific positioned approximately 23 miles northeast of Makapuu Point, Oahu, Hawaii (Latitude 39 degrees, 12.3 minutes North, Longitude 124 degrees, 17.7 minutes West) Graf committed Brother Tidwell’s ashes to the deep. “May you rest in peace, George, as your ashes travel the world, carried by the oceans’ currents on your final journey,” the captain said during the at-sea burial. Flowers of Aloha—distributed by Graf, Chief Steward Robert Mosley and Steward Assistant Jennifer Reid— accompanied Tidwell’s ashes during their decent into the deep. Born in Newton, Mississippi, Brother Tidwell was an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Navy. He served from 1957 to 1963 and later attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Brother Tidwell joined the SIU in 1968, first going to sea aboard the Steel Executive. Following a 40 year career, he retired in 2008 and called Honolulu home. His final voyage was aboard the Horizon Pacific. Brother Tidwell is survived by his nieces Cynthia Tidwell Nelson and Haley Tidwell Risser, both of whom reside in Texas. He is fondly remembered by George Monroe, a childhood and lifetime friend who regarded him as a brother. Horizon Pacific Capt. Walter Graf (above) conducts memorial services for OMU George Tidwell. At the conclusion of services (photo at right), the captain scatters the ashes of Brother Tidwell at sea. Chief Steward Robert Mosley (left in photo below) and SA Jennifer Reid distribute Flowers of Aloha over the burial site of Brother Tidwell. Seafarers LOG 7 �WITH SEAFARERS ON THE WEST COAST – SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone is pictured with Seafarers during a couple of recent service visits. In the photo above in the center, Marrone (right) stands with Chief Cook Frank Ramones aboard Matson’s Mahi Mahi. The other photos were taken on the Horizon Enterprise. Pictured from left in the larger group shot above at right are Chief Cook Tashara Newton, Recertified Steward Joseph Gallo, Marrone and SA Julito Crodua. The remaining pic features the VP with Recertified Bosun George Khan. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU WHATEVER IT TAKES – Electrician Eddie Almodovar (foreground in larger photo, also inset) makes repairs aboard the Maersk Montana as the ship transits the Suez Canal. STANDING UP FOR WORKERS – SIU Baltimore Port Agent Elizabeth Brown (center) in late March attended an address by U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Maryland) (left) during which the congressman told area labor leaders he would push to protect workers’ rights in trade deals. Also pictured is Fred Mason, president of the Maryland and D.C. AFL-CIO. THUMBS UP FOR NEW CONTRACT – During recent meetings aboard the Crowley ATBs Vision and Commitment, respectively, members voiced strong approval of a new contract featuring wage increases and other gains. In photo above, SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone is pictured with Seafarers on the Vision in Rodeo, California, on April 4. From left are Marrone, Captain Robert Albe, AB/Tankerman Matthew Jenness, Second Mate Thomas Crawley and Assistant Engineer Eddison Lalin. The photo below features Seafarers on the Commitment March 5 in Richmond, California. WELCOME ASHORE IN GUAM – Steward/Baker John Neal (left) picks up his first pension check at the SIU hall in Guam. Presenting it and congratulating Neal on his career is Port Agent John Hoskins. SEEMED IT WOULD NEVER END – A student walks to class at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland, following the last snow of winter. 8 Seafarers LOG May 2015 �At Sea and Ashore with the SIU SALUTING OUR TROOPS – SIU Asst. VP Nick Celona in early March joined members of the 4th Marine Division 23rd Regiment in California for an observance of the 70th anniversary of the landing at Iwo Jima, one of the most iconic battles of World War II. Celona is standing in front (center), wearing a dark jacket and white shirt. NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENT – At the union hall in San Juan, Seafarer Mayra Gines proudly displays the certificate she earned by completing chief steward training at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland. “The SIU has blessed me and my family since the first say I stepped into the hall,” said Gines. A-BOOK IN HOUSTON – QEP Gilbert Johnson (right) picks up his A-seniority book at the Houston hall. Congratulating him is SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey. WELCOME ASHORE IN JACKSONVILLE – QE1 Dasril Panko (right) receives his first pension check from Patrolman Joseph Koncul at the hall in Jacksonville, Florida. CIVMARS SUPPORT OUR TROOPS – Members if the SIU Government Services Division sailing aboard the dry cargo-ammunition ship USNS Charles Drew (right) deliver cargo to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry March 31 in the Arabian Gulf. The Fort McHenry is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts, according to the U.S. Navy. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam Austin) May 2015 A-BOOK IN JERSEY CITY – Early last month, AB Wilson Trayvilla (left) picks up his A-seniority book at the union hall in Jersey City, New Jersey. Presenting the book is Patrolman Ray Henderson. A-BOOK IN PHILLY – QMED Steve Roseberry receives his A-seniority book along with a congratulatory handshake from administrative assistant Pat Malone at the Philadelphia hall. “I stand on the shoulders of giants and am very proud to be a member of this fine union,” Roseberry noted. Seafarers LOG 9 �The vessel described in this installment essentially was identical to this one (photo at left): the T2 tanker Hat Creek. (Image licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) The photo above shows currency from Curacao, circa 1942 Editor’s note: Beginning in September 2010, the LOG periodically has featured articles by retired mariner Ed Woods, who first shipped out during World War II, as a teenager. Most of the earlier stories were run in two series, concluding in the September 2012 edition. Stand-alone articles were published in the November 2012, May 2013 and August 2013 issues, and a two-part missive ran in March and April 2014. Most recently, the March 2015 LOG featured the first installment of Brother Woods’ latest submission. That piece left off following a return trip from Liverpool to New York in 1944 aboard the oil tanker SS Horseshoe. Here’s the next segment: B ack in New York, Vinnie and I hurried down to the War Emergence Tanker Office (WET INK) hoping to be reassigned to the engine room. “Of course, no problem,” the good man told us. “But first, please do this for me, I need two men to make this next trip and, as soon as you return, I’ll see that you get the engine room endorsement.” Not having a choice, we agreed. The round trip between Liverpool and New York had taken less than 30 days. What was another month in our young lives? We signed on to another tanker, the S/S Brandy Station, at dock at the oil refinery in Bayway, New Jersey. The next day we moved to midstream Hudson River and took on deck cargo. From there it was down to New York Bay and through the submarine nets off Brooklyn and within a few hours we joined a convoy off Montauk, Long Island. Alas, that was the last we saw of the good old United States for the next 14 months. We were at sea a week when we learned our destination was Casablanca, French Morocco. The crossing was without any confrontation with enemy U-boats or planes, although almost every day and night there would be the sounds of our navy escorts’ whistles and horns reverberating across the waters. If the noise was to alert the convoy that there were unidentified crafts, submarines or airplanes in the immediate area, it did its job. At night, the alarms were frightening. It’s difficult to sleep in your bunk with alarms filling the air, more so when your ship is carrying highly volatile gasoline. We laid off shore at anchor the night we arrived at Casablanca. An unpleasant odor drifted out across the open water – an odor Woods (left) is pictured with new friend and shipmate Peter in November 1944. 10 Seafarers LOG Coins, Paper Money, Sea Ports – Small and Big Things I Remember I had never smelled. Later, every time we opened a souvenir, mostly made from some sort of leather, that we had purchased in Casablanca the odor would fill the air. The next day, we weighed anchor and headed for shore. The first thing I noticed was a huge ship with a big hole in its prow. It was the French battleship Jean Bart. It had been engaged in a gun battle with the USS Massachusetts during the initial invasion of November 1942, Operation Torch. (This was done in order to appease Joseph Stalin, the Russian dictator and prime minister, who was demanding that the Allies open up a second front, preferably an invasion of France that would take some of the pressure off his armies who were fighting the Germans on Russian soil. However, the United States and Great Britain were not prepared for a major invasion of the Europe’s mainland and decided to invade North Africa. The invasion was successful, and it opened up the Mediterranean Sea to allied shipping and prevented the Germans from reaching the Suez Canal.) I was anxious to get ashore and see the city made famous by Humphrey Bogart in the film Casablanca. I wasn’t disappointed; every café and bar had something to say about Bogart (Rick’s Café, Bogart drank here, etc.). The native quarter of Casablanca was called the Medina. We were cautioned against visiting the area and were told that the only non-Moroccans permitted to enter the Medina were French sailors, many of whom had Moroccan wives or girlfriends living there. At night, outside of the native quarter, a group of the most undesirable, filthy-dressed females would offer their services to one and all by calling out, “Fiancé fifty Francs.” We were told it was not safe to drink water while ashore and that wine was safer for one’s health. