http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/2b4e2cc596f31d06a9f69715cf95de44.pdf 1d1e4f8c434d8eadc308ac41bffbf8f1 PDF Text Text Official Publication ol the Seafarers International Union • Atlantic, GuU, Lakes and Inland Waters District • AFL-CIO Vol. 49, No. I .January 1987 P.L. 480 Hike Safe Little New for Maritime in Reagan's FY '88 Budget When the cargo preference share of P.L. 480 shipments jumps from 60 to 70 percent this April, the administration apparently will not challenge it. Figures in the Reagan FY '88 budget include a $48.5 million allotment for the increased U .S.-flag share. Despite the overwhelming support of the House and Senate on the 1985 farm bill (the Food Security Act), there had been some grumblings from powerful farm state representatives and White House officials that the program might be challenged. That 1985 legislation was a compromise which will .eventually lead to a 75 percent U .S.-flag share of what are called Title II shipments under P.L. 480. Those food give-aways or donations were pegged at only 50 percent previously. In return for dropping claim to Title I programs. which are financed through various government loans and loan guarantees, the Title II share was increased for U.S. ships. Except for the P. L. 480 money, the budget items which affect maritime are either little changed from past budgets or reduced. As Operating Subsidy Differential contracts expire, they are not renewed, and if nothing is done in the way of policy change, they will eventually disappear. Currently only 87 U .S.-flag ships receive ODS, and $250.3 million is siotted for ODS. The Strategic Petroleum fill-rate will be reduced from 75,000 to 35,000 barrels a day. The administration claims that will save about $225 million a year. Overall, there is little new or unexpected in the budget requests. It follows a pattern set in 1980 of minimal help for the merchant marine. There are no drastic cuts because those have already been made in previous years. It will be up to Congress and the industry to attempt to find solutions to the massive problems in maritime. In a letter to both House and Senate members on the Merchant Marine and Armed Services committees and subcommittees, SIU President Frank Drozak urged either new action or strict implementation of the 1936 Merchant Marine Act. "I urge the lOOth Congress to initiate action which will reverse the industry's present state of deterioration. Solution toward maintaining a domestic shipyard mobilization base, as well as a sizeable U.S.-flag merchant fleet, are numerous and well documented. Congress must elect to implement a program of revival, either in the form of new legislation, or in strict enforcement of statutes, like the 1936 Act, which are already on the books," he wrote. Highlights of the FY '88 Budget * $66.8 million for operations and training for continued support of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, management of maritime promotional programs, and support of the (Continued on Page 22.) Drozak On the Waterfront; Visits Membership in Honolulu During his trip to Honolulu, SIU President Frank Drozak met with the crews of the SS Independence, and the SS Constitution. Above, Drozak (second from left) is pictured with (I. to r.) Commodore Harry Wu, SIU Vice President George McCartney and Bosun Clarence Burgo aboard the Independence. (See pages 4 and 5.) Wave of the Future? Unmanned Ships Will Sail S EAFARERS have had to contend with reduced manning scales for years. In some nations, 12-man crews are the norm and smaller crews are accepted. Even in the worst case, most sailors figured there would have to be a captain, a cook and somebody in the engineroom and on deck, right? Wrong. Next year the Japanese plan to test "crewless" ships, robot bulk carriers, or as one shipping company executive described them, "dummy or slave ships." The experiment is set to include four unmanned bulk carriers which would be electronically controlled by a so-called mother-ship. During the ocean crossing the mother-ship will be sort of an electronic, floating border collie, herding its charges across the seas. When the four ships come close to shore, crews would be transported from shore by helicopter or high speed boats to take over the ships and guide them to port. There sure wouldn't be many beefs at payoff. On a more serious note, crewless ships may or may not be used in the future, but they are an extreme example of the problems merchant seamen everywhere face. Individually, you can protect yourself by learning more skills, upgrading yourself. Collectively, this Union and all maritime unions must help in forging some sort of national maritime policy. This administration and this nation must be shown the important role the merchant marine and the people in it play in both peace time and war. Inside: Labor Honors Martin Luther King Page 3 30 Die in Tragic Winter Sinkings Page 3 Piney Point Blast Kills SIU Boatman Page 7 Special Section-A Look at 1986 At a party honoring his years of service to maritime labor, Executive VP Ed Turner and SIU President Frank Drozak share thoughts. See page 6 for more photos. Pages14-19 Washington Report Looks at New Congress Page 21 �Pre ide t' r by Frank Drozak N INETEEN eighty-six turned out to be a disappointing year for most Americans. The year began on a tragic note when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. It ended with the Iran arms scandal, which raised many troubling questions about the way this country is being governed. The nation's two most pressing problems-the budget and trade deficits-continued to worsen. As a result, many American industries were finding it difficult to compete against foreign competitors, and many thousands of American industrial workers were forced into low-paying service jobs or unemployment lines. Maritime was one of the industries most heavily hit. The number of vessels documented under the American registry continued to decline. There are now fewer than 400 active American-flag vessels, one-tenth the number we had during World War II. U.S. Lines, this nation's largest carrier, filed for protection under Chapter XI of the bankruptcy code. Things could have been worse. Our legislative department helped beat back attempts to weaken a number of laws that have provided the maritime industry with an important safety net: a ban on the sale of Alaskan oil; the Service Contract Act; cargo preference laws, and the Jones Act. But something more is needed, and that something is a comprehensive national maritime policy to promote the American maritime industry. With the exception of the Port Development Bill, no major maritime bills were enacted. * * * a manpower shortage within a few years, one which would have profound implications for the security of this nation. Right now, the only new work being created in the maritime industry is onboard military vessels that are being contracted out by the Navy. Fully one-third of all our deep-sea jobs are on military support vessels. The SIU and its members are ready and able to man these ships. At the same time, I must stress that many skilled seamen have left this industry. They just couldn't adjust to the economic uncertainty caused by the lack of a coherent national policy. And this is a great personal loss to these seafarers I have more hope for 1987. It finally seems that Americans are ready to tackle some difficult issues. A new Congress wasjust sworn in. Leaders on both sides of the aisle have promised to enact some kind of trade bill. We in the SIU want to make sure that any such bill takes into account the needs of the maritime industry. For example, a trade bill that allows the export of Alaskan oil would be worse than no trade bill at all. We in the SIU have, therefore, spent the past few months drafting our own recommendations on trade. I intend to unveil these recommendations in February when the Maritime Trades Department meets in Florida. As a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, I intend to ask the Council to incorporate into its recommendations on the Trade Bill policy statement language which will include fair access to cargo for U.S.-ftag ships. The maritime industry will be helped, I believe, by a growing public awareness of the pivotal role that the American-flag merchant marine plays in the defense of this country. The Navy just released a study predicting and their families as well as a very real threat to our national defense. The SIU will continue to keep an eye out for developments in other areas as well. We will continue to improve our training facilities at the Lundeberg School. While I will continue to explore mergers with other maritime unions, I intend with the best of my ability and with your support to do whatever is necessary to protect and promote the best interests of this membership. And I pledge to fight tooth and nail any and all attempts to infringe upon our jurisdictional rights, or to threaten your job security. Recertified Stewards See the Hill As part of their training, this group of recertified stewards bad a chance to visit Capitol Hill, where many important decisions affecting maritime are made. The group included Raymundo Agbulos, Rayfield Crawford, Norman Duhe and his wife, Vernon Ferguson, James Jackson, Floyd King, James Lewis, Diane Michener, Lance Rene, William Robles, Jonathan White and Kyle White. J ry1 rers I s ndl -CIO 7 d ol 49 0 1 Executive Board Frank Drozak President Angus "Red" Campbell Joe DiGiorgio Vice President Mike Sacco Vice President Vice President George McCartney Roy Mercer Steve Edney Vice President Vice President Vice President Charles Svenson Editor Secretary Joe Sacco Vice President Leon Hall Mike Hall Managing Editor Max Hall Associate Editor 2 I LOG I January 1987 Ray Bourdius Assistant Editor Deborah Greene Associate Editor The LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is published monthly by Seafarers International Union Atlantic Gulf Lakes and Inland Waters District, AFL-CIO , 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs , Md . 20746, Tei'. 899~ 0675. Second-class postage paid at M.S.C. Prince Georges, Md . 20790-9998 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the LOG 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs Md . 20746 . ' ' • �Civil Rights Leader Honored Labor and Nation Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to bringing about equal rights for all Americans. This January 19 marks the second year the U.S. will celebrate Martin Luther King Day. Organized labor helped bring about this day to recognize the accomplishments of this giant of the civil rights movement. While the fight to establish a day to honor Dr. King's legacy was nowhere as difficult nor as long as his decades-long struggle for civil rights, union members everywhere should take some pride in knowing they were instrumental in establishing this national day of remembrance. Following are excerpts from remarks by AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland concerning the King holiday: ''As trade unionists, we think that it would have given Dr. King some small pleasure to know that union members all over this country have turned to their employers and insisted that this holiday be affirmed in their collective bargaining agreements. "On January 19, 1987, the labor movement has the opportunity to help assure that this new tradition, this new holiday, continues to be a day that celebrates all that Martin Luther King lived and died for: justice and dignity, freedom and peace. "We can do it by persuasion, by education and, above all, by example. ''Labor has a special responsibility to help head that off and to point the Martin Luther King Holiday commemoration in the way it should go. No other institution has such direct pipelines to so many members; and no other institution so deeply shares the goals and values that Martin Luther King fought for. "Dr. King's dream is timeless. It is shared by all working people of all races and religions. He spelled it out eloquently when he came before the 1961 convention of the AFL-CIO and said this: 'I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one, with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions. 'This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream, a dream yet unfulfilled: a dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.' "That's where we stand, and it's where we have been standing for a hundred years and more. January 19 this year, and every January in the future, is a time for trade unionists to stand together, with as many of our fellow citizens as we can reach, and renew our vows to bring that dream to reality." Seafarers Welfare Plans Report Health care costs are rising again. At the beginning of 1986, the rise was in the 6 to 8 percent range. The Bureau of National Affairs reports that during the third quarter of 1986, costs for medical services increased as much as 20 percent. Several programs were put into effect to safeguard your welfare fund during the last year. A letter from the trustees will be sent to all members in the next few months explaining any changes made in the Plans. *** All official Union documents, W-2 · forms, the LOG, and letters from the trustees about your benefit plans are sent to our members at the permanent addresses on file. If your permanent address changed during the last year, or if you haven't been receiving Union mail, it is most important that you send your new address to the SIU, Attention: Address Correction Department, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Maryland, 20746-9971. Include your social security number, your book number, telephone number, and whether you are a pensioner or an active member. Drozak Raps AID Age Rule An Agency for International Development (AID) regulation placing a 15year age limit on U.S. ships carrying AID cargo to Jordan and Egypt is "without legal basis," said SIU and MTD President Frank Drozak. ''The Maritime Trades Department objects to the recent AID policy as it clearly discriminates against a number of U .S.-fiag vessels which have been certified by the Coast Guard to be safe. These standards for certification have been set by the Congress and are the most stringent in the international shipping community. Age is not indicative of the safety or efficiency of a vessel. Many older vessels operating under the U.S. flag are extremely well maintained and repaired. Older ve sels are subject to the ame trict Coa t Guard inspections as newer ve sels. Vessels which have been maintained and improved by their owner should not be rendered obsolete for purposes of the preference trades because of an agency's arbitrary barrier allegedly put Crew Snuffs Out Blaze On Lt. John P. Bobo Late last fall a fire broke out on the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo. It had the potential to do serious damage to the ship. But quick action by SIU crewmen was able to keep the fire confined to the lower deck in the hold where it broke out. Capt. John F. Maytum cited the crew's training and pecial education provided by the SIU as a main reason for their speedy snuffing out the flames. Following is a letter from Capt. Maytum to SIU VP 'Red' Campbell. "While anchored off Las Palmas, Canary Islands, on 31 October 1986, the M/V 2nd. Lt. John P. Bobo was damaged by a fire on "G" deck lower hold # 3. The fire was discovered by QMED/Pumpman Walter L. Davidson, who quickly passed word to the bridge and returned to fight the fire. Heavy black smoke and extreme heat in a confined area, deep in the ship, made conditions extremely hazardous. Mr. Davidson was quickly joined by D/E/U Daniel Campbell and Chief Mate Michael Duley (Dist.-2, AMO). These men donned self-contained breathing apparatus and had the fire out in a matter of minutes. Minimum damage to the vessel and its cargo were a direct result of the rapid and highly professional response of these SIU crewmen. The hours of training and special education provided by the SIU to their members have paid off handsomely in thi case. The rest of the crew, who were not directly involved in fighting the fire, provided replacement air bottles and other support equipment. The crew and officers performed all their assigned tasks and duties in the most professional manner, and their actions were in the highe t traditions of the merchant marine. It is a pleasure to have men of this caliber on board the ves el.'' Three Sinkings Claim 30 Thirty merchant sailors died in three sinkings during the last week of December. Two of the accidents occurred in the North Atlantic and the third off the coast of Sardinia. Both Atlantic mishaps happened Dec. 26. The tanker was British-owned but registered in Gibraltar. Two Briti h eamen's unions have asked for a British government inquiry into the accident. The ship reportedly carried a life boat which could only hold ix. On the same day, the sinking of the Icelandic freighter Suderlund claimed six lives. But five other crewmen were rescued in stormy seas. The 3,500-ton ship apparently had been battered by heavy seas between Norway and Iceland, and some reports say a large wave slammed into the freighter causing it to list badly. The captain then issued a Mayday and abandoned ship. Five crewmembers were rescued 12 hours later when a Danish Coast Guard helicopter arrived on the scene and hoisted them from their life raft. Three others on the raft were dead by then, possibly from exposure. Three others apparently went down with the ship. On Christmas Day, the Cypriot freighter Stainless Trader sank during a gale off the coast of Sardinia. Eight crewmembers died in the accident and I 0 other were re cued. in place at the reque t of a foreign nation,'' Drozak wrote in a letter to the agency. "Absent a further change in congressional policy, AID is without any legal basis or other authority to limit the pool of eligible vessels based on the objections or demands of a foreign nation. To let this ill-conceived and ill-advised action stand will only encourage other recipient nations to e tabli h similar arbitrary method of minimizing the u e of U .S.-ftag vesels," he said. Drozak asked AID to review and change its policy. All 12 crewmembers aboard the British tanker Syneta perished when the ship ran aground off the east coast of Iceland. After running aground near the mouth of a fjord, the ship sent a Mayday signal it could not launch its life rafts because the Syneta was too close to a rocky outcrop. When the tanker began to sink, the crewmen apparently jumped into the water wearing only life jackets. When other vessels arrived on the scene, they found six bodies in life jackets and a life raft ripped apart. Two other bodies slipped out of the life jackets as rescuers tried to recover them. January 1987 I LOG I 3 �IU President Frank Drozak went down to the waterfront in Hawaii to spend time with the Union's membership, many of whom call the Islands home or stop there in transit. During his six days in port, Drozak went aboard the cableship Charles L. Brown, the tug Susan W. Hannah, the T-AGOS Indomitable, and the cruise ships . S.S. Constitution. and S.S. Independence. With more and more military support vessels calling at the port facilities in Honolulu and at Hickham Field, and with both the S.S. Constitution and the S.S. Independence being home-ported in Honolulu, the Hawaiian Islands have become a major port for the SIU. While he was in Honolulu, President Drozak spent time visiting with the Port Agents of both the Sailors Union of the Pacific, and the Marine Firemen. S SIU President Meets with the Membership in Hawaii On he Wa erfront with Frank SIU President Drozak and VP McCartney meet with Bosun John Ballantine during their visit to the S.S. Constitution in Honolulu. rozak Bosun Charles Little ''takes five'' while the T-AGOS Indomitable lays dockside at Hickham Field in Hawaii. T-Aaos Indomitable S.S. Independence S.S. Constitution President Drozak meets with the lndomitable's Bosun Charles Little, second from left, and Chief Cook Alphonse Dixon. At left is SIU VP George McCartney. SIU President Frank Drozak addresses a membership meeting aboard the S.S. Constitution. 