Media
Issue Date
1993-09-01
Volume
55
Issue Number
9
Plaintext
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STANDARD FREIGHTSHlP/>
between
Ray McKay, who passed away August 9, is shown speaking at
the dedication of the Paul Hail Center for Maritime Training
and Education in 1991.
Ray McKay,
AMO Head,
Dies at 68
Raymond T. McKay, president of AMO-Dlstrict 2
MEBA, who guided his organization to a position
of strength in the U.S. maritime industry, passed
away August 9. A forward-looking trade unionist,
McKay had a long and close working relationship
with the SlU going back more than 40 years.
Atlantic, -
The SlU has negotiated a new
three-year standard contract with
the shipowners group, the
American Maritime Association,
that will be presented for approval
to SlU members this month
• Paged
Paged
1993
STANDARD TANKER AGREEMENT
bclwecii
WON
Lakes and Inland Waters District. AFL-CIO
and
Contracted Companies
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SEPTEMBER 1993
President's Report
Our 'Economic and Strategic Future'
Representing more than 80 trade unions made up of more
than 14 million members, the AFL-CIO serves as the voice of
working people in the United States. The
AFL-CIO has long held that a strong, viable
U.S.-fleet is a good thing for America's
economic and security interests and as such
is a good thing for American workers.
So when the AFL-CIO Executive Council
met last month in Chicago, it issued a state
ment on the subject of the future of U.S.
shipping that did not mince words. "The
U.S. government appears to be on the verge
of dismantling what remains of the
American merchant marine," opened the
statement adopted by the full council,
is in chaos," the statement charged.
Michael Sacco
licy
CIO statement, adopted unanimously by the coun-
"Maritime po
The AFL-(
cil which is made up of 33 international union presidents and
the AFL-CIO's president and secretary-treasurer, urged Con
gress and the Clinton administration to choose a course "that
will not only preserve but rebuild a strong maritime industry
that is so essential to the nation's economic and strategic fu
ture."
Moreover AFL-CIO support for the American merchant
marine casts a different light on the issue. The labor federation
speaks for working Americans, no matter their occupation—
teachers, construction workers, actors and actresses, health care
employees, workers in manufacturing and mining, among
others. When the AFL-CIO says America must have a mer
chant fleet, it is speaking for millions of Americans who have
no direct connection with the maritime industry. But those
Americans do have a stake in an America that is not dependent
for her strategic interests on uncertain allies. Those Americms
do have a stake in an America that has a U.S.-flag presence in
international shipping trades, thereby ensuring the nation's
economic security.
The AFL-CIO recognizes the essentiality of a U.S.-flag fleet
to the nation's interests. It is high time those entrusted with the
nation's public policy do the same. Insofar as the Seafarers is
concerned, we will be doing everything within our power to
make sure that policy-makers at all levels recognize that the
world's largest trading nation is only an independent super-
>ower as long as the Stars and Stripes is firmly planted on the
lighseas.
The Loss of Ray McKay
We in the SIU are going to miss Ray McKay, a man with
whom Seafarers enjoyed an intimate trade union relationship
for decades. Brother McKay's death last month is a severe
blow for everyone who cares about the American merchant
marine—seamen and shipowners alike. He was a man who
never gave up on the U.S. merchant marine. His union's for
ward looking training program is testimony to his determina
tion to keep the U.S. flag on the high seas.
He was a man who never accepted defeat. He always
planned for tomorrow. Brother McKay was a wonderful guy to
be fighting alongside of.
It will be a long time—if ever—that we see his likes come
our way again. But we can be comforted by the satisfaction of
having known and worked with him—that he was one of ours.
He leaves a solid legacy and great memories for those of us
who had the advantage of comradeship with him. We will al
ways respect his memory.
MSC Head Inspects Union's Training Facility
Vice Admiral Michael Kalleres, head of the Military Seallft Com
mand, meets an englneroom upgrader during his visit to the Paul
Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education on July 23.
Kalleres also toured the union's manpower facility and shipfiandling
simulator, as well as talked with Seafarers during his visit.
Senate Panel Told That Re-Hagging
Will Cost Nation Mere Than Dollars
A Senate subcommittee heard
testimony from maritime labor
and shipping representatives as
well as a fellow senator that im
mediate attention from the Clin
ton administration is needed to
keep the U.S. flag flying on con-
tainerships belonging to Sea-
Land and American President
Lines (APL).,
The Senate Merchant Marine
Subcommittee called the August
5 hearing after the two SlU-con-
tracted companies filed applica
tions during the summer with the
Maritime Administration
(MarAd) to transfer 20 vessels
(13 from Sea-Land and- seven
from APL) to a foreign-flag
registry. The two companies had
been threatening to make such a
move since early 1992 unless a
national maritime policy was
enacted.
Appearing as the first witness.
Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-
Md.) began the attacks on the
American companies' registering
their vessels offshore. "I am ap
palled at the idea of our leading
shipping companies re-flagging
under a foreign flag," Mikulsia
told the panel. "I am, frankly, ap
prehensive at the idea that the
next time our country is called to
war, we will be dependent upon
some other country's goodwill to
carry our troops and our weapons
to the conflict."
'Wake-Up Cair
The senator stated she wanted
"to send a wake-up call to the
president, the secretary of
defense and the secretary of
transportation. I do not believe we
can afford to let this vital industry
sail off into the sunset."
She called on the administra
tion to offer a plan that would
ensure a U.S.-flag reserve fleet
or military purposes, provide dif-
erential payments for U.S.-flag
shipping companies to compen
sate for milita^ reserve functions
and protect the jobs of thousands
of American merchant mariners.
"Everyone is talking about
reinventing government and I
think it might be time to reinvent
the merchant marine," Mikulski
told the panel. "We need to be
able to have the flexibility to be
able to respond around the world,
even if it's for peacekeeping, for
delivery of humanitarian help and
any number of other things."
Costs to Country Mount
She was joined in opposition
to the re-flagging effort by SIU
President Michael Sacco. He
pointed out the cost to the country
if the 20 ships are re-flagged.
"The result will be hundreds of
jobs that will be lost, a major
reduction in our nation's strategic
sealift capability, a reduced
American presence in ports
around the world, a loss of tax
revenues and a worsening of our
foreign trade deficit," Sacco told
the subcommittee.
"Maritime assets are more
than just a collection of ships.
They are also people—highly
skilled people, adept at the spe
cialized nature of their craft, who
by virtue of their citizenship and
professional conunitment offer
unquestioned loyalty to their
country.
"Certainly the military views
its crewmembers as an integral
component of its overall strength.
So too should ship operators,"
Sacco stated.
From left, listening to testimony during the hearing are Sens. Trent
Lott (R-Mlss.) and John Breaux (D-La.).
The uniort president continued
by saying such a re-flagging
move could not be viewed as just
a private business decision. "It is
very much the business of the
public, and bad business at that."
Joining Sacco at the witness
table were Timothy Brown, presi
dent of the International Or
ganization of Masters, Mates and
Pilots; Gordon Ward, president of
District No. 1 PCD Marine En
gineers Beneficial Association;
and Jerome Joseph, executive
vice president of the American
Maritime Officers, District 2-
MEBA.
Merchant Fleet Needed
In opening the hearing.
Senator John Breaux (D-La.), die
subcommittee chairman, noted
that "every flag officer that I have
spoken to over the past 20 years
has acknowledged the impor
tance of the U.S.-flag commercial
fleet to our security. And I con
tinue to hear that from the people
responsible for fighting the wars.
"It's the 'white collared policy
gurus' that don't think we need a
Representing the Clinton ad
ministration tiefore the subcom
mittee Is Joan YIm, the acting
maritime administrator.
commercial fleet and only hope
that ships will somehow appear in
a national emergency," Breaux
added.
The senator acknowledged the
administration's attempts to
reduce the national debt. "While
I appreciate the fiscal restraints
we are operating under, the cost
of saving this vital industry is
negligible. The cost of not saving
it, on the other hand, is tremen
dous," Breaux said.
When industry officials were
asked by the subcommittee why
they were seeking to re-flag their
ships, John Snow, chairman and
chief executive officer of Sea-
Land's parent company CSX,
respond^ "We have no incen
tive under the current system to
invest in the U.S.-flag fleet. We
don't want to re-flag, but we have
no option with our responsibility
to shareholders to take the actions
we are proposing."
American Crews 'Better'
Breaux asked Snow what as
surance Americans will have that
foreign crews will sail into war
zones with supplies for the U.S.
armed forces.
"The only honest answer is
there is no absolute assurance,"
Snow said.
The subcommittee chairman
then asked if American merchant
mariners "are better than those
you will use from foreign
countries."
Continued on pt^e 8
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) praises the U.S. merchant marine's
efforts In recent military conflicts.
Volume 55. Number 9 September 1993
The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is published
monthly by the Seafarers Intemational Union; Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District; AFL-CIO; 5201
Auth Way; Camp Springs, Md. 20746. Telephone (301)
899-0675. Second-class postage paid at MSC Prince
Georges, Md. 20790-9998 and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the
Seafarers LOG. 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md.
20746. F F 6
Communications Department Director and Editor, Jes
sica Smith; Managing Editor, Daniel Duncan; Associate
Editors, Jordan Biscardo and Corrina Christensen; As
sociate Editor/Production, Deborah A Hirtes; Art, BiU
Brower.
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SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERSLOG 3
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3-Year Standard Pact Announced
Gains in WageSy Out-Patient Care; Pensions Uncapped
A new three-year standard
freightship and tanker contract
embodying beneficial gains in
wages, pensions and medical
benefits as well as certain work
rule changes has been negotiated
by the Seafarers International
Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District.
The agreement, reached last
month with deep sea operators in
the management group known as
the American Maritime Associa
tion, calls for a cumulative base
wage increase of 11 percent over
the next three years and extends
out-patient medical benefits to
the dependents of Seafarers.
The new contract allows the
board of trustees of the Seafarers
Pension Plan to lift the $1,000 per
month maximum limit, paving
the way for higher pensions for
Seafarers who retire in the future
and who meet the eligibility re
quirements of the program.
Under the pact—which covers
the period of June 16, 1993 to
June 15, 1996—the manning
levels currently in force are
retained.
Negotiators for the union and
the companies also addressed is
sues that have come up as a result
of the sweeping regulatory
regime governing tanker opera
tions which was brought about by
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990
(CPA '90). The new contract
calls for an extensive training cur
riculum for Seafarers who sail on
tankers.
In addition to changes brought
about by regulatory concerns, the
union and the company addressed
shipboard work procedures in an
effort to build in flexibility while
maintaining strict safety prac
tices.
The work rule changes in the
new contract increase the ver
satility and skills of Seafarers and
encourage shipowners to have
routine maintenance take place
while the vessel is under navigation
or in operation at a port instead of
having it done in a shipyard.
Membership Contract Vote
The entire contract package
will be presented to Seafarers for
approval during union meetings
held on Tuesday, September 7,
1993. On this day, the pact will be
presented at the regularly
scheduled headquarters meeting
at Piney Point, Md. which begins
at 10:30 a.m. At 1:00 p.m. on the
same day, special meetings on the
contract will be concurrently held
at every union hall.
The pact will also be presented
by boarding union officials to
SIU members on ships calling at
U.S. ports.
Extended Negotiations
While the previous standard
labor agreement with the
American Maritime Association
for both tankers and freightships
expired June 15,1993, the terms
of that contract were extended
through the middle of August by
agreement of both negotiating
parties. The contract talks, which
began in the spring, thus extended
into the summer.
Increased Pensions
Possible
See page 4
In preparing for the negotia
tions, the union carefully
reviewed the contract reconunen-
dations made by Seafarers in
minutes of shipboard union meet
ings, in minutes of monthly mem
bership meetings at the varioiis
halls, in communications to the
contracts department and in ses
sions with Seafarers attending
classes to upgrade their skills at
the Lundeberg School.
The union also culled the sug
gestions raised in a series of con
ferences held in 1991 sponsored
by the Seafarers Plans on the
health care coverage and other
benefits available to Seafarers
and their families.
All the recommendations from
these venues were compiled and
crafted into a bargaining position
for the union as negotiations
began last spring.
Wage increases: 3-4-4
The pact raises base wages 3
percent effective July 1, 1993. A
4 percent increase begins on July
1, 1994 and another 4 percent
raise kicks in on July 1,1995. The
1993 raise is retroactive to July 1
which allows Seafarers who have
sailed on vessels covered by the
standard agreement to apply for
the wage increase back to that
date.
The penalty on-watch rate will
go up 3 percent in the first year of
the contract, effective July 1,
1993. All other Overtime and
penalty rates will remain the same
for the life of the contract.
Vacation time remains at cur
rent levels, but Seafarers will see
higher vacation pay as it is in
dexed to base wages which are
upped under the new agreement.
Included in the pact is a cost-
of-living-adjustment (COLA)
provision for the second and third
years of the agreement. COLA
payments are based on the
Department of Labor Bureau of
Labor Statistics Consumer Price
Index (CPI) which tracks infla
tion in the American economy.
The COLA payment goes into
effect if the CPI rises above 5
percent by a full percentage point.
Fractions betvyeen 5 and 6 percent
can be carried to the next year.
The cost of living adjustment
measured by full percentage
points will be added to the base
wage, premium overtime and off-
watch penalty rates.
Criteria for Registering
In conjunction with the new
contract, the union's shipping
rules have been amended to ̂ ow
a Seafarer to register for shipping
at any union hall without present
ing a drug test certificate or a ben
zene-test certificate. This will
allow a Seafarer to register
without having to wait out the
period of time between taking the
tests and obtaining the results and
clearances.
However, the Seafarer will be
responsible for having proof that
he or she has passed the drug
screening and benzene testing at
the time the job is called and the
Seafarer throws in for the work.
Continued on page 6
Meditml Coverage Extended Per Dependents of Seafarers
The spouses and children of
Seafarers who are employed by
shipping companies that are sig-
nators to the SIU's standard con
tract are eligible for a wide range
of out-patient benefits as a result
of the new three-year pact
negotiated by the union.
During this round of contract
deliberations, the union was
determined to secure out-patient
coverage for dependents because
the membership had sent a strong
and clear message of interest in
this benefit through communica
tions to SIU headquarters and
recommendations at the Seafarers
Plans conferences on benefits.
Negotiated through the stand
ard agreement is an increased
contribution on the part of the
contracted companies which are
signators to the pact to the
Sparer plans.