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find and buy any decent-tasting wine. There was an unending supply of a cheap red wine that the locals called champagne. It had nothing to do with real champagne. It neither sparkled nor was it white. I believe some of the natives thought they could fool the Americans because there were also bottles of an unidentified liquor available with handwritten labels stating, Real Fine Old Whiskey. There was a shortage of glass bottles. An empty bottle cost 100 Francs or two dollars and the wine cost 50 Francs-one dollar. In the week we were in Morocco, much to the chief steward’s vexation, glass bottles began to disappear from our ship. White cloth was also in great demand, especially sheets and pillowcases. Alas, these white items also began to disappear from the ship. The natives would pay 5,000 Francs ($100) for a white sheet and 2,500 ($50) for a white pillowcase. Our base pay was $80 a month. The Francs could be used at the U.S. Army Post Office (APO) to buy money orders redeemable in the States. Our bosun, a former U.S. Marine sergeant and a big, well-built man, was observed standing on the pier by the steward trading a can of fruit for a bottle of wine. The steward reported the incident to the captain, who reprimanded the bosun. The next day, when the steward passed by the bosun, the bosun gave him a wallop and blackened his eye. This latest incident was too much for our captain to tolerate and he had the bosun discharged and flown home. Neither the wine nor the old disheveled women appealed to Vinnie and me; we looked for other things to see and do. We located a Red Cross building with a huge Lister bag hanging from a tree in its courtyard. It looked inviting, as if it held cool drinking water. We had been sightseeing and were hot and thirsty. The water had been treated with chemicals and had a strong chlorine taste. One would need to be very thirsty to drink it. We continued our tour of Casablanca by visiting an apartment complex at the outskirts of the city. The residents were European Jewish refugees from all parts of Europe, many of whom spoke a reasonable amount of English. They were waiting for and hoping to get visas to travel to North or South America. They were obviously more affluent and better educated than the native Moroccans. It was fortunate that we had stayed together with two or three other crew members when walking through the city, as we began to hear horror stories of robbery and mayhem each time we returned to the ship. For one, the pumpman on the tanker next to us was mugged and had his ring finger cut off. Others strolling alone about the city had been attacked and robbed by youthful gangs. The kids were constantly following us and could be annoying. A crew member who knew a little French said to tell the kids Allez vous en! It meant “go away.” I gave it a try. A bunch of kids were being real pests and hounding us for cigarettes and candy. I shouted Allez vous en! Much to my surprise, one of the kids answered in English, “No, (expletive), you go from here. I live here.” Our cargo tanks were empty; however, we had barrels of special lubricants stored on our open deck that had not been delivered. We were ordered to nearby Fedala (now Mohammedia) to offload the barrels of lubricants. While in Fedala, I wanted to visit Rabat, Morocco’s capital, but it was not to be. Like most of the wartime ports and cities where I called, traveling was restricted. I was able to go ashore for a few hours and buy some leather goods at a local bazaar. The leather goods, mostly wallets and ladies’ pocketbooks, rotted away over the next year in my locker. I don’t know if it was the manner in which the items were made or the result of the hot, humid climate we later experienced in the South Pacific. I never had the opportunity to return to Morocco, although I would like to see what Casablanca looks like today. It’s just Morocco now; the French left the country in 1956. We left Morocco and joined a convoy and, as usual, did not know where we were headed. The ship was full of rumors: Baltimore, Norfolk, and, to our delight, New York City. Within a few days, however, we broke off from the convoy and, unescorted, were ordered to Curacao in the Netherlands, West Indies. We were alone for the first time at sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The Navy gunners on lookout were constantly reporting various objects in the nearby waters. One report claimed to have seen the wake of a submarine’s telescope. The Armed Guard sailors were immediately put on a four-hours-on and fourhours-off watch. Our captain ordered extra lookouts on the bow, stern and to the port and starboard of the bridge. My copy of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard Officer’s report for the following day, November 15, 1944 reads: “Sighted a disturbance in the water, thought to be wake of submarine nearly awash. Range approximately 6 to 7 miles.... Location: 61 degree 02-W, 29 degrees 39-N”.” Until we were safely in port in Curacao, there was little sleep and more men than customary would be found in the mess hall during the late hours of the night. You would hear, “I felt like having a cup of coffee.” Curacao, Dutch West Indies In 1944, Curacao was not the beautiful vacation island we know today. We arrived in the early evening and the first thing I noted was the longshoremen and other dock workers were speaking a language I had never heard before. I did recognize some Spanish and English words but other than that the language was but gibberish to me. I asked one of the local longshoremen about it and learned that the native-born islanders spoke Papiamento, a mixture of many languages: Spanish, Portuguese, African, Dutch and English, a patois developed throughout the years. Before going ashore, we were told, “You can go anywhere you want except out to the farming area where most of the white Dutch families live, and you are definitely not welcome at the Shell Oil Company’s compound where there are armed guards to prevent unauthorized persons from entering.” These restrictions left us to the mercy of the ladies of the evening who, day and night, would call out, “Beachy, beachy,” to any nearby seaman. It was an offer to take a taxi cab to the sandy beach for what was called “a good time.” I soon learned that these women were visiting from Venezuela and Columbia. However, there were many cheap bars to visit and we did enjoy a cold beer or two. I was disappointed with what I found in Curacao and at the end of my first day ashore, I thought if one could put a roof over this Island, it would be the biggest brothel and bar in the Western Hemisphere. Sadly, that is all Curacao appeared to have to offer in 1944. We were pleased when we heard our ship’s cargo tanks were filled and we would be on our way to Panama. I do regret not having more to tell you about my 1944 visit to Curacao. In early 1946, I called there once again and marveled at its improvement. Many of the bars had been upgraded to nightclubs. The streets were cleaner and the street women had disappeared or, at least, were out of sight. It was obvious the local government wanted to attract more tourists and more Yankee dollars. To Be Continued In 1944, a Franc equaled two cents in American money. According to Woods, only Franc notes issued by the Bank of Morocco and the Bank of Algiers were in circulation. “Bank notes issued by France were considered worthless, due to mainland France being occupied by the Germans,” he wrote. May 2015 �AB Martha Owens, Bosun Dune Frosburg AB Rosalind Sparrow, OS Letwan Jackson, QE4 Tyesha Boyd, AB Martha Owens, QEE Mario Delacruz, QEP Lamont Robinson, AB Ricky Langley Around the Port of Honolulu Port Agent Hazel Galbiso submitted these photos from NCL’s Pride of America, the Keystone-operated USNS Kocak, and a rally outside the union hall. 3rd Mate/SIU Hawsepiper David Blue AB Dexter Ferrer AB Walter Lichota Apprentice Asadullah Khan OS Frince Alegado, AB LBJ Tanoa, OS Joseph Evans AB Jaroslav Dvorak, OS Edmar Guanzon and OS Sosiua Peau. In photo at right is QMED Henry Cacal. May 2015 U.S. Rep. Mark Takai (D-Hawaii), Hawaii Ports Maritime Council President Randy Swindell, Port Agent Hazel Galbiso, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) Seafarers LOG 11 �‘Sail-In’ Carries Crucial Message To Capitol Hill SIU Strongly Promotes U.S. Merchant Marine During Annual Outreach I t didn’t make for the most visually appealing backdrop, but the ongoing U.S. Capitol Dome restoration project may have served as a roundabout reminder that the American maritime industry’s work in the nation’s capital never ends. SIU officials and other participants at this year’s Maritime Industry Congressional Sail-In couldn’t miss seeing the scaffolding around the Capitol as they deployed for a day-long series of meetings March 24 in the various House and Senate office buildings. This marked the event’s sixth year; it has become a cornerstone for delivering the maritime industry’s message in Washington, and it also is recognized as a powerful demonstration of the high level of cooperation between maritime labor and management. More than 100 maritime industry representatives, typically working in small groups of four or five people, conducted in excess of 100 meetings throughout the day. Roughly a third of those gatherings involved senators and congressional representatives, while the rest were with staff. The small groups included representatives from all segments of the industry. Representing the SIU were Executive Vice President Augie Tellez, Vice President Contracts George Tricker, Vice President Government Services Kermett Mangram, Vice President West Coast Nick Marrone, Vice President Great Lakes and Inland Waters Tom Orzechowski, and Legislative Director Brian Schoeneman. In past years, the Sail-In was scheduled to loosely coincide with National Maritime Day ceremonies in May. This year’s Sail-In was bumped up in part because of the turnover in Congress, where there are 58 new House members and 13 new Senators following last year’s elections. The primary issues addressed during the Sail-In meetings this year were: n The Jones Act, which requires that waterborne cargo moving between domestic ports is carried on vessels that are crewed, built, owned and flagged American. n Funding for the Maritime Security Program, which comprises the 60-ship fleet of privately owned, militarily useful U.S.