126 crewmembers from all departments attended the meeting. With Drozak at the head table are SIU Vice President George McCartney and Bosun (and Ship's Chairman) John Ballantine. On the SS Independence, Drozak and McCartney take a minute to pose with some of the crew, along with Commodore Harry Wu (left) and Bosun Clarence Burgo (right). SIU President Frank Drozak, Vice President George McCartney and Rep. Tom Fay board the Charles L. Brown for a meeting with the ship's crew. The cable-laying vessel is home-ported in Honolulu. The ship's engineer, at right, takes SIU officials Drozak and McCartney on a tour of the T-AGOS vessel's engineroom. 4 I LOG I January 1987 �Drozak, McCartney and Fay meet with some of the crew in the messroom to talk about the unique problems that come up during cable laying and repair missions. Clockwise from bottom left are Bosun Roy Theiss, Oiler/Maintenance Anthony DiBenedetto, SIU Vice President George McCartney, Chief Electrician William Carroll, Cable AB Bill Mullins, SIU President Frank Drozak and SIU Rep Tom Fay. Drozak spent time talking with Constitution crewmembers. Drozak meets with Bosun Roy Theiss and two Charles L. Brown crewmembers. On the Constitution, a relaxed crew and Drozak get a chance to share some thoughts. SIU President Frank Drozak posed for this photo before boarding the T-AGOS , Indomitable for a meeting with the crew. The Navy support vessel is home-ported in Honolulu. From left are SIU Vice President George McCartney, Drozak, Capt. Michael G. Clarity, senior vice president of Sea Mobility (Pacific), and SIU Rep Tom Fay. It was a good turnout, and members listened carefully to President Drozak's report on their Union's progress. SIU President Frank Drozak looks over the Susan W. Hannah, tied up in transit at the port of Honolulu, before boarding for a meeting with the crew. A key member of the Charles L. Brown's crew is Cook-Baker James B. Richardson seen here at left with Bosun Roy Theiss and SIU President Drozak. January 1987 I LOG I 5 �Forty Years of Service Ed Turner, Lundeberg Ally, SIU VP, Retires ''The SIU is losing more than just a good worker, ' ' said SIU President Frank Drozak recently at the retirement party for Executive Vice President Ed Turner. "It is losing one of the last remaining links to its past." This was just one of many accolades given to the retiring Turner last month at a dinner held in his honor at the Apostleship of the Sea in San Francisco. Fifty years ago when the seamen' s movement lay in ruins, Ed Turner was part of the generation of labor leaders who reorganized the deep sea sailor and laid the foundation for improved wages, conditions and job security. Turner played a pivotal role in many of the early organizing drives. As a result of his loyalty, courage and unquestioned capability, he was chosen head of the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union (MCS). As head of the MCS, Turner was able to steadily improve the living standard of his members. Yet he understood that these improvements could not be maintained without unity. He understood that the maritime industry could not survive if it continued to be split among small, bickering entities. And so for the good of the The Apostleship of the Sea in San Francisco was festively decorated last month at the retirement dinner for SIU Executive Vice President Ed Turner. Ed (second from right) is flanked by his wife, Betty, and SIU President Frank Drozak. Also seated at the head table are Vice President George McCartney, San Francisco Supervisor Tom Hsieh and Mrs. Hsieh. Thanks to John Ravnik and Frank Gill for sending us these photos. maritime industry, and his membership, he agreed to merge with the A&G district of the SIU. During his fifty years in the industry, Ed Turner has seen it all. He has seen merchant seamen die protecting the security of their country, only to be Betty Turner holds the SIU award presented to her husband from President Frank Drozak. George McCartney Oeft) shares in the honor. Ed Turner thanks the SIU leadership for all the honors. 6 I LOG I January 1987 denied veterans' status. He has seen the industry go through boom times and through bust times. And he has worked closely with some of the industry's most talented people-and go one-on-one.against some of its toughest. Ed Turner-a loyal friend , strong family man and dedicated trade unionist-is living proof that organized labor can make a difference in the lives of its members. He has made an indelible mark on the maritime industry. And we will all miss him. A big dent was made in the S.S. Turner-and it was delicious. The entire executive board of the Sugar Workers join in honoring Ed Turner. Also in the photo are Frank Drozak, George McCartney and Betty Turner. �a SIU Boatman Killed Four Die in Massive Piney Point Barge Blast A barge holding the remnants of a load of aviation fuel exploded at the Steuart Petroleum Company depot in Piney Point, Md., killing four workers and injuring a fifth. One of the workers killed in the blast .was SIU Tankerman Glen D. Ponder, 42, of North Carolina who had just moved to Maryland to take a job at Steuart Petroleum. The blast, which occurred Dec. 20 at 2:30 a.m., rocked nearby homes. People as far away as 17 miles described the explosion as ''an earthquake." More than 125 firefighters from eight St. Mary's and Calvert county fire departments battled about three hours to bring the blaze on the barge and the adjacent pier under control. A joint inquiry was immediately called by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the reasons for the explosion. Three hearings were held over the course of the month, and evidence was gathered. The lone survivor of the explosion, Walter Higgs, 44, of Leonardtown, Md., could not testify at the first two hearings because of the extensive nature of his injuries. Higgs is believed to have survived because he was not on the barge. He was logging information on the pier when the explosion occurred. On Jan. 11, 1987, the day after the third and final hearing was held, The Baltimore Sun reported that Lt. William Diaduk, who headed the investigation, had said that Steuart Petroleum's safety record was "very good." It will be another six weeks before the investigators release a report. "We'll almost certainly know what happened," said Lt. Diaduk. He also indicated that the explosion may have been caused by some kind of spark, and that it occurred during some kind of fuel transfer. One theory is that the spark could have been caused by the suctioning device which was being used to transfer the fuel. The barge would have been filled with the fumes from the jet fuel. According to Robert Thomas, deputy state fire marshal, ''That's more dangerous than if [the barge] was full.'' Tampa Tugs in Hawaii Something Fishy on the Susan W. Hannah Hamming it up for the photographer, Cook Gary Spencer attacks a freshly-caught bonita that was gaffed by Deckhand Rick Wilson. The crew poses with a freshly-caught swordfish which was later transformed into delicious steaks. Exulting in the moment are First Mate Mark Duncan, Chief Engineer Bill Hastings, Crewmember Harvey Walker, Captain Kim Gill, Second Mate Scott Coburn and Cook Gary Spencer. Crowley in L.A. The following Inland members have gone on pension: Baltimore Preston L. Bryant, captain Houston Alfonse B. Cocek, captain Norfolk Elmer Bingham, cook Leslie F. Haynie , captian Philadelphia Raymond H. McMullen, captain & mate In Los Angeles Harbor, SIU Rep Trevor ''Robbie'' Robertson (right) makes sure that Seafarers working the many pieces of Crowley equipment receive good Union representation. Here, Tankermen Dominic Defeo (left) and Gary Harbison enjoy a laugh during one of Robertson's visits. January 1987 I LOG I 7 �In Memoriam Pensioner James Edward Bromwell Sr. , 89, passed away from heart failure in the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore on Dec. 6, 1986. Brother Bromwell joined the Union in the port of Baltimore in 1957. He sailed as a captain for the Curtis Bay Towing Co . from 1945 to 1970. He was born in Maryland and was a resident of Baltimore . Burial was in the Cedar Hill Cemetery , Brooklyn , Md . Surviving is his widow, Mary. Pensioner Cristobal Jesolua, 80, passed away on Dec. 24, 1986.BrotherJesolua joined the Union in the port of Norfolk in 1967. He sailed for the Virginia Pilots Assn. from 1946 to 1964 and for the Assn. of Maryland Pilots from 1964 to 1972. He was born in the Philippine Islands and was a resident of Churchland, Va. Surviving is his son , Christopher of Portsmouth , Va. Pensioner Henry "Harry" Bill Joyce, 83 , succumbed to heart-lung failure in the Good Samaritan .. Hospital , N.Y. on • Nov. 1, 1986. ' Brother Joyce joined the Union in the port of New York in 1960. He sailed as a floatman and dispatcher for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad from 1942 to 1968. He was born in the Bronx, N. Y. and was a resident of North Babylon, N.Y. Burial was in the St. Charles Cemetery , Pinelawn, N.Y. Surviving are his widow, Gertrude; a son, Ronald; a daughter, Regina, both of the Bronx, and a brother, Howard. Pensioner Lamar Matthew Lott Sr., 72, passed away from lung failure in Perris, Ala. on Nov. 3, 1986. Brother Lott joined the Union in the port of Mobile in 1957. He sailed as a cook for the Mobile Towing Co. from 1973 to 1979. He was born in Mobile and was a resident there. Boatman Lott donated his remains to the Loma Linda (Calif.) Medical School. Surviving is his widow, Esther. Pensioner Raymond Clyde Miller, 63, died on Nov. 5. Brother Miller joined the Union in the port of Norfolk in 1961. He sailed as a deckhand for the Allied Towing Co. from 1961 to 1978. He was born in New Bern, N .C. and was a resident of Chesapeake, Va. Surviving is his widow, Helen. 8 I LOG I January 1987 The crew of the tug Sea Prince (I. tor.): Mate Kerry Dematos. AB John Cox, Captain Larry Levinson, AB Bruno Kalmeta, Cook Joe Buccanfuso and Chief Engineer Mike Glynn. A helicopter view of the platform Irene after the crew change. Crowley Crews Help Complete Pipeline From Nov. IO to Dec . 8, 1986, some members of Crowley Towing and Transportation in Long Beach , Calif. were sent to Pt. Conception on the tug Sea Prince, with barge DB-300 in tow , to help finish the Union Oil (UNOCAL) pipeline from shore to platform Irene , 8V2 miles offshore. Instead of staying on location the whole time, a crew change was made via helicopter. Thanks to AB John Cox for these photos. Barge DB-300 on location and ready to work, after crewmembers ran and positioned the anchors. Dispatchers Report for Inland Waters DEC. 1-31, 1986 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class A Class B Class C Port Gloucester . .. .... . .. ... .. . .. . .. .. New York . . ... ... . . ...... ... ... . . Philadelphia ...................... Baltimore ............... . ....... . Norfolk . . .................. . .... Mobile .... ..... . ... . .... . ..... . . New Orleans ..... . ............. .. . Jacksonville . . . ...... .. .. ... . ... . . San Francisco .. .... ... . . .. . . . . .. .. Wilmington .. ..... . . . ... . . . . . . .. .. Seattle . . . ..... ... .. ... . . . .. . . . .. Puerto Rico ... .. . . . . . .. ..... . .... Houston . . ............... . ....... Algonac . . . ......... . ............ St. Louis .. . . . . . ..... ......... .. . Piney Point .... . ..... . . ... ... .. . .. Totals . . ........................ **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A Class B Class C DECK DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 2 12 58 0 2 2 0 11 0 0 3 7 2 0 99 0 0 0 0 7 0 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 20 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 14 0 4 0 0 4 0 1 1 29 Port Gloucester . . . .... . . .............. . New York . ... . ..... .. ..... .. ... .. . Philadelphia . .. .. . . . .... .. . . . ... . . . Baltimore ...... . .. .. . .. .. .... . .. . . Norfolk ..... . ......... . ... .. .... . Mobile .... .. .. . ... . ..... . .. . .... . New Orleans ...... . ...... .. ....... . Jacksonville ... . ................ . . . San Francisco .. . ... . . . .. ... . . .. .. . . Wilmington ... . ............... . .. . . Seattle ... . . . . .. . . ........... . ... . Puerto Rico .. . ..... . ........ . .... . Houston .. ...... .... .. .... . . . . . . . . Algonac .. . . .. ..... . ..... . .. . . .. . . St. Louis ..... .. . .... . . . ...... . .. . Piney Point .. . ... . . .. ..... . . ... ... . Totals ................ . ..... .. .. . 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 11 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 Port Gloucester ... . .............. . .. . . New York ... . . ... .. ....... . .. . ... Philadelphia .... . ................. Baltimore ........................ Norfolk .............. . .......... Mobile ..... ... ....... . . . ..... . .. New Orleans . . .. ....... ... .... .. . . Jacksonville .......... . . ...... .... San Francisco . .. .. . .. . .. . . . ... .. .. Wilmington . ...................... Seattle .......................... Puerto Rico . ..... . ............... Houston ..... . ... .... . . .... ... ... Algonac . . ....... .. .............. St. Louis ........ . . . ......... . ... Piney Point .. . ... . . . . .. .. .... . .. .. Totals . . .... . ... . ... . ...... . .. . . TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class A Class B Class C 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 10 0 0 35 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 1 0 3 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 61 14 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 0 0 2 0 2 0 8 18 0 2 0 0 7 0 1 35 0 0 23 0 0 1 2 6 0 6 0 0 4 0 10 1 73 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 19 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 25 0 0 3 0 0 0 143 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 12 0 0 0 0 12 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 75 0 5 1 0 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 18 0 0 22 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 STEWARD DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Totals All Departments .... . .. . ....... . 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 22 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 83 24 13 197 109 43 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 9 10 0 0 6 127 41 41 1 0 10 1 6 0 0 3 0 1 *" Total Registered " means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month . **"Registered on the Beach " means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month . �SHLSS Prepares U pgraders for U.S. Coast Guard Deck License Exatn The upper level deck license courses offered at the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School prepare qualified students for the U.S. Coast Guard exams for Original Second Mate, Third Mate, Master or Mate of Freight and Towing Vessels (not more than 1000 gross tons). A mass of material is covered during the basic 10-week course and requires a serious student who will average about three hours of study per night. ''The deck license courses are geared to learning the material for the job, not just to pass the Coast Guard test:' says Deck Instructor Jim Brown. To help a seafarer become accustomed to studying again, the Adult Education Department offers a Developmental Studies Course (DVS) one week prior to the deck license courses. In the DVS course a student is taught technical reading skills, study skills, math skills and how to use resources. The complete deck license course consists of a 10-week basic navigation course, a five-week Celestial Navigation course and a two-week Radar Observer course for a total of 17 weeks of training. Some of the navigational related subjects covered during the deck license courses include chart construction, instruments and accessories, magnetic and gyro compasses, dead reckoning, piloting, lines of position, electronic navigation, tides and tidal currents, weather and rules of the road. Other subject areas covered include marlins pike seamanship, shiphandling, cargo gear and cargo handling, firefighting, first aid, CPR, use of various federal regulations ( CFRs) and basic damage control. The 10-week basic navigation course is followed by a five-week course in Celestial Navigation. Subjects covered in this course include basic nautical astronomy, time, latitude by observation of Polaris and noon sights (LAN), lines of position (LOP) and running fixes from sun, star and planet observations, determining compass and gyro error by amplitude and azimuth, star indentification, sunrise, sunset and twilight. The Coast Guard exam is usually taken during the fifth week of the Celestial course. The exam for Second and Third Mate lasts three days. The exam for Master and Mate lasts a day and a half. While it is helpful to have a good math background and be able to solve trigonometry problems, such knowledge is not necessary in order to understand and solve most problems in navigation. A good understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division is all that is required. The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for license as Master of Freight and Towing Vessels of not more than 1000 gross tons is four years on deck including: a. One year service as licensed mate; or r b. Two years service as unlicensed master; or c. One year service as Operator of U ninspected Towing Vessels; or d. Two years service as Quartermaster or Wheelsman while holding a license as Mate or First Class Pilot; or e. Two years service as unlicensed mate while holding a license as operator of small passenger vessels valid within the area for which application is made; or f. Three years service as unlicensed mate. The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for license as Mate of Freight and Towing Vessels of not more than 1000 gross tons is two years on deck including: Third Mate students make constant reference to the books and materials that are a part of daily classroom use. a. One year service in a watchstanding capacity while holding a license as operator of small passenger vessels valid within the area for which application is made; or b. One year service as unlicensed mate; or c. Eighte~n months service as Quartermaster or Wheelsman. All candidates for Original Second Mate and Third Mate must pass a practical flashing light test at a speed of six words per minute. The