As a result of these additional
monies, the board of trustees of
the Seafarers medical plan,
known as the Seafarers Welfare
Plan, has voted to put in place a
series of out-patient benefits for
dependents of Seafarers, subject
to all the rules and regulations
Under the New Medical
The benefit of having dependent out-patient care covered for a large
part by the Seafarers Welfare piem can be seen in tire following
examples:
Bosun Joe Smith's wife, Sally, feels sick and has a fever, chest pains
oes to the doctor. The doctor examines her, orders and a rash. She
a chest x-ray, a Blood test and other lab work Including a culture of
the affected area of skin. The doctor gives Sally a prescription, tells
her he will call her and to make an appointment In two weeks to
ensure she is completely recovered. In two Weeks, Sally jreturhe to
the doctor, he examines her and pronounces her reooveiWd.
Here is a breakdown of what would have been covered by the
Seafarers Wei^e Plan prior to this contract and what Is paid now.
^rvice Cost Covered
BySWP
in Past
Covered
BySWP
Now*
1st doctor visit
X-ray
Blood test,
iab work
$65.00
$25.00
$50.00
$0
$0
$0
$52.00
$20.00
$40.00
Chief Cook Diane Brown has a ten-ydar old son. Bill. Bill falls out of
a tree and appears to have injured his arm. Diane rushes him to the
emergency room where he sees a doctor, has x-rays taken of his
arm and is treated for a broken arm. Diane is told to take Bill to their
family physician in a month. As Bill's arm is on the mend, he visits
the family doctor three times. In two of those visits the doctor orders
x-rays. In the third session at the doctor's office, six months after the
initial injury, the physician says Bill's arm is fully repaired and he no
longer needs to be checked for it.
Here is a breakdown of what would have been covered by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan prior to this contract and what is paid now.
Prescription
2nd doctor visit
$10.00
$65.00
$0
$0
$0.00
$52.00
* The Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover out-patient dependent
medical care at a level of 80 percent of reasonmsle and customary
costs which are determined by the general price for the service. The
out-patient dependent benefits are subject to a once-a-year $50
deductible per individual. In this case, if this had been Sally's first
claim submitted to the Seafarers Welfare Plan in the year, $50 would
have been deducted from the amount listed in this column.
Service Cost Covered
BySWP
In Past
Covered
BySWP
Now*
ER doctor** $100 $100 $100
ER tests** $100 $100 $100
1st Dr. visit $50 $0 $40
1st Dr. X-rays $100 $0 $80 '
2nd Dr. visit $50 $ 0 $40
2nd Dr. X-rays $70 $0 $56
3rd Dr. visit $ 50 $ 0 $ 40
The Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover out-patient dependent
which govern the program.
Hospitalization Covered
Until this contract, only
Seafarers themselves were
eligible for out-patient health care
services under the benefits
provided by the Seafarers Wel
fare Plan. While dependents of
Seafarers have always enjoyed
100 percent of reasonable and
customary coverage by the
Seafarers medical plan for emer
gency room and hospital room
and board, doctors' office visits
and diagnostic services provided
on an out-patient basis were not
covered by the plan.
Dating from June 16,1993, the
effective date of the new labor
agreement, dependents of
Seafarers can receive medical
care on an out-patient basis and
the Seafarers Welfare Plan will
cover a large share of the cost.
medical care at a level of 80 percent of reasonable and customary
costs which are determined b\ ined by the general price for the service. The
out-patient dependent benefits are subject to a once-a-year $50
deductible per individual. In this case, if this had been Diane's first per
claim for Bill, $50 would have been deducted from the amount listed
in this column.
••Emergency Room
80 Percent Covered
Under the terms of the plan, 80
percent of the reasonable and cus
tomary charges for out-patient
health care services to dependents
of Seafarers will be paid by the
plan subject to a $50 per year
deductible for each dependent.
Among the out-patient ser
vices now covered by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan for de
pendents of Seafarers are doctors'
office visits, diagnostic tests con
ducted on an out-patient basis,
pre-natal care and follow-up care
for a wife of a Seafarer, pediatric
care and routine check-ups of
Continued on page 4
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4 SBVAREIISLOe SEPTBUBBt /A99
Monthly Pension Payment Cap Lifted
Active Seafarers who retire
after June 16, 1993 may be
eligible to receive pensions
higher than $1,000 per month as
a result of the new standard con
tract reached with the SIU's con
tracted deep sea operators.
In the past, the monthly pen
sion was capped at $1,000 per
month.
The lifting of the maximum
ceiling is made possible through
higher contributions brought
about in the new pact to the
Seafarers Plans on the part of its
contracted operators. In turn, the
board of trustees of the Seafarers
Pension Plan is able to amend the
program to allow eligible
Seafarers to earn more retirement
income.
In determining if the pension
plan can take on increased out
lays, the Seafarers Pension Plan
utilizes the services of an outside
actuary, a trained professional
who specializes in calculating the
funds needed today in order to
meet the future obligations of the
retirement program.
The services of an actuary
were employed in calculating the
uncapping of the pension in order
to ensure that Seafarers currently
on pension and those who will
take retirement benefits in the fu
ture will be protected from having a
plan that cannot meet its obligations.
The removal of the cap on the
monthly pension does not change
any of the procedures for apply
ing for the retirement pay. Addi
tionally, eligibility requirements,
and the rules and regulations
governing the plan remain the
same.
A Seafarer applying for retire
ment benefits will calculate his or
her pension using one of the two
formulas allowed by the plan —
a wage-based determination or
the computation of service time.
The Seafarers Pension Plan
will help in the figuring of what
an eligible Seafarer can receive
under either formula. The amount
the Seafarer will be awarded is
the one that is higher.
For those Seafarers retiring
after June 16, 1993 and who
qualify for a higher than $1,000 a
month pension, the joint and sur
vivors annuity benefit will also be
higher than what it would have
been prior to the lifting of the cap.
(The joint and survivors annuity
is an option available to a retiring
Seafarer who wishes to have his
spouse continue receiving his
pension benefits after he dies.)
Seafarers planning to retire in
the near future are advised to con
tact the Seafarers Pension Plan
for assistance in calculating
potential retirement income. Re
quests can be made through any
union hall or by contacting the
Seafarers Pension Plan at 5201
Auth Way; Camp Springs, Md.
20746.
Under the Uncapped Pension
Service-Time Formuia
The lifting of the $1,000 maximum monthly payment will allow
qualifying Seafarers who retired after June 16, 1993 to receive a
higher norma/ pension. Here are some examples of what the
change in the pension plan benefit means:
John Rodriguez is an FOWT who is retiring at the age of 65. He has
credit for 8,840 days of service. As a seaman who has reached the
age of 65 with 5,475 days of seatime, John is eligible for the basic
pension of $600 per month. But because the plan allows for $15
more a month for every 120 days after the 5,475 service time has
been met, John is eligible for a larger pension. Also because the
plan allows a day-and-a-quarter-day credit for every day of seatime
after the first 3,000 days have been met, John is credited with 8,840
days although in actuality he sailed less days than this number
indicates. With his 8,840 days of service, John can now receive
$1,020 per month.
Here are some additional examples of what an eligible Seafarer can
earn as a monthly pension using the sen/ice time formula before
and after the new pact took the cap off the pension's monthly
payment:
Under the Uncapped Pension
Wage-Based Formula
Bob Lin is a 59-year old QMED. He has 8,760 days of service and in the last ten years of shipping,
Bob's average of the highest base wages he earned in any five years in a row comes to $30,000. To
determine his wage-based pension. Bob divides his 8,760 days of seatime by 365 and calculates that
he has 24 years of service. He then multiplies 24 by 2 to find his percentage credit, which comes to 48
percent. He then takes his average base earnings of $30,000 and multiplies it by 48 percent to find his
yearly benefit. It comes to $14,400. By dividing this by 12, Bob arrives at his monthly benefit of $1,200
per month. Under the new system Bob is eligible to receive the $1,200, whereas prior to this contract
'his monthly retirement pay would have been capped at $1,000 per month.
Here are some additional examples of what an eligible Seafarer can earn as a monthly pension using
the wage-related formula before and after the new pact took the cap off the pension's monthly payment:
Allowable Days of
Service/
Years of
Service
Percentage
Credit
Average Base
Earnings
Actual Days Credited Before This After
of Seatime Days* Contract June 16
t
4,980 5,475 $600 $600
5,460 6,075 $675 $675
6,324 7,155 $810 $810
7,668 8,835 $1,000 $1,020
8,052 9,315 $1,000 $1,080
8,532 9,915 $1,000 $1,155
9,012 10.515 $1,000 $1,230
9,492 11,115 $1,000 $1,305
*The plan allows credit for 1.25 days of service for every one day
of actual seatime after 3,000 days if it took place after June 16,1984.
Average Base
Earnings
Multiplied by
Percentage
For Yearly
Benefit
Monthly
Benefit
Prior to
This
Contract
Monthly
Benefit
Now
5,475
15 years
15x2 =
30 %
$35,000 $35,000 X 30% =
$10,500
$875.00 $875.00
7,300
20 years
20x2 =
40 %
$28,000 $28,000x40% =
$11,200
$ 933.33 $933.33
8,030
22 years
22x2 =
44%
$32,000 $32,000 x 44% =
$14,080
$1,000.00 $1,173.33
8,760
24 years
24x2 =
48 % •
$39,000 $39,000 X 48% =
$18,720
$1,000.00 $1,560
8,760
24 years
24 X 2 =
48%
$20,000 $20,000 X 48% =
$9,600
$ 800.00 $800
9,125
25 years
25x2 =
50%
$30,000 $30,000 X 50% =
$15,000
$1,000.00 $1,250
Medical Coverage Extended to Seafarers' Dependents
Continued frontpage 3
babies of Seafarers, physicals and
vaccinations at any doctor's of
fice. The new out-patient benefit
plan does not extend to prescrip
tion drugs.
A Visit to the Doctor
When a spouse or a child of
Seafarer visits a physician's of
fice for a health-care related ser
vice, the Seafarers Welfare Plan
will cover 80 percent of the cost,
subject to the annual $50 per year
per family member deductible.
The deductible is applied the first
time a claim is filed for each in
dividual family member in any
given year and will continue to be
applied until totaling $50 in any
given year.
For purposes of coverage
under the Seafarers Welfare Plan,
a doctor's office visit can be for
any of the following purposes—a
check-up, a treatment for an ill
ness, the seeking of a diagnosis,
care for an injury, minor surgical
procedures, among others.
Doctors often are. not sole
practitioners, but work from a
health care complex such as a
clinic or a health maintenance or
ganization (HMO) or a preferred
provider projgram (PPG). The
Seafarers medical plan will
recognize a doctor's visit at any
of these kinds of establishments
as covered by the plan.
The SIU and the Seafarers
Welfare Plan encourage
Seafarers and their families to use
the designated PPOs of the
Seafarers medical program.
However, Seafarers and their de
pendents may seek medical ser
vice from their own doctors and
health care institutions.
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has chosen a PPG in each city
where an SIU hall is located.
These PPGs are first class hospi
tals and clinics which have be
come familiair with Seafarers,
their families and the peculiarities
of the maritime industry. Thus
these PPGs are well-equipped to
meet the health care needs of
Seafarers and their families. (For
the name of the PPG in his or her
area, a Seafarer can call the local
union hall.)
Diagnostic Tests
Gften, a physician examining
a patient will seek the assistance
of test results in making a diag
nosis. A doctor has a wide variety
of tests he or she can order.
Many of these tests can be
done outside of a hospital facility
on an out-patient basis. For ex
ample a doctor's office might
take a blood sample and have a
laboratory review it or a doctor
associated with a PPG may ask jiay for 80 percent of the
that the tests be done at an on-site reasonable and customary costs
laboratory.
Also covered under the new
out-patient benefit program for
dependents of Seafarers are diag
nostic tests. Among these are x-
rays, sonograms, mammograms,
blood tests, cultures, MRIs and scans.
Pre-Natal/Well Baby Care
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has traditionally paid the first
$300 of health care costs as
sociated with a spouse's mater
nity in full and thereafter picked
up 80 percent of the maternity-re
lated reasonable and customary
expenses. The medical plan also
has covered hospitalization costs
associated with the newborn's
delivery.
Now, the plan will also cover
the kind of health care associated
with the nine months of pregnan
cy and the costs of regular check
ups for the infant.
The pre-birth health care
needs of the mother and unborn
child require regular doctor visits
and periodic tests. The plan will
cover 80 percent of the
reasonable and customary costs
of pre-natal care for a spouse of a
Seafarer (subj^t to the $50 de
ductible).
Following the infant's birth,
the Seafarers Welfare Plan will
of the baby' s follow-up care (sub
ject to the $50 deductible). Peri
odic doctor's visits for check-ups
ensure the baby is healthy during
the critical stages of early growth.
Under the new benefits.
Seafarer family members can
have their annual physicals con
ducted at the location of their
choice. When the physicals are
done outside of a designated SIU
clinic, the Seafarers Welfare Plan
will cover 80 percent of the cost,
subject to the $50 per year, per
person deductible.
Vaccination/Immunization
The fees associated with im
munization and vaccination ser
vices and supplies for all
dependents of Seafarers will also
be picked up in part by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan. Eighty
percent of the reasonable and cus
tomary costs of these services and
supplies will be provided by the
Seafarers medical plan, subject to
the $50 annual deductible per
family member.
If Spouse Has Other Plan
In the case of a household with
two income earners, the spouse of
a Seafarer is likely to have health
care coverage of his or his own. If
this is the case, the spouse of the
Seafarer can first submit his or her
claim to his or her medical plaii.
Gnce the spouse's health in
surance plan has processed the
claim, it can be submitted to the
Seafarers Welfare Plan. In turn,
the Seafarers medical plan may
then pay the remaining portion of
the bill which has not been
covered by the spouse's health
care plan, or it may provide credit
towards the $50 deductible up to
the maximum allowed by the
plan's rules and regulations.
If a child of a Seafarer and a
spouse with his or her own medi
cal coverage is the patient, the
health care plan to which the
claim should first be submitted is
the one of the parent who has the
earliest birthday in the year.
National Health Care
The new standard pact recog
nizes the need for a national
health care policy to make access
to medical services fair in this
nation and to bring soaring costs
under control. A provision in the
contract states that in the event of
a national health care system
being enacted by Congress and
signed into law by the president,
the union and its contracted
operators will work to ensure that
Seafarers and their families con
tinue to receive the high level of
benefits they currently enjoy.