-flagged commercial vessels used to provide the U.S. Department of Defense with sealift capability. The program’s related Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement, abbreviated as VISA, also gives our military access to the private shipping companies’ global intermodal and logistics systems, which in conjunction with reliable U.S. mariners help support American troops and protect America’s security interests overseas. n Reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which helps finance the export of American goods and services from companies throughout the United States. The authorization for the Export-Import Bank expires in June. n U.S. flag cargo preference shipping requirements, which help to ensure the continued availability of the privately owned, U.S.flag commercial fleet along with its associated American maritime manpower. These requirements mean that a percentage of U.S. government-impelled cargoes must be transported on privately owned, U.S.-flagged commercial vessels available at fair and reasonable rates. All indications are that the Sail-In was a success, both in terms of reinforcing support from longtime industry backers and in making solid introductions with new members and their staffs. Pictured in the photo at left (from left)) are MM&P President Don Marcus, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia), Darrell Connor of K&L Gates, SIU Exec. VP Augie Tellez and APL President/ CEO Eric Mensing. In the photo directly below are American Maritime Officers Service President/ Chairman Tony Naccarato, Brenda Otterson of AMO, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), SIU VP Government Services Kermett Mangram and Pacific-Gulf Marine President Todd Johnson American Waterways Operators VP Craig Montesano, AMO member Capt. Robert Lansden, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Denise Krepp, SIU VP Contracts George Tricker, Rick Hegg American Waterways Operators VP Craig Montesano, AMO member Capt. Robert Lansden, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Denise Krepp, SIU VP Contracts George Tricker, Rick Hegg APL President/CEO Eric Mensing, SIU Exec. VP Augie Tellez, Kelsey Keegan of Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s (R-New Hampshire) staff, MM&P President Don Marcus, Darrell Connor of K&L Gates SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone, American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier GM Charles Diorio, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana), Navy League VP Sara Fuentes, Transportation Institute Chairman Jim Henry, Hapag Lloyd VP Jared Henry SIU VP Government Services Kermett Mangram, American Maritime Officers Service President/Chairman Tony Naccarato, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia), Brenda Otterson of AMO, Pacific-Gulf Marine President Todd Johnson Rep. Evan Jenkins (RWest Virginia) (standing) talks to members of a Sail-In group that includes SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone (rear, fourth from right) and Transportation Institute Chairman Jim Henry (left). Pacific-Gulf Marine President Todd Johnson, American Maritime Officers Service President/Chairman Tony Naccarato, Rep. Mike Bost (R-Illinois), Brenda Otterson of AMO, SIU VP Government Services Kermett Mangram Transportation Institute Chairman Jim Henry, Navy League VP Sara Fuentes, Rep. Steve Palazzo (R-Mississippi), Hapag Lloyd VP Jared Henry, SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone 12 Seafarers LOG 26504_MAY2K15LOG.indd 12-13 Dave DeBoer of American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier, Legislative Assistant Michael Sinacore of Rep. Bruce Poliquin’s (R-Maine) office, Hapag Lloyd USA CFO Craig Thaxton, MEBA Exec. VP Adam Vokac, SIU Legislative Director Brian Schoeneman. Hampton Cokeley of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-West Virginia) staff, AMO National VP Mike Murphy, Crowley Senior VP Mike Reports, MTD Exec. SecretaryTreasurer Daniel Duncan SIU VP Great Lakes/Inland Waters Tom Orzechowski, Lake Carriers’ Association President James Weakley, Military Legislative Assistant Sam Fletcher of Rep. Jackie Walorski’s (R-Indiana) office, Jim Sartucci of K&L Gates. Hapag Lloyd USA CFO Craig Thaxton, Dave DeBoer of American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier, SIU Legislative Director Brian Schoeneman, Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-New Jersey), MEBA Exec. VP Adam Vokac Dave DeBoer of American Roll-On/Roll-Off Carrier, SIU Legislative Director Brian Schoeneman, MEBA Exec. VP Adam Vokac, Hapag Lloyd USA CFO Craig Thaxton, Legislative Assistant Michael Horder of Rep. Michael Conaway’s (R-Texas) office May 2015 May 2015 Pacific-Gulf Marine President Todd Johnson, SIU VP Government Services Kermett Mangram, Brenda Otterson of AMO, Legislative Director Jonathan Blyth of Rep. Kay Granger’s (R-Texas) office, American Maritime Officers Service President/Chairman Tony Naccarato Seafarers LOG 13 4/24/15 9:45 AM �5/15 14 Seafarers LOG May 2015 �May & June 2015 Membership Meetings Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea March 16, 2015 - April 15, 2015 Port Total Registered All Groups A B C Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Deck Department 15 7 2 38 13 2 2 21 10 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 1 6 3 0 3 2 2 0 7 3 1 15 10 6 7 7 2 5 28 18 5 2 5 0 0 2 0 0 4 4 0 12 3 0 10 1 0 3 13 4 0 9 7 3 7 3 0 3 17 17 3 47 13 4 40 7 0 15 99 26 7 35 19 3 28 11 0 12 84 38 3 48 18 1 36 12 1 16 69 23 1 6 6 0 10 6 0 0 6 2 0 10 4 0 7 2 0 3 17 6 1 21 23 2 10 10 2 3 28 34 1 22 6 0 12 1 0 3 33 12 0 7 5 1 5 3 0 5 9 4 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 8 2 1 5 1 0 1 12 8 1 25 13 2 24 12 1 8 56 26 6 2 2 0 3 3 0 1 4 4 0 28 16 0 20 10 0 7 55 36 4 320 163 25 266 108 10 87 566 276 40 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Engine Department 4 1 2 12 6 2 0 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 3 0 0 3 8 0 9 4 1 3 4 0 0 18 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 2 0 1 2 0 2 2 5 0 5 2 0 10 2 0 2 22 6 1 16 9 1 10 3 0 7 32 14 1 22 17 0 14 12 0 8 39 23 3 15 15 2 8 11 0 7 33 15 4 0 3 0 6 3 0 0 2 4 1 4 3 1 3 0 0 1 8 6 1 16 13 0 10 5 0 2 22 23 0 13 6 2 6 5 0 4 22 9 2 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 1 3 0 2 1 0 0 4 6 1 10 3 0 14 3 1 3 20 4 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 0 13 7 1 10 7 0 4 30 14 1 138 97 10 112 67 3 40 270 158 17 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Steward Department 0 1 0 4 3 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 7 3 0 2 0 0 1 6 3 0 10 3 1 9 1 0 1 13 3 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 0 7 2 0 1 1 1 0 10 3 0 14 2 0 6 4 0 5 24 9 0 20 2 1 17 2 0 8 36 5 2 20 8 3 13 6 1 7 27 14 3 10 4 0 19 2 1 4 20 4 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 1 3 2 0 3 2 1 3 0 0 0 6 3 1 14 13 4 9 4 2 6 27 21 4 15 5 1 12 3 2 9 29 6 2 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 5 2 0 4 1 0 1 4 1 1 1 3 1 0 1 0 0 3 8 0 11 2 0 9 1 0 2 21 4 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 1 0 22 6 4 21 3 0 7 41 6 5 168 60 16 132 38 9 54 285 94 25 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS Entry Department 4 7 8 7 18 1 0 4 15 16 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 4 3 0 3 0 0 1 6 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 5 5 0 1 3 1 1 12 12 4 18 2 5 11 3 1 6 26 5 2 9 9 2 6 2 0 3 20 14 5 15 1 2 18 0 3 7 29 8 0 5 1 0 7 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 25 15 0 12 4 1 3 41 33 4 10 7 1 10 2 2 3 15 6 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 10 8 1 9 3 2 6 11 10 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 8 9 3 12 2 5 9 29 23 30 128 76 25 115 22 16 45 215 142 GRAND TOTAL: 656 448 127 535 328 44 197 1,166 743 224 Piney Point.......................................Monday: May 4, June 8 Algonac...............................................Friday: May 8, June 12 Baltimore........................................Thursday: May 7, June 11 Guam..........................................Thursday: May 21, June 25 Honolulu.........................................Friday: May 15, June 19 Houston...........................................Monday: May 11, June 15 Jacksonville....................................Thursday: May 7, June 11 Joliet...........................................Thursday: May 14, June 18 Mobile.....................................Wednesday: May 13, June 17 New Orleans....................................Tuesday: May 12, June 16 Jersey City.........................................Tuesday: May 5, June 9 Norfolk...........................................Thursday: May 7, June 11 Oakland......................................Thursday: May 14, June 18 Philadelphia.............................Wednesday: May 6, June 10 Port Everglades............................Thursday: May 14, June 18 San Juan.........................................Thursday: May 7, June 11 St. Louis......................................Friday: May 15, June 19 Tacoma............................................Friday: May 22, June 26 Wilmington..............................................Monday: May 18, June 22 Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. May 2015 Total Shipped All Groups Trip A B C Reliefs Registered on Beach All Groups A B C Seafarers LOG 15 �Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kermett Mangram, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 1730 Jefferson St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 Inquiring Seafarer This month’s question was posed to Seafarers attending courses at the Paul Hall Center. Question: What do you like most about being a merchant mariner? Steve Haver Third Engineer There are a number of things I enjoy about being a merchant mariner. First there’s the travel; you get to go to a lot of interesting places and experience different cultures. Then there’s the pay and benefits which are both excellent. Finally, you get to learn a great deal about different vessels while at the same time meeting and working with your brothers and sisters. I’ve been sailing for 12 years and am home-ported in Algonac, Michigan. Fakhruddin Malahi Chief Steward I love being a Seafarer because it’s a great living. You get to travel the world and see different places almost every day. Being a Seafarer is in my family background. My uncles shipped back in the 60s and got me involved. I sail out of Oakland, California, and now have been sailing for 20 years. During this time, I never thought about having or looking for another job. The SIU has been a great union and shipping has been awesome. Frank Sambula QMED What I like the most is the opportunity to advance and improve your quality of life. The sky is the limit. That’s the short version. I have a passion for electricity, so to do a job and get paid for something you love to do is priceless. Avis Hawkins Chief Steward I sail