celestial ponion of the Master and Mate exam is only given when a route of more than 200 miles offshore is sought. The holder of a valid license as either a Second Mate Oceans, or Chief Mate Oceans, who has tested within the previous year will only be required to take the Deck General section of the exam for Master of Freight and Towing of Vessels not more than 1000 gross tons. A valid radar endorsement is required for all upper level licenses if they are to be used on vessels over 300 gross tons. The radar course is two weeks in length. January 1987 I LOG I 9 �SIU Promotes Asbestos Awareness A recent article in the journal of Commerce points out what the Seafarers International Union has known for some time. Namely that asbestos aboard ship can pose a significant health hazard to workers who come in contact with it. The Journal of Commerce article quotes a new study by Dr. Irving Selikoff of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. He is regarded as a top expert in the field of asbestosrelated health problems. In the study, which is based on chest x-rays from over 2,300 U.S. merchant seamen, Dr. Selikoff found that 38% of seafarers who sailed before 1946 showed scarring of the lungs, a common effect of handling asbestos. Among longtime sailors who work in engine rooms, 46 % were found to have symptoms of asbestosis, a disease that has been linked to lung cancer. Asbestos is a good insulator and was commonly used in ship Dressed in an asbestos suit, Mike construction from the 19 30 's to the Wilson checks a casting for cracks mid-70's. Although most ships or leaks. built since about 1975 use little or develop problems from asbestos no asbestos in their construction, many years after you were exposed. the age of American merchant This so-called "latent period" can ships dictates that many vessels be 15, 20, 30 or more years. Heavy containing asbestos are still in exposure for periods as short as a service. Some shipping companies month can cause problems years have made efforts to remove later. asbestos from their fleets, but it still It is this concern about the longre~ains on many ships. term health hazards of asbestos Asbestos is also found in a wide exposure that prompted the SIU to variety of products such as tapes, work with the American Steamship sealers, gaskets, paints, and glue. Company on the production of a All of these materials can release videotape that addresses the asbestos fibers into the air where unique problems of seafarers who they form an invisible health work with asbestos. The program, hazard. Workers exposed to ' 'Asbestos Awareness'' , covers asbestos face increased risk from a many aspects of the problem, number of diseases such as including what asbestos is, where it asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung is found aboard ship, the health cancer, and other types of cancer. problems it can cause, and how The government has placed strict you, as a seafarer, can protect limits on asbestos exposure. For yourself. example, the fibers released by The program was videotaped in some types of asbestos may be part aboard the ASC ship, john]. smaller than the point of a pin. Boland''. The SHLSS Video These are of greatest concern Department sent a crew aboard the because when they are inhaled they vessel where they spent several days become trapped in the lungs and videotaping typical asbestos can't be exhaled. The government locations, asbestos handling has set a limit of two fibers per procedures, and safety equipment. cubic centimeter of air for an eight Later this videotape was combined hour work shift. That's two fibers with computer graphics, videotape in a space about the size of a sugar shot in other locations, and other cube. If the asbestos concentration elements to make up the final 13 is at or above this level, you must minute production. ASC provided wear respiratory equipment. the original script and the use of One of the reasons that asbestos the ship, SHLSS contributed the is so dangerous is that once you skills and equipment of the Video inhale or digest the fibers they stay Department. in your body. Asbestos is a natural Production the program glass and, like glass, can cut and required several months and irritate body surfaces. You can 10 I LOG I January 1987 industry experts were consulted to make sure that the information presented was accurate and up to date. The program dearly states the responsibilities of your union, your employer, and yourself. If you would like to know more about the hazards of shipboard asbestos and what you can do to protect yourself, contact your Port Agent and have him request a copy of ''Asbestos Awareness'' for use in your port. All requests should be directed to: Mike Wilson Video Department SHLSS Piney Point, MD. 20674 Darya Marbrook Impressed with changes at SHLSS It's always a pleasure to see SIU members returning to the Lundeberg school. Students who have gone through the SHLSS Trainee Program are an especially welcome sight. Darya Marbrook graduated from the trainee program in 1979 and has returned to SHLSS it upgrade her skills. "I can't believe the changes they've made here," says Marbrook. "The new hotel, the library, the new buildings. I was a bit hesitant about coming because I expected the facilities to be about what they were when I left here in '79, adequate but not great, but now this place is fantastic! When you' re on board a ship you wonder where your union dues are going. When you come to the school you see what they' re being used for.'' Darya sails as an AB on Maersk ships and is currently enrolled in the Sealift Operations and Maintenance class. "We had some sealift training onboard the ship but you were taught only what your individual job would be and I want Darya Marbrook ships out of NY and is enjoying her sealift class at SHLSS. to know something about every job" says Marbrook. "That's why I'm here." ,.------Burial at S e a - - - - The ashes of Walter F. Mueller were spread upon the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, as he had requested , on November 25, 1986. Walter was born May 21 , 1~02 and passed away November 25 , 1986. He will be missed by his family, friends and SIU brothers and sisters. �Jl Recertified Stewards First row (I. to r.) Floyd King, James E. Lewis, Vernon Ferguson, William Robles, Ray Agbulos, Diane Michener, Ken Conklin (SHLSS Vice President). Second row: Kyle White, Jonathan White, James A. Jackson Jr., Rayfield E. Crawford, Lance Rene, Leo .Bonsor (SIU Rep.), Norman Duhe. Marine Electronics (I. to r.) Tony Adamaitis, Julian Lopez, Paul it Army Training Group First row (I. tor.) Richard Dickerson (Instructor), Jesus S. Ombac, Roy L. Williams, M. C. Ray Jr. Second row (I. to r.) Sinclair James, John E. Evans, Antonio Rodriguez, Jim Moore ,(Instructor). Chief Cook (I. tor.) Tom Barret, Edgardo Dedos, Robert Firth, Ray Garcia, Gregory Lee. Olson, John Day. Tankerman (1. to r.) Mike Bullen, Ben Cusic (Instructor), Bob Garcia. Welding First row (I. to r.) Lee Brady, Rashid Ali, C. Suazo. Second row: Bill Foley (Instructor), Jim Sieger, Joseph T. Trauth. (I. tor.) Judy Barbera, Brad Gilbert, Harry Alongi (Instructor), Diesel Engineer (I. to r.) Dan Picciolo, Eric Malzkuhn (Instructor), David Jeff Davis,, Rob Whytock. Cuffee, Mike Novak. Not shown, Richard Williams. Sealift Operations and Maintenance i:..'=.: $!·~:~~ .: Able Seaman First row (I. to r.) Larry Cole, Reginald Watkins, Brad Brunette, Stephen Bowden, Dave Fowkes, Randolph Antonio Liverpool, Raymond Wezik, Jake Karaczynski (Instructor). Second row: Vernon Huelett, William Bolling, Joseph Murphy, Michael Warren, Earl Gray Jr. January 1987 I LOG I 11 �1987 UPGRADING COURSE SCHEDULE Programs Geared to Improve Job Skills And Promote U.S. Maritime Industry February 1987 The following is the current course schedule for February 1987 - June 1987 at the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. For the membership's convenience, the course schedule is separated into six categories: Deck Department courses; Engine Department courses; Steward Department courses; Adult Education courses; All Department courses and Recertification Programs. June 1987 All Rating Upgrading Courses Course Sealift Operations and Maintenance Inland Boatmen and deep sea Seafarers who are preparing to upgrade are advised to enroll for class as early as ~ible. Although every effort will be made to fill the requests of the members, the classes are limited in size - so sign up early. Check-In Date March 18 May 13 Completion Date May 22 July 17 Cook & Baker February 4 March 18 April 29 June 10 May 15 June 26 August 7 September 18 Chief Steward March 18 May 13 May 22 July 17 Course Chief Cook SIU Representatives in all ports will assist members in filling out the application. Engine Upgrading Courses Check-In Date Completion Date QMED ·Any Rating March 23 June 12 Marine Electrical Maintenance March 9 May 1 Diesel Engine Technology April 6 Welding Completion Date February 27 March 27 May 8 June 12 August 7 Steward Upgrading Courses The course schedule may change to reflect the membership's needs and the needs of the industry. Course Check-In Date February 2 March 2 April 13 May 18 July 13 Recertification Programs May 15 Course Steward Recertification Check-In Date June 29 Completion Date August 3 April 13 May 8 Bosun Recertification February 24 April 6 Chief Engineer & Assistant Engineer Un inspected Motor Vessel April 6 June 12 Automation June 22 July 17 Fireman/Watertender Oiler February 9 June 8 April 3 July 31 Hydraulics May 11 June 5 February 16 March 27 Refrigerated Containers Maintenance Advanced Deck Upgrading Courses Adult Education Courses Check-In Completion Course Date Date For students who wish to apply for the GED, ESL, or ABE classes for the first six months of this year, the courses will be six weeks in length and offered on the following dates: High School Equivalency (GED) March 2 April 13 May 4 June 15 Adult Basic Education (ABE) & March 2 April 10 English as a Second Language (ESL) May 4 June 12 Seafarers applying for the upgraders Lifeboat class and who are either ESL or need some work on basic skills, may take the ESUABE Lifeboat course three weeks prior to the scheduled Lifeboat class. This class will be offered: February 16 March 6 April 13 May 1 Check·ln Date Completion Date Celestial Navigation March 13 July 13 April 17 August 14 Able Seaman March 23 May 18 May 15 July 10 Radar Observer March 16 April 20 March 27 May 1 Radar Observer (Renewal) Open ended course, however, must notify SHLSS before entering this course. Third Mate & Original Second Mate May 4 July 10 Lifeboat March 9 May 4 March 20 May 15 Course Associates in Arts Tankerman March 23 May 18 April 3 May 29 Check-In Date March 30 June 8 Completion Date May 22 July 31 Nautical Science Certificate March 30 May 22 Course 12 I LOG I January 1987 The Developmental Studies Class (DVS) will be offered one week prior to some of the upgrading classes. They will be offered as follows: FOWT February 2 February 6 QMED March 16 March 20 Third Mate April 27 May 1 Able Seaman May 11 May 15 FOWT June 1 June 5 College Programs �Upgrading Course Apply Now for an SH LSS ...............................•................................................•.............•.••••..••................................. Seat are rs Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship Upgrading Application Name (f 1rst) (Last) (City) (State) Deep Sea Member D Date of Birth (Middle) Telephone (Zip Code) Inland Waters Member D Mo./bay/Year --rw-----.......--.--.------- (Area Code) Pacific D Lakes Member D Social Security# _______ Book#_______ Seniority _______ Department _ _ _ _ _ __ Port Presently Date Book Was lssued _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Port lssued _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Registered In _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Endorsement(s) or License(s) Now Held _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS Trainee Program: D Yes No D (if yes, fill in below) Last grade of schooling completed _ _ _ __ Trainee Program: From _ _ _____,_.,........,..._to~----(dates attended) Have you attended any SHLSS Upgrading Courses: D Yes No D (if yes, fill in below) Course(s) Taken _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Do you hold a letter of completion for Lifeboat: D Yes No D Firefighting: D Yes No D CPR: D Yes No D Date Available for Training - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Primary Language Spoken - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I Am interested in the Following Course(s) Checked Below or Indicated Here if Not Listed DECK ENGINE D Tankerman D AB Unlimited DAB Limited DAB Special D Towboat Operator Inland D Towboat Operator Not More Than 200 Miles D Towboat Operator (Over 200 Miles) D Celestial Navigation D Master Inspected Towing Vessel D Mate Inspected Towing Vessel D 1st Class Pilot D Third Mate Celestial Navigation 0 Third Mate D Radar Observer Unlimited 0 Simulator Course 0 FOWT 0 QMED-Any Rating D Marine Electronics (Variable Speed DC Drive) D D D D D D D 0 D o No transportation will be paid unless you present original receipts and successfully D Marine Electrical Maintenance Pumproom Maintenance & Operation Automation Refrigeration Systems Maintenance & Operations Diesel Engine Technology Assistant Engineer (Unlnspected Motor Vessel) Chief Engineer (Unlnspected Motor Vessel Third Asst. Engineer & Original Second Asst. Engineer Steam or Motor Ref rlgerated Containers Advanced Maintenance Hydraulics Electro-Hydraulic Systems STEWARD D D D D Cook & Baker Chief Cook Chief Steward Towboat Inland Cook ALL DEPARTMENTS D Welding D Lifeboatman D Seallft Operations & Maintenance ADULT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT D Adult Basic Education (ABE) D High School Equlvalency Program (GED) D Developmental Studies (DVS) D English as a Second Language (ESL) D ABE/ESL Lifeboat Preparation COLLEGE PROGRAM complete the course. D Associates In Arts Degree D Nautical Science Certificate RECORD OF EMPLOYMENT TIME-(Show only amount needed to upgrade in rating noted above or attach letter of service, whichever is applicable.) VESSEL RATING HELD DATE SHIPPED DATE OF DISCHARGE SIGNATURE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DATE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rev. 12186 RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION TO: Seafarers Harry Lundeberg Upgrading Center, Piney Point, MD. 20674 .............\ ·························································································································~~:::;;~ January 1987 I LOG I 13 �1986: A glance through the last 12 issues of the Seafarers LOG shows 1986 was an important, a busy and a pretty interesting year for the SIU and its members. Month-by-month, this is what happened last year. JANUARY New Bedford's SIU fishermen take their strike into the new year. Striking for a fair share of each boat's profits and against cutbacks in wages and benefits, SIU fishermen close New Bedford Harbor, stopping $1 million a day in fish business. A new farm bill is signed into law that will increase the U .S.-ftag share of P. L. 480 cargo to 60 percent in 1986 and 75 percent by 1988. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship is granted authority by the state of Maryland to issue two-year college degrees. In separate incidents, two SIU ships rescue more than 100 people in the Pacific. The MIV Rover, manned by Government Services Division Seafarers, plucks 63 Vietnamese refugees from one small boat. The Overseas Alice saves 47 victims of a Philippine ferryboat accident. Sonat Marine is put on the AFLCIO' s unfair list ... the Mississippi Queen is put out of ervice after colliding with a tugboat. No one is seriously hurt. The Seafarers Welfare Plan announces a new program to trim medical costs by awarding SIU members 25 percent of any overcharge you find on your hospital or doctor's bills ... Fifty rooms are made available for SIU pensioners at Piney Point in a brand new program. Long-time Seafarer Jim Golder dies at 61. A member since 1943, he was active on many committees, served for a time as a New York patrolman, and helped in many strikes and organizing drives ... On the West Coast, Marie Corsiglia dies. She went to sea in 1934 aboard the SS President Madison (Dollar Line). She spent 46 years at sea and at the age of 71 became the oldest Seafarer to ever qualify for a lifeboat ticket. The Men and Women of the SIU Continue to Work With Many New Military Jobs While Union Looks for Ways To Ride Out Stormy Course of the Maritime Industry To meet the demands of newly contracted military work, more SIU members are trained as crane operators aboard the Gem State , the second crane ship manned by the SIU ... The T-5 tanker Richard Matthiesen is manned by the SIU. SIU President Frank Drozak is named to an AFL-CIO commission to fight apartheid in South Africa, a battle the SIU carries on for all of 1986. An accident in San Francisco Bay takes the life of Edward "Bud" Mackey, 72, a senior captain for Crowley Marine. His tug, Napa River, sank following a collision. MARCH Management weakens in the SIU fishermen's strike in New Bedford as boatowners defect from the Seafood QMED Julian Lopez keeps alive one of the older seafaring traditions, building ships in bottles. The Spanish-born Lopez has been sailing for more than 40 years and joined the SIU in 1960. Producers and sign SIU contracts. More than 300 SIU fishermen go back to work as others carry on the strike. Cafe owner Vivian Francis is honored by striking fishermen for her help by making the Ferry Cafe a warm and peaceful oasis in a strike-tom town. The MTD Executive Board meets in Florida and maps out new ways to help the maritime industry and American labor in the face of massive program cuts brought on by the Reagan administration. MTD President Frank Drozak says, "Cargo is the key factor in the use of American vessels and in creating the (Continued on Page 15.) Bosun Jim Schonstein sailed last year on the OMI Willamette. FEBRUARY In New Bedford, the SIU fishermen's strike i seven weeks old and negotiations break off. The community rallies around the striking fishermen in a large demonstration. Food and other help is made available by hundreds of city sympathizers. The SIU-contracted President Tay lor is boarded by Iranian in the Gulf of Oman. No one is hurt, but the incident exemplifies the danger to shipping in the troubled Middle East. The SIU announces a new program to advance from B to A book or to upgrade to a third assistant engineer diesel unlimited license by hipping on T-AGOS vessels. 14 I LOG I January 1987 The SIU-crewed CS Long Lines was busy last year. Here members crew her up in Norfolk for a short run off the Jersey coast. �The SIU (Continued from Page 14.) demand for new ships, yet we lack a positive national commitment to putting more cargo in U.S.