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1993 SEAFMEiaiM 5
• •;
AMD President Raymond McKay Dies
RAYMCM)T.MCKAY,
kngitiie president of
the American
Maritime Officers
(AMO) District 2
of the Marine Engineers Benefi-
cial Association (MEBA)
passed away in a Miami hospital
on August 9 due to heart failure.
He was 68 years old. McKay
had served since 1957 as the
president of the union.
In his tenure as head of the
union, McKay dedicated his ef
forts to building a premier union
of American seagoing officers.
SIU President Michael
Sacco, speaking at a memorial
service for McKay remembered
the AMO president as a fighter,
a builder and a friend.
"He was a fighter for what he
believed, who could be counted
oh no matter how difficult or
daring the cause happened to
be," Sacco said at McKay's
funeral mass. "Ray was a
builder, a contributor who al
ways did more than his fair
share to help make maritime a
better industiy for his member
ship. Above all, Ray was a true,
true friend—that rarest of com-
modities in this uncertain
world."
Succeeding McKay as presi
dent of AMO is Michael R.
McKay, his son, who had been
serving as the union's secretary-
treasurer.
Sailed In WWII
The native New Yorker
began his seafaring career prior
to World War H as an un
licensed mariner in the en-
gineroom. Hours before the
Japanese surprise attack at Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941,
the vessel on which McKay was
serving sailed out of the port. It
was loaded with ammunition.
During the war, he acquirer
his engineer's license. His first
voyage as an engineer was cut
short when a German submarine
torpedoed his vessel, the SS
Fairfield City, off the coast of
Florida.
Rises Up the Ranks
After the war, McKay joined
the Brotherhood of Marine En
gineers (BME), a licensed en
gineer union initiated by two
Seafarers International Union
officers—Harry Lundeberg and
Paul Hall. BME became an af
filiate of the Seafarers Interna
tional Union of North America
(SIUNA) in 1949. Hall and Lun
deberg considered the BME a
vital alternative to a marine en
gineer union with pockets of
communist domination.
McKay's first position with
the BME was as a patrolman. He
then worked for the BME's
newly-established benefit
plans.
In 1957, McKay was elected
president of the BME and be
came a vice president of the
SIUNA.
The BME ranks grew
adding members from off
shore vessels as well as har
bor crafts on the Atlantic,
Pacific and Gulf coasts.
Shortly after the 1957 merger
of the AFL and the CIO, the two
labor federations in the United
States, Hall—then president of
the SIUNA—and McKay
entered in behalf of BME into
merger discussions with the
Marine Engineers Beneficial
Association (MEBA), noting
that MEBA was free of any
communist sectors.
In 1959, the BME merged
into National MEBA, joining
forces with MEBA Local 101
Under the terms of the merger
agreement, the BME retained its
offshore contracts and had juris
diction for the Great Lakes.
With the merger effected,
McKay became an officer of
National MEBA. He continuec
to serve as an officer of National
MEBA until his death.
As an officer of National
MEBA, McKay worked with
the leadership of the other dis
tricts of the union in advancing
the interests of the American
merchant marine and working
for government policies tha
provided for a strong U.S.-flag
fleet.
National MEBA President
Gordon M. Ward, in a com
munication to the officers,
members and staff of McKay's
union upon the latter's death,
noted that National MEBA "has
lost a strong leader and a good
friend."
Dij3trlct2MEBA
In 1960, in a reorganiza|tiid!i
of MEBA, the former BM^nd
MEBA Local 101 forces be
came District 2 MEBA with
McKay as its head. District 2, as
it came to be known, successful
ly organized Great Lakes and
seagoing officers.
With the escalation of the
Vietnam conflict in the mid-
1960s, District 2 and the SIU
met the need for increased man
power in the sealift surge by
creating a joint training program
to assist seamen in preparing for
U.S. Coast Guard exams for
various licensed and unlicensed
shipboard positions.
That program proved to be
the beginning of District 2's
training and upgrading pro
gram, now located in Dania, Fla.
From his position as head of the AMO-District 2 MEBA, Ray McKay
worked for a vital U.S.-flag shipping industry.
and known for its profes
sionalism and advanced training
equipment, including its
Simulation Training and Re
search (STAR) Center-
regarded as the world's most
advanced ship simulator sys
tem. (See article on page 14.)
As District 2's training pro
gram has expanded, it has of
fered many Seafarers an
opportunity to move up the
hawsepipe, earning marine
licenses through the school's
program.
AMO has its roots in the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers, chartered as an affiliate of the SIUNA in 1949.
In this 1959 photo, Ray McKay is swom into office for a second consecutive time. From the left are Gordon
Spencer, McKay, John Regan and W. Gammill while E. Goldsmith administers the oath.
Continued Growth
District 2 has continued to
grow. In 1992, District 2 MEBA
changed its name to American
Maritime Officers-District 2
MEBA, representing the in
creased membership growth in
the union within dl areas of
shipboard operations.
The union, in the past 20
years, has been able to secure
new jobs for its members aboard
commercial and military
chartered vessels.
As president of the union,
McKay gained the respect of
management as a tough but
responsible negotiator who
struck the necessary balance be
tween the needs of his member
ship and the health of the in
dustry.
One of those who sat across
from McKay at the negotiating
table was Gene Rose, president
of Bay Tankers whose ships sail
with AMO members.
"This is a tragic loss to the
industry, especially at this very
critical juncture," Rose said.
"Ray knew the bottom line, and
the bottom line is jobs.
"It's also a personal loss, be
cause I respected Ray, admired
him and enjoyed him as a per
son.
A Trusted Trade Unionist
McKay also committed his
energies to supporting other
workers in their trade union
struggles and to building federa
tions of maritime unions.
In 1990, he chartered the
Greater South Florida Maritime
Trades Council. As president of
this organization, he was able to
work with and commit resour
ces to help fellow trade
unionists in the area. The coun
cil was very active in assisting
trade unionists who had lost
Continued on page 14
Throughout his career as a rnaritime trade unionist, Ray McKay was Involved in virtually marine labor. Also participating are SIU President Paul Hall (second from left), ILA
every ̂ ue of concern to waterfront workers. In this 20-year-old photo, McKay (second Pr^esident Teddy Gleason (third from left) and Herb Brand (left), who worked closely
rom right) joins a meeting to discuss a, maritime-related issue with representatives of with Hall.
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6 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER 1993
3-Year Pact Reached,
Retroactive to June 16
Continued from page 3
An in-depth training program
for all crewmembers who ship on
tankers will be put into effect at
the union's Lundeberg School of
Seamanship at the Paul Hall Cen
ter for Maritime Training and
Education in Piney Point, Md.
Extensive Training
A joint committee made up of
union representatives. Seafarers,
shipowners and specialists in
tanker regulations will develop
the curriculum over the coming
year. Once in place, all Seafarers
who wish to ship on tankers must
take the course.
It is projected that the tanker
course will be instituted next
year. The union will advise all
members through union meetings
and the Seafarers LOG of the
dates the course will be offered
and the time period by which each
Seafarer sailing on a tanker must
have evidencfe of having com
pleted the Lundeberg School
tanker course.
To ensure compliance with
CPA '90, the work schedule of
day workers in the deck and en
gine departments may be
modi fled or changed.
The general rules of the con
tract have been amended to in
clude under customary duties the
maintenance of vessel equipment
and machinery. Although this has
generally been among the duties
of Seafarers, it was put in writing
in this contract to secure this work
for unlicensed crewmembers in
the future.
Second-Hand Smoke
In an effort to make a safer
shipboard environment by not
subjecting non-smokers to
second-hand cigarette smoke,
smoking will only be allowed in
designated areas. The crew
lounge ^d crew dining areas will
be smoke-free areas.
If the wheelhouse is a desig
nated smoking area, the
helmsman or quartermaster will
be permitted to smoke except
while maneuvering.
Day Workers
On vessels with at least one
bosun/watchstander and five able
seamen (ABs), the bosun may be
a designated day worker and two
AB s may be assigned to the job of
an AB/deck-maintenance. This
designation of duties is similar to
what has been in place on tankers
for the past three years.
The two ABs who become
converted to day workers will get
the corresponding increase in
wages. In the case of a Green
Ticket AB this could be near $200
a month in base pay; for a Blue
Ticket AB the additional money
could reach $350 per month base
pay-
Work Rule Changes
Descriptions of the work rule
changes put into effect by the new
pact follow. These provisions en
courage the np-keep of a ship
while it is in operation, thus
eliminating the need for
shipowner to commit a vessel to
a shipyard for this function.
Maintenance work in certain
areas of the house will be per
formed at straight time when per
formed between the hours of 8:0(
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday. Chipping,
sougeeing, scaling, priming and
brush painting all quarters, pas
sageways adjacent to all quarters,
dining areas, lounges, laundries,
the galley, pantries and ship's of
fices will be compensated at
straight time.
Seafarers serving as
helmsmen while a vessel is un
derway under automatic steerage
can now perform routine main
tenance on the bridge, bridge
wings and flying bridge. In order
to ensure a safe working environ
ment, such work cannot be done
on stagings or aloft. Additionally,
no mate is allowed to relieve the
helmsman, except in an emergen
cy.
Wipers and QMEDs may now
assist the 'deck department with
docking and undocking opera
tions. This work will be compen
sated at straight time if performed
during regular working hours.
Overtime pay kicks in after eight
hours on any calendar day and on
weekends and holidays.
Day worker QMEDs can now
chip, paint and sougee for up to
three hours per day during normal
working hours. This change
brings the tanker pact in sync with
Contract Vote on Sept 7
Seafarers can vote on the entire contract package at SlU
meetings scheduled for Tuesday, September 7,1993.
The agreement will be presented at the regularly
scheduled headquarters meeting at Piney Point, Md.,
which begins at 10:30 a.m.
At 1 p.m. that same day, special meetings on the contract
will be concurrently held at every SlU hall.
The pact also will be presented by boarding union officials
to SlU members on ships calling at U.S. ports.
the freightship agreement.
In light of increasingly strict
security requirements of
shipyards and port terminals and
the consequent liability issues,
the agreement says that a Seafarer
will no longer be used for
gangway watch when the vessel
is in these locations and that the
company can hire an outside
security guard in the place of the
gangway watchstander.
The new pact adds Columbia,
Venezuela and Central American
countries to the list of voyages
which require six months of con
tinuous onboard shipboard work
on the part of a seaman in order to
qualify for transportation expen
ses.
Other minor modifications
have been made in the area of
work rules and will be available
to Seafarers at the membership
meetings held on the contract at
the union halls and on the ships.
Tanker Tour of Duty
Rated positions above entry
level will now ship on a tanker for
a 16-month period in allotments
of four-months-on-two-months-
off. After this period, the job goes
back to the rotary shipping system.
Emergencies and Permanents
The permanent ratings may
now request an emergency relief
for 30 days without forfeiting
their position.
The transportation expenses
incurred with leaving and return
ing to the vessel will be the
responsibility of the Seafarer with
the permanent rating. The
Seafarer taking the relief position
similarly will be responsible for
lis or her own transportation ex
penses.
Permanent ratings have the
right to, one 30-day emergency
relief in a 12-month period.
Permanent ratings who leave
the vessel for medical reasons
will be allowed to return to the
same ship and position after ob
taining a fit-for-duty status as
ong as he or she has not been off
the vessel for more than 120 days.
Federal Regulations
The contract has been
amended to reflect changes
brought about by regulations is
sued by the U.S. Coast Guard on
drug testing and the law enacted
by Congress last year known as
the Americans with Disabilities Act
The term "disabled" has been
removed from the contract. The
no-discrimination language of the
pact now states that shipboard
employees cannot be dis
criminated against on the basis of
physical or mental disabilities. It
also states that all Seafarers will
be qualified to perform their ship-
loard duties.
In this regard, the new pact
recognizes the work of the John
Hopkins Center for Occupational
Environmental Health. Tlie pres
tigious medical center was con
tracted by a Seafarers Welfare
Plan specially constituted steer
ing committee made up of union
and company representatives to
conduct a detailed study of the
essential functions that make up
shipboard work.
The center's team of
physicians and professionals in
the field of occupational
medicine conducted a year-long
study in which they interviewed
Seafarers in person and via ques
tionnaires and observed first
hand shipboard work. After
compiling the data, the team
determined the essential func
tions of work in each of the three
shipboard departments—deck,
engine and steward.
Safety Program
In recognition of the
dangerous nature of shipboard
work and the need for constant
vigilance in safeguarding life and
limb, the union, the Lundeberg
School, the Seafarers Welfare
Plan and the contracted com
panies will work together to
develop a shipboard safety program.
It will be the goal of the pro
gram to reduce the incidence of
onboard injuries to Seafarers and
to ensure that their workplace—
whether in the deck, engine, or
steward department—is as safe
a working environment as possible.
The hours, wages and working
conditions set out in the standard
freightship and tanker agreement
apply to Seafarers sailing on ships
operated by companies who
belong to the American Maritime
Association.
Application of Pact
(Not all SlU-contracted com
panies are signators to the stand
ard contract and Seafarers are
advised to consult with the union
hall on the labor agreements as
sociated with any shipboard job.)
The primary company parties
to the standard freightship agree
ment are Sea-Land Service, Inc.;
Waterman; and Puerto Rico
Marine - Management, Inc. Sig
natory companies to the tanker
contract include Maritime Over
seas and OMl.
A separate labor agreement is
in effect on American President
Lines and Matson Navigation
vessels. This contract is
negotiated by the SlU's Pacific
District Unions—made up of the
Sailors' Union of the Pacific for
the deck department; the Marine
'iremen' s Union representing en
gine department seamen; and the
SlU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
nland Waters District for
steward department Seafarers.