out of the port of Norfolk, Virginia, and have been going to sea since 1997. Being a Seafarer enables me to see the world, meet different people and experience many different cultures. Being at sea gives me peace of mind because it takes me away from the rat race of being ashore. I don’t have to worry about having to be someplace at a particular time, putting up with traffic jams or answering phone calls. When you are at sea, you still have to deal with a lot of people, but you learn a great deal about yourself in the process – especially how to become a better person. Enrique Velez QMED The first thing that comes to mind is the freedom that I have. Finally being financially secure and being able to have a better future, being able to provide for my family. It’s definitely a weight lifted off of my shoulders. Archie Eldridge QMED I can do four months on and two months off, so I have time at home with my family. I stick with this career because it’s helped me to do better in life. You can continue your education and move up from the ground floor – from wiper to the position I have now, electrician. Pic From The Past JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SANTURCE 1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave., Stop 16 Santurce, PR 00907 (787) 721-4033 ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 Former Seafarer H. Duke Reistein (fourth from right) submitted this 1944 photo with a note that reads in part: “The name of the ship was SS Oliver Wolcott – it was a Liberty ship heading for India loaded with 2-ton bombs in the holds and tanks on the deck. I was one of the Navy gunners on the ship. We loaded the bombs in California, and then went to Virginia to catch the convoy. I won’t go through the whole story, but we were very lucky. We reached India…. I joined the SIU around 1950, sailed about five years and enjoyed it very much. I’ve been on the beach ever since.” If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org 16 Seafarers LOG May 2015 �Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA ALAN BARNETT Brother Alan Barnett, 65, joined the SIU in 1973. His first trip was aboard the Steel Advocate. Brother Barnett upgraded often at the maritime training center in Piney Point, Maryland. He sailed in the deck department. Brother Barnett last worked on the Cape Wrath. He calls Baltimore home. CARLOS BONILLA-RODRIGUEZ Brother Carlos Bonilla-Rodriguez, 67, became a union member in 1968. He initially worked with Texas City Refining Inc. Brother BonillaRodriguez attended classes in 2001 at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland. He worked in both the steward and engine departments. Brother Bonilla-Rodriguez’s most recent voyage was on the Overseas Los Angeles. He makes his home in Ponce, Puerto Rico. WALTER CAGLE Brother Walter Cagle, 71, donned the SIU colors in 1997 in the port of Jacksonville, Florida. He originally sailed aboard the USNS Kane. The deck department member’s most recent trip was on the Westward Venture. He was born in Paris and now resides in Kingman, Arizona. KENNETH COUTURE Brother Kenneth Couture, 59, started sailing with the union in 1974. His first trip was in the Great Lakes division aboard the Consumers Power. Brother Couture attended classes frequently at the union-affiliated school in Maryland. The engine department member’s most recent vessel was the Green Cove. Brother Couture makes his home in Kyle, Texas. RICHARD FLEMING Brother Richard Fleming, 65, became an SIU member in 1978 in Seattle. He initially worked aboard the Newark. Brother Fleming sailed in all three departments and most recently shipped on the Independence. Brother Fleming lives in Bow, Washington. THOMAS GALKA Brother Thomas Galka, 65, May 2015 joined the SIU ranks in 1971. He initially sailed on the Brooklyn. Brother Galka attended classes on three occasions at the Piney Point school. His most recent ship was the Ambassador. Brother Galka sailed in the engine department. He calls Philadelphia home. ABDUL GHARAMA Brother Abdul Gharama, 65, started shipping with the SIU in 1977. He originally worked aboard the Allegiance. Brother Gharama was born in Yemen and shipped in all three departments. He upgraded in 1984 and 1995 at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Brother Gharama last sailed on the Maersk Wisconsin. He settled in Hoboken, New Jersey. MELVIN GRAYSON Brother Melvin Grayson, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1990. A native of Washington, D.C., he upgraded numerous times at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Brother Grayson’s first ship was the Paul Buck; his most recent, the Courage. He sailed in the engine department and is a resident of Baltimore. LLOYD HALL Brother Lloyd Hall, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1999 in the port of Norfolk, Virginia. His first trip was on the USNS Prevail as a member of the steward department. On three occasions, Brother Hall took advantage of educational opportunities available at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. He most recently sailed aboard the USNS Able. Brother Hall settled in Chesapeake, Virginia. GLENN JOHNSON Brother Glenn Johnson, 65, joined the union in 1968. The deck department member’s first ship was the Elizabeth. Brother Johnson upgraded in 2002 at the Seafarers-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. He last worked on the Edward A. Carter. Brother Johnson calls Evergreen, Alabama, home. ARNOLD LOPEZ Brother Arnold Lopez, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1971 in the port of New York. He was originally employed on a Hudson Waterways vessel. Brother Lopez shipped in the deck department. His most recent ship was the Gem Stone. Brother Lopez is a resident of Oakland, California. GERALD LUNT Brother Gerald Lunt, 65, signed on with the union in 1980. His first ship was the Santa Maria; his most recent was the Horizon Tiger. In 2001, Brother Lunt took advantage of educational opportunities available at the Paul Hall Center. He sailed in the steward department. Brother Lunt was born in Massachusetts and now lives in San Francisco. DIONESIO MOREIRA Brother Dionesio Moreira, 71, began shipping with the Seafarers in 1997. His earliest trip was on the Independence. Brother Moreira sailed in the steward department. A native of Honduras, Brother Moreira enhanced his skills on two occasions at the Piney Point school. His most recent voyage was aboard the Liberty Eagle. He is a resident of Houston. FRANCO PIZZUTO Brother Franco Pizzuto, 65, became a union member in 1989. He initially sailed aboard the Independence. Brother Pizzuto was born in Italy and shipped in the steward department. He upgraded frequently at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Brother Pizzuto last sailed on the Moku Pahu. He lives in Las Vegas. tended classes in 2013 at the maritime training center in Piney Point, Maryland. A native of Detroit, Brother Rogers shipped as a member of the medical department and last sailed on the SBX1. He resides in Cantonment, Florida. ARTHUR SAELI Brother Arthur Saeli, 68, began shipping with the SIU in 1967. Brother Saeli originally sailed in the Great Lakes division with Buckeye Steamship Company. He was born in Ohio. Brother Saeli’s most recent vessel was the Philadelphia Express. The deck department member enhanced his skills in 2006 at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Saeli now makes his home in Houston. JAMIE SERRANO Brother Jamie Serrano, 67, started his seafaring career in 2003. He initially worked on the Cleveland. Brother Serrano is a native of Manila, Philippines. The steward department member upgraded in 2005 and 2010 at the Piney Point school. Brother Serrano’s final trip was aboard the Comet. He has retired to Hoquiam, Washington. MOSES SHAIBI Brother Moses Shaibi, 61, signed on with the SIU in 1980. He was first employed with CSX Lines as a member of the deck department. Brother Shaibi attended classes in 2001 at the maritime training center in Piney Point, Maryland. He last shipped on the Cape Island. Brother Shaibi is a resident of Tacoma, Washington. JOHN REID MICHAEL SILVA SAMPAIO Brother John Reid, 61, started sailing with the SIU in 1979. His first trip was on the El Paso Howard Boyd. A member of the steward department, Brother Reid enhanced his skills on numerous occasions at the Piney Point school. His most recent voyage was aboard the Maersk Memphis. Brother Reid settled in Norfolk, Virginia. Brother Michael Silva Sampaio, 65, donned the SIU colors in 1988. His first voyage was aboard the Independence. Brother Silva Sampaio was born in Honolulu and sailed in the deck department. In 1992, he attended classes at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Silva Sampaio’s most recent ship was the Cape Bon. He resides in Ceres, California. NORMAN ROGERS Brother Norman Rogers, 67, became a union member in 1996. His earliest ship was aboard the Little Hales. Brother Rogers at- CONRAD TAYLOR Brother Conrad Taylor, 65, started shipping with the Seafarers in 1967. He originally sailed on the Longview Victory. Brother Taylor shipped in both the engine & steward departments during his career. He enhanced his skills in 1981 at the Piney Point school. Brother Taylor last worked aboard the OMI Platte. He lives in Bon Aqua, Tennessee. CURTIS WILLIAMS Brother Curtis Williams, 65, joined the SIU ranks in 1990. He initially worked on the 2nd Lt. John Paul Bobo. Brother Williams sailed in the deck department. He upgraded in 2001 at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland. Brother Williams’ most recent ship was the Energy Enterprise. He calls Norfolk, Virginia, home. INLAND RONALD AINSLEY Brother Ronald Ainsley, 74, became a union member in 1962 in Norfolk, Virginia. He was first employed with Allied Transportation Company, and sailed in the deck department. Brother Ainsley last worked with Moran Towing of Virginia. He makes his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. JAMES ANDERSON Brother James Anderson, 65, first donned the SIU colors in 1969. He originally shipped with Inland Tugs as a member of the deck department. Brother Anderson upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland. His final vessel was operated by Seabulk Tankers Inc. Brother Anderson lives in Groves, Texas. GREGORY GREENE Brother Gregory Greene, 60, signed on with the union in 1990. He first worked with Red Circle Transport Company. Brother