-built, U.S.manned vessels." That commitment never comes from the White House in 1986. An $852 million build and charter program is introduced in the House; the administration testifies against it. Drozak warns that unless something is done to increase seafaring employment, there will not be enough people to man vessels in the case of a national emergency. The administration submits a Marad budget which would cut or eliminate • 1986 many of the programs which had escaped previous axe-swinging. The NLRB upholds a ruling that Outreach Marine in Baltimore was merely an effort by McAllister Brothers to bust the Union. Outreach was simply McAllistrer Brothers under a different name, the NLRB says. APRIL New maritime legislation covering build and charter programs, bilateral trade agreements and the car carriage trade between the U.S. and Japan are introduced. While representatives from David Callis is a Seafarer who works as a launch operator for the Virginia Pilots Association on the Chesapeake Bay. Seafarers around the country last year participated in several major demonstrations against the apartheid system in South Africa. With the Labor Movement supplying continual pressure, hundreds of American firms have pulled out of racist South Africa. Above, SIU Field Rep Seth Harris is pictured with activist Rev. Jesse Jackson at a New York City anti-apartheid rally which drew some 90,000. most segments of the maritime industry throw their support behind what some call "last chance" legislation, for the most part the administration opposes the bills. Drozak begins another call for unity among the maritime industry. Saying divisiveness within the industry has stymied many efforts at revitalization, he stresses, "If major legislation to benefit our industry is to be enacted, then we must all take a hard look at our own contributions to this division and attempt to resolve our differences.'' In New Bedford, about half of the SIU fishermen are working as many owners sign new contracts. But the major management group, the Seafood Producers Association, continues to balk at talks. Many issues are now finding their way to the NLRB. "If we have to, we will go boat by boat" to settle the strike, says SIUNA Vice President Jack Caffey. The last of the former Sea-Land SL7s is launched and crewed. The USNS Pollux rounds out the fleet of eight Fast Sealift Ships (T-AKR), all of which carry 26 unlicensed crewmen . . . . After a 21-month lay-up, the supertanker Manhattan is crewed for a short charter. Safety is always stressed in SIU training programs. Above, during a lifeboat exam, Steve Fisher shows the right way to exit a life raft. The SIU continues its fight against apartheid in South Africa by joining labor rallies in seven cities denouncing the racist system. One of the biggest threats SIU boatmen in the Gulf area face is beaten when the Transgulf Pipeline from Baton Rouge, La. to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. is laid to rest. The company withdraws its pipeline plans in face of strong opposition by the SIU, other labor unions, consumer and environmental groups. After three months of repairs, the SIU's Mississippi Queen is back on the rivers. The annual AFL-CIO Education and University and ColJege Labor Education conferences are held at SHLSS. . . . Arthur and Joan Gilliland become the first SIU pensioners to take advantage of the Union's new retirement program at SHLSS . . . Three former trainees from the SHLSS's first classes come back after more than 18 years and earn their bosun recertification. Rep. Joe Addabbo (D-N.Y.), a longtime maritime supporter and labor ally, dies. He was 61. · MAY "We have been fighting each other for too long," says SIU President Frank Drozak. He startles maritime labor with a sweeping plan to bring all maritime unions under one banner. "It is my firin belief that unless the maritime unions merge together as one, I can see nothing but continued decline in the maritime industry,'' he says. The SIU waits for reaction. The SIU, NMU, MEBA and MM&P join forces at a congressional hearing to testify on sweeping new maritime programs under H.R. 4024. Many Merchant Marine Subcommittee members urge the entire industry to stop their "fratricidal" battles. The Welfare Plans starts a new tollfree hotline for members with medical claims problems in an effort to improve service. Seven scholarships, totaling $60,000, are awarded under the Union's Charlie Logan Scholarship program. Fitout is completed on the Great Lakes, but like other segments of the industry, fewer ships and jobs steamed the Lakes. The SIU begins another program to help its membership. The SIU's Al(Continued on Page 18.) January 1987 I LOG I 15 �I n 1986, the changing face of the maritime industry, and perhaps this Union, began to emerge. The number of jobs aboard military ships jumped dramatically as T-AGOS, MPS, Fast Sealift ships and several other types of military work came on line for Seafarers. Most of last year any A-book could find work and more than half the jobs shipped were Bbooks. Not too shabby, especially if you look around and see the large number of merchant sailors not in the SIU languishing on the beach. With a bleak outlook for the private merchant marine, military work has become the wave of the future , and the SIU wants to ride that crest. SIU President Frank Drozak took some major steps last year in his efforts to establish some kind of job security for Seafarers. While so many maritime leaders simply paid lip service to ' 'unity ,'' Drozak got the SIU off the dime by calling for a merger of all maritime unions. At his urging, leaders from all the unlicensed unions met to discuss merger. While nothing has come of these talks yet, they were a long overdue first step. Also, a new top-to-bottom union was formed by the SIU and MEBA-2 in an effort to secure work for seamen. Last year may have been the beginning of something new for the SIU. Military jobs and the coming together of once rival unions may be the face of the future. But whatever turns out, it will be an old-fashioned idea that will remain the driving force-job security. Military o k, Merger Talks Highlight SIU's 1986 e e Last year, as every year, people around the country took time to honor merchant seamen who sacrificed their lives in World War II and other wars. At the Maritime Day ceremony in Los Angeles, SIU members aboard t.he sailboat Spirit toss wreaths in Los Angeles Harbor. Jobs are always a priority for Seafarers, but s and marches around the country, the SIU helpt in South Africa. Above, Seafarers march on th Like most other segments of the maritime industry, the Great La shipmates OS Wahia Saeed and Watchman Kenneth Shorkey get re: ~ " \ J=~·= ···· ·a1\1 While New Bedford was the site of a long struggle during most of the year, SIU fishermen and their families came together with the community during the annual blessing of that port's large fishing fleet. These young people reflect the feeling the town has for its most important industry. 16 I LOG I January 1987 �g Job e • r in Trouble The PFC Eugene A. Obregon is one of dozens of new ships the SIU is crewing under military charter. These ships are changing the face of the SIU-contracted fleet and keeping Seafarers in jobs. is social justice. Last year in dozens of rallies d lead organized labor's fight against apartheid Shell Oil headquarters in Washington, D.C. es fleet faced hard times last year. On the Belle River in Detroit, dy for another season at fitout. During merger discussions last year, the leaders of the four unlicensed unions had a chance to exchange thoughts. They are (1. to r.) Paul Dempster, SUP; Shannon Wall, NMU; Frank Drozak, SIU, and Whitey Disley, MFOW. This picture sums up the willingness of Seafarers around the world to help. Dasril Panko, a crewmember aboard the SIU's LNG Libra, helps a small child from the deck of a battered and rickety wooden boat that 38 Vietnamese used to flee their homeland. This scene was repeated many times by Seafarers who rescued hundreds of refugees and accident victims last year. January 1987 I LOG I 17 �The SIU (Continued from Page 15.) coholic Rehabilitation Center expands its facilities and staff to treat the growing number of drug addiction problems Seafarers , like the rest of society , face . Bob Pomerlane, longtime Seafarer and Baltimore patrolman, is honored in his city by a special " Robert Pomerlane Day" proclaimed by then city mayor William Donald Schaefer. Maritime Day ceremonies are held throughout the United States to pay tribute to the " courage, honor and commitment" of U.S. merchant seamen, says SIU Executive VP Ed Turner. JUNE Sea-Land Corp. agrees to a $742 million takeover bid from the giant CSX Corp. If finally approved by various federal agencies, the Union's largest employer would become part of a giant barge, railroad and steamship conglomerate. SIU President Frank Drozak testifies on legislation to revive the U.S.fiag passenger ship industry. The legislation could create more than 1,000 shipboard jobs. But labor once again cannot come together as MEBA-1 and the MM&P try to block passage. The first major port development bill in years comes closer to reality as the House and Senate combine forces in conference to iron out differences. Seafarers crew the William R. Button, the fifth Maritime Prepositioning Ship. The cargo onboard can keep a 3,000-man Marine brigade supplied for 30 days. • 1986 Seafarers from the Government Services Division set a towing record when they guide the USNS Na vajo on a 2,500 mile trip from San Diego to Hawaii, towing a target ship and three YTBs. JULY Seafarers come to the rescue again as the LNG Libra pulls 38 Vietnamese refugees from the South China Sea. In what SIU Vice President Joe Sacco calls an "historic development,'' three inland contracts containing SPAD checkoff clauses are ratified. "Members at these inland companies realize that the only way to protect their rights in this day and age is through political action," he says. SHLSS hosts the first Annual Sealift Conference to review the Union's sealift training programs with all who are involved ... The Charles S. Zimmerman which served as a classroom, library and auditorium at the Lundeburg School since 1969 is sold and towed to Norfolk, Va. John Cleveland, 28, who served as cafeteria manager at headquarters, cooking instructor at Piney Point and president of the American Culinary Federation's Southern Maryland chapter, is killed in an automobile accident. He began working for the SIU in 1981. He is survived by his widow and a son. AUGUST SIU Vice President "Red" Camp- bell announces that the SIU wins a major victory when it is recognized as the bargaining agent for seamen in the Lavina Shipping Co. fleet. The 12 oceanographic ships , scheduled for MSC charter, employ about 300 unlicensed seamen. Six new tugs and the jobs that go with them come into the SIU fold when Admiral Towing in Pensacola, Fla. signs a contract. In the Senate , an attack on the Service Contract Act is beaten back with massive labor support. The Act, which protects millions of low-wage workers , has been a cornerstone of government contracting polices for more than 20 years before anti-labor conservatives threaten to dismantle it. On the House side, a bill which would have increased federal safety requirements for fishing boats and possibly lowered skyrocketing insurance rates dies. While the SIU continues to stress its drug rehab programs and urge Seafarers to remain drug free, the Coast Guard announces stringent new drug testing requirements and penalties. At the International Transport Workers' Federation meeting in Luxembourg, SIU President Frank Drozak slams apartheid in South Africa and calls the United States government's position on South Africa "morally bankrupt.'' Two SIU fishermen in New Bedford are the first to have their strike-related cases heard by the NLRB. They are awarded their jobs and back pay. More cases are scheduled as organizers sign new boats to SIU contracts. The T-AGOS Indomitable rescues six people who had spent two weeks on a life raft in the Pacific after their ship sank . . . The /TB Baltimore wins a major safety award for their rescue of 10 people in two different incidents on the same stormy day last year. The SIU celebrates Paul Hall Day, August 20. SEPTEMBER Bob Vahey, a longtime and trusted special assistant to SIU President Frank Drozak, dies. Cancer claims him at 40. Tributes from around the SIU and all of maritime flow in. Vahey is remembered for his foresight, energy and dedication to the SIU. He is survived by his widow, Elizabeth. After more than 80 years of compliance, the Department of Defense begins an end run on the military cargo preference rules, with new proposals to slash the 100 percent U .S.-flag requirement. One of the major fights of 1986 takes shape between maritime and the government. Throughout the country, Seafarers begin to back candidates as the November off-year elections heat up. Labor senses a swing away from the political right and begins a drive to oust anti-labor representatives. At SHLSS , Army reservists take advantage of SIU' s modern training facilities to learn cargo handling . . . Big Red, moored at Piney Point for 18 years as a maritime museum, is sold. The 80-year-old former lightship is towed to New York for conversion to a restaurant. New seniority rules are established by the Seafarers Appeals Board which allow more rapid advancement from B to A book for members who sail military ships. OCTOBER Merger talks begin between the SIU and the NMU , the first serious discussions in years between the com(Continued on Page 19.) Sometimes it's easy to forget that much of the world's population faces a struggle to get by. In Mozambique, the SIU's Sugar Island delivered a load of grain to the poor African nation. The grain which was spilled in off-loading was quickly gathered up by local residents. 18 I LOG I January 1987 �The SIU • 1986 (Continued from Page 18.) peting unions. SUP and MFOW reps sit in. The maritime industry-labor and management-show major unity and beat back Defense Department proposals to eliminate U .S.-flag requirements on military cargo. The victory is one of the year's biggest for maritime. The House passes an SIU-backed passenger ship bill which would allow re-flagging as a means to increase U.S. cruise ships. Both the Navy and the Transportation Institute issue warnings predicting a serious manpower shortage if the U.S. merchant marine continues to decline. The gist of the reports shows that there would be plenty of ships in the Ready Reserve Fleet, but no one to sail them. Dr. Joseph Logue, 91 and a pioneer in maritime medical care, dies. Dr. Logue established the SIU medical clinics in the 1950s, which at one time numbered more than two dozen. Before joining the SIU in 1956, he served almost 40 years as a Navy medical officer and earned the rank of vice admiral. House and Senate agree on a $16 billion port development and water resources billjust before adjournment, $5 billion is earmarked for inland waterways ... Labor is victorious in the elections as Democrats stage a suprising comeback in the U.S. Senate to take control by a 10-seat margin. More seats are gained in the House, and the candidates who rode to victory on Reagan's conservative coattails in 1980 are all but swept out of office. Committees from the SIU and NMU continue their meetings at Piney Point to discuss a possible merger. An explosion aboard the SIU-contracted Ogden Yukon kills four crewmembers, including one Seafarer. The 32 remaining crewmembers are rescued . . . 15 more Vietnamese refugees are rescued, this time by the SIU's LNG Aries. Former SIU vice president Cal Tanner dies at 69. He joined the Union in 1938 and served as VP from 1947 to 1972 .... Rex Dickey, 84, a charter member of the SIU and former Baltimore port agent dies ... Ex-IBU President Merle Adlum dies in Seattle. He was 62. NOVEMBER DECEMBER The 99th Congress ends with little action taken on pressing maritime matters; several bills die and must wait until the new Congress convenes. But after 10 years of debate, the SIU President Frank Drozak announces the formation of the Seafarers Maritime Union with MEBA-2. A topto-bottom union , he says the new concept will mean new job opportunities and may be the only "answer to revitalize this maritime industry.' ' United States Lines shocks the maritime community by filing for bankruptcy protection. The largest and oldest American line, USL faces staggering debts, and some experts fear USL's action is only the first of more to come. The McAllister/Outreach Marine struggle appears to be settled following a short strike and a new contract. Again, Seafarers march against apartheid. This time in Washington, D.C. at Shell Oil headquarters. Final Departures 1986 Bob Vahey, an important and trusted advisor to SIU President Frank Drozak died last year. He was 40 years old. Vahey, who spent the majority of his adult life working for the maritime industry, is credited with many of the innovative programs the SIU has implemented to help its members' jobs and job security. "He did more to protect the job security of this membership than almost anyone else," Drozak said. ..... The SS Constitution is one of the Union's biggest employers. Here are some of the hundreds of Seafarers who sailed in her deck and engine gangs last year. Last year, one of the more important Inland developments was the inclusion of SP AD checkoffs in new contracts. Above are crewmembers of the C.G. Willis tug Roletta shortly after a new three-year contract with SPAD checkoff authorization was signed. They are Deckhand Whit Williams, Capt. Herbert Williams, Norfolk Port Agent Jim Martin and James. Carawan. John Cleveland, who had become a familiar face and ~ friend to hundreds of Seafarers who ate at his cafeteria at SIU headquarters, was killed in an automobile accident last year. Only 28, he was a respected chef and president of the American Culinary Society chapter in Southern Maryland. Dr. Joseph Logue, who spent 30 years as director of SIU medical services and clinics, died at the age of 91 last year. The retired vice-admiral was responsible for establishing a nationwide system of SIU medical clinics. Cal Tanner, a charter member of the SIU and Union vice president from 19471972, died last year. Tanner, 69, played an important role in the growth of the SIU. January 1987 I LOG I 19 - �r si ents' R por Gulf Coast by V.P. Joe Sacco HIPPING o~ the Gulf has steadily S been improving, thanks in large part to the new military contracts that we have been able to pick up. There have been a number of developments relating to contracts. First, the good news. SIU members at Bay Houston Towing have ratified a new contract. Now the rest. We were able to ratify an unlicensed contract at Western Towing, but other items have not gone as smoothly at this Dixie Carrier subsidiary. The management team at Dixie Carriers and Western Towing is from the new school which believes that there is only one way to get ahead-and that is to cut the workers and the union off at the knees. We've opposed people like this in the past, and we'll do it again. With all the problems that we've had at Western Towing, we were able to secure a contract for the unlicensed members. The rub has been in getting a contract for the licensed boatmen. We've referred our problems at Western Towing to counsel. But the truth of the matter is, a labor lawyer is only as good as the board he has to argue in front of. A bad board means that bad labor law will be made. And, unfortunately, the Reagan administration has