Contract Highlights
Base wages increase 3 percent this year retroac
tive to July 1,4 percent in 1994 and another 4 per
cent in 1995
Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover 80 percent of
the cost of out-patient health care services for de
pendents of Seafarers — including doctors visits,
diagnostic tests, pre-natal care, well-baby care,
vaccinations and immunizations, subject to a $50
annual deductible per individual covered
Monthly pension cap of $1,000 has been removed,
opening the door to higher pensions for Seafarers
retiring after June 16,1993 who meet the eligibility
requirements and who qualify under either the
wage-based or service-based formulas
On watch penalty rate goes up 3 percent retroac
tive to July 1
Comprehensive tanker training courses to be es
tablished at Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training
and Education
Proof of drug screening and benzene certificate to
be shown at the time of shipping instead of when
registering
Shipboard safety program will be developed
Vacation time remains at current levels, but
Seafarers will realize greater vacation pay be
cause it is indexed to increased base wages
Cost-of-living-ad]ustment provision for second and
third years of the agreement
Provision in the new contract states that in the
event that a national health care plan is enacted,
the union and its contracted operators will work to
ensure that Seafarers and their families continue
receiving the high level of benefits they currently
enjoy
Permanent ratjngs may request 30-day
emergency relief without forfeiting position
Protection from second-hand smoke
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SEPTEMBER1993 SEAFARERS LOG 7
Inland Shipping Resumes en the Mississippi River
Barges Md riverboats are sail
ing the upper Mississippi River
after two months of layup created
hy record-breaking floods along
the river and its tributaries.
The high waters affected river-
home operations in nine mid-
western states. News reports have
estimated the loss to barge com-
)anies at between $3 and $4 mil-
ion a day.
The opening of the Mississippi
followed towboat test mns con
ducted by the U.S. Coast Guard.
As a result of the test tows, the
Mississippi River reopened in
mid-August with some restric
tions from Minneapolis to Cairo,
lU.
During the worst of the flood
ing, most of the navigable rivers
in the midwest north of Cairo
were closed and thousands of bar
ges were tied up riding out the
flood.
Both the Missouri River and
the Illinois River opened later in
August for slow, restricted traffic
only. The maximum tow size was
15 barges on the Mississippi, with
Alton Belle deck department members rinse off the mud left behind
by the flood waters. The bridge leading to the Belle has since been
taken down, and normal operations of the riverboat have resumed.
smaller loads being allowed on
the Missiouri and Illinois rivers.
Tugboats Underway
Seafarers are sailing on 14 Or-
gulf boats that have resumed their
Happy to be back aboard the Orgulf tug Omegaare Cook Betty Adams
and Lead Deckhand David Rice.
usual routes on the Mississippi
River. Normal operations for the
SlU-contracted company would
have 16 or 17 tugs .§ailing. The
company plans to get more boats
underway as river conditions
warrant.
Steamboats Shift Routes
The, SlU-contracted Delta
Queen Steamboat Company con
tinued operations on the lower
Mississippi River and other
tributaries despite flooding on the
upper sections of the river.
The company adjusted the
itineraries of the Delta Queen and
Mississippi Queen so that the
steamboats could keep sailing
down the rivers. The St. Louis to
St. Paul, Minn, cruises on the
upper Mississippi were rerouted
to the Ohio or other heartland
rivers.
The Mississippi Queen was
diverted to the Tennessee River
valley, sailing from Chattanooga,
Tenn. on the Tennessee River to
Memphis, Tenn. on the lower
Mississippi. With a Memphis to
Cincinnati departure in late
August, the steamboat began
series of Ohio River cruises.
The Delta Queen also cruisec
through Tennessee with the main
ports being Chattanooga and
Nashville on the Cumberland
River.
The company announced that
the Delta Queen still plans to
dock in St. Louis in late Septem
ber.
"The only thing that Will keep
us from being docked on the St.
Louis riverfront on September 20
is if the river is still so high that
we can't get our steamboat stacks
under the bridges," a company
spokesperson stated.
Riverboat Resumes Cruises
The Alton Belle Riverboat
Casino has resumed its regular
cruise schedule up the Mississip-issip-
pi River. During" the flood, the
Belle continued operations while
at dockside using a bridge to safe
ly carry passengers over the flood
waters to the Alton Landing. The
ramp has been disassembled and
operations are back to normal.
While the Mississippi is still
well above flood stage, the water
has receded back into its banks.
Seafarers who work in the deck
department have been busy clean
ing the Belle and the surrounding
areas.
There is tons of mud and
sludge that we have been working
to clean up for the last few weeks.
It ranges from six inches to up to
two feet deep. We have success
fully cleaned the promenade and
the ramps but there is still a lot of
sludge in places like the parking
lot," deck department member
Lonnle Partridge told a reporter
from the Seafarers LOG.
Partridge and other deck
department members have been
cleaning the Alton Belle and
Landing using three-foot pumps
and two-foot fire hoses.
I think the smell is the worst
part of our clean-up efforts. At
times it is unbearable," Partridge
added.
With the reopening of the Mis
sissippi and the area bridges.
Belle business is steadily climb
ing. The first weekend the river-
)oat resumed sailing operations
there were more than 1,200 guests
on board for several cruises. That
is only 200 short of the vessel's
1,400-person capacity.
Seafarers Return to River
Boatmen Keep Sharp Watch for Changing Conditions
SIU boatmen once again are
moving cargo and passengers
along the upper Mississippi River
after the waterway and several of
its tributaries were closed for
nearly two months because of
flooding.
"Everybody is happy to be
moving again," stated Captain
Ralph Hawkins from the bridge
of the Alton Belle Riverboat
Casino in Alton, 111.
Although flood waters kept
the vessel tied to the Alton Land
ing for weeks, the casino still was
open for business with crewmem-
bers reporting for work.
The situation was not the same
aboard SlU-contracted Orgulf
tugboats. Summer normally is the
busiest time of year for the com
pany. As many as 17 of the Cin
cinnati-based company's 21
boats would be sailing on the in
land waterways. At the height of
the flooding, Orgulf had tied up
15 of its vessels.
Since returning. Camel
described the river as calmer, but
still treacherous because of the
swift current.
The Fanchi was northbound
for Minnesota when Camel talked
with the Seafarers LOG. "We still
have to stop at night because of
the conditions," he said. "No one
is sure where shallow spots may
occur because of silt and top soil
that has been washed into the
river."
Deckhand Adam Shacknai
reported similar conditions
aboard Orgulf s Ed Renshaw.
'Good To Be Back'
"It's good to be back," noted
Deckhand Greg Camel, who
returned to work aboard the Pieter
Fanchi in mid-August.
The McComb, Miss, resident
experienced the river just as the
flooding began in late spring
which he compared to seeing it
return to its banks in August.
"We could see pieces of hous
ing and campsites floating past,"
Camel recalled of the spring
voyage aboard the tug when it
Captain Ralph Hawkins of the
Alton Belle overlooks a calmer
Mississippi River after the floods.
passed Dubuque, Iowa. "I had
never witness^ anything like this
before."
The deckhand stated the crew
of the tug, which was pushing a
full load of 15 barges, had dif
ficulty guiding the vessel through
the locks because of the rising
waters and increasing currents.
One attempt took three tries with
die full crew called out to help
catch lines on the stem and head,
he said.
Crew Taking Precautions
"We are using tree lines and
houses to see how high the river
went," the Memphis resident
noted.
He added the crew is taking
precautions, but the "river ap
pears to be clean, but muddy."
Neither Camel nor Shacknai
reported seeing any major debris
left in the upper Mississippi.
Downriver in Alton, Hawkins
resumed piloting the Alton Belle
on its six-mile cruises in late
August.
"There is a little driftwood left
in the river and the current is
swifL but we're able to sail safe
ly," he said.
Hawkins explained the current
normally passes through Alton at
one-half mile-per-hour. Present
ly, he estimate the flow at be
tween six and six-and-a-half
miles-per-hour.
The only thing he saw con
gesting the river was "the barges
and tows backed up to go through
the locks." The riverboat is ap
proximately one mile north of the
Melvin Price Lock and Dam.
the river as wild as it was this
Deck Gang Praised
As noted earlier, the riverboat
remained open for business all
through the flooding. Hawkins
said the crew of the Alton Belle
did "a great job" of the making
sure the vessel stayed in sailing
condition.
"The deck crew would pull
driftwood from our temporary
bridge (which connected the
Alton Belle Landing to dry
ground) on the average of six to
eight hours each day," Hawkins
recalled. "At times, full sized
trees would be among the debris.
"They would use a john boat
and rope to pull everything away.
It was somewhat dangerous
work, but they took every precau
tion and we never had any
problems. All of us are proud of
them."
Regarding the riverboat itself,
the captain said the current was
not strong enough to allow the
debris to damage the vessel.
Some of it would jam under the
Alton Belle, but the crew would
take the boat out without pas
sengers and let the debris drift
out.
In his 20 years on the Missis
sippi (18 as a towboat captain and
the last two with the Alton Belle),
Hawkins said he never had seen
summer.
"There is no comparing this
flood to any other floods I have
seen on the river. The Mississippi
should be a quarter-mile wide as
it passes [Alton]. It was eight
miles wide at the flood's height
when the Mississippi and Mis
souri merged."
The Mississippi exceeded the
Alton's 21-foot flood stage on
June 7 and crested at a record 42.7
feet on August 1.
Catching up on papenwork is
Deckhand Adam Shacknai.
Deckhand James Tomczak and
Cook Betty Gibson report to work
aboard the Jim Ludwig when the
Orgulf tug resumed regular opera
tions on the Mississippi River.
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8 SEAFJI8E8SL0G SEPTEMBER 1993
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Document Ignites Protest
Foreign-Flag interests Push
Their Agenda Through
iiero 'Reinvent GevT Group
The handiwork of foreign
flag interests apparently found its
way into Vice President A
Gore's National Performance
Review (NPR) and has been
claimed to be the work of one
staff member assigned to the five-
month-old White House pro
gram.
Ensconced in the document o
the NPR, a review process estab
lished by President Clinton to
find ways to make govemmen
agencies more efficient, are
recommendations that would vir
tually wipe out U.S. shipping.
Entitled "Congress Should
Deregulate the U.S. Maritime In
dustry," the document calls for
eliminating any of the existing
government programs which ad
vance a U.S.-flag fleet, clearing
the way for control of the U.S.
maritime trades by foreign inter
ests.
Hollings Fights Back
The document's unexplained
release to the public last month,
touched off a storm of protest
from the Senate, the independent
Federal Maritime Commission
(PMC) and the maritime industry.
Meanwhile, the leaking of the
document seemed to have caused
considerable embarrassment in
the administration.
Senator Ernest Hollings (D-
S.C.), angered by the implica
tions of the document,
immediately introduced legisla
tion that would create a commis
sion to review maritime policy.
Hollings charged that if the NPR
proposals are adopted "there
would be nothing left of the U.S.
maritime industry." His bill, he
said, would "ensure that the issue
of maritime reform is given fair
consideration."
The Hollings legislation was
swiftly cosporisored by Senators
John Breaux (D-La.), chairman of
the Senate Merchant Marine Sub
committee; John Kerry (D-
Mass.); Barbara Mikulski
(D-Md.) and Charles Robb (D-
Va.).
'Absurd on Ks Face'
Overhauling L S Maritime Policy
industry
is a hodgepodge of subsid
regulation and taxa-
tion that makes a mockery of sensij
ble industrial policy.
r* CM n
f «r«n uan •• hmei Mr*
• iliM m Or,
(Mc
for supporting
hodgepodge of
subsidies, protectionism and regula-1
tion that are a "mockerv to sensible
.industrial poUcyJ'
A White House program to "reinvent govemment" known as the
National Policy Review adopted a report that obviously comes from
anti-U.S. merchant marine lobbyists. The work of foreign-flag shipping
advocates is apparent in a number of areas, including reports which
surfaced in the press.
SIU President Michael Sacco
called the paper "absurd on its
face," adding, "it so clearly bears
the imprint of forces inimical to
U.S. interests that it cannot be
taken seriously." He said
"Whoever is responsible for it has
questionable motives, at the very
east."
The most striking thing about
the NPR document is that it
makes no effort to conceal its
source of information, freely lift
ing verbatim the work of foreign-
flag lobbyists and proponents.
The majority of the NPR
document's citations excerpt the
work of three vigorous opponents
of a strong American fleet of
which at least two have been in
the employ of foreign-flag ship
ping interests.
The NPR document borrows
leavily from the work of Allen
erguson, an economist who has
)een urging Congress to undo
U.S.-flag slupping since the late
1950s.
It also quotes Rob Quartel, a
mouthpiece for foreign-flag inter
ests who while serving as a com
missioner with a government
agency, the PMC, attacked U.S.
govemment maritime programs.
Quartel immediately upon leav
ing the PMC went to work for a
foreign-flag shipowner.
Also citi^ by the NPR docu
ment are statements from the
columns of James Bovard, a free
trader associated with ultra-con
servative, anti-government
groups.
The PMC, in its rebuttal of the
document, said the cited material
in the NPR document is "inac
curate and incomplete and con
tain wholly incorrect allegations
and misrepresentations."
The independent govemment
agency said die document "makes
unwarranted assumptions ... and
presents as support for its positions
flimsy and ane^otal evidence of a
highly selective nature."
The PMC response said it was
"disturbing" that an analysis of
U.S. shipping would be done "oh
the basis of hasty, one-sided
analysis, mischaracterizations
and errors" and the adoption "as
absolute tmths the rejected argu
ments of the past."
The r^ommendations of the
NPR will be released officially on
September 7, according to a
spokeswoman of the vice presi
dent contacted by the Seafarers
LOG. Until that time, no working
paper of the administration pro
gram is a final proposal, she
said.
Senate Passes Clinton's
Delicit'Cutting Budget
The Senate in August passed
President Clinton's budget
reconciliation plan, with Vice
President A1 Gore casting the
tie-breaking vote, paving the
way for the plan to become law.
The action followed a similarly
close vote in the House.
The agreement, hammered
out in a House-Senate con
ference, is designed to cut the
budget deficit by $496 billion.
The maritime industry
scored two important victories
with the budget's passing. In its
original deficit-reduction pack
age, the House had approved
both a 50-cent-a-gallon inland
waterways fuel tax and another
tax based on the energy content
of fuel, known as British ther
mal units (Btu). But the SIU,
along with other maritime in
terests and energy users, lob
bied heavily against both
proposals, stating they would
be unfair. The Senate removed
both ideas from consideration
and instead approved a 4.3-
cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline.
Wealthy to Pay Most
Opponents of the budget
plan have claimed that it is little
more than a massive tax hike
which primarily will be
shouldered by middle-class
Americans. But in fact, most
Americans will see only a
nominal change in their federal
income taxes. Only single wage
earners making more than
$115,000 and couples earning
more than $140,000 will see a
jump in their income taxes.