Greene was born in Mobile, Alabama. The deck department member’s most recent vessel was operated by Penn Maritime Inc. Brother Greene calls Eight Mile, Alabama, home. GREAT LAKES PAUL KIEFER Brother Paul Kiefer, 65, began his seafaring career in 2006. He initially sailed aboard the Walter J. McCarthy. Brother Kiefer worked in the deck department and concluded his career aboard the Sam Laud. He makes his home in Omro, Wisconsin. Seafarers LOG 17 �Final Departures DEEP SEA OMAR ASWAD Brother Omar Aswad, 32, died October 31. He originally shipped on the Pride of America in 2007. Brother Aswad was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. A member of the deck department, he last sailed aboard the Seabulk Challenge. Brother Aswad made his home in Norfolk, Virginia. JOEL CROW Pensioner Joel Crow, 70, passed away October 12. He started sailing with the union in 1972. Brother Crow’s first ship was the President Johnson; his last was the Horizon Anchorage. He worked in steward department. Brother Crow went on pension in 2007 and called Tacoma, Washington, home. ROBERT GOODRUM Pensioner Robert Goodrum, 83, died October 22. Brother Goodrum became an SIU member in 1953. He initially shipped on the Alcoa Roamer. Brother Goodrum was an engine department member. His last voyage was aboard the Paul Buck. Brother Goodrum retired in 1993 and resided in Abbeville, Alabama. TRACY HANSON Brother Tracy Hanson, 60, passed away September 9. He joined the SIU in 2005 in Seattle. Brother Hanson first shipped on the Richard G. Matthiesen. The Oregon native was an engine department member. Brother Hanson’s final ship was the Horizon Consumer. He continued to live in Oregon. BERTRAM HICKMAN Pensioner Bertram Hickman, 68, died October 28. Brother Hickman started shipping with the Seafarers in 1990. His first vessel was the Independence. Brother Hickman last sailed aboard the Maersk Peary. He shipped in the steward department. Brother Hickman became a pensioner in 2013 and was a resident of Perkasie, Pennsylvania. RONALD ZUREK Pensioner Ronald Zurek, 70, passed away October 29. Brother Zurek began sailing with the SIU in 1969. He initially shipped in the 18 Seafarers LOG Great Lakes division on an American Steamship Company vessel. Brother Zurek sailed in the deck department. His final voyage was on the El Yunque. Brother Zurek went on pension in 2014 and called Hallandale Beach, Florida, home. INLAND HAROLD CHAMPAGNE Pensioner Harold Champagne, 82, died September 18. He donned the SIU colors in 1962. Brother Champagne mainly shipped with Moran Towing of Texas. He was an engine department member. Brother Champagne became a pensioner in 1996 and made his home in Winnie, Texas. CHESTER CIESIELSKI Pensioner Chester Ciesielski, 93, passed away October 16. He first donned the SIU colors in 1962. Brother Ciesielski was employed with Charles H. Harper & Associates for the duration of his career. The Maryland native sailed in the engine department. He started collecting his retirement compensation in 1982 and lived in Abingdon, Maryland. RAYMOND COLLINS Pensioner Raymond Collins, 86, died September 28. He signed on with the union in 1961. Brother Collins sailed in the deck department of vessels operated by Interstate Oil Transportation Company. He retired in 1988 and was a resident of Princess Anne, Maryland. DAVID GREEN Pensioner David Green, 68, passed away September 26. Brother Green joined the SIU in 1969. He was initially employed aboard the OMI Sacramento. Brother Green was born in Austin, Texas, and worked in the deck department. He last shipped with G&H Towing. Brother Green went on pension in 1998. He called Texas City, Texas, home. ROBERT HOPKINS Pensioner Robert Hopkins, 81, died October 20. Brother Hopkins became a union member in 1976. His first trip was with Mariner Towing. Brother Hopkins sailed in the deck department. He most recently worked with OSG Ship Management. Brother Hopkins started receiving his pension in 1997. He settled in his native state, Virginia. JUNE HUGHES Pensioner June Hughes, 80, passed away October 23. She began shipping with the union in 1980. Sister Hughes primarily worked aboard Orgulf Transport Company vessels. She was born in Texas and worked in both the steward and deck departments. Sister Hughes made her home in Alabama. She went on pension in 2001. DONNIE MARTIN Pensioner Donnie Martin, 75, died October 16. Brother Martin joined the SIU in 1962. He was initially employed with Dravo Basic Materials Company. Brother Martin last shipped with Martin Marietta. He retired in 2003 and resided in Mobile, Alabama. DONACIANO SANTIAGO Pensioner Donaciano Santiago, 76, passed away October 29. Brother Santiago started shipping with the SIU in 1961. His first vessel was the Losmar. Brother Santiago worked in both the deck and engine departments. The Puerto Rico native last sailed with Crowley Towing & Transportation of Jacksonville. Brother Santiago began receiving his pension in 1991 and lived in Philadelphia. RAYMOND SERGENT Brother Raymond Sergent, 70, died October 22. He signed on with the union in 1966. Brother Sergent first shipped on an Ellis Towing & Transport Company vessel. The Ohio native was a deck department member. Brother Sergent’s final vessel was operated by Higman Barge Lines. He was a resident of Missouri City, Texas. GREAT LAKES CLARENCE CASEY Pensioner Clarence Casey, 77, passed away October 20. He began his union career in 1962. Brother Casey worked with Dunbart & Sullivan for the duration of his career. He was born in Fulton, Kentucky. Brother Casey went on pension in 2000 and settled in Michigan. MARK GILBERT Brother Mark Gilbert, 56, died September 27. Born in Frankfort, Michigan, he joined the union in 2009 in Detroit. Brother Gilbert mainly worked with Luedtke Engineering Company. He was a member of the engine and deck departments. Brother Gilbert resided in Lake Ann, Michigan. JOSEPH VIOLANTI Pensioner Joseph Violanti, 78, passed away September 1. He first donned the SIU colors in 1963. Brother Violanti was employed with American Steamship Company for the duration of his career. The deck department member was a native of Pennsylvania. Brother Violanti lived in Northwood, Ohio. Editor’s note: The following brothers, all former members of the National Maritime Union (NMU), have also passed away. EULOGIO ABLE Pensioner Eulogio Able, 97, died October 20. Brother Able was born in the Philippines. He became a pensioner in 1966 and called West Babylon, New York, home. CLAUDE BIDDY Pensioner Claude Biddy, 93, passed away October 28. Brother Biddy, a native of the West Indies, began collecting his pension in 1971. He resided in Mobile, Alabama. ROBERT BRITT Pensioner Robert Britt, 90, died October 6. Brother Britt was born in Greene County, North Carolina. He went on pension in 1967. Brother Britt lived in Snow Hill, North Carolina. DEAN CAMPBELL Pensioner Dean Campbell, 76, passed away October 18. Born in Alabama, Brother Campbell retired in 1993. He was a resident of Mobile. CLARK DANIELS Pensioner Clark Daniels, 68, died October 20. He was a Kentucky native and became a pensioner in 2011. Brother Daniels settled in Baxter, Kentucky. JOSEPH DANIELS Pensioner Joseph Daniels, 87, passed away September 20. Born in New Orleans, Brother Daniels started receiving his retirement compensation in 1972. He continued to live Louisiana. was born in Woodsboro, Texas. He began collecting his retirement pay in 1973 and made his home in Allen, Texas. VENTURA GONZALEZ Pensioner Ventura Gonzalez, 82, passed away October 12. The Puerto Rico native retired in 1994. Brother Gonzalez called Philadelphia home. RUDOLPH LYONS Pensioner Rudolph Lyons, 91, died October 28. Born in New Jersey, Brother Lyons started receiving his pension in 1987. He lived in Baltimore. CARLYLE MCLAUGHLIN Pensioner Carlyle McLaughlin, 90, passed away September 11. He was born in the Cayman Islands and became a pensioner in 1969. Brother McLaughlin continued to reside in the Cayman Islands. JEROME MILLER Pensioner Jerome Miller, 85, died September 28. Brother Miller, a native of Minnesota, began collecting his retirement pay in 1971. He settled in Columbus, Mississippi. WALTER MORGAN Pensioner Walter Morgan, 92, passed away October 27. Born in Canada, Brother Morgan went on pension in 1969. He lived in Winder, Georgia. MELVIN WILLIAMS Pensioner Melvin Williams, 86, died October 24. Brother Williams was born in Alabama. He started receiving compensation for his retirement in 1980 and made his home in Mobile, Alabama. ROBERT WILSON Pensioner Robert Wilson, 86, passed away October 6. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and became a pensioner in 1994. Brother Wilson called Little Rock, Arkansas, home. Name Beard, Charles Clark, George Delfish, Alstan Rodriguez, Nelson Age 83 85 101 90 DOD Sept. 1 Sept. 29 Oct. 19 Aug. 25 CHANO DE LUNA Pensioner Chano De Luna, 94, died October 17. Brother De Luna May 2015 �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings CHARLESTON (USS Transport), February 23 – Chairman Reginald A. Watkins, Secretary Kenneth Whitfield, Educational Director Kevin E. Hall, Deck Delegate Eddie Major, Engine Delegate Daniel Tapley. Bosun discussed ship’s schedule and thanked crew members for their hard work. He stressed importance of looking out for each other and following proper channels when handling beefs. Educational director encouraged all members to take advantage of upgrading opportunities available at the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland. Mariners were advised to keep necessary seafaring documents current. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew thanked President Sacco for a job well done. Suggestions were made regarding pension benefits. Next port: Houston. The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships’ minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication. With Seafarers Aboard USNS Red Cloud Recertified Bosun Gerry Gianan forwarded these photos of Seafarers aboard the Patriot-operated USNS Red Cloud. The vessel is part of the U.S. Military Sealift Command’s prepositioning fleet. (Ship photo courtesy U.S. Navy) CORAL (American President Lines), February 22 – Chairman Lauren J. Oram, Secretary Mary Chris Little, Steward Delegate Ricardo Ellis. Chairman went over ship’s itinerary. Secretary asked crew to clean rooms for reliefs. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Clarification was requested pertaining to payoff procedures. Next port: Savannah, Georgia. HORIZON SPIRIT (Horizon Lines), February 22 – Chairman Lawrence Richardson, Secretary Susan K. Bowman, Educational Director Melvin George, Engine Delegate Kevin Haymer, Steward Delegate Alberto Insong. Chairman announced payoff at sea on February 26. He expressed gratitude for members working well together and reminded them to donate to SPAD (Seafarers Political Activity Donation). Secretary reported new pillows were issued to all crew members. Request was made for new TVs for crew. Educational director urged everyone to enhance skills at the maritime training center in Piney Point, Maryland. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Treasurer stated $173 in ship’s SIU fund. Next port: Los Angeles. JEAN ANNE (TOTE Services), February 24 – Chairman Thomas L. Johnson, Secretary Ingra L. Maddox, Educational Director Matthew Bryant, Deck Delegate Mohamed Saleh, Engine Delegate William Gibson. Chairman discussed upcoming crew change. Members were urged to keep up with changes to requirements for their USCG medical certificate and attend classes at the Piney Point school. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Recommendation was made regarding vacation benefits. MAERSK CAROLINA (Maersk Line, Limited), February 22 – Chairman Clarence L. Poore, Secretary James A. Kingsley, Educational Director Kevin M. Cooper, Engine Delegate Arthur Shaw, Steward May 2015 Chief Steward Caezar Mercado Delegate Edward English. Chairman reported a smooth trip and encouraged Seafarers to keep all paperwork up-todate. Educational director advised members to check vacation payments. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Bosun went over proper procedures for handling problems aboard vessel. Suggestions were made pertaining to pension and vacation benefits, as well physical exam requirements. MAERSK CHICAGO (Maersk Line, Limited), February 20 – Chairman Robert S. Vazquez, Secretary Hugh E. Wildermuth, Educational Director Donald M. Christian, Steward Delegate Nathaniel Simmons. Crew was thanked for working safely and cooperating with riding crews. Educational director reminded mariners to upgrade at their earliest convenience and watch document expiration dates. Treasurer reported $2,000 in ship’s fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Recommendation was made regarding medical benefits. Request was made for new mattresses. Steward department was thanked for doing a great job during voyage. Maersk Hartford (Maersk Line, Limited), February 20 – Chairman Scott Chief Cook Emmanuel Matias A. Heginbotham, Educational Director David J. James, Deck Delegate Jerzy Marciniak, Engine Delegate Lawrence Todd, Steward Delegate Paula Minton. Bosun reminded crew to clear customs ASAP and gave kudos to chief cook for her efforts. Crew was warned of inclement weather and advised to dress accordingly. Educational director urged members to enhance skills at union-affiliated school and keep documents current. Two thousand dollars reported in ship’s fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Clarification was requested pertaining to STCW medical requirements. Crew discussed obstacles related to qualifying to sail. Next ports: Newark, New Jersey; Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Houston. MAERSK DETROIT (Maersk Line, Limited), March 6 – Chairman Bill Barrett, Secretary Larry Ewing, Educational Director Dennis Baker. Chairman thanked crew for safe voyage and reminded them to read president’s report in Seafarers LOG. Educational director encouraged all members to check their documents for expiration dates, and also to save money for hard SA Edison Inuman times. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested increased pension and medical benefits. Next port: Elizabeth, New Jersey. MAERSK MISSOURI (Maersk Line, Limited), March 1 – Chairman John O’ Shaughnessy, Secretary Glenn Bamman, Educational Director Paul Pagano, Deck Delegate Travis Long, Engine Delegate James Fells, Steward Delegate Husain Salah. Chairman reported good voyage and thanked crew for hard work. Secretary also said it was a good voyage. He reminded crew to leave cabins clean for reliefs. Educational director recommended upgrading in Piney Point and keeping all documents up-to-date. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Vote of thanks given to steward department. Next port: Elizabeth, New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; and Charleston, South Carolina. MAERSK MEMPHIS (Maersk Line, Limited), March 21 – Chairman Keller Gilyard, Secretary Kenneth Hagan, Educational Director Daniel Dean, Deck Delegate Aristotle Bone, Engine Delegate Charles Toliver, Steward Delegate Mohammad Abdou. Chairman noted his report has SA Emily De Dios Lepley been posted on vessel bulletin board. Secretary reviewed various documentation requirements and encouraged everyone to keep all papers updated. Educational director also mentioned importance of keeping all shipping documents updated, and he reminded crew to get ship’s stamp and captain’s signature on tourof-duty paperwork. No beefs or disputed OT reported by department delegates. Crew thanked all concerned for recent decision to enhance eligibility under Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan. Crew discussed (in detail) concerns involving house ventilation. They also discussed ideas for increasing pension benefits, and setting up direct deposit for vacation checks. There was lengthy discussion about the length of time it is taking for CHS to arrange and schedule physicals, and to get the results approved and into the union’s computer system. Despite the various concerns, crew reported a smooth and accident-free voyage. Vote of thanks was given to all for safe operations, and a separate vote of thanks went to the steward department for good food including barbecues. Next port: Elizabeth, New Jersey. Seafarers LOG 19 �NMC Posts Updates on Gap-Closing Requirements Editor’s note: The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center (NMC) on March 24 issued the following communication addressing some regulatory changes stemming from the most recent amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers. This information also is available on the NMC website: www.uscg.mil/nmc The regulatory changes that became effective March 24, 2014, require additional training and/or assessments for certain Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) endorsements. These “gap-closing” requirements must be met by mariners who hold STCW endorsements issued under the previous regulatory requirements. Mariners who submit applications without evidence of meeting gap- closing may have their STCW endorsements limited to “Not valid after 31 Dec 2016”. STCW gap-closing requirements do not affect limitation or retention of national endorsements. The National Maritime Center (NMC) will process complete applications submitted ON or BEFORE December 31, 2016, without gap-closing requirements for the STCW endorsement in the following manner: Transaction Type Where MMC Expires On or Before 31 Dec 2016 Where MMC Expires After 31Dec 2016 Renewal Limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016 Limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016 Raise of Grade Modification of limitation/scope Limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016 Those STCW endorsements not already existing on MMC will be limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016. New Endorsement Limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016 Duplicate Limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016 Those STCW endorsements not already existing on MMC will be limited to not valid after 31 Dec 2016. STCW endorsements will be issued with no new date limitation but with new endorsement wording. The NMC will process complete applications submitted AFTER December 31, 2016, without gap-closing requirements for the STCW endorsement in the following manner: Transaction Type Where MMC Expires On or Before 31 Dec 2016 Where MMC Expires After 31Dec 2016 Renewal Endorsement will not be issued. Endorsement will not be issued. Transaction Type Where MMC Expires On or Before 31 Dec 2016 Where MMC Expires After 31Dec 2016 Raise of Grade Modification of limitation/scope Endorsement will not be issued. Endorsement will not be issued. Existing STCW endorsements will be retained with no new date limitation. New Endorsement Endorsement will not be issued. Endorsement will not be issued. Existing STCW endorsements will be retained with no new date limitation. Duplicate Endorsement requiring gapclosing will not be issued. STCW endorsements will be issued with no new date limitation but with new endorsement wording. The STCW endorsements with gap-closing requirements are listed below. Requirements for these endorsements are contained in 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 11, Subpart C. Leadership and Teamwork Skills can be satisfied through demonstration of competence either onboard ship or in approved training. Management Level (Master, Chief Mate - II/2, II/3) n Leadership and Managerial Skills n ECDIS (To be valid on vessels equipped with ECDIS) Management Level (Chief Engineer, Second Engineer Officer - III/2, III/3) n Engine Resource Management (ERM) if not completed at the operational level n Leadership and Managerial Skills n Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment Operational Level (OICNW - II/1, II/3) n Leadership and Teamwork Skills n ECDIS (To be valid on vessels equipped with ECDIS) Operational Level (OICEW - III/1) n ERM n Leadership and Teamwork Skills Mariners who have STCW endorsements removed or date-limited because gap-closing requirements were not completed, may have those STCW endorsements restored or the date removed at any time by submitting a new application with evidence of meeting all gap-closing requirements. Questions may be directed to the NMC at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) or IASKNMC@ uscg.mil, or to the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center (admissions office) at (301) 9940010. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/ NMU makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political pur- 20 Seafarers LOG poses of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Sea­farers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Conse­quently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. MEMBER RIGHTS/LMRDA. The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) guarantees certain rights to union members and imposes certain responsibilities on union officers. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) enforces many LMRDA provisions while other provisions, such as the bill of rights, may only be enforced by union members through private suit in Federal court. Union Member Rights Bill of Rights: Union members have equal rights to participate in union activities; freedom of speech and assembly; a voice in setting rates of dues, fees and assessments; protection of the right to sue; and safeguards against improper discipline. Copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements: Union members and nonunion employees have the right to receive or inspect copies of collective bargaining agreements. Reports: Unions are required to file an initial information report (Form LM-1), copies of constitutions and bylaws, and an annual financial report (Form LM-2/3/4) with OLMS. Unions must make the reports available to members and permit members to examine supporting records for just cause. The reports are public information and copies are available from OLMS. Officer Elections: Union members have the right to nominate candidates for office; run for office; cast a secret ballot; and protest the conduct of an election. Officer Removal: Local union members have the right to an adequate procedure for the removal of an elected officer guilty of serious misconduct. Trusteeships: Unions may only be placed in trusteeship by a parent body for the reasons specified in the LMRDA. Prohibition Against Violence: No one may use or threaten to use force or violence to interfere with a union member in the exercise of LMRDA rights. Union Officer Responsibilities Financial Safeguards: Union officers have a duty to manage the funds and property of the union solely for the benefit of the union and its members in accordance with the union’s constitution and bylaws. Union officers or employees who embezzle or steal union funds or other assets commit a Federal crime punishable by a fine and/ or imprisonment. Bonding: Union officers or employees who handle union funds or property must be bonded to provide protection against losses if their union has property and annual financial receipts which exceed $5,000. Labor Organization Reports: Union officers must file an initial information report (Form LM-1) and annual financial reports (Forms LM-2/3/4) with OLMS; and retain the records necessary to verify the reports for at least five years. Officer Reports: Union officers and employees must file reports concerning any loans and benefits received from, or certain financial interests in, employers whose employees their unions represent and businesses that deal with their unions. Officer Elections: Unions must hold elections of officers of local unions by secret ballot at least every three years; conduct regular elections in accordance with their constitution and bylaws and preserve all records for one year; mail a notice of election to every member at least 15 days prior to the election; comply with a candidate’s request to distribute campaign material; not use union funds or resources to promote any candidate (nor may employer funds or resources be used); permit candidates to have election observers; and allow candidates to inspect the union’s membership list once within 30 days prior to the election. Restrictions on Holding Office: A person convicted of certain crimes may not serve as a union officer, employee or other representative of a union for up to 13 years. Loans: A union may not have outstanding loans to any one officer or employee that in total exceed $2,000 at any time. Fines: A union may not pay the fine of any officer or employee convicted of any willful violation of the LMRDA. (Note: The above is only a summary of the LMRDA. Full text of the Act, which comprises Sections 401-531 of Title 29 of the United States Code, may be found in many public libraries, or by writing the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N-5616, Washington, DC 20210, or on the internet at www.dol.gov.) SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION — SPAD. SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION — If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 May 2015 �Paul Hall Center Upgrading Course Information The following is a schedule of courses at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland, for the next several months. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Please note that this schedule may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the maritime industry and - in times of conflict - national security. Students attending any of these classes should check in the Saturday before their course’s start date. The courses listed here will begin promptly on the morning of the start dates. For classes ending on a Friday, departure reservations should be made for Saturday. Students who have registered for classes, but later discover - for whatever reason - that they can’t attend, should inform the admissions department immediately so arrangements can be made to have other students take their places. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Start Date of Course Date Completion Deck Department Upgrading Courses ARPA June 13 June 19 August 8 August 14 Title of Start Date of Course Date Completion FOWT August 15 September 11 October 10 November 6 Junior Engineer May 30 July 24 October 17 December 11 Machinist September 26 October 16 Marine Refrigeration Technician May 16 June 26 Pumpman October 17 October 30 Welding June 6 June 26 August 1 August 21 September 19 October 9 October 24 November 13 Safety Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer-Deck June 20 July 17 August 15 September 11 October 10 November 6 Advanced Firefighting June 13 June 19 August 22 August 28 November 7 November 13 ECDIS May 30 June 5 July 18 July 24 Fast Rescue Boat May 30 June 5 July 25 July 31 August 15 August 21 Basic Firefighting/STCW May 9 May 15 July 18 July 24 August 15 August 21 September 5 September 11 September 26 October 2 October 31 November 6 Government Vessels #1 June 20 June 26 August 8 August 14 September 12 September 18 October 24 October 30 November 28 December 4 GMDSS May 16 May 29 August 8 August 21 October 24 November 16 Lifeboat May 23 June 5 June 20 July 3 July 18 July 31 August 15 August 28 Radar May 30 June 12 July 25 August 7 RFPNW May 23 June 19 September 12 October 9 Tanker Familiarization DL/LG September 12 September 25 Tanker Familiarization LG July 25 July 31 August 8 August 14 October 3 October 9 December 12 December 18 Tank Pic Barge October 3 October 9 Engine Department Upgrading Courses BAPO May 23 June 19 September 12 October 9 FOWT June 20 July 17 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name_________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth___________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member o Lakes Member o Inland Waters Member o If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #__________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? o Yes o No If yes, class #___________________________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? oYes o No If yes, course(s) taken____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, one day in the last six months prior to the date your class starts, USMMD (z-card) front and back or relevant pages of merchant mariner credential, front page of your union book indicating your department and seniority, qualifying seatime for the course if it is Coast Guard tested, 1995 STCW Certificate, valid SHBP Clinic Card and TWIC. May 2015 Medical Care Provider June 20 June 26 August 29 September 4 November 14 November 20 Steward Department Courses Advanced Galley Ops May 9 June 5 June 6 July 3 July 4 July 31 August 1 August 28 August 29 September 25 Chief Steward May 9 June 19 June 20 July 31 September 12 October 23 Galley Ops May 23 June 19 June 20 July 17 July 18 August 14 August 15 September 11 September 12 October 9 Serve Safe July 4 July 10 September 26 October 2 COURSE ____________________________ START DATE _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION _______________________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, of any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 5/15 Seafarers LOG 21 �Paul Hall Center Classes Apprentice Water Survival Class #796 – Instructor Cliff Evans (left) with, in alphabetical order: Clayton Black, Charlie English III, Michael Flynn, Noah Hughes, Melvin Hunter Jr., Mark Menton, Cameron Peake, Russell Pilchard IV, Josh Saldana, Marquisha Simmons, Marijan Strk, Jesus Velez Colon, and Joshua Welcome. Welding – Instructor Chris Raley (far right) with, in alphabetical order: James Cronk III, Matthew Dalgetty, Aaron Ellis, Jeremy Jendrusiak, Unis Abdullah Malahi, Steven Miller, Fatim Naser Kasim Rashed and Richard Striverson. GMDSS – Instructor Brad Wheeler (right) with, in alphabetical order: Seth Davis, Cory Gardner, Kenneth Graybill IV, Kenneth Kuehne, Stephen Morris III, Raymond Olgesby, Morgan Piper, Ernesto Rios Pratt and Joseph Tucker. FOWT – Instructor Tim Achorn (left) with, in alphabetical order: Nasser Saleh Ahmed, Mahdi Fedhel Mahdi Ali, Zachary Blake, Daniel Boye, Mark Cabasag II, Rodney Carr, Buzz Engelke, Jarret Ford, Matthew Gilliland, Frank Harris III, Terrance Jackson, David Myrick and Eric Waters. FOWT – Instructor Tim Achorn (left) with, in alphabetical order: Liam Daly, Brandon Mackie, Joseph Parsons, John Peterson and Cameron Siele. Junior Engineer – Instructor Jay Henderson (left) with, in alphabetical order: Eric Arnoldi, Landon Clemons, James Cronk III, Matthew Dalgetty, Aaron Ellis, Hector Jose Ginel, Jason Horn, Jeremy Jendrusiak, Jahmal Jones, Unis Abdullah Malahi, Jesus Manuel Martinez, Steven Miller, Fatim Naser Kasim Rashed, Danielle Smith, Lamont Stewart II and Samir Khalil Tarsha. UA to AS (Deck) – In alphabetical order: Smymo Desir, Nicole Donald, Kenneth Hardy Jr., Steven Horta Jr., Samuel Angeles Javier, Tristian Johnson, Mark Jones Jr., David Lane III, Robert Mack, Fredrick Murray, J. Michael Nardella, Jakeem Simmons, Christoher Torres, Sergio Valentin and Brock Wilbur. 