had the chance to name a lot anti-unionjudges. As I have stated in previous columns, there is a solution, and that is grassroots political activity. That is why I have been pushing the voluntary SPAD check-off for inland boatmen. It is the one sure way that they have to protect their job security. Supporting SPAD is just one way to protect your job security. Another way is to make sure that no ship sails short. If we can't man these new military vessels, then someone else will. It's as simple as that. Gov't. Services by V. P. Buck Mercer T HE year 1986 proved to be somewhat counter-productive for MSCPAC seamen for a number of reasons. First, because of the transfer of the three oceanographic ships, DeSteiguer, Silas Bent and Chauvenet to Lavino Shipping Co., a private 20 I LOG I January 1987 operator, which caused the layoff of a number of MSCPAC temporary marine employees. Second, during the previous 12 months, payment of retroactive money that has been due since 1984 continues not to be forthcoming, and this has kept marine personnel upset. Third, the labor dispute that led to a strike by Philippine nationals at American Military Bases in Manila and Subic Bay, P.l., caused no end to the problems for MSCP AC seamen who were caught behind and outside picket lines set up at the Subic Bay American Military Base. It is apparent, however, that the biggest disappointment suffered by all MSCPAC marine personnel was, and continues to be, the denial of payment of the retroactive money due since 1984. Had the retro money been paid prior to Christmas 1986, the morale of seafarers would have ended the year on a high note. The awful truth is, however, that when it comes to the payment of retroactive money being paid to mariners, the story has been the same for the past 25 years. A prolonged wait, no matter who headsup the MSCPAC Comptroller section. Looking ahead to 1987, the MSCPAC unlicensed mariners can anticipate permanent type promotions in 27 categories in the three departments. The MSCP AC Promotion Board will meet sometime in February for the purpose of making the decisions on the many candidates who have submitted applications for promotion consideration. Dec. 15 , 1986 was the closing date that promotion requests had to be in. Then, all requests are ranked as to the order in which they will be discussed by the Board , taking into consideration a candidate's qualifications, experience, recommendations, work record, disciplinary record, and anything else that might be in the file or that is pertinent. Results of the Board's findings will be announced in late February or early March. It is then expected that there will be disappointment among the candidates who were not selected. But I can assure you that the procedure used by the Board in making their selections gives each and every candidate serious consideration. In my last report, I touched on the effect that the OMB Circular A-76 Program has had on MSCPAC personnel. The possible loss of the cable ships to contract operation will have a drastic effect on any permanent promotions made and, for that matter, on marine personnel in general because there will likely be a reduction in force. The addition of the hospital ship Mercy and the USNS Point Loma will be of little consequence in so far as MSCPAC marine manpower is concerned because the Mercy is scheduled for the bid-block upon her return from her goodwill mission to the Philippine Islands. The Point Loma will be berthed in San Diego with a small MSCPAC crew in a reduced operational status. Commenting on the hospital ships, it would seem that upon the conversion of these supertankers, some thought would have been given to the habitability of the non-officer crew. The living conditions designed for the men are absolutely atrocious. The U.S. Navy spent in excess of half a billion dollars in the conversion of these ships, and the deck and engine watchstanders are housed in two 18-bunk spaces along with dayworkers and steward utilitymen. Lockers are substandard, and toilet and shower facilities are inadequate. When the crew goes aboard they will find an unusual arrangement for meals. , After learning of these deficiencies, the SIU called for a meeting with the MSCPAC Habitability Board and voiced our dissatisfaction about the conditions we found and recommended changes. At this time, the SIU has not been notified as to any changes being made. The new year does not appear to have a lot of potential for marine personnel of .MSCPAC, and we can only hope that the picture will improve. marine, licensed and unlicensed unions are fighting over its remains. The recent decision by the SIU and District 2-Marine Engineers Beneficial Association to put together one bargaining unit must be seen as an important step toward maritime unity. SIU President Frank Drozak and District-2 President Ray McKay understand that licensed and unlicensed seamen need each other. SIU members on the West Coast and in Hawaii have had their pick of jobs recently. The military work that we have been able to sign up over the past few years has made all the difference in the world. Many of our members take this work for granted. They shouldn't. Things are very, very bad in the maritime industry, and getting worse. A recent article in The New York Times predicted that eight out of every 10 shipping companies worldwide will go bankrupt in the near future. America's largest shipping company, the NMUcontracted U.S. Lines, has already filed for protection under Chapter XI. In closing, I'd like to comment on the fine work done by the steward department onboard the SS Sea-Land Endurance, which whipped up a real feast for the holidays. Maritime unity starts onboard the vessels themselves. And so does pride, excellence and hopefully, a renewal of this industry. West Coast by V.P. George McCartney S IU President Frank Drozak made a trip out to Hawaii to get a firsthand glimpse of conditions out there. While in Honolulu, he visited each and every one of our commercial deepsea vessels as well as the passenger ships, tugboats, T-AGOS ships and cable ships. On the way over, Drozak stopped off in San Francisco to attend SIU Executive Vice President Ed Turner's retirement dinner. Drozak talked about his close association with Turner and about Turner's long and distinguished career. Turner was involved in almost every aspect of this business, first as a seaman, later as an organizer and business agent, and eventually as president of the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union. Turner, a protege of the late Harry Lundeberg, made many important contributions to the maritime industry, especially in the areas of civil rights, organizing and education. His finest moment came, I believe, when he decided to endorse a merger between the MCS and the SIU-AGLIWD. This marked an important step forward in maritime unity. Unfortunately, there is little maritime unity to speak about these days, especially between licensed and unlicensed unions. Over the past few months, the SIU, NMU and MFOW have all had to warn their members about jurisdictional disputes involving licensed unions. This, of course, puts an intolerable strain on an already beleaguered maritime labor movement. Instead of working together to bring about a revival of the American-flag merchant '--'"--··~·~~-'-'-A £:::. East Coast by V.P. Leon Hall N INETEEN eighty-six was a pivotal year for the East Coast maritime industry. While shipping opportunities for East Coast sailors improved dramatically, the industry as a whole suffered a serious decline. This decline touched on all segments of the maritime industry-from the fishermen in New England, to our deep sea sailors, to the tug and bargemen who operate in the rivers and harbors. It is becoming increasingly difficult to separate the issues affecting fishermen, deep sea sailors and tug and bargeworkers. Part of this is due to the growing trend toward intermodalism. Yet other factors are at play, including a growing anti-union trend in the transportation sector. It was a particularly difficult year for our fishermen in New Bedford. They started 1986 with a strike, which ended in a draw. By year's end, they were appearing before the National Labor Relations Board in an effort to prove that the Seafood Producers Association had bargained in bad faith. Little progress was made in solving the long-term problems for the decline of the American-flag fishing industry. Congress failed to take any action to alleviate the liability insurance crisis that has decimated the American-flag fishing fleet, or to come up with a (Continued on Page 22.) �I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO Washington Report • Washington may have lost a football championship in January, but it gained a new Congress. As they promised in numerous interviews, the members of the lOOth Congress hit the deck running. By the time the new Congress finished its first day, more than 500 bills had been introduced. One hundred of these bills touched upon some aspect of the maritime industry. Given the intricate nature of the legislative process, several thousand more pieces of legislation will be introduced over the next two years, only a handful of which stand any real chance of being enacted into law. New Congress I I I I The lOOth session of Congress is expected to differ from its predecessor in a number of important ways. For one thing, the Senate will no longer be controlled by the Republican Party. This shift means that there will be new faces in leadership positions. One of those new faces is Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the new majority leader. He has stated on a number of occasions that the trade deficit will be the number one issue facing this Congress. I I lranscam I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • The political atmosphere of this city is somewhat unsettled, thanks in large part to the continuing debate over the Iran-Contra arms scandal. As Elizabeth Drew wrote in a recent issue of the New Yorker, ''President Reagan's immense personal popularity had a lot of people in this town cowed." The scandal, she said, has made politicians in both parties more willing to assert their independence, especially on such issues as the trade deficit, entitlement programs and other programs aimed at helping the middle class. Presidential Politics It's hard to believe, but the battle for the 1988 presidential nomination has already begun. Prospective candidates are already devising their campaign strategies. When asked about the chances of a prominent politician, a former staff member in the Carter administration said that "if he doesn't put together a campaign staff by early spring, then he doesn't have a chance.'' This means one thing: the SIU will be gearing up its grassroots political machine. Seamen who have not registered to vote should do so immediately. Budget • The administration has introduced a budget for fiscal year 1988 that calls for a slight increase in defense spending, no new taxes and large cuts in domestic programs. It is the first time that anyone has ever submitted a trillion dollar budget. If enacted in its present form, then the deficit would be reduced to $107.8 billion, which would just meet the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings requirements. The Reagan budget was dismissed by politicians in both parties. One member put it this January 1987 way: ''They could have saved a lot of money by not even printing it.'' As in previous years, everyone is expecting a major battle over the budget. Most people believe that Congress will once again wait until the last minute to resolve the issue. There is a small, but growing sentiment for adopting a two-year authorization cycle instead of an annual one. Marad Authorization Bill The administration's budget requests for the maritime industry were pretty much in keeping with previous years. Had it not been for the fact that some programs were secured by law, then funding levels would probably have been substantially lower. The total outlays for the Maritime Administration, according to the Congressional Information Bureau, would be $369.493 million, with $250.3 million for operating differential subsidies, which are secured by law. The fill rate for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is scheduled to be cut by more than 50 percent, from the present 75 ,000 barrels per day to 35,000. Maritime Administrator John Gaughan has confirmed thl:lt the budget will prohibit new loan guarantee commitments in 1987 and thereafter. The only new request was for $48.5 million to cover the added costs of carrying additional cargo reserved for U.S.-flag vessels under the terms of the Food Security Act of 1985 (the farm bill). "This is an encouraging sign," aid Pecquex, "because it means that the administration is at least giving tacit support" to the compromise hammered out between the maritime and agriculture industries concerning cargo preference requirements. In exchange for excluding certain "concessional" programs for the provisions of the P.L. 480 Act, cargo preference requirements are scheduled to increase by 25 percent over a three-year period. On April 1 of last year, the cargo preference requirements rose 10 percent from 50 to 60 percent. They will be increased another 10 percent this year, and 5 percent in 1988. Welcome Aboard Nine vacancies on the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee have been filled, with six fre hmen representatives taking seats on the panel. Rep. Walter B. Jones (D-N.C.) will return as chairman of the committee. Subcommittee assignments have not yet been made public. In the Senate, Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) has been named chairman of the Merchant Marine Subcommittee. New members named to fill vacancies on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee include Rep. Joseph E. Brennan (Maine), George J. Hockbruckner (N. Y.) and Owen Picket (Va.). Republicans named to the committee will include Joseph DioGuardi (N. Y .), Mac Sweeney (Texas), Curt Weldon (Pa.), Patricia F. Saiki, (Hawaii), Wally Berger (Calif.) and Jim Bunning (Ky.). Bilateral Trade Agreements Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.) reintroduced a bill that would require the president to nego- Legislative, Administrative and Regulatory Happenings tiate bilateral maritime shipping agreements with major U.S. foreign trading partners. The bill, which is now numbered H.R. 300, "is more necessary than ever before," said Biaggi. He said that the growing American dependence on foreign vessels to carry American imports and exports makes the U.S. ''highly vulnerable to the policies and practices of foreign nations." Melting Ice The start of the lOOth Congress comes at a time when the maritime industry is experiencing a sharp decline. The New York Times made . . . the following assessment of the industry in a year-end review: From the port of Los Angeles to the docks of Liverpool and the shipyards in South Korea and Japan, the shipping world has been turned upside down by five catastrophic years of tumbling freight rates, rising costs and sinking values of used ships. While the problems are rooted in cyclical overcapacity, many executives now say the downturn is so deep and traumatic that the industry is changing permanently. ''Shipping is like a piece of ice under a hot sun,'' said Frank W .K. Tsao, chairman of International Maritime Carriers, one of Hong Kong's biggest shipping companies. "There used to be hundreds of ship-owning companies in Hong Kong. Now, out of every 10, eight are bankrupt. And the survivors are badly wounded.'' While not everyone agrees that conditions have been quite that bad, shipping companies are indeed collapsing all over the world. Just last month, McLean Industries, an American company whose United States Lines unit is one of the world's largest container shippers, sought protection from its creditors under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code. And Japan Line Ltd., one of the b?ggest tanker operators in the world, asked its bankers this month for help in reorganizing the company. Ships built for $50 million a half-dozen years ago are sometimes sold as scrap for $5 million. Shipowners who used to earn $20,000 a day on a charter now are happy to accept $5 ,000 a day. In October 1973, the freight charges of a crude oil cargo on a supertanker voyage from the Persian Gulf to western Europe amounted to 106 percent of the value of the cargo; by last year the freight rate had plum· meted to just 3 percent of the value of the oil. Maritime Disunity Last year, SIU President Frank Drozak called upon the various maritime unions to unite so that the administration and anti-labor forces could not play one union against one another. Despite the present difficulties of the maritime industry, said Drozak, there were some hopeful signs. ''There is a growing awareness of just how important the American-flag merchant marine is to the defense of the country. The Navy has just released a study noting that this country faces a severe shortage of skilled mariners. (Continued on Page 22.) - January 1987 I LOG I 21 - �(Continued from Page 20.) policy to stem the tide of heavily subsidized Canadian fish. Very few people noticed, but 1986 marked the 50th anniversary of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which made it possible for this country to respond to the challenges posed by World War II. Before the 1936 Act was passed, American shipping was in a near-terminal slump. President Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the true importance of the merchant marine, and took what were then drastic steps to promote its growth. Despite fluctuations, the 1936 Act made it possible for this country to maintain a viable maritime core. Yet that core has been threatened by the policies that . the Reagan administration have followed. To give just one example: the 1936 Merchant Marine Act was the first bill to call for direct subsidies to American operators. Yet funding for the vitally important Construction Differential Subsidy Program was allowed to lapse in 1980. Vice Presidents' Reports The same thing may happen to the Operating Differential Subsidy Program. ODS began lapsing toward the end of this year, and Congress and the administration failed to come up with a new program to replace it. Great Lakes by V.P. Mike Sacco T HERE isn't much to report on the Great Lakes and inland rivers. In other sections of the country, winter conjures up visions of Christmas and holiday cheer. On the Great Lakes and upper inland rivers, it means lay-offs. This is the time of year when Great Lakes sailors upgrade. You know that it's winter when you see a Great Lakes sailor at Piney Point. On a more positive note: the Port Development Act that was enacted last year is expected to have an important effect in stimulating job opportunities in the dredging indu try. In addition, all segments of the maritime industry up here are pushing for modernization of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It would be one way to stimulate shipping in the depressed Great Lakes market. Yet nothing can be done on this front without the active participation of government. In the maritime industry, at least, the government must be seen as a partner in helping to create the proper conditions for growth. Budget (Continued from Page 1.) National Defense Reserve Fleet. * no funds for state maritime schools, except for stipends for students currently enrolled. * $355 million in proposed user fees from beneficiaries of Coast Guard services not directly involving emergency assistance. * $3.3 million in borrowing authority for the Title XI program to honor the federal commitment on defaulted bonds. The administration will propose language to prohibit new loan guarantee commitments in 1987 and thereafter. * a P.L. 480 program level of $1,387 million which is expected to provide * * for the shipment of 5.9 million metric tons through Titles I/III and 1.9 million metric tons through Title II. a 1987 supplemental appropriation of $1. 