(Under current law, the top tax
rate of 31 percent applies to
single people who earn more
than $53,500 and couples earn
ing more than $89,150. The
new law creates a 36 percent
tax rate on the $115,000 and
$140,000 groups. It also creates
a 39.6 percent rate for either
singles or couples earning more
than $250,000.)
The average family will pay
less than 10 cents a day in new
taxes, all from the increase in
the federal gas tax.
Those earning more than
$200,000 (about 1.3 percent of
the taxpaying population) will
account for more than 8() per
cent of the new taxes. The bill
also raises the top corporate in
come tax rate from 34 percent
to 35 percent, retroactive to
January 1,1993.
Some low-income workers
will pay less in taxes under the
plan, due to an expansion of the
earned income tax credit. For
example, a single parent who
supports two children, is a
renter and earns $19,0()0 per
year, will experience a federal
tax decrease of almost $600 in
1994 compared with this year.
The plan includes many other
changes from current law, in
cluding increased taxes on some
people's Social Security
benefits, several revisions for
people who own small busi
nesses, changes in the alternative
minimum tax, a bigger tax break
for people in Ae r^ estate busi
ness, and many others.
Shipyard Workers Approve Representation
Seafarers Ed Len, DEU (left), and Dave Dunklin, QMED, hold
up a message for Avondale employees as they leave work.
Workers at the shipyard voted this summer to go union.
Cost of Re-Fiagging Would Re Severa, Panel Told
Continued from page 2
"There is no doubt that there is
a much, much higher probability
of success of being able to be
where we're needed and operat
ing effectively where we need
them with U.S. crews," Snow
responded.
Both Breaux and Senator
Trent Lott (R-Miss.), the
subcommittee's ranking minority
member, expressed their dis
pleasure that neither Defense
Secretary Les Aspin nor
Transportation Secretary
Pederico Pena appeared before
the subcommittee. "We are in a
SIU President Michael Sacco tells the Benate panel that re-flagging serious crisis in America's
will cost America money, jobs and respect mantime mdustry and this issue
deserves the highest attention
from our highest officials,"
Breaux said.
Acting Maritime Ad
ministrator Joan Yim, who repre
sented the Department of
Transportation at the hearing,
noted MarAd was awaiting a
decision from the White House
regarding various options con
cerning maritime revitalization
made by the agency to the
president's National Policy
Council.
(In one of his first acts after
being sworn in. President Clinton
created the council to review and
make recommendations about
various government functions
and policies. The council is com
posed of representatives from all
departments of the federal
govemment.)
Breaux asked Yim if Pena had
made a specific recommendation
to the president. She said what
Clinton received was a combined
effort written by several members
of the council.
"Please understand my
frustration. No one can tell me
what the [maritime revitalization]
recommendation was?" he asked
of Yim.
"That's correct," she
answered.
When Breaux asked if Pena's
own recommendation received
any support from the council, she
stated she did not know.
// ^ y.y : / . /
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1993 -•. f i
Hasan Rahman enjoyed all
aspects of the steward recer-
tlfication training. Here he
presents his latest
culinary specialty.
:-'i
Reflecting on their careers and
on the courses they have taken at the
Paul Hall Center for Maritime
Training and Education, the 11
Seafarers who last month graduated
from the SIU's steward recertifica-
tion program all emphasized the
importance of members continually
upgrading their skills.
As members who have com
pleted the highest curriculum avail
able to Seafarers who sail in the
steward department, they spoke
from experience.
Mew RecerUfieil Stewanfo:
l^tgiading ls tite Way to Go
The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship "offers you
a way to better your careers and
your lives," Francisco Rosich
stated at the graduation ceremony,
which took place during last
month's membership meeting in
Piney Point, Md. Like most of the
other new recertified stewards,
Rosich, 52, has upgraded several
times at the Lundeberg School.
For 61 -year-old Hazel Johnson,
however, this was his first time at
the school. "I'm glad I Anally got
here," said the 32-year member of
the SIU. "It was even better than I
expected. The new lab is the most
modern one I've ever seen, the
computer training was fantastic and
the instructors are great."
Rebecca Sleeper Manion is congratulated Gregory Melvin learns the proper use of all the
by her husband, Joseph, and son, Trevor, equipment in the school's modern galley.
The whole course is very good,"
states Raymond Garcia at the Putting in time on computers, a requirement for completion
graduation ceremony. of the recertification program, is Francisco Rosich.
Comprehensive Training
Johnson, Rosich and their
classmates received comprehensive
training during the five-week
course. They worked in the school's
new training facility for stewards, a
spacious building which features
state-of-the-art galley equipment
and classrooms. They earned cer
tification in CPR, first aid and
firefighting.
Additionally, they studied and
practiced communications skills
and learned to use computers for
setting and storing menus, requisi
tions, overtime hours and more.
The members also met with rep
resentatives from every department
of the SIU for question-and-answer
sessions. For example, they spoke
with officials from the union's col
lective bargaining department,
from its governmental affairs
department, from the welfare, vaca
tion, training and pension funds and
from the Seafarers LOG. They also
traveled to SIU headquarters in
Camp Springs, Md. and to Capitol
Hill, where they spoke with
Maritime Trades Department Ex
ecutive Secretary-Treasurer Frank
Pecquex.
Finally, they went to Baltimore
to tour the SlU-crewed cable ship
Global Link.
"It's a great course and it
definitely enhanced us," said
Robert Miller, SO, who joined the
union 10 years ago in Hawaii and
has upgraded three times. "The in
structors are exceptional and the
new lab is excellent."
The 11 Seafarers successfully completing the steward recertification program pose with SIU Executive Vice President,Joe Sacco
following the graduation ceremony. They are (from left) Steve Crane, Peter Schmitt, Hazel Johnson, Robert Miller, Francisco Rosich,
Roger Linasan, Raymond Garcia, Hasan Rahman, Gregory Melvin, Sacco, Rebecca Sleeper Manion and Robert Castillo.
"We learned a lot that we will be
able to use when we get back on the
ships," observed 45-year-old
Roger Linasan. "The computer
training was excellent, as was the
CPR, first aid and firefighting."
Steve Crane, 35, graduated
from the Lundeberg School trainee
program in 1974 and has upgraded
several times. "You always learn
something here, even if you come
in thinking you already know it all,"
he said. "This was a terrific course."
Reach Any Goal
Holding her 2-year-old son, an
emotionally charged Rebecca
Sleeper Manion delivered several
important messages in her remarks
at graduation.
"My son, Trevor, was here the
whole time, and it's good to know
that you can do this [training] as a
mom," said Manion, who graduated
from Piney Point in 1984.
"I remember when I was a
trainee, I used to look at the [recer
tified stewards and bosuns] and
think, 'I'll never make it that far.'
But today I'm telling you that you
can reach any goal if you apply
yourself."
Manion, whose husband
traveled from their home in Florida
to attend the ceremony, is a past
recipient of the SIU Scholarship.
She told a reporter for the LOG that
she is only a few credits short of
earning an associate's degree in
business administration, and she
plans to finish soon.
Regarding the recertification
course, she said, "The instructors
went that extra mile, and I liked
being able to work with top-notch
stewards. Also, the lab is exception
al."
Similarly, Robert Castillo, 45,
said the lab "marks great progress.
This is my fourth time at the school,
and I still believe it is the best train
ing facility in the world."
"The whole course is very
good," added Raymond Garcia,
36. "It helped refresh our minds
about some things as well as teach
ing us new things we can use on a
ship."
Undertaidng More Studies
For Gregory Meivin, there was
no immediate time to celebrate
finishing the recertification course.
That's because he stayed at the Lun
deberg School an extra week in
order to take the oil spill prevention
and cleanup course.
"I ride tankers, so it made sense
for me take the oil spill course,"
explained Melvin, 32, who
graduated from the entry program
at the Lundeberg School in 1980.
He said that the recertification
course "went very well. People
worked together and had good
unity."
Peter Schmitt, 40, said the
course's high points included "the
practical work at the lab. This is my
fourth time here, and the training
was even more comprehensive than
I've seen in the past."
Another frequent upgrader, 50-
year-old Hasan Rahman, said he
enjoyed all aspects of the training.
"I learned a lot, and the instructors
were wonderful. There was a lot of
dne-on-one training and good inter
action between the class members
and the instructors."
SEAFARERS LOG 9
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iOt^ SEMiaensLOG smBniBERma
PPO Provides Heaitii Care Services
For New Bedford Area Seafarers
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has designated another notec
medical facility as a preferrec
provided organization (PPO).
In June, the SIU contractec
with St. Luke's Hospital in New
Bedford, Mass., minutes from the
New Bedford union hall. The out
patient clinic began operations in
late August..
The largest community hospi
tal in Massachusetts, St. Luke's
has 400 beds and the third busies
emergency room in the state.
"We have a very dedicatee
staff to work with the members o
the SIU. Our doctors are highly
qualified ranging from gener^ in
ternists to very sub-specializec
physicians," said Administrative
Director of Clinical Specialties
Services Ellen Banach, who is
also the director of the clinic.
"Because we are located
within the hospital, we have ac
cess to any service a patient may
need, including the emergency
room. We set the system up to get
care for patients in a quick and
efficient manner. I feel that we
have achieved this primary goal.
Seafarers began using the
facility on August 17. The plan
determined the out-patient clinic
is able to provide all of the medi
cal services required by
Seafarers, such as fit-for-duty
physicals, care for illness and
treatment of injuries.
"We picked this clinic because
it is convenient for our members
who live in the New Bedford and
the New England area. Before
this, members had to travel to
New York City for the very ser
vices that now are being offered
by the physicians at St. Luke's,"
said Dr. Kenneth Miller, medical
director for the Seafarers Welfare
Plan. "This facility will serve as a
drawing card for members Who
live in the region. It is another
enhanced membership service
that we can offer our members."
SIU members have reacted
positively to the clinic. One of its
first visitors was Chief Steward
Bob Haggerty, a resident of New
Bedford. "The clinic is really nice
and everyone is very friendly. St.
Luke's is so convenient. I used to
travel to Baltimore to have my
medical work done. I'd stay with
relatives to make the long trip a
little bit more pleasant, but it was
very inconvenient not to have the
proper medical facility around,"
the chief steward told a reporter
from the Seafarers LOG.
AB Donald LeGere used to
take the midnight train to New
York City for his annual physical,
arriving by 6 a.m. "The clinic is
very nice. They treated me
wonderfully, and service is so ef
ficient. It only took two hours to
do everything. That sure beats al
the long nights on trains travelin
to the Brooklyn clinic. I know
Seafarers in New Hampshire
Maine and Vermont, and this
[clinic] will take care of all o:
New England," said LeGere, who
lives approximately 40 miles
from New Bedford in Braintree,
Mass.
Meeting Members' Needs
The Seafarers Welfare Plan's
designation of St. Luke's Hospi
tal represents the coritinuet
progress in preferred provider
health care for Seafarers. The
welfare plan is contracting with a
preferred provider in each of the
cities where an SIU clinic pre
viously had been located.
The PPO program was startec
to ensure that SIU members and
their families continue to obtain
quality medical care and, at the
same time, help the welfare plan
combat perpetually rising health
costs. A preferred provider clinic
or hospital is simply a medical
facility which agrees to provide
services to Seafarers and their
families at a negotiated reimbur
sement rate.
"With the system we have set
up with the SIU, a member can
streamline sessions. Everything
the member may need is in one
area. The entire program has
many advantages," said Banach.
The advantages of using
PPG's include:
• Using a facility which is
familiar with Seafarers and
whose staff knows the unique
needs of the membership and
their families.
• Streamlined claims proce
dures for members and depend
ents using the facility.
• Use of these facilities al-
ows the welfare plan to monitor
claims and make sure the hospital
offers services efficiently and
maintains high standards of
quality and care.
» When the hospital sees
many Seafarers and their families
using the facility, reasonable
rates for services can be main
tained. This allows the welfare
jlan to use these savings to
jenefit members and their de
pendents.
• Preferred provider or
ganization hospitals are among
he biggest in their cities.
To date, the SIU has desig
nated the following PPOs: Seat-
le—Virginia Mason Hospital;
San Francisco—St. Mary's
New Bedford union hall secretary Nidia Pereira helps two members
prepare for their first visit to the clinic at St. Luke's Hospital. Chief
Steward Bob Haggerty (center) and Recertified Bosun Robert Carson
gather the forms necessary for their annual physicals.
Hospital; Honolulu—-Straub
Hospital; New Orleans—Tulane
University Hospital and Medical
Center; New York—^Methodist
Hospital and Healthmark Incor
porated Clinic; Baltimore^—
Johns Hopkins University Center
for Occupational and Environ
mental Health and Francis Scott
Key Hospital; Houston—St.
Joseph Hospital; Philadelphia—
Methodist Hospital and
Healthmark Incorporated Clinic;
Wilmington — Torrance
Memorial Hospital and Immedi
ate Medical Care Center in San
Pedro, Calif.
St. Luke's is a foil service
community hospital which
provides various services: pre-
employment physicals; annual
examinations; diagnostic studies,
including X-rays and hearing
tests; vision and glaucoma
screenings; blood tests; drug
The new preferred provider organization is St. Luke's Community
Hospital, located only minutes from the union hall in New Bedford.
screens; pulmonary function
tests; cardiovascular studies, in
cluding stress testing and EKG;
drug tests and much more.
"Occupational medicine is
something that we are all learning
about. It gives us an opportunity
to see a new type of working
people with good skills. Many of
the Seafarers haive interesting
stories about their travels. I think
that this is going to be fon. It's
nice to see a good group of fit and
healthy people for a change," said
Kathleen Treadup, an adult nurse
practitioner for the St. Luke's
clinic who has been a staff mem
ber at the New Bedford hospital
for 15 years.
"Our hospital has the ability to
see Seafarers in a reasonable
amount of time and provide them
with all the services they need in
a convenient and efficient man
ner," she added: "We are very
pleased to be doing this with the
Seafarers and confident that it
will work well."
Clinton To Unveil Health Plan This Month
President Clinton this month is
expected to present to Congress an(
the nation his health care reform
jrogram, some details of which he
;ave on August 16 in a spirited
address to the National Govemors
Association in Tulsa, Okla.
In all likelihood. Congress will
not produce reform legislation until
sometime next year.
Speaking to the governors, Clin
ton revealed that under his pro
gram, employers who currently do
not provide at least a portion of their
workers' health insurance would be
required to do so. "I don't believe
anybody should get a free ride in
this deal," he stated.