22 Seafarers LOG May 2015 �Paul Hall Center Classes BST (Great Lakes) – Instructor Wayne Johnson Jr., (right) with, in alphabetical order: Eric Arnoldi, Richard Cole, Brian DeMeritt, Richardo Frederick, Joseph Hance, Daniel Kane, Mark Kotajarvi, Michael Kruse, Darren Lahaie, Gary Lapczynski, Floyd Larson, Michael Lau, Mark MacRury, Jesus Martinez, Ali Saeed Musa, Charles Richardson, Adeeb Minasar Saleh, Saleh Mohsin Saleh, Walter Sipper Jr., Amy Shunkwiler, Richard Vigor and Henry Wilmarth. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Basic Firefighting – In alphabetical order: Ragab Mossad Ayed, Laurentis Colbert, Michael Cruz, James Fells, Kevin Haymer, Randy King, Loreto Labajo Jr., Bennie McKnight Jr., Andrzej Marek Mikosz, Helen Mitchell, James Muldowney, Nagi Ali Musaid, Lamar Pinckney, Mohamed Lamin Sheriff and Wilfredo Velez. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Medical Care Provider – Instructor Wayne Johnson Jr., (right) with, in alphabetical order: Seth Davis, Oleg Derun, Cory Gardner, Kenneth Graybill IV, Kenneth Kuehne, Stephen Morris III, Raymond Oglesby, Morgan Piper and Joseph Tucker. Tankship Familiarization (Phase Three, Engine Department) – In alphabetical order: Ryan Aaron, Travis Abbott, James Bleckley III, Bailey Chandler, Joshua Claffey, Jeremiah Cobb, Michael Cox, Michael Cross, Radar Observer – In alphabetical order: Cory Gardner, Kenneth Gray- Joseph Dickinson, Zackary Felton, Alexander Fisher, Jonathon Foulks, Allen Haynes, Anthony Henry, Trent bill IV, Kenneth Kuehne, Stephen Morris III, Raymond Oglesby, Morgan Jacobsen, Patrick Montgomery, Charles Packer, Ryan Ramos, James Rushin, Mitchell Rylander, Ethan Schoenbucher, Philip Sharp, William Sharp and Hermano Sillon. Piper and Joseph Tucker. Tankship Familiarization (Phase Three, Deck Department) – In alphabetical order: Ahmed Mosad Al-Arashi, John Consiglio, Wesley Head, Joseph Herman Jr., Caliph Johnson II, Waddah Ali Kaid, Kyle Knickerbocker, Miles Mitchell, Stevie Palmer, William Pappas, Christian Reyes Herencia, Mohamed Ali Saleh, John Schmidt, Jake Tierney, Brandon Urich and Pomaikai Velasquez. Chief Steward – In alphabetical order: Mayra Gines, Avis Hawkins, Michael Ingram, Fakhruddin Abdullah Malahi, Clifton Medley III, Moses Scott IV and Gerald Toledo. May 2015 Tankship Familiarization (Phase Three, Steward Department) – In alphabetical order: Ryan Agosto Collazo, Alejandro Cintron Perez, Kacey Hare, Unta Mattox, Rommel Reston, and Assiel Elias Roedan Santana. Advanced Galley Ops – Arthur Peoples (left) and Obadi Sam Yehia Kassem. Certified Chief Cook - Joel Ababa (left) and Randall Campbell. Seafarers LOG 23 . �MAY F E B R2015 UARY 2014 V O LVOLUME U M E 7 677o NO. N O5 . 2 More From World War II Mariner Ed Woods Page 10 SIU Mariners Assist Military Training Operations Fourth Arm of Defense Participates In Multinational Maritime Exercises SIU members aboard four different vessels recently honed their respective skills in three separate military support operations: Exercise Obangame Express, Exercise Cobra Gold 2015 and Exercise Foal Eagle. The international drills included Seafarers from the USNS Pililaau (operated by AMSEA) and USNS Obregon (Keystone) as well as SIU Government Services Division members aboard the USNS Spearhead and USNS Salvor. The Spearhead sailed during Obangame Express, while the Pililaau mobilized for Cobra Gold. The Obregon and Salvor participated in Foal Eagle. During these missions, Seafarers worked side-by-side with U.S. service members and foreign defense personnel as part of a larger objective to encourage cooperation and communication between nations. According to the U.S. Navy, Exercise Obangame Express organizes a dozen countries around the Gulf of Guinea, as well as European and South American partners, to practice anti-piracy, anti-trafficking and anti-illicit fishing scenarios that the Gulf countries regularly face. Now in its fifth year, Obangame, which means togetherness in the language of the Fang people of southern Cameroon, serves as an example of international maritime cooperation. Participating nations in Obangame Express 2015 include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Spain, Togo, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the Economic Community of West African States and the Economic Community of Central African States. The SIU-crewed joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead served as a training platform for the embarked detachment of U.S. Navy sailors, American, British and Spanish Marines, as well as Cameroonian military personnel. While on board the SIU vessel, the Cameroonian military performed four maritime interdiction boarding exercises. During those drills, training ob- jectives included takedowns in the bridge and engineering spaces, the recovery of a fictional illegal-weapons cache, and the professional handling of non-compliant role players. According to Captain James Regan, USNS Spearhead’s master, “The USNS Spearhead was a proud participant in Obangame Express 2015. Through its role as a training platform in the Gulf of Guinea, Spearhead helped improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities of all partner nations involved.” U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Petrasanta, Obangame’s leader and planner, said he’s seen the exercise grow significantly since he came to 6th Fleet in 2012. “When I took over three years ago, it was a very basic tactical exercise — just a few countries in a centralized location,” he stated. This year, 24 countries participated in the exercises. While in the Gulf of Guinea, the Spearhead made a delivery of wheelchairs that were donated to Ghanaian charities as part of the U.S. Navy’s Project Handclasp program. This mission accepts humanitarian, educational and goodwill donations that have been contributed by the American private sector, and transports them to foreign nations on a space-available basis aboard U.S. Navy vessels. In total, the Spearhead delivered 168 wheelchairs, which will be delivered to the people of Ghana through non-governmental organizations. Cobra Gold Cobra Gold is a U.S.-Thai co-sponsored multinational and joint theater security cooperation exercise, conducted annually in the Kingdom of Thailand, with 24 nations participating. This year marked the 34th iteration of this exercise. The USNS Pililaau was a critical component to the various drills and exercises conducted within Exercise Cobra Gold. Mariners aboard the large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off vessel (LMSR) received the order to activate and support Cobra Gold 15 on Jan. 24. Seven days later, they had Helicopters are positioned aboard the SIU-crewed USNS Obregon for use in the international joint exercise Foal Eagle, at the port of Busan, South Korea. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher R. Baker) The SIU-crewed USNS Pililaau transports equipment to support Cobra Gold. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mandaline Hatch) left their home port in Saipan and arrived in Guam, where they fully stocked the ship with provisions and were standing ready for the Marines coming aboard. On the morning of Feb. 8, the first amphibious assault vehicle left the lower deck of the ship and was staged on the pier in Laem Chebang, Thailand – nearly 3,000 miles from where they started. For their fast, efficient response, the entire crew received a personal message of thanks from Capt. Paul Harvey, Commodore, Military Sealift Command Far East. Commodore Harvey said, “I wanted to express my absolute appreciation for your short-notice, yet flawless, execution of Exercise Cobra Gold. Your ship was called upon at the last minute for this mission and you adapted and performed marvelously. Your superb management of cargo operations was unsurpassed and I am especially grateful for your time and dedication to host and provide valuable shipboard cargo training to a number of U.S. Marines. Your efforts directly and significantly contributed to the overall success of the exercise. You are true professionals who perfectly demonstrate the motto of MSC: We Deliver. Bravo Zulu on a job exceptionally well done.” The master of the Pililaau, Captain Don Pigott, echoed these sentiments, and specifically mentioned two crew members in his message. Captain Pigott said, “Bosun Andrew Barrows and Chief Steward Dennis Redding did an excellent job in support of the exercise, as did all the SIU seafarers onboard.” Foal Eagle Exercise Foal Eagle is actually a group of annual drills; the naval portion takes place in international waters around South Korea and includes many different maritime components. More than 75,000 U.S. troops and other personnel participated in a variety of drills and simulated beach landings, alongside more than 200,000 Republic of Korea (ROK) armed forces members. SIU members from the combination RO/RO-containership Obregon, a prepositioning ship, delivered critical supplies and support during Operation Foal Eagle, including helicopters for use in the exercises. Additionally, the USNS Salvor carried out a series of advanced combined salvage operations, both at sea and in port. Nigerian and Cameroonian forces prepare to board the Seafarers-crewed Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead during Exercise Obangame Express. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Davies) � 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 2010-2019 Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXII-LXXXI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-2019 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 2015 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES GENERAL DYNAMICS NASSCO STARTS CONSTRUCTION ON JONES ACT TANKER FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVES 2014 RECORDS SIU PARTICIPATES IN HISTORIC CHRISTENING USTRANSCOM COMMANDER BACKS MARINERS, JONES ACT SEAFARERS SHOWCASES SUPERB TRAINING, GRIT DURING MASSIVE AT-SEA REFURBISHMENT PROJECT SIU OF CANADA CONTINUES PUSH TO PRESERVE JOBS U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI SUPPORTS AMERICA’S SHIPBUILDERS USNS COMFORT ON GLOBAL MISSION OF ASSISTANCE MARITIME GROUPS ADVOCATE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS HORIZON PACIFIC CREW HONORS BROTHER TIDWELL WITH BURIAL AT SEA ‘SAIL-IN’ CARRIES CRUCIAL MESSAGE TO CAPITOL HILL SIU STRONGLY PROMOTES U.S. MERCHANT MARINE DURING ANNUAL OUTREACH SIU MARINERS ASSIST MILITARY TRAINING OPERATIONS Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 05/01/2015 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. 77, No. 5