3 billion and a budget authority request of $19 .1 billion for 1988 for foreign economic assistance. $1 billion for the direct loan program of the Export-Import Bank in addition to $10 billion for loan guarantees and insurance. Of the $1 billion for the direct loan program, $200 million will be used for financing the war chest to fight export subsidization by foreign nations. Unlike last year, the administration is not attempting to abolish the direct loan program. .., ... I Groton Makes Good Role Model for AB Paulino Flores, AB aboard the ITB Groton, poses with a model of the Groton that he made by hand from balsawood. It is a remarkably accurate replica of the vessel, and took him 18 days to complete. He named it the Ana after his wife. Flores' creative assistant in this project was Bosun Neil "Blackie" Matthey. Washington Report (Continued from Page 21.) "Yet as long as the maritime industry and maritime labor refuse to get their own houses in order, we will never get the opportunity to make productive use of this growing public perception.'' Congressman Young Thanks IU fRONTWH POUTICS. SOCIAL ISSUES. THE LABOR MOVEMENT. Calling All Poets • • • Patsy L. Bowers knows whereof she speaks. Her husband of 26 year is a tugboat captain, and she feels that he and other seafarer deserve more respect and recognition than they get from the public. ''I personally think it's time the public's image is changed and our husband and fathers are finally recognized and treated a professionals," Mrs. Bower stated. Toward this goal, Mrs. Bowers is attempting to compile a book of poems written by the men and women who work on ships and tug -or by members of their families. So all you poets or would-be poets: send your verses to Patsy L. Bowers , 206 Anson St., Gretna, La. 70053. Be sure to include your full name and address so that if the book is published you will get full credit for your work-as well as a copy of the book. 22 I LOG I January 1987 - Making pre-election rounds prior to returning home, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) dropped in for a visit at the Seattle hall last October. After having coffee with the members, Rep. Young spoke before the regular 10 a.m. job call. He thanked the SIU members for their continued support and stressed the importance of the Jones Act. Citing his experience as a captain and river boat pilot in Alaska, Young noted that he was the only congressman with such a background, giving him personal familiarity with the problems and concerns of boatmen and merchant seamen. Seattle Port Agent George Vukmir (left) introduced Young to the members. (Photo by Seattle Field Rep Neil Dietz.) �S the 1987 school season begins, it's not too early for high school seniors to start thinking about college. For dependents of Seafare rs and Boatmen the financial burden of college can be greatly eased if they win an SIU scholarship. The awards, known as the Charlie Logan Scholarship Program, are given each year under the auspices of the Seafarers Welfare Plan. For dependents, four $10,000 scholarships are offered. But the Scholarship Program is not exclusively for dependents. A $10,000 award and two $5,000 scholarships are available to active Seafarers and Boatmen. Also, when there are exceptionally qualified Seafarers and Boatmen, the Board of Trustees of the Welfare Plan may grant a second $10,000 award to an active member. The Scholarship Program was begun in 1952 to help members and their children achieve their educational goals. Several years ago it was named after Charlie Logan, a labor consultant and arbitrator who died in 1975. He helped establish the Seafarers cholarship Program and then worked hard to keep it strong and growing. A Seafarer Requirements Seafare rs and Boatmen who are applying for scholarships must: • Be a graduate of high school or its equivalent. • Have credit for two years (730 days) of employment with an employer who is obligated to make contributions to the Seafarers Welfare Plan on the employee's behalf prior to the date of application. • Have one day of employment on a vessel in the sixmonth period immediately preceding the date of application. • Have 120 days of employment on a vessel in the previous calendar year. Pensioners are not eligible to receive scholarship awards. Dependent Requirements Dependents of Seat are rs and Boatmen who apply for a scholarship must be unmarried, under 19 years of age, and receive sole support from the employee and/or his or her spouse. Unmarried children who are eligible for benefits under Plan #1 Major • Don't I y F . ' (b ! Co eg Sc las • I ead ine - A ril 15 Medical are eligible to apply for a dependent's scholarship up to the age of 25. Each applicant for a dependent's scholarship must: • Be unmarried at the time application is made. • Be under 19 or 25 years of age (whichever is applicable). • Be eligible for dependent benefits under the Seafarers Welfare Plan. • Be a graduate of high school or its equivalent. The applicant's parent must: • Have credit for three years (1,095 days) of employment with an employer who is obligated to make contributions to the Seafarers Welfare Plan on the employee's behalf prior to the date of application. • Have one day of employment in the six-month period immediately preceding the date of application. • Have 120 days of employment in the previous calendar year. The last two items above covering worktime requirements of the applicant's parents do not apply to applicants who are the children of pensioners or eligible deceased employees. Must Take SAT or ACT For both active members and the dependents of eligible members, the scholarship grants are awarded on the basis of high school grades and the scores of either College Entrance Examination Boards (SAT) OR American College Tests (ACT). The SAT or ACT exam must be taken no later than February 1987 to ensure that the results reach the Scholarship Selection Committee in time to be evaluated. For upcoming SAT test dates and applications, contact the College Entrance Examination Board at either: Box 592, Princeton, N.J. 08540 or Box 1025 Berkeley, Calif. 94701, whichever is closest to your mailing address. For upcoming ACT te,st dates and applications contact: ACT Registration Union, P.O. Box 414, Iowa City, Iowa 52243. Scholarship program applications are available to active members or their dependents at any SIU hall or through the Seafarers Welfare Plan, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md. 20746. Scholarship winners will be announced in May 1987. The deadline for submission of applications is April 15, 1987. January 1987 I LOG I 23 - �I _,. a • ig I j~ ! ·~ I ..., ~--...}-~ l ~ /' T O SAFEGUARD your rights and the shipping rights of all SIU members, there are certain requirements that must be followed. These requirements are spelled out in the Shipping Rules, and they are there so that the rights of all members will be protected and furthered fairly and impartially. DUES Your current quarter Union dues must be paid at the time you register. RELIEF JOBS/REGISTERING When you are relieved, you must re-register for your job within 48 hours by reporting to the SIU Union hall. RELIEF JOBS/CONTACT WITH UNION It is your respon- sibility to keep in contact with the Port Agent at the port in which you are registered. RELIEF JOBS/SHIPPING It is your responsibility to claim your job from the hiring hall shipping board no later than one day before the ship's scheduled arrival. KNOW Y KNOW YOUR RIGHTS FINANCIAL REPORTS. The constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership's money and Union finances . The constitution requires a detailed audit by Certified Public Accountants every three months, which are to be submit1ed to the membership by the Secretary-Treasurer. A quarterly finance committee of rank and file members, elected by the membership, makes examination each quarter of the finances of the Union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf. Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds hall 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. Your shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by the contracts between the Union and the employers. Get to know your shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all Union halls. If you feel there has been any violation of your shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the Union and the employers, notify the Seafarers Appeals Board hy certified mail. return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Angus "Red" Campbell Chairman, Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Auth Way and Britannia 'ay Prince Georges County Camp Springs, Md. 20746 .., Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to you at all times, either hy writing directly to the Union or to the Seafarers A1->iJeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which you work and live aboard your ship or boat. Know your contract rights, as well as your ohligations. such as filing for OT on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If. at any time. any SIU 24 I LOG I January 1987 - . G TS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU constitution are available in all Union halls. All members hould obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time you feel any member or officer is attempting to deprive you of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details. then the member o 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 and national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he is denied the equal rights to which he is entitled. he should notify Union headquarters. 11111111n11Ulll111111n11111111111111UllU111UllU111Ull1111111111111111ll111111lll1111111111111111111111 patrolman or other Union offkial, in your opinion, fails to protect your contract rights properly. contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY - THE LOG. The Log has traditionally refrained from publi hing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the Union, officer or memher. It has also 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 responsihility for Log policy is vested in an editorial hoard which consists of the Executive Board of the Union. The Executive Board may delegate, from among its ranks. one individual to carry out this rcspon ibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SlU unless an official Union receipt is given for same. Under no circumtance 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 he made without upplying a receipt. or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt. but feels that he should not have heen required to make such payment. this hould immediately he reported to Union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION --SPAD. SP AD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further it 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 contribute to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contrihution 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, notify the Seafarers Un ion or SP AD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refum.l. if involuntary. Support SP AD to protect and further your economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he has been denied his constitutional right of ac~ to Union records or information, he should immediately notify SIU President Frank Drozak at Headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The addr~ is 5201 Auth Way and Britannia Way, Prince Georges County, Camp Springs, Md. 20746. I �Ships Under Operational Control of Military Sealift Command, Pacific USNS Ponchatoula (T-AO 148)-0ne of ix oilers operated by MSCPAC that replenish U.S. Navy ships with fuel at sea. USNS Spica (T-AFS 9)-A virtual grocery store that supplies U.S. Navy ships with everything from soup to nuts, and is generally deployed somewhere in the South Pacific. USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23)-An instrumentation ship (and one of a kind). USNS Navasota USNS Kilauea (T-AE 26)-An ammunition ship whose major mission is to replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea. Warning: Contact Lens Wearers The following information has been extracted verbatim from a military safety bulletin. It concerns the use of contact lenses in areas where electrical sparking may occur. 1. An electrical worker threw an electrical switch into the closed position, which produced a very quick sparking. An employee at another company flipped open the colored lens of his welding goggles to better position the welding rod. He inadvertently struck the metal to be welded, producing an arc. 2. Both were wearing contact lenses. When they got home from work each man removed the contacts. In both instances, the cornea of the eye was removed along with the contact lenses. Both men are now permanently blind. 3. The electric arc generates microwaves that instantly dried up the fluid in the eye and the cornea bonded itself to the lens. The trauma is painless and the operator never knows he has been injured until he removes his contact lens. 4. Until recently, thi hazard was not known. There are no federal or state safety or health agency regulations on this matter yet, but it is being investigated carefully. 5. Meanwhile, we recommend that all maintenance workers, particularly those who are potentially subject to an electrical sparking situation not wear contact lenses while on the job. The unlicensed deck department brain trust aboard the Navasota got together for this shot taken by our roving camerman. From left, Melvin Davidson, bos'n mate; Boston Johnson, bos'n mate; Lionel Greve, 2nd officer (day); Robert Micco, bos'n, and Arthur Luellen, bos'n mate. January 1987 I LOG I 25 - �Pensioner Bessie Scott Barrera, 83, passed away from lung failure in the Elk Grove (Calif.) Convalescent Hospital on Oct. 6, 1986. Sister Barrera joined the SIU-merged Marine Cooks and Stewards Union in the port of San Francisco. She sailed as a nurse and stewardess for the Matson Line and the American Presidents Line from 1938 to 1969. She first sailed on the West Coast in 1932. Seafarer Barrera was born in New Zealand and was a resident of Kentfield, Calif. She was a naturalized U.S. citizen. Cremation took place in the Lodi (Calif.) Crematory. Surviving are her brother, Allan of Bluff, N .Z. and a niece, Margaret Haffner of Elk Grove. Pensioner James Joseph Connors, 76, passed away on Dec. 1, 1986. Brother Connors joined the SIU in 1943 in the port of New York. He hit the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Connors was born in Rhode Island and was a resident of Slidell, La. Surviving is his widow , Euline. Pensioner Joseph Rivera Cuelles, 71 , succumbed to cancer at home in Arabi , La. on Nov. 30, 1986. Brother Cuelle joined the SIU in the port of New York in 1951. He sailed as a cook. He was born in the Philippine Islands . Burial was in the St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, New Orleans . Sur- viving are two daughters , Elizabeth and Myrne of Manila, P.l. and a sister, Victoria of Arabi. Pensioner Thomas Di Carlo, 80, passed away on Nov. 28, 1986. Brother Di Carlo joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1951. He sailed as a bosun. Di Carlo was born in Italy and was a natu~alized U.S. citizen. He was a resident of Baltimore. Surviving is his widow, Veronica. Nov. 16, 1986. Brother Edwards joined the SIU in the port of Houston in 1963 sailing as a FOWT. He was born in Boaz, Ala. and was a resident of Houston. Interment was in the Forest Home Cemetery, Boaz. Surviving are his widow, Dorothy and"his father, V. G. Edwards of Boaz. Pensioner Dominador F. Esoalona died on Nov. 25, 1986. Brother Esoalonaretired in 1976. Pensioner Robert Lee Garriss, 75, passed away from heart-lung failure in the Glynn-Brunswick (Ga.) Hospital on Nov. 20, 1986. Brother Garriss joined the SIU in 1942 in the port of New Orleans. He sailed as an AB. He walked the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Garriss was born in Ben Hill Cty., Ga. and was a resident of Brunswick. Burial was in the Brunswick Park Cemetery. Surviving are his widow, Viola and his father, E. Garriss of Georgia. Pensioner John Joseph Giordano, 80, I passed away on Nov. 22 , 1986. Brother Giordano joined the SIU in 1939 in the port of New York sailing as a cook. He wa on the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Giordano was born in New York City and was a resident of Brooklyn, N.Y. Surviving are his widow, Stephania and a sister, Mary, both of Brooklyn. Pensioner Raymond Francois Gorju Sr., 66, died on Oct. ~i;.~ 7, 1986. Brother Gorjujoined the SIU in 1945 in the port of New York. He sailed as a FOWT. He hit ~:;....llt..::111 the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime beef. Seafarer Gorju was born in France and was a resident of Jackson , Ala. Surviving are his widow , Minnie and a son , Seafarer Raymond Gorju Jr. of Mobile. ........- Pensioner Joseph Di Santo, 60, died on Dec. 20, 1986. Brother Di Santo joined the SIU in 1947 in the port of New York sailing as a FOWT. He was born in Boston , _.. Mass. Surviving are his mother, Catherine and a brother, Dominic, both of Medford , Mass. Pensioner James Preston Edwards, 66, succumbed to arteriosclerosis in St. Joseph's Hospital, Houston on 26 I LOG J January 1987 - . . ... Pensioner Robert B. Green Sr., 76, died of natural causes in the Bronx (N.Y. ) Lebanon Hospital on Nov. 20, 1986. Brother Green joined the SIUmerged Marine Cooks and Stewards Union in the port of San Francisco. He sailed as a cook and baker for APL from 1957 to 1974. He first sailed on the West Coast in 1942. Seafarer Green was born in Brenham, Texas and was a resident of the Bronx. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, the Bronx. Surviving are his widow, Reiko; two sons, Robert Jr. and Curtis, and four daughters, Barbara, Carol, Margaret and Dorothy of Washington, La. Pensioner Walter H. Harris died on Dec. 16, 1986. Brother Harris retired in 1976. John Wilbert Hughes Jr., 36, died of heart-lung failure in the Baltimore (Md.) Cty. Hospital on Nov. 17, 1986. Brother Hughes joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1967. He sailed as a wiper. Seafarer Hughes was born in Maryland and was a resident of Woodlawn, Md. Interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Baltimore. Surviving are his widow, Barbara; a son, John II; four daughters, Enrica, Tannula, Nicole and Desiree; and his mother, Etta of Baltimore. Roy Pensioner Edward James died on Dec. 22, 1986. Brother James retired in 1979. He was a resident of Galveston, Texas. Pensioner Samuel Johnson Jr., 71 , passed away on Nov. 28 , 1986. Brother Johnson joined the SIU in the port of Mobile in 1955 sailing in the steward department. He was born in Alabama and was a resident of Mobile. Surviving are his widow , Lucille and a son, Donald of Mobile. Pensioner Vernon Myers Johnston, 62, died of a heart attack in St. Rose , La. recently. Brother Johnston joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1959 sailing as an AB. He was born in Middleway , W. Va. and was a resident of New Orleans. Cremation took place in the St. John's Crematory , New Orleans. Surviving are a brother, Forrest of Glen Burnie , Md.; a sister, Frances Ballard of Baltimore, and a niece, Lisa Miller, also of Baltimore. Pensioner Hai Lee, 80, passed away from natural causes in the Chinese Hospital , San Francisco on Nov. 4, 1986. Brother Lee joined the SIUmerged Marine Cooks and Stewards Union in the port of San Francisco. He sailed as a chief cook for APL from 1958 to 1969. He first sailed on the West Coast in 1946. Seafarer Lee was born in China and was a resident of San Francisco. Interment was in the Greenlawn Park Cemetery, Colma, Calif. Surviving are two daughters, Ming and Sharon Nieh of Cotati, Calif. Pensioner James Henry Loe Jr., 65, succumbed to arteriosclerosis at home in Wilmington, Calif. on Oct. 18, 1986. Brother Loe joined the SIU in the port of New Orleans iµ 1958 sailing as a bosun. He was a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces in World War II. Seafarer Loe was born in Kentucky. Cremation took place in the Angeles Abbey Cemetery Crematory, Compton, Calif., and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean. Surviving are a sister, Julia Cady of Winfield, Iowa and another relative, Thelma Wilson of Covina, Calif. Pensioner Charles W. Laird, 76, passed away on Nov. 17, 1986. Brother Laird joined the SIU in the port of San Francisco in 1964. He was born in the Phi i pines and was a resident of San Francisco. Surviving are his parents , Mr. and Mrs. R. Laird of Daly City, Calif. and a brother, William, also of Daly City. Pensioner Nick Marcogliese Jr., 63, succumbed to cancer in the U.S. Veterans Administration Medical Center, Danville, Ill. on Oct. 26, 1986. Brother Marcogliese joined the SIU in 1948 in the port of Galveston , Texas . sailing as a FOWT. He walked the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Marcogliese was born in Illinois and was a resident of Bulpitt, Ill. Burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville, Ill. Surviving are his mother, Rose of Kincaid, Ill. and his brother, Francis of Bulpitt . Pensioner Benjamin C. Mignano, 58, succumbed to cancer on Oct. 10, 1986. Brother Mignano joined the SIU in 1944 in the port of Philadelphia. He sailed as a recertified bosun . He hit the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime beef. Seafarer Mignano was born in Brooklyn, N. Y . and was a resident of Harbor City, Calif. Surviving is his sister, Frances of Harbor City. �Pensioner Pablo Reyes Ojera, 79, passed away from natural causes at home in Malolos, P.I. on Nov. 5, 1986. Brother Ojerajoined the SIU in 1948 in the port of New York sailing in the steward department. He was on the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Ojera was born in the Philippines. Surviving are his widow, Lulubelle of Oakland, Calif.; a son, Anthony; a daughter, Aurora Morgan of Hawaii, and a granddaughter, Ana Marie Donado of Sta Isabel, Malolos. Pensioner Herbert Milzer Parsons, 78, passed away from a heart attack in the Touro Hospital, New Orleans on Dec. 6, 1986. Brother Parsons joined the SIU in the port of New Orleans in 1951. He was born in the British West Indies and was a naturalized U.S. citizen. Seafarer Parsons was a resident of New Orleans. Burial was in the Garden of Memories Cemetery, Metairie, La. Surviving are his widow, Frances and a brother, David of New Orleans. Pensioner Hubert Pousson died on Dec. , 18, 1986. Brother Pousson retired in 1975. He was a resident of Virginia. Surviving are his widow and a daughter, Betty Lough of Napa, Calif. Pensioner John Percy Schilling Jr., 75, passed away on Nov. 20, 1986. Brother Schilling joined the SIU in the port of Boston, Mass. in 1950 sailing - as a FOWT. He hit the bricks in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Schilling was born in Alabama and was a resident of Galveston, Texas. Surviving are his widow, Thelma; a sister, Roberta Moore of Mobile, and an aunt, Annie Schilling, also of Mobile. Michael "Mike" Sikorsky, 81, succumbed to a hemorrhage in the Summit Nursing Home, Catonsville, Md. on Nov. 18, 1986. Brother Sikorsky joined the SIU in A Man to Remember 1938-a charter member-in the port of Baltimore sailing as an AB. He walked the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime and the 1947 Isthmian beefs. Seafarer Sikorsky was born in Rhode Island and was a resident of Catonsville. Burial was in the St. Stanislus Cemetery, Baltimore. Pensioner Thomas Edward Smolarek, 78, passed away reBrother cently. Smolarek joined the SIU in the port of Baltimore in 1958 sailing as an oiler. He was born in Buffalo, N.Y. Surviving is a daughter, Victoria Bradley of Newark, Del. Leo M. Snellgrove Jr., 47, died on Oct. 1, 1986. Brother Snellgrove joined the SIU in the port of Jacksonville, Fla. in 1980 sailing as an AB. He was born in ..,. Georgia and was a resident of Waycross, Ga. Surviving is his widow, Doris. Pensioner Norman Irving West, 78 , succumbed to cancer at home in South Paris, Maine on Nov. 25, 1986. Brother West joined the SIU in 1944 in the port of New York sailing as an oiler. He was on the picket lines in the 1946 General Maritime, the 1947 Isthmian and the 1948 Wall St. beefs. Seafarer West was born in Maine. Cremation took place in the Brooklawn Park Crematory, Portland, Maine. Surviving is his widow, Dorothy. Pensioner Charles Robert Pischner, 73, passed away from heart-lung failure in St. Vincent's Hospital, Green Bay, Wis. on Dec. 19, 1986. Brother Pischner joined the Union in the port of Buffalo, N. Y. in 1959 sailing as an AB. He was born in Michigan and was a resident of Green Bay. Cremation took place in Appleton, Wis. Surviving is his widow, Alice. Pensioner Stanley Francis Thompson, 62, succumbed to cancer at home ,. in Ormond Beach, Fla. on Dec. 6, 1986. Brother Thompson joined the Union in the port of Detroit, Mich. in 1953. He sailed for the Great Lakes Towing Co. from 1953 to 1986. He was born in Quincy, Mass. Cremation took place in the Cedar Hill Crematory, Daytona Beach, Fla. Surviving is a brother, William of Ormond Beach. Clarence Edward Willoughby, 42, died of a heart attack in St. Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, Minn. on Dec. 6, 1986. Brother Willoughby joined the Union in the port of Detroit, Mich. in 1968. He sailed as a deckhand for the Great Lakes Towing Co. He was born in Duluth and was a resident there. Burial was in the Oneota Cemetery, Duluth. Surviving are his widow, Susan; four daughters, Brenda, Elizabeth, Dona and Mescela, and his father, Carl of Duluth. MCS Pioneer Frank Gomar Dies In September 1983, Cary Grant, his wife Barbara and his daughter Jennifer sailed out of San Francisco for Honolulu aboard the SS Independence. He was aboard for 12 days. The last time he had sailed this vessel was during the filming of "An Affair to Remember" with Deborah Kerr in 1956. Hotel Manager Samuel Nazario remembers that Grant had a great time visiting the SS Independence again and that he was very gracious to all the crewmembers, officers and passengers alike. Cary Grant died last Nov. 29. "He will be missed and remembered by many of us," Nazario said. Grant is pictured above with his wife and Nazario. Frank Gomar, 81, former assistant secretary/treasurer for the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union, died last month and his ashes were scattered at sea Jan. 3. Gomar is pictured above at the far right with former MCS of- ficial Dan Rotan (center) and former Labor Secretary Willard Wirtz. His ashes were scattered from the S.S. Lurline (Matson) about 50 miles due east of Oahu. Gomar is survived by his widow, Isabel, and three daughters. January 1987 I LOG I 27 �GREAT LAKES Algonac Raymond F. Klein David M. LeBarron, deckhand Lawrence E. Rodal George R. Romanowski Herman Wolgast The following SIU members have retired on pension: DEEP SEA Alcohol: Drugs: Baltimore Frank C. Bona, AB Tom R. Danzey Houston Olga J. Edwards Charles I. Darter, AB Franklin E. Taylor Jacksonville Wade B. Pritchett, chief engineer William L. Robinson Theodore Weems, AB Mobile Mark J. FitzPatrick, oiler Thomas J. Hilburn, bosun Harvey H. Hood, AB William F. Jordan Darius L. Knapp, steward/baker Henry W. Miller, wiper Union H. Sanders Jr., chief electrician New Jersey Suska Vladik New Orleans Preston A. Blanc, AB Lamar Gribbon New York Anthony J. Gregoire Hollis C. Kiah, QMED Biliran 0. Sierra Eugenio Smith, CMC Harold B. Stever Norfolk Elmer Bingham, cook Leslie F. Haynie, captain Long-time New Orleans Rep Martin Kanoa (left) moves back home to Hawaii. He's pictured here with Honolulu Port Agent Steve Ruiz. Philadelphia Raymond H. McMullen, captain & mate San Francisco Leo M. De kens, chief steward Alfonso DiFabrizio James C. 0 'Donnell Robert M. Sanchez Chin Hsi Wong, wiper Francis J. White, bosun San Juan Alejandrino Velazquez Seattle Robert L. Anderson William M. O'Connor James W. Pulliam, bosun Rodolfo Rodriguez, ABG Ernest R. Wise Wilmington Robert G. Guerrero Eric J .A. Johnston John Wade Jr. Sherman Wright, chief steward Personal William E. Babbitt Please call Honey at (813) 3694925. The Killer Is Denial There are many unpleasant side effects to alcohol and drug abuse, but the most deadly is denial. Denial comes in many shapes and forms. You can deny that you have money or health problems, or that alcohol and drug abuse is robbing you of your dignity and self-respect. Yet the longer you do so, the more difficult it will be to repair the damage done to your life. Denial goes hand in hand with alcohol and drug abuse. In fact, it is the single most glaring sympton of the disease. The first step to recovery is simply to stop denying that you have a problem. And once you can admit that you've lost control over your life, then you can face other, more difficult things. 'Help Is Available' Dear Mr. Drozak, I have just finished reading the latest issue of the LOG and feel I must give you my "two cents worth" and some information. Please do not stop mentioning drug and alcohol abuse! If something that you say in your column, just once, causes someone to seek help, it will all be worth it. I have been shipping 10 years with the SIU on the Great Lakes. In that time I have seen many seamen in the process of destroying their lives. I know what I'm talking about, because I was one of them. Thank God I finally asked for help, and thank God that the SIU was there for me when I needed them! I attended the ARC a little over a year-and-a-half ago, and my life has not stopped improving since then! I am more productive, more trustworthy, more capable than I ever would have believed possible. Now I enjoy my work! And my life! So, do not stop mentioning drugs and alcohol, or the most important part-that there is help available! Which brings me to the information that I want to give you. There was an article in the LOG about substance abuse and an interview with Rick Reisman of the ARC. He talks about the shipboard seaman trying to maintain contact with AA. I have very good news! There is an "AA. meeting for loners, internationalists, and other AA.'s who cannot attend regular AA. meetings." They can be contacted by writing to the following address: General Service Office Loners-Internatio.nalists Meeting Box 459 Grand Central Station New York, N'.Y. 10163 Billy G. Edelmon (right) receives his first pension check from Honolulu Port Agent Steve Ruiz. They are a group of people who stay in touch by mail with others who are onboard ships all over the world and cannot make regular AA. meetings. It is a godsend to the recovering alcoholic sailor! If at all possible, please let your readers, staff, .everyone, know about it! Sincerely yours, Robert L.R. Gran NEY!!! IF YOURE .OESTRO>'l'AIG YOLIR8RF W/TJ.I BOOZE AND DRLJGS> Tl-IERES llELP. CON7:4CT YOt/RPORT AGENT OR 6111 LJRU6 ANLJ ALCOllOL P~O­ GRAM ATn'NEY POl/VT;MD. 28 I LOG I January 1987 . .,, �Diaes~ of Ships Nee~inas AMBASSADOR (Coordinated Caribbean Transport), November 2-Chairman Carlos Spina, Secretary Paul Lightell, Educational Director M. Sullivan. All three departments reported disputed OT pertaining to the Columbus Day holiday. This will be taken up with the boarding patrolman at payoff. There is $450 in the ship's fund. A motion was made and seconded to let all members who are returning to their jobs register in their home ports-whether they are permanent or relief. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department, particularly for the great cookouts. Next port and port of payoff: Miami, Fla. AMERICAN EAGLE (Pacific Gulf Marine), November 29-Chairman Joe Justus, Secretary Thomas McQuay. No disputed OT or beefs reported. There is $20 in the ship's fund. Due to cargo handling during the ship's stay in Bremerhaven, Germany, the Thanksgiving Day dinner and all the trimmings were postponed until Nov. 29, enroute to Bayonne, N.J. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for the great spread, with particular recognition to Steward/Baker Thomas H. McQuay, Chief Cook James W. Gard and Steward Assistant Steven R. Hamilton. LNG ARIES (Energy Transportation), December 7-Chairman R.D. Schwarz, Secretary R.F. Frazier, Deck Delegate R.K. Williams, Engine Delegate J.G. Mccranie, Steward Delegate H. Daniels. No disputed OT or beefs reported. There is $494 in the ship's fund. The bosun distributed forms for upgrading at Piney Point. He stressed the need for every seaman to continue his education. He also explained the importance of supporting SPAD. The secretary noted that those persons being relieved this trip should leave their rooms clean and turn in their keys to the proper department head. Mail is quite slow getting to the ship, especially in Tobata, Japan. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for a job well done. Next ports: Nagoya, Japan and Arun , Indonesia. GALVESTON (Sea-Land), November 4-Chairman C. Dawson, Secretary Ken Hayes, Educational Director W. Walton. No beefs or disputed OT reported, although one member of the steward department missed the ship in Anchorage, Alaska. Payoff will take place this trip in Tacoma, Wash. Members should be sure to include in the minutes any beefs they may have. The chairman said he hoped everyone had voted in the elections to help support a Democratic Congress, and he stressed the importance of donating to SPAD. He noted that from all reports, the Galveston will stay on its run through September 1987. The secretary said that most communications had been posted. He added that voting on Election Day is important and that it also can't hurt to write your congressional representatives and let them know how you feel about some of the bills in Congress affecting the maritime industry. The chief engineer will check on some noise reported aboard ship and will also fix the ice box and range thermostat. Crewmembers were asked to return all films and books to their places before the ship reaches port and to help keep the messrooms clean. GROTON (Apex), November 23Chairman Neil Matthey, Secretary Marvin Deloatch, Educational Director J. Pazos, Deck Delegate Ernesto Guarin, Engine Delegate Tecumseh Williams, Steward Delegate Roderick Bright. No disputed OT reported. The chairman reported that the ship will pay off in Port Reading, N.J. He urged all crewmembers to contribute to SPAD to help the Union fight for a stronger merchant marine. He noted that all previously needed repairs had been made by the chief engineer. The secretary reminded members to take advantage of the upgrading opportunities available to Piney Point-to better your job opportunities and your job security. The importance of practicing safety at all times was stressed by the educational director. All were in full agreement with the motion made to change the shipping rules to provide for area registration and shipping, as proposed by President Drozak in his headquarters report. All crewmembers onboard the Groton pitched in for a new video tape player. The steward gave the crew a vote of thanks for their cooperation in keeping the messroom clean. The crew, in turn, gave Steward Marvin Deloatch and Chief Cook Roderick Bright a vote of thanks for a job well done. Next port: Stapleton, N.Y. fractured hip and leg and will be in traction for three weeks. Wilson's wife is with him in Bermuda. It was also noted that some crewmembers have been going down the gangway before the ship has been cleared to make phone calls in Port Everglades, Fla. It was stressed that no one is to go down the gangway before the ship has been cleared. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for the fine meals served. Next port: Port Everglades, Fla. SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE (SeaLand), November 2--Chairman Joseph San Fillipo, Secretary James A. Wright, Educational Director A. Aguiar, Deck Delegate Virgil C. Dowd, Engine Delegate John P. Murray, steward Delegate Terry N. White. No beefs or disputed OT reported. There is $106 in the ship's fund and $435 in the movie fund. The chairman thanked VP "Red" Campbell for all the information on contracts he sent. All communications from Aboard the MV Aurora especially Joe San Fillipo, for keeping the ship clean-"like an SIU vessel is supposed to be." Thanks also went to all the brothers and sisters "who worked so hard on the elections. By early results, it looks like the hard work paid off." Next port: Tacoma, Wash. SENATOR (Coordinated Caribbean Transport), December ?-Chairman George Triplett, Secretary Frank Costango, Educational Director Eric Bain, Deck Delegate Carl Lowery, Engine Delegate J. Brack, Steward Delegate James Sivley. The ship will pay off in Lake Charles, La. this trip. There seem to be no beefs or problems. The ship's fund contains $4. 75 at this time. This amount will be given to the chairman until a new man is chosen since the present treasurer is going on vacation. A discussion was held about the movie problem. One member volunteered the use of his car to go to Lake Charles, and the ship's chairman was elected to accompany him to select movies for the next trip. A vote of thanks was given to George Triplett for decorating the Christmas tree and to the steward department for a job well done. Official ships minutes also were received from the following vessels: LNG AQUARIUS AURORA CAGUAS MARINER OVERSEAS MARILYN PATRIOT SEA-WO ADVENTURER SEA-WO DEVELOPER SEA-LAND EXPLORER SEA-WO PRODUCER SEA-LAND VOYAGER Enjoying the coo out on e Aurora (left) and QMED Juan Rodriguez (right). MOBILE (Apex Marine), November 9Chairman P. Sernyk, Secretary H. Markowitz, Educational Director J. Fonville, Deck Delegate F. Gongora, Engine Delegate H. Aleidaroos, Steward Delegate L. Winfield. No beefs or disputed OT reported. The bosun talked about the importance of donating to SPAD in order to protect our job security. He also informed the crew that the ship will pay off in New York on Nov. 16. The steward thanked everyone for helping keep the ship clean and running smoothly, and the educational director reminded members to send in their upgrading applications to Piney Point. A particular vote of thanks was given to the steward department for all their fine work. Next ports: New York and St. Croix. OMI CHAMPION (OMI Corp.), November 2--Chairman M. Beeching, Secretary H. Evans, Educational Director L. Philpot, Deck Delegate D. Brooks, Engine Delegate J.A. Calix, Steward Delegate C. Lascola. The ship returned from Karachi and laid up in a Gibraltar shipyard from Oct. 8 to Oct. 29. Crewmembers were flown home and then flown back to rejoin the ship. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for a job well done. Next port and port of payoff: New Orleans, La. SEA-LAND ECONOMY (Sea-Land), November 9--Chairman William E. Reeves, Secretary H. Scypes, Educational Director Glenn H. Watson, Steward Delegate Eddie Fisher. No disputed OT reported. There is $66 in the movie fund and $105 in the crew VCR repair fund. A wire was received from the company about the condition of AB Orie A. Wilson who fell while working on deck between trailers. Wilson fell about 20 or 25 feet and was taken off ship in Bermuda. The doctor reports he has a pex ari e headquarters were read and posted. Crewmembers who are getting off were reminded to leave their rooms neat and clean for the next person. There are plenty of training and safety films onboard, and the educational director urged members to take the time to view them. A vote of thanks was given to the steward department for a job well done and to the entire crew, AMERICAN MADE WITH THE UNION LABEL "RIGHT ON"! • -Gl- •· Union Libel 1nd SeNice Tr1des Department, AFL~IO Monthly Membership Meetings Port Date Deep Sea Lakes, Inland Waters Piney Point .............. Monday, February 2 .................. 10:30 a.m. New York ............... Tuesday, February 3 .................. 10:30 a.m. Philadelphia .............. Wednesday, February 4 ............... 10:30 a.m. Baltimore ................ Thursday, February 5 ................. 10:30 a.m. Norfolk ................. Thursday, February 5 ................. 10:30 a.m. Jacksonville .............. Thursday, February 5 ................. 10:30 a.m. Algonac ................. Friday, February 6 ................... 10:30 a.m. Houston ...... . .......... Monday, February 9 .................. 10:30 a.m. New Orleans ............. Tuesday, February 10 ................. 10:30 a.m. Mobile .................. Wednesday, February 11 .............. 10:30 a.m. San Francisco ............ Thursday, February 12 ................ 10:30 a.m. Wilmington .............. Tuesday, February 17 ................. 10:30 a.m. Seattle .................. Friday, February 20 .................. 10:30 a.m. San Juan ............ . ... Thursday, February 5 ................. 10:30 a.m. St. Louis ................ Friday, February 13 .................. 10:30 a.m. Honolulu ................ Thursday, February 12 ................ 10:30 a.m. Duluth .................. Wednesday, February 11 .............. 10:30 a.m. Gloucester ......... . ... . .Tuesday , February 17 ................. 10:30 a.m. Jer ey City .... . . . ...... . . Wedne day, February 18 .............. 10:30 a.m. January 1987 I LOG I 29 �CL L NP Directory of Ports Dispatchers Report for Great Lakes DEC. 1-31, 1986 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP Port Algonac . .......... . . . ..... .. 0 15 Port Algonac ......... .... . .. .. . .. 0 9 2 Port Algonac ... ... ... .... .... ... . 0 3 Port Algonac ... . ... .. .... ... ..... Frank Drozak, President Joe DiGiorgio, Secretary Leon Hall, Vice President Angus "Red" Campbell, Vice President Mike Sacco, Vice President Joe Sacco, Vice President George McCartney, Vice President Roy A. Mercer, Vice President Steve Edney, Vice President **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP DECK DEPARTMENT 0 38 5 13 0 TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class CL Class L Class NP 0 4 2 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 16 0 0 3 0 0 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 15 0 1 0 4 ENTRY DEPARTMENT 0 0 0 0 HEADQUARTERS 0 Totals All Departments ....... . 40 7 D D 69 7 D *"Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month . **"Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month. 9 0 17 2 Dispatchers Report for Deep Sea DEC. 1-31, 1986 I ~ ~ ~ -Company/Lakes -Lakes -Non Priority JC Al *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class A Class B Class C TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class A Class B Class C Trip Reliefs **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A Class B Class C Port Gloucester . .............. New York .. . . .. ......... Philadelphia . ..... ........ Baltimore .......... ..... Norfolk . .... ...... . .... . Mobile .... . . . .... . .... . New Orleans . .... . ... ... . Jacksonville . ....... .. . . . . San Francisco ...... ..... .. Wilmington .. .... . .. .. ... Seattle .... .. ... . ... . .. . Puerto Rico ... ..... ...... Honolulu . .. . .... . . ... . . . Houston ... ........ .. .. . St. Louis ....... . . . . ... . . Piney Point . . ........... . Totals .. . ..... ......... 3 57 5 16 12 11 39 29 32 30 40 22 8 54 0 2 360 1 11 3 6 12 2 6 4 10 9 7 4 13 9 0 7 104 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 2 10 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 28 2 38 2 7 12 6 29 25 24 20 29 14 6 37 0 3 254 DECK DEPARTMENT 4 0 12 0 3 0 3 0 8 1 1 1 5 6 6 2 8 4 5 1 5 0 8 0 13 2 11 0 0 0 3 0 95 17 0 11 0 2 1 0 5 4 4 6 13 3 13 9 0 1 72 0 0 581 Port Gloucester ... .. . . .. .. .... New York . .. .. . . .. .. . . . . Philadelphia ...... . .... . .. Baltimore .. . ............ Norfolk .. ... . . ....... .. . Mobile . .... . ... ... ... . . New Orleans .... . ... . .. . . Jacksonville .. . . .. .. . ..... San Francisco ........ . . .. . Wilmington . ..... . .. .... . Seattle .. .... .. . .. ... . .. Puerto Rico . . ............ Honolulu .. . ...... .. . ... . Houston ... .. . .. . . ...... St. Louis ....... ... ... . .. Piney Point . ...... . .... . . Totals ........... . .... . 0 39 1 8 10 5 44 25 18 10 30 15 5 24 0 3 237 6 4 2 0 5 2 12 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 5 1 1 0 9 0 0 0 21 0 24 2 4 9 3 18 15 9 11 30 6 2 22 0 3 158 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 4 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 5 1 3 0 2 0 5 1 9 0 4 0 7 6 3 0 0 0 5 0 59 9 1 10 0 0 1 0 6 2 2 8 3 4 5 5 0 0 47 0 67 2 9 9 10 60 39 39 18 35 15 5 45 0 2 355 0 10 0 0 0 2 9 3 14 10 12 1 60 7 1 34 3 4 3 6 4 4 9 2 8 6 0 4 74 Port Gloucester . . ..... .. .... . . New York . ..... .. . . .. .. . Philadelphia . . . .... . ...... Baltimore . . ....... .. ... . Norfolk . . .. . ... ........ . Mobile . .... . . .. ........ New Orleans .... .... . . . . . Jacksonville ...... .... . .. . San Francisco .. . . ... .. .. .. Wilmington . ... ..... . .. .. Seattle ... .. . ..... .. .. . . Puerto Rico .... .. . . . . . . . . Honolulu ... ... . . .. ... . . . Houston ... . .... .. .. .... St. Louis .... ....... . .. . . Piney Point ......... .... . Totals .... . . ... ....... . 2 208 43 3 0 4 89 Port Gloucester ............ . .. New York .... . ... ..... . . Philadelphia . . . . ..... . .... Baltimore . . .... ..... . . .. Norfolk .. . .. .... .. . . ... . Mobile .. . . ...... .. ..... New Orleans ... .. . . . .. . . . Jacksonville . . ..... . ..... . San Francisco .. ... . . . . . . .. Wilmington ....... ... ... . Seattle ..... .. . . ........ Puerto Rico .. ... . . ... . .. . Honolulu . . .. . ... ... . .... Houston .... . ...... . . . .. St. Louis .... . ........... Piney Point .............. Totals ... . ... .. .. . ..... 0 37 4 5 1 2 22 7 40 13 30 14 11 15 0 0 201 1 34 1 7 4 7 13 7 16 6 18 8 105 10 0 18 255 Totals All Departments .... . . 1,006 522 0 26 2 3 2 5 32 19 43 11 34 7 9 13 0 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 8 6 0 0 30 0 0 1 0 0 37 1 6 1 0 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 3 5 2 0 4 0 3 0 39 36 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 134 69 41 0 14 0 1 7 4 15 11 24 7 25 7 6 12 0 17 1 0 6 1 3 15 2 16 3 2 0 183 4 0 0 9 7 16 8 20 0 9 11 0 0 0 237 104 323 650 ENTRY DEPARTMENT 1 1 31 0 2 0 2 1 8 0 4 2 11 10 6 3 4 9 12 1 29 0 0 0 109 215 7 2 0 0 12 1 243 240 466 307 0 1 129 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 248 5 110 5 17 16 14 79 54 74 40 54 29 12 72 2 21 5 8 8 4 10 8 13 8 10 2 18 4 0 6 127 1 0 1 1 3 0 7 2 7 2 0 0 8 4 0 0 36 3 7 3 3 6 3 14 6 9 3 9 2 11 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 6 84 1 1 0 8 0 0 0 21 1 4 0 0 1 3 2 7 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 17 6 0 37 10 7 23 0 3 293 7 0 32 2 1 0 27 0 0 0 33 6 43 18 84 0 54 4 10 5 4 33 10 84 26 38 18 7 21 0 1 4 79 1 48 5 11 2 6 0 0 8 1 0 3 1 22 1 13 3 2 0 227 314 18 13 21 10 19 11 121 13 0 8 307 0 0 283 1,543 597 373 0 3 *"Total Registered " means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month . ** " Registered on the Beach " means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month. Shipping in the month of December was up from the month of November. A total of 1,671 jobs were shipped on SIU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the 1,671 jobs shipped, 650 jobs or about 39 percent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were filled by "B" and "C" seniority people. A total of 248 trip relief jobs were shipped. Since the trip relief program began on April 1, 1982, a total of 4,350 jobs have been shipped. 30 I LOG I January 1987 ~ 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, Md. 207 46 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC, Mich. 520 St. Clair River Dr. 48001 (313) 794-4988 BALTIMORE, Md. 1216 E. Baltimore St. 21202 (301) 327-4900 CLEVELAND, Ohio 5443 Ridge Rd. 44129 (216) 845-1100 DULUTH, Minn. 705 Medical Arts Building 55802 (218) 722-4110 GLOUCESTER, Mass. 11 Rogers St. O1930 (617) 283-1167 HONOLULU, Hawaii 636 Cooke St. 96813 (808) 523-5434 HOUSTON, Tex. 1221 Pierce St. 77002 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. 3315 Liberty St. 32206 (904) 353-0987 JERSEY CITY, N.J. 99 Montgomery St. 7 (201) 435-9424 MOBILE, Ala. 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy. 36605 (205) 478-0916 NEW BEDFORD, Mass. 50 Union St. 027 40 (617) 997-5404 NEW ORLEANS, La. 630 Jackson Ave. 70130 (504) 529-7546 Toll Free: 1-800-325-2532 NEW YORK, N.Y. 675 4 Ave., Brooklyn 11232 (718) 499-6600 NORFOLK, Va. 115 Third St. 23510 (804) 622-1892 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 2604 S. 4 St. 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT, Md. St. Mary's County 20674 (301) 994-0010 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. 350 Fremont St. 94105 (415) 543-5855 SANTURCE, P.R. 1057 Fernandez Juncos St. Stop 16 00907 (809) 725-6960 SEATILE, Wash. 2505 1 Ave. 98121 (206) 441-1960 ST. LOUIS, Mo. 4581 Gravois Ave. 63116 (314) 752-6500 SUBIC BAY, Rep. of Philippines 34 21st St., W. Bajac Bajac Olongapo City C-2201 222-3533 WILMINGTON, Calif. 510 N. Broad Ave. 90744 (213) 549-4000 �'Pull Together in '87 ... ' I pray that 1987 will be the year that all World War II merchant seamen are recognized as veterans. If all the maritime unions can pull together for once and with our maritime friends in both houses of Congress and the Democrats in control, I don't see how this recognition can be avoided. Time is running out! Fraternally .yours, Otis L. Bouchie Jr. Oneonta,Ala.35121 'Scholarship Provides Belief . 'Helping Defend Democracy ... ' For the last several years I have been trying, and generally succeeding, to donate at least $200 each year to SPAD. The results of the '86 elections were a gratifying return on my investment. I was expecting the worst given the election results of '80, '82, and '84. But I can honestly say now that working people, led by organized labor, have begun to turn the political tide. It's a shameful fact of life that economic progress for working people is so thoroughly linked to the political climate of the country. Reagan showed us how he intended to deal with working people when he fired the Air Traffic Controllers several years ago. The '86 elections were our repayment in kind. I hope and trust we can repay Reagan ten-fold, or even a hundred-fold, in the elections of 1988. I work at American Commercial Barge Lines/Inland Tugs. As we return to political sanity, I hope that company will see fit to negotiate and sign a contract with the Seafarers International Union. And I hope we can elect someone to the White House in '88 who will reinstate the Air Traffic Controllers and sign a contract with PATCO on Inauguration Day 1989. Toward these goals I have decided to increase my SPAD donations. I shall make every effort to contribute $50 a month, every month thru the '88 elections. In doing so I remind myself that organized labor is a cornerstone of democracy, and defense of democracy requires that we right the wrongs of Reagan. A $50 check is enclosed. For Peace, Progress, &Unity, Bick Gantly St. Louis, Mo. 'Quick Action Saves Life . . . ' On Thursday, Nov. 20, 1986, QMED Hubbert Lee was injured while changing a blank in the cargo tank aboard the M.V. Ranger. Lee was able to get out of the tank with the assistance of QMED Richard Butch. Lee fainted on deck, and after quick action by the crew and officers, Lee was brought back to and put in the ship's hospital. We were two days out of Singapore, and after numerous phone calls with port officials was Capt. W.R. Horne able to get Lee off the ship and to medical attention. A boat came out to meet us and take Lee. Assisting in the operation were Chief Mate Michael Miller, ABs Chuck Loveland, Michael Moore and myself. It is the opinion of the crew that Capt. Horne did everything humanly possible to insure Lee's safe return home. I would also like to thank Mrs. Horne, the crew and officers for all their help in making Lee comfortable. Yours truly, George B. Khan Bosun, M.V. Banger • • t Yet another deadline for submitting an application to the Charlie Logan Scholarship Program will arrive this April. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all interested members to take advantage of this program. Speaking from personal experience, I can say that a Charlie Logan scholarship provides welcome financial aid to those members who wish to pursue a formal education. This March I will graduate from the Ur1iversity of Washington. During my course of study, the program's monetary contribution greatly relieved my financial needs. I would like sincerely to thank the SID membership and leadership for their support. Best wishes, Russell Wiliams W-1131 Seattle, Wash. New Jobs I t's common knowledge that the nations' s employment pattern is changing. Ask any coal miner, steel worker, seafarer or auto worker. Traditional American industries provide living wages and honorable jobs for millions of Americans. Those jobs are disappearing. With unemployment hovering around the 7 percent mark, the administration is fond of pointing out that millions of new jobs have been created in the past six years to replace the ones that have been lost. But unlike a rose, a job is not a job is not a job. More than 60 percent of these new jobs pay less than $7 ,000 a year$134.62 a week-$3.37 an hour. A new study by the Joint Economic Committee shows a frightening trend. One million middle and high income jobs disappeared during the past seven years. Those jobs were replaced by 900,000 low paying ones-less than $7 ,000 a year. The study shows that the vast majority of new jobs are either part-time or near minimum wage. While those types of jobs may be fine for high school students working for date money, how the hell do you pay the mortgage on $134.62 a week? There are many reasons for the changing shape of the workforce, but the biggest has to be the economic policy of the administration. Since 1980, American manufacturing jobs have been exported, the country's trade deficit has soared and so little has been done about it. One of the first things needed is a trade policy which could put American products on an equal footing with foreign competition and bring back American workers to shop floors and assembly lines. Maybe the administration and its spokesmen believe the myths about the new jobs. Perhaps they should leave their offices in Washington and tell the people in Detroit, in West Virginia, in Louisiana, in Pittsburgh or wherever how much better off they are with all these new jobs. Maybe they'd get the kind of reaction they deserve-a good swift kick. OOPS-WE GOOFED 'Expression of Sorrow . . . ' I want to express to you our deep regret over the loss of life following the catastrophic explosion on the OMI Yukon. We do not have a good explanation for the cause of the accident at this time, but we want you to know that the company now and in the future considers as its first priority the safety of its crews. Again, we express to you our profound sorrow. Sincerely, Jack Goldstein President, OMI Corp. Last month's LOG misidentified the artist who created this piece of scrimshaw. Seafarer Gene Barry designed and created this fine example of the traditional seafaring art form. It is part of a major exhibit of American Labor History now on display at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. January 1987 I LOG I 31 �SUPPORT SPAO,, I / SUPPORT6' You 0 0 11001( ON TO AND JOB ~ECURITY � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 1980-1989 Description An account of the resource Volumes XLII-LI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993; Seafarers Log Scanned Issues 1984-1988, 1994-Present Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource January 1987 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES LITTLE NEW FOR MARITIME IN REAGAN’S FY ’88 BUDGET UNMANNED SHIPS WILL SAIL LABOR AND NATION CELEBRATE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY CREW SNUFFS OUT BLAZE ON THE LT. JOHN P. BOBO THREE SINKINGS CLAIM 30 DROZAK RAPS AID AGE RULE ON THE WATERFRONT WITH FRANK DROZAK ED TURNER, LUNDEBERG ALLY, SIU VP, RETIRES FOUR DIE IN MASSIVE PINEY POINT BARGE BLAST CROWLEY CREWS HELP COMPLETE PIPELINE SHLSS PREPARES UPGRADERS FOR U.S. COAST GUARD DECK LICENSE EXAM SIU PROMOTES ASBESTOS AWARENESS 1986: THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE SIU CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MANY NEW MILITARY JOBS WHILE UNION LOOKS FOR WAYS TO RIDE OUT STORMY COURSE OF THE MARITIME INDUSTRY THE SIU IN 1986 SEAFARERS TAKE THE LEAD IN PROTECTING JOB SECURITY IN TROUBLED INDUSTRY THE SIU IN WASHINGTON NEW CONGRESS MARAD AUTHORIZATION BILL MELTING ICE IRANSCAM PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS BUDGET WELCOME ABOARD MARITIME DISUNITY BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS MCS PIONEER FRANK GOMAR DIES Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Scanned Issues 1984-1988, 1994-Present Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1/1/1987 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. 49, No. 1 1987 Periodicals Seafarers Log