But he also i.ldirectly responded
to critics of the program who have
asserted that an employer mandate
would cripple some companies,
jarticularly small businesses. The
jresident said his plan calls for a
ive- to seven-year phase-in period
which he believes will help busi
nesses and create jobs, without any
new taxes. "If you just passed an
employer mandate and did nothing
else, there'd be a ton of problems,
Clinton acknowledged.
White House aide Ira Magaziner
ater elaborated on the plan, saying
that it ultimately would require big
employers to pay 80 percent of their
workers' premiums. However, he
added, the administration probably
will limit the payments to 7% to
.5% of payroll.
This cap would apply only to
arge companies that join regional
iealth insurance purchasing pools
to be created by the Clinton plan.
The largest companies, probably
those with at least 5,000 workers,
may have the option of not joining
the pools.
Health premium spending by
small businesses and low-wage
irms would be limited to 4% of
their payrolls, with subsidies cover
ing the difference to provide full
coverage. Magaziner said the sub
sidies will come from a $30 billion
to $40 billion pool generated by
savings in Medicare, Medicaid and
other federal health programs.
Other elements of the plan
which Clinton described to the
govemors include:
Coverage for every U.S. citizen,
regardless of their health or
employment status. Currently, al
most 40 million Americans have no
coverage.
• Establishment of a national health
spending budget.
• A restructuring of the insurance
industry, with premiums based on
average costs of providing medica"
services in particular geographic
areas — and with no adjustments
for an individual's past or projectec
health.
• Allowing self-employed people to
deduct the entire cost of their health
benefits.
Clinton also pointed out that
most employers already provide a
part of their workers' insurance. He
said his plan eventjially will reduce
health care costs and thereby leave
businesses with "more money
they're going to have to invest in
creating new jobs."
Clinton's program has been
described as a managed competi
tion plan. It requires employers to
offer (and, realistically, requires
workers to join) one of several com
prehensive, accountable health
plans consisting of a limited num
ber of doctors and hospitals.
Such a plan would bmit costs
through market forces, i.e. com
parison shopping by individuals
from plans screened by employers
or other intermediaries.
Among the other reform plans
for the U.S. under consideration by
policy-makers is a Canadian-style
system in which a tax-supported
program run by the government
pays all medical bills.
Another proposal is dubbed
play or pay" because it requires
employers to provide a minimum
herdth insurance plan or pay new
taxes to a government fond to cover
the uninsured.
Still others advocate a "con
sumer choice" plan, in which
citizens would be required to buy
health insurance on their own or
through employers. Presumably
they would pay with a proposed tax
credit.
Regardless of which type of
plan one supports, there seemingly
is nationwide agreement that the
U.S. cannot afford to continue on
its current path of skyrocketing
health care costs and gross underin
surance or non-insurance. As
Senator Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and
Senator J.D. Rockefeller (D-
W.Va.) said in a recent letter to The
Wall Street Journal: "In today's
health care system, the more tests
and procedures doctors and hospi
tals do, the more they get paid.
Under the Clinton plan, health
dans would be paid a set amount
Jer enrollee, forcing them to
manage health care delivery more
efficiently and effectively, and en
couraging cost-effective primary
and preventive care to avoid having
treatable illnesses turn into costly
emergencies. The Clinton plan ...
gives consumers greater choices
and forces plans to compete for the
first time on cost and quality."
The AIT.-CIO long has been a
leading proponent of a universal
and fair national system of health
care. While not taking a stand on
one specific proposal put forward
by any representative of the ad
ministration or Congress, the
federation of national trade unions
also has played a key role in expos
ing the fact that the biggest reason
for skyrocketing health care costs is
the enormous number of uninsured
citizens. While those people techni
cally do not have health care
coverage, their expenses inevitably
are passed along to those who do.
For example, people without
health benefits often do not or can
not afford to seek treatment for rela
tively minor conditions. But if the
condition worsens and the unin
sured person goes to the emergency
room, the cost for his or her care is
passed on to those who have
benefits, in the form of higher
premiums, higher deductibles, etc.
(reflecting higher hospital billing to
compensate for the cost of indigent
care). This type of scenario is
replayed daily throughout the
country.
Other factors contributing to the
high cost of adequate health care
include huge profit margins for
some drug companies, as well as
the cost of scientific advancements.
One way that unions and the
health care providers they work
with have tried to combat rising
costs is the use of preferred
jrovider organizations (PPOs) and
iealth maintenance organizations
HMOs).
A PPO is a hospital or clinic
designated as the primary care
giver, subject to a utilization review
irocess in which permission must
le obtained for medical treatment.
An HMO provides all of a
patient's care for a set annual fee
and covers little outside its set
larameters. (President Clinton's
ilan will offer incentives to enroll
in HMOs.) HMOs generally have
salaried physicians, and their struc
ture encourages doctors and hospi
tals to function as parts of large
groups. Some of the advantages of
using an HMO are low out-of-pocket
costs and reduced pap^work.
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1993 PAGE 11
Marttrans Seatams Earn Tankeman Endorsemmt • iK •
Twelve Seafarers who sail
aboard Maritrans tugs and barges
recently earned their tankerman's
endorsement after completing a
specially designed two-week
course at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Educa
tion.
The course lasted from August
2 to August 13 and consisted of
all aspects of loading, transfer^ng
and unloading the various
goeis carried by tank barges.
Members also studied and prac
ticed diesel engine operation and
repair, with particular emphasis
on safety aspects involved in han
dling fuels and other potentially
dangerous cargoes.
TTie course was designed to
meet the training needs of
Maritrans employees while at the
same time accommodating then-
work schedules.
OS Mike Morrissey said the
class was "very informative."
This .was his second time at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship, which he
described as "a first-class facility
with great instructors. I also like
the fact that when you're here,
you're with other Seafarers. Be
sides the classes, that interaction
can be educational."
The tankerman course also
marked the second trip to Piney
Point for AB David Lane, who
graduated from the Lundeberg
School in 1979 and then briefly
sailed in the deep sea division
before switching to conunercial
fishing. Lane, who began work
ing for Maritrans two years ago,
described the tankerman course
as "thorough" and said the school
'has improved considerably. I
remember as a trainee staying in
the old bungalows. This time, my
wife and three kids were with ine,
which made it a nice stay. My
kids love it here."
Like Lane, AB Ed Putro
works aboard Maritrans tugs in
the Philadelphia area. "This
course covered everything we
need to know," said ^tro, who
also has completed AB and ad
vanced firefighting courses at the
school. "It boosted my
knowledge about the boats I work
on and around."
Lane added that he firmly
believes in the value of upgrading
at the Lundeberg School. "It helps
me gain more and more
knowledge. The school is readily
available, and the special courses
for inland members are great.
That's what keeps us coming
back."
In addition to Morrissey, Lane
and Putro, the other Maritrans
employees who completed the
course are Rodney Bennett,
George Davis, Gregory Gibson,
Ray Kucharczyck, David O'
Neal, Rupert Perry Jr., Dale
Watts, Phillip Yeomans and
Troy Zimmerman. The course
was taught by Jim Shaffer.
Maritrans operates 35 tugs and
45 barges, as well as several oil
terminals, on the Eastern
Seaboard and in the Gulf of
Mexico. The SIU members who
work for Maritrans have taken
part in several special courses at
Piney Point in recent years, which
prompted John Bums, Maritrans'
director of labor relations, to note.
In the last several years, the
vocational staff at the school has
been most helpful in accom
modating us and developing
training programs which are ex
tremely beneficial to our
employees. This [tankerman
course] is one more example of
that training."
Completing a specially designed two-week course leading to a tankerman's endorsement are (from left,
front row) Michael Morrissey, Troy Zimmerman, Ray Kucharczyck, Rupert Perry Jr., David O'Neal, David
Lane II, Jim Shaffer (instructor), (second row) George Davis, Dale Watts, Phillip Yeomans. Ed Putro,
Rodney Bennett, Allen Shaw and Greg Roanoke.
Express Marine Boatmen Complete Special Gourees
Six Seafarers and five mem
bers of the American Maritime
Officers (AMO) employed by
Express Marine, Inc. last month
completed special upgrading
courses at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Educa
tion.
The courses, which began on
August 23 and lasted until die end
of the month, were structured
with consideration for the work
schedules of inland division
members. Courses covering a
wide variety of skills were avail
able to Seafarers and AMO mem
bers who sail in the deck, engine
and steward departments. (Some
training, such as oil transfer pro
cedures, was given simultaneous
ly to members from all three
departments. However, most of
the curriculum, including lots of
hands-on work, was department-
specific.)
Stewart Parks, a 57-year-old
AB/cook who has been an SIU
member for 13 years, said he
"learned a lot" from the courses.
"I think very highly of the whole
experience. This was my first
time at the school, and it's even
better than I expected. I love it,
said Parks, who sails aboard the
tugboat Escort.
Parks added that he particular
ly enjoyed working with SIU in
structor Ed White in the new
galley training building at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship.
The following Seafarers from
Express Marine completed the
upgrading courses: Pruitt, Foster,
Parks, Captains Bobby Lewis
a'nd James Pruitt, and Mate
Mack Keech. AMO members
who completed the courses are
Chief Engineers Louis Hopkins
and Thomas Pigott, Second En
gineers Malvin Pendleton and
Robert Judy, and Barge Engineer
Richard Riddick.
The instructors are White,
Karaczynski, Dan Holden, Jim
Shaffer and Eric Malzkuhn.
Express Marine is based m
Pennsauken, N.J. The company
operates five tugs and barges
which move coal up and down the
East Coast.
Bobby Lewis checks the radar screen on the deck of the simulator.
Troy Zimmerman studied diesel engirie operation as part of the
course, designed to meet the training needs of Maritrans employees.
While Parks had not been to
the facility in Piney PoinL Md.
before, several other members
who work for Express Marine at
tended a special firefighting and
hazardous materials training
course last year at the school. One
of those members, AB/Cook Hil
ton Foster, said he was glad to
return to the school last month.
"It's always very worthwhile to
come here," said Foster, 37, who
has been a Seafarer for 14 years.
"All of the facilities are first-rate,
and the new galley is fantastic."
For 32-year-old Mate Gil
Pruitt, who sails aboard the tug
Guardian, making the trip to
Piney Point is old hat. Pruitt
graduated from the trainee pro
gram in 1979 and has upgraded
five times, including twice in the
past two years.
Pruitt commended the training
available on the Lundeberg
School's state-of-the-art shiphan-
dling simulator and said he
learned a lot from instructor Jake
Karaczynski.
"This school is getting better
eveiy day," Pruitt added. "I've
always said Piney Point is ex
tremely helpfiil if you apply your
self. It's here if you want it."
Stan Latka, marine operations
manager at Express Marine,
praised the Lundeberg School
courses and staff. "I find the cour
ses and the instructors exception
al," he said. "They handle
everything we need, and they are
very, very willing to work with us
in tailoring courses to our specific
needs. I've heard nothing but
positive comments from the
people who have been there, in
cluding myself, and I hope we can
make even more use of the school
in the future."
Chief Engineer Thomas Pigott
was one of the AMO memt>eFS
who completed the course.
Steward Parks (left) and Hilton Foster work in the new galley training
building as part of their upgrading curriculum.
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12 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1993
Bosun Dubs American Mariner's
Historic Grain Voyage 'Fantostic'
Bosun Robert Eckley
proclaimed the historic voyage o
the American Mariner through
the St. Lawrence Seaway to
Montreal "the best trip of my
life."
The 33-year veteran of the SIU
was among the crew of the
American Steamship Company
(ASC) self-unloader that carriec
21,420 tons of cargo preference
grain from, Toledo, Ohio to
Montreal where it was transferrec
to a U.S.-flag ocean-going
freighter bound
Petersburg, Russia.
for St
Bosun Robert Eckley said this was
the best trip of his life.
The American Mariner be
came the broadest ship, at 78 feet,
to successfully navigate the locks
along the Seaway. (Maximum
width allowed is 76 feet.)
"We had a foot on either side,"
Eckley recalled when he was con
tacted by the Seafarers LOG.
"We were right up against the
sides.
Eckley handled the aft wine
with the assistance of a deckhanc
during each lock operation. Eac
process took 45 minutes to an
hour to complete which Eckley
said was "faster" than he ex
pected.
The crew of* the American
Maririerwas notified in mid-June
that it would take part in
transporting the grain—^part o
the $1.6 billion aid package
presented in April by Presidem
Clinton to Russian President
Boris Yeltsin for the people of his
country.
The 730-foot vessel normally
hauls iron ore and coal during the
Great Lakes sailing season, so
crewmembers went right to work
to prepare the holds for the grain.
"We would clean the holds as
we unloaded them," Eckley said.
We would take every advantage
we could to get rid of any ruSt or
paint chips. It meant extra work
for all of us, but it was not a bad
deal to be part of this.
Before the grain could be
loaded, the vessel was inspected
by officials from the Department
of Agriculture. "We had no
>roblems with the inspection,"
the 63-year-old bosun stated.
Not bad for a crew that carries
ore and coal!"
Loading started July 6 at the
Anderson Grain Terminal, with
the American Mariner setting sail
across Lake Erie on July 8. A^en
the vessel reached the Welland
Canal around Niagara Falls, it
was entering waters never before
sailed by any of the ASC fleet.
After sailing across Lake On-
tario, the American Mariner
reached the Thousand Islands in
the St. Lawrence River between
New York and Ontario.
"It was beautiful," Eckley
said. "I can honestly say that was
all the crew talked about when we
sailed through it. None of us had
seen it from a ship before."
From there, the vessel sailed
through the St. Lawrence Seaway
to Montreal, completing the
voyage in just under three days,
where offloading took ap
proximately 30 hours. In less
than five hours, the ship was
loading ore for the trip back to
Lake Erie.
The other SIU members who
sailed aboard the American
A/ar/ner to Montreal and back in
cluded from the deck department
AB/Wheelsmen Kenneth Bluitt,
Joseph Kelly and Richard
Lund; AB/Watchmen David
Barber, Robert Wagoner and
Jeffrey Stockman; and Deck-
lands Edward Martin and
Mohamed Shaihi.
Engineroom members con
sisted of Conveyorman Myron
Johnston, Gateman Musid El
dodiyi, QMEDs Thomas Tuck
er, Kassim AhduUa and Masood
Igirsh and Wiper Mohsin Har-
lara. Taking care of business in
the galley were Second Cook
)awn Weymouth and Porter
Mward Ringsred.
The American Marinerpasses through a lock in the Well
Its historic cargo preference grain voyage to Montreal.
on-Locatkm
luring
Reacfy to shift barrels of oil are Wiper Mohsin A. Harhara (left) and QMED
Kassim S. Abdulla.
Piney Point Graduate
Saves Life of Mariner
The first aid and lifesaving
techniques taught at the Harry
Lundeberg School of Seamanship
are important skills which con
tribute to the safety and well-
being of Seafarers and the vessels
on which they sail. SIU members
who perfect these skills at the
Lundeberg School never know
when they may be called on to put
such knowledge into practice.
For Wiper Anthony Niek-
rasz, it was only four months
after ̂ adUating from Piney Point
and signing on his first ship, the
USNS Silas Bent, that these im
perative skills came into play.
On July 22, Niekrasz and OS
Wiper Anthony Niekrasz was able
to put into practice ttie skills he had
earned at the Lundeberg School.
Ray Gayton were enjoying time
off their ship at a seaman's center
in Dubai, when Niekrasz noticed
one of the fellow mariners drown
ing after diving into the swim
ming pool.
"I kne>v there was trouble
when he didn't come up out of the
water right away. I dove in and
brought him to the side and rolled
him up out of the pool. He was out
for a few seconds and then came
to," the wiper told a reporter from
the Seafarers LOG.
"I remembered everything that
I learned in my classes at Piney
Point about life saving and reviv
ing a person who has come close
to drowning. I immediately rolled
him on his side and he came to
quickly, so [additional first aid
attention was not needed],
would have been prepared
though," Niekrasz recalled.
The mariner that Niekrasz res
cued sailed aboard the American
Osprey, which was in dry-dock in
Dubai.
"I didn't know the guy—only
that he was a seafarer too and he
was in trouble. I had to help him
out," the March Piney Point
graduate stated. "He was very
grateful and happy, and it felt
good knowing I played a part in
saving another seaman's life. We
hung out for a while and mainly
he just kept telling me how grate
ful he was," he added.
Brother Niekrasz sailed
aboard the Silas Bent until sign
ing off on July 31. He is planning
to upgrade to fireman, oiler and
watertender in the fall classes at
the Paul Hall Center.
C)omlng up from the engineroom Is Caateman MusId 'Art* El Modhji.
AS Watchman Jeffrey Stockman
keeps an eye on deck operations
during a recent voyage on the
American Mariner.
QMED Masood Elglrsh was an en-
is Deckhand
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SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 13 • . v. ,• , V^l
11
a
LEFT Ihe American Republic
begins Its journey up the Cuyahoga
River in Cleveland with a load of ore.
QMED Dave Cameron operates the engine
room control board.
From the snows of February to the summer sun of August,
Seafarers aboard the American Republic have maintained the
ship's steady run on Lake Erie during the 1993 shipping season.
The 635-foot self-unloader was called into duty a month
earlier than normal this year because of a need to transport ore
to a steel mill in Trenton, Mich. A mild winter in the region kept
the Lakes from freezing over, thus allowing the vessel to
complete the mission.
Crewmembers reported the additional time on the Lakes has
had no effect on them.
"So far, it's been a great year," noted AB/Wheelsman Bren
dan Murphy. "We've kept busy all season,"
"This crew has done a great job this year," added Bosun
Terry Henrietta. "This vessel is in constant motion, so we have
to stay alert for any problems that would throw off our
schedule."
Except for special loads, the American Steamship Company
vessel keeps a regular run of carrying ore from Lorain, Ohio to
Cleveland—a distance of 40 miles. The ship averages a
roundtrip every 24 hours depending on weather conditions and
river traffic.
The Americanwas specially built in 1981 to deliver
ore to steel plants along the winding Cuyahoga River in
Cleveland.
Overseeing docking operations on deck is
Bosun Terry Henrietta.
On deck to Inspect the conveyor rollers Is
Conveyorman Rick Springs.
AB/Wheelsman Brendan Murphy handles'
dockslde adjustments from the deck control
room.
AB/Watchman Eugene Repko main- Ready to go ashore Is Second Cook
tains a presence on deck. Harry Petersen.
Lonn?e"Br(X)ks.'^°"^^'°"QMED Gapske makes his way to shore In the landing chair.
Peering at dock activities from the
American Republic's port gate Is Wiper
Hamid Hizam.
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U SEMFARBtS LOG SEPIEMBEG 1993
AMO President Ray McKay Passes Away
Since the BME merged with the MEBA in 1959, Ray McKay senred
as an officer in the union's national organization. From the left are
Jesse Calhoun, retired National MEBA president; McKay, who most
recently served as an executive vice president; and Gordon Ward,
National MEBA president.
Continued from page 5
their homes during Hurricane
Andrew last year.
McKay also represented
American seagoing workers at
meetings of the International
Transport Workers Federation
(ITF), the world organization of
independent unions repre
senting workers in all sectors of
transportation.
John Bowers, president of the
International Longshoremen's
Association, who also serves as
an executive board member of
the ITF, worked with McKay in
an effort to bring the concerns of
American maritime labor to the
world body's attention.
"His contributions to his
membership and to all maritime
workers in the free world were
enormous. His memory will
long endure," Bowers noted.
McKay, a forward-looking
trade unionist and a remarkable
strategist, "was a very effective
fighter for maritime," said Herb
Brand, the chairman of the
board of directors of the
Transportation Institute, an
education and policy organiza
tion representing American-flag
shipping operators.
Brand, who previously had
been associated with the SIU,
knew McKay for more than 40
years. "He never hesitated to
participate in any effort
designed to improve the condi
tion of the industry.
He served the industry and
his membership very well, and
he made a great contribution.'
McKay is survived by his
wife of 50 years, Dolly; three
sons — Michael, Thomas and
Robert; a daughter, Cecilia Ann;
a brother; 15 grandchildren and
four great-grand children.
He was buried in Oran-
;eburg, N.Y.
Ray McKay, a trade unionist who believed in fisting other workers
n their efforts to attain job security, dedicated himself to bulding a
South Florida-affiliate of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department,
n 1991, he received a charter for the Greater South Florida Maritime
Trades Council from MTD (and SIU) President Michael Sacco.
McKay's Legacy Includes School Of Engineering and HarigaUon
Ray McKay, the longtime
American Maritime Officers
(AMO) District 2 MEBA presi
dent who passed away on
August 9, leaves a legacy of
numerous and important con
tributions to the American mer
chant marine.
One of those contributions,
of which McKay was especially
proud, is the AMO School of
Marine Engineering and Naviga
tion, which he founded in 1966.
The original school was lo
cated on the fifth floor of the
old SIU headquarters building
in Brooklyn, N.Y. But within a
year, the officers had outgrown
the space and moved to a five-
story building next door.
In 1967 the school provided
sealift training in direct
response to America's need for
qudified seamen to take part in
the Vietnam War. The cur
riculum subsequently expanded,
year after year.
In 1982, the union purchased
property in Dania, Fla. and relo
cated the school to a three-story
building there. A fourth floor
was added two years ago, and
the school remains as part of
AMO headquarters in Dania.
Nowadays, about 40 courses
are available at the school, with
titles such as Refrigeration, Air
Conditioning & Refrigerant
Recovery System Training;
Maritime Law Training; Radar
Certification and Re-Certifica-
tion; Health and Safety Hazard
ous Material Spill Response
Training; and many others.
The newest feature of the
school is the Simulation Train
ing and Research (STAR) Cen
ter. Conceived and fostered by
McKay, the STAR Center
opened earlier this year and is
regarded as the world's most ad
vanced ship simulator system.
When the STAR Center
opened, McKay said,
"Shipowners and operators and
insurers understand that a high
ly skilled manpower comple
ment is what makes a ship safe,
efficient and profitable, and
that's what STAR Center
promises.
In remembering McKiay, SIU
President Michael Sacco said,
"This great school is testimony to
lus determination and deep belief
in the future of American-flag
shipping. He never accepted
defeate. He always planned for
tomorrow."
Using highly advanced, com
puter-driven graphics, STAR
can recreate Ae operation of
any vessel under any conditions
in all ports and waterways
throughout the world.
Other features include:
• The world's only 360-degree-
view training bridge.
• A 247-degree-view rotating
docking bridge for close
maneuvers.
• Three navigation radar/ARPA
simulators.
• Slow-speed and medium-speed
diesel engine simulators.
• A liquid cargo simulator.
• Day and night navigation.
• Climate conditions such as wind,
currents, fog, rain and snow.
• Remote instruction with video
and radar monitors.
Since the mid-1960s, McKay developed a premier maritime training
program now housed in the union's headquarters complex in Dania.
• Video playback for review.
• Aerial tracking of plotted courses.
STAR also has programs
available in emergency
response drills, restricted
visibility piloting, tug-barge
operations, coastal piloting and
more.
The center also may be used
for military training such as con
voy operations and underway
replenishment. In many cases,
training at the center counts as
Coast Guard-certified sea time.
For example, in two weeks, a
second mate can earn 60 days of
sea time toward the position of
chief mate.
The STAR Center opened earlier this year at the AMO school in Dania, Fla. Conceived and fostered by Ray McKay, the STAR Center has a number of high-tech features. ,,, • vlvig;...;"; ^
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sEPimmta^ SEAFARBIS LOe W
Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1993
•TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Trip
RelieEs
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Port
New York 31 20 6
Philadelphia 1 11 7
Baltimore 1 9 1
Norfolk 20 25 5
Mobile 14 25 4
New Orleans 33 20 10
Jacksonville 27 19 5
San Francisco 26 17 3
Wilmington 13 15 7
Seattle 17 15 1
Puerto Rico 7 2 3
Honolulu 4 16 15
Houston 16 34 5
St. Louis 0 2 ••• 0
Piney Point 0
Algonac .. - - , 0 >. 0
Totals 210 235 72
Port
New York 20
Philadelphia •V 1
Baltimore 6 7 1
Norfolk 7 4
Mobile 10 10 0
New Orleans 13 13 7
Jacksonville 18 22 wm-s.
San Francisco 12 21 1
Wilmington 14 5
Seattle 14 14
Puerto Rico 7 1 0
Honolulu 3 12 8
Houston 11 14
St. Louis 0 1 0
Piney Point 3 . 15 3
Algonac 1 0 0
Totals 135 182 43
Port
New York 15 1
Philadelphia 1 3 Wy-O
Baltimore 2 ':•••• 1 •^€:..,0
Norfolk 16 7 1
Mobile 10 5 0
New Orleans 8 8 0
Jacksonville 6 2
San Francisco 33 0
Wilmington 15 ^ 2
Seattle 20 6 • 1
Puerto Rico 1 1 1
Honolulu 12 22 14
Houston 16 4: : 0
St Louis 1 0 0
Piney Point \ 8, (S® "'O
Algonac 1 0 0
Totals 160 98 21
Port
New York 11 38 15
Philadelphia 2 4 3
Baltimore 0 8 2
Norfolk 10 28 5
Mobile 1 14 0
New Orleans 10 17 7
Jacksonville 2 12 5
San Francisco 13 25 15
Wilmington 10 13 6
Seattle 9 9 2
Puerto Rico 6 6 2
Honolulu 7 52 96
Houston 2 9' 3
St. Louis 0 1 0
Piney Point 0 32 2
Algonac 0 2 1
Totals 83 270 164
DECK DEPARTMENT
17
1
3
11
6
21
24
14
14
12
8
4
15
0
0
0
19
9
6
6
14
23
22
15
13
14
1
12
26
4
9
0
2
0
1
4
2
1
1
1
1
0
6
5
0
0
0
11
5
2
3
2
2
10
u::8'^
7 ,
7
3
3
4
0
1
. •K-BW'SS i
150 193 26
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 -
68
58
1
4
31
19
43
50
50
30
46
16
8
42
1
1
J 0
400
38
13
13
40
32
35
39
38
27
48
4
24
45
0
2
m
11
8
2
7
6
12
9
12
11
9
6
18
14
0
0
•M '•
399 125
i 3: ...... 0
0 0 0
87 100 24
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
9
2
2
9
6
11
1
4
0
8
3
4
24 1
4 2,
16
1
11
-^tio;
I
1
118
1
0
15
6
0
4
0
58
0
0
'va),„
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
10
':ro'.
0
0
0
14
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
2
0
0
5
1
8
4
7
3
8
1
5
; 3
0
0
0
47
22
2
4
7
7
11 ,
13
3
3
8
4
50
11
1
24
1
171
3
2
1
6
1
0
1
:'0^ .• •
0
0
94
1
0
1
1
113
0 5 19
0 1 2
50
1
264 326
"•V''6'; • " 27 19
1
t.'-
: 3
mit- 4 : 2
3 15 7
2 15 11
3 13 16
23 11
W^IO: 74 28
5 25 8
6 37 : ' 11
0 7 1
51 15 37
^ 20 5 •
0 2
W. - 3 mi.
0 ' ' 0 0
99 282 172
26 76
0 2 3
0 iP 1 12
0 11 42
0 0 23
0 12 34
0 > 4 28
0 . 32 50
0 25
0 23
0 7 12
0 8 62
0 2 23
0 0 2
0 0 26
0 0 4
0 132 445
5
• 1
8
0
10
10
5
7
4
1
9
2
0
3
0
67
•"T-f
I-
0
3
0
2
1
2
1
3
2
15
2
0
1
0
34
October i November 1993
Membership Meetings
Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters
Piney Point
Tuesday: Monday: October 4, November 8
New York
Tuesday: October 5, November 9
Philadelphia
Wednesday: October 6, November 10
Baltimore
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Norfolk
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Jacksonville
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Algonac
Friday: October 8, November 12
Houston
Monday: October 11, November 15
New Orleans'
% ^ Tuesday: October 12, November 16
Mobile
Wednesday, October 13, November 17
San Francisco
Thursday: October 14, November 18
Wilmington
Monday: October 18, November 22
Seattle
Friday, October 22, November 26
San Juan
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
St Louis
: Friday: October 15, November 19
Honolulu
, Friday: October 15, November 19
Duluth
Wednesday, October 13, November 17 ;
Jersey City - ••
s f - Wednesday: October 20, November 24
' ^ New Bedford
Tuesday: October 19, November 23
Each port's meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
35
6
2
12
0
19
12
26
13
10
10
129
9
0
1
0
284
Personals
JOHN CLAYTON ATKINSON
If you were bom on August 2, 1949 and are the
half-brother of Suzanne Couch, you may contact her
directly at: 11505 Highview Drive, Austin, Texas
78750, or you may convey a message for her by
contacting Mrs. Mildred Collier at The Salvation
Army, 1424 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta, OA
30329; (404) 728-1300.
ARTHUR RATHJENS
Please contact your old friend Larry Caffin at 26
Primrose Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
Totals All
Departments 588 785 300 402 522 177 217 1,078 1342 510
. Tolal Registered" means Ihe number of men who actually registered for shipping at tfie port last month.
•• "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at Re port at the end of last inonft
A total of 1J18 lobs were shipped on SlU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the 1,318 jobs ahip^ 402 jobs
or about 30 nercent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were Blled by "B" and C semonty
people. From July 1« to August 15,1993, a total of 217 trip reHefJote^ie shipped. Since the tnp rehef
^ram began on April 1,1982, a total of 19,332 jobs have been shipped.
The One That Didn't Get Away
George Koulouris, cook/baker aboard the Cpl. Louis
J. Hauge, does a little fishing in Diego Garcia and
comes up with enough tuna for the crew's dinner
(plus some leftovers).
':m¥.
sC^.
I -
• ' ./ / . / /•
16 XAFMERSLOG SmBmER1993
Seafarers International
Union Directory
Michael Sacco
President
John Fay
Secretary-Treasurer
Joseph Sacco
Executive Vice President
Augustin Tellez
Vice President Collective Bargaining
George McCartn^
Vice President West Coast
Roy A. •'Buck" Mercer
Vice President Government Services
Jack CafTey
Vice President Atlantic Coast
Byron Kelley
Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters
Dean Coraey
Vice President Gulf Coast
HEADQUARTERS
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675
ALGONAC
520 St. Clair River Dr.
Algonac,MI 48001
313)794-4988
BALTIMORE
1216 E. Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410)327-4900
DULUTH
705 Medical Arts Building
Duluth,MN 55802
(218)722-4110
HONOLULU
606 Kalihi St.
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-5222
HOUSTON
1221 Pierce St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713)659-5152
JACKSONVILLE
3315 Liberty St.
Jacksonville, PL 32206
(904) 353-0987
JERSEY CITY
99 Montgomery SL
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 435-9424
MOBILE
1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy.
Mobile, AL 36605
(205)478-0916
NEW BEDFORD
48 Union St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508)997-5404
NEW ORLEANS
630 Jackson Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504)529-7546
NEW YORK
675 Fourth Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11232
(718)499-6600
NORFOLK
115 Third St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
(804) 622-1892
PHILADELPHIA
2604 S. 4 St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215)336-3818
PINEY POINT
P.O. Box 75
Piney Point, MD 20674
(301) 994-0010
PORT EVERGLADES
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania, PL 33004
(305) 921-5661
SAN FRANCISCO
350 Fremont SL
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-5855
Govenunent Services Division
(415) 861-3400
SANTURCE
1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave.
Stop 16V^
Santurce, PR 00907
(809) 721-4033
SEATTLE
2505 First Ave.
SeatUe, WA 98121
(206)441-1960
ST. LOUIS
4581 Gravois Ave.
SL Louis, MO 63116
(314)752-6500
WILMINGTON
510 R Broad Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
(310)549-4000
Dispatchers' Report for Great Lakes
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1993
CL—Company/Lakes L—Lakes NP—Non Priority
•TOTAL REGISTERED
AH Groups
TOTAL SHIPPED
AH Groups
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
AH Groups
Class CL Class L Class NP OassCL Class L Class NP Class CL Class L Class NP
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
0
0
24
14
4
17
7
6
0
10
DECK DEPARTMENT
0 35 12
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 28 5
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0 8 5
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
0 8 5
0 • IJ
0 13 10 :
.oi
n 8 12 0 8 14
Totals All Departments 0 59 23 0 79 27 0 34
* "Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
25
Dispatchers' Report for Inland Waters
JULY 16 -
•TOTAL REGISTERED
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Region
Atlantic. Coast,
Gulf Coast
•
Lakes & Inland Waters „.
West Coast
Totals
Region
Atlantic Coast
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
6
9
16
2
33
0
1
0
1
2
14
17
31
AUGUST 15,1993
TOTAL SHIPPED
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
DECK DEPARTMENT
3:
2 1 6
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
47
12
2
4
0
33
X.
Totals
Region
Atlantic Coast
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
1
4
13
0
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
9 0 0
79 0 25
93 1 31
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 0
1 0 0
33
4
96
1
7
55
88
3
4
1
2
0
9
0 a
1
1
2
1
5
0
0
0
0
0
0.
4
0
3
7
0 0 0
5 0 0
STEWAM) DEPARTMENT
0 . 0 ..
0 1 3
1 0 0
3 0 3
4 1 6
22 0 0
0
29
0
3
0
9
4
1
6
2
13
0
1
0
1
2
Totals All Departments 56 41 102 37 138 12 111
* "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.
MARKING THE
50th ANNIVERSARY
OF WORLD WAR n
MUM wn
SOCIETY SEEKS
TUGBOAT PHOTOS
AND INFORMATION
New York City, long a major
gateway for the Unit^ States, continued
to play a vital role during World War II.
Hundreds of convoys were builL loaded
and manned in New York's port.
The South Street Seaport Museum
and The Seamen's Church Institute will
mark the 50th anniversary of World War
II with programs conunemorating the
role of New York's World War Il-era
port workers and merchant seamen.
Veteran Seamen's Sunday, Nov. 7
at the South Streeet Seaport Museum—
A day of activities honoring those who
prepared and manned merchant vessels
during the war will include a harbor
cruise, buffet lunch and museum
demonstrations. (Admission: museum -
$6; cruise - $12; lunch - $12; $25
veteran's package includes museum,
cmise and lunch. Pre-registration is re
quired for the package.) Tickets are
available at museum's Visitors Center,
12 Fulton Street. Reservations may be
made by calling (212) 669-9416.
Storytelling Session: Remembering
the Port of New York During WWII,
November 11—Four who labored at sea
and on shore will recount all manner of
maritime activity, keeping their mem-
mories alive using the oral tradition of
seafarers worldwide. They include a
merchant seaman, longshoreman and
two female shipbuilders. Free admission
at the Seamen's Church Institute, 241
Water St.
The Tugboat Enthusiasts Society is
seeking photographs, stories and other
materials concerning tugs that are plying
or have sailed on America's waterways.
The Society is dedicated to preserv
ing the heritage of tugboating in the
United States and sharing its wealth of
information with people fascinated by
the history and current affairs of the
tugboat industry.
For more information on the or
ganization, contact Joseph P. DeMuccio
at the Tugboat Society of America,
Bayview, 308 Quince Street, Mount
PleasanL SC 29464.
ATTENTION: MEMBERSHIP -
PORT OF SEATTLE
UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS
If you recently moved or changed
your name, it is necessary to have your
correct address on file with the Seafarers
Vacation Plan.
If you have not yet notified the union,
go to your nearest union hall and fill out
a chainge of address form or send your
new address (along with your name,
book number and social security num
ber) to: Address Control, Seafarers In
ternational Union, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, MD 20746.
Virginia Mason Clinic will offer flu
shots and blood draws for benzene tests
on Wednesday, November 10, between
the hours of 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:(X)
- 3:30 p.m. at the Seattle hall, located at
2505 1st Avenue.
Any member interested in using this
benefit should call the hall between 9:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on November 8 or
November 9; (206) 441-1960.
In order to utilize this benefiL a mem
ber must qualify under the rules of the'
plan (including proof of 120 days
seatime in 1992 and I day of employ
ment in the last six months).
isi
' - ^ v:
-•;:v-;;:;?;^Gf|^|
V-K'^' • •••••• --
SEFJEMBER1993 SEAFARERS LOG 17
To Our New Pensioners
... Thanks for a Job Well Done
Each month in the Seafarers LOG, the names ofSIU members who recently have become
pensioners appear with a brief biographical sketch. These men and women have served
the maritime industry well, and the SIU and all their union brothers and sisters wish them
happiness and health in the days ahead.
Two members who
graduated from the
union's top training programs
in the steward and deck depart
ments at the Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship are
among the 20 mariners who
retired last month as announced
by the Seafarers Welfare Plan.
Brother David Atkinson
graduated from the bosun recer-
tification course in 1973 while
Brother Revels Poovey com
pleted the steward recertifica-
tion course in 1985.
A total of 11 members sign
ing off from their seagoing
careers sailed in the deep sea
division while 6 were aboard in
land vessels and 3 worked on
the Great Lakes.
Ten Seafarers who are begin
ning their retirements served in
the U.S. armed forces: three in
the Army, three in the Navy,
two in the Air Force and two
served in both the Army and
Navy.
TTiree of those signing off
are beginning their retirements
in Washington while two each
reside in Maryland and Texas.
The remaining merchant
mariners have made their
homes in Missouri, West Vir
ginia, Hawaii, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Florida,
Alabama, Louisiana, Ohio, Wis
consin, Michigan* Norway and
the Philippines.
Brief biographical sketches
of Brothers Atkinson and
Poovey, as well as the others,
follow.
DEEP SEA
WILDER
ADAMS,
65, joined
the SIU in
1975 in the
port of Wil
mington,
Calif. A na
tive of
Springfield, Miss., he sailed in
the deck department. Brother
Adams upgraded at the Lun
deberg School frequently. He
served in the U.S. Navy from
1945 to 1949 and the U.S.
Army from 1950 to 1972.
Brother Adams still calls
Springfield home.
DAVID AT
KINSON,
56, Joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of Seat
tle. Bom in
Bellingham,
Wash., he
completed the bosun recertifica-
tion program at the Lundeberg
School in 1973. Brother Atkin
son served in the U.S. Navy
from 1956 to 1958. He resides
in Spokane, Wash.
ALEX
ANDER
BECKER,
65, Joined
the union in
1949 in the
port of New
York. A
Connecticut native, he sailed in
the engine department. Brother
Becker upgraded at Piney Point
in 1975. Brother Becker retired
to Seattle.
MARTIN DALE, 66, Joined
the SIU in 1964 in the port of
Seattle. A native of Norway, he
sailed in the engine department.
Brother Dale resides in Norway
RICHARD
GLAZE,
63, Joined
the union in
1946 in his
native Bal
timore. He
sailed in the
engine
department. Brother Glaze
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1978. He still calls
Baltimore home.
SANTIAGO KINANAHAN,
69, Joined the Seafarers in 1969
in the port of Seattle. Bora in
the Philippines, he sailed as a
chief cook. Brother Kinanahan
served in the U.S. Army from
1942 to 1946. He resides in
Seattle.
EDGEL LUZIER, 64, Joined
the SIU in 1946 in the port of
Baltimore. A Richwood, W.Va.
native, he sailed in the deck
department. Brother Luzier
upgraded at Piney Point fre
quently. He retired to Camden-
on-Gauley, W.Va.
BONIFACIO
PALMA,
72, Joined
the
Seafarers in
1968 in the
port of San
Francisco.
Bora in the
Philippines, he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Palma served in the U.S. Navy
from 1945 to 1965. He lives in
Metro Manila, Philippines.
REVELS
POOVEY,
67, Joined
the union in
1968 in the
port of San
Francisco. A
native of
Gastonia,
N.C., he completed the steward
recertification program at the
Lundeberg School in 1985.
Brother Poovey served in the
U.S. armed forces from 1943 to
1946. He resides in Houston.
RICHARD
RIGNEY,
65, Joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of New
York. Bora
in Bal
timore, he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Rigney calls Falkston,
Md. home.
HERBERT
WON, 65,
Joined the
Seafarers in
1955 in the
port of New
York. A na
tive of
Honolulu,
he sailed in the deck depart
ment. Brother Won still calls
Honolulu home.
INLAND
FREMONT
ANDER
SON, 55,
Joined the
union in
1969 in the
port of
Philadel
phia. Bora
in New Jersey, he sailed in the
engine department. Boatman
Anderson served in the U.S.
Army from 1956 to 1958. He
resides in Berlin, N.J.
JOHN
FRANKLIN
JR., 68,
Joined the
SIU in 1979
in the port
of Norfolk,
Va. Bora in
Miami, he
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Boatman Franklin served
in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to
1964. He retired to Corapeaka,
N.C.
LOLAPINKSTON,65,
Joined the Seafarers in 1981 in
the port of Paducah, Ky. A na
tive of Norfolk, Ark., she sailed
in the steward department.
Boatwoman Pinkston resides in
Melbourne, Fla.
CLARENCE ROBINSON,
65, Joined the union in 1974 in
the port of Mobile, Ala. A Mis
sissippi native, he sailed as a
chief engineer. Boatman Robin
son served in the U.S. Army
from 1952 to 1957. He lives in
Perdido, Ala.
JAMES
TODD HI,
54, Joined
the SIU in
1964 in the
port of New
Orleans.
Bora in
Amite, La.,
he sailed as a captain. Boatman
Todd upgraded at Piney Point
in 1973. He served in the U.S.
Air Force from 1958 to 1962.
He calls Denham Springs, La.
home.
ROBERT TRAHAN, 50,
Joined the Seafarers in 1975 in
the port of Port Arthur, Texas.
A Nederland, Texas native, he
sailed in the dedk department.
Boatman Trahan still calls
Nederland home.
GREAT LAKES
LEWIS
DIEHL, 58,
joined the
union in
1954 in the
port of Al
pena, Mich.
A native of
West Vir
ginia, he sailed as a
wheelsman. Brother Diehl
retired to New Matamoras,
Ohio.
LEO KAHL, 65, joined the
SIU in 1954 in the port of El-
berta, Mich. A Michigan na
tive, he sailed as a cook.
Brother Kahl resides in
Manitowoc, Wis.
ROBERT
MCCARL,
62, Joined
the
Seafarers in
1961 in the
port of
Chicago.
Bora in Ashland, Wis., he
sailed as a dredgeman. Brother
McCarl served in the U.S. Air
Force from 1950 to 1954. He
retired to Ludington, Mich.
Clie Holtbaj* ̂ eaifon Si
3uit ̂ tounb tl^e Comer
One feature in the Seafarers LOG that has been extremely well
received over the past two years is the inclusion of holiday
greetings in the December issue. Active and retired Seafarers—^as
well as their family members—^are invited to send their greetings
to friends, shipmates and loved ones through the pages of the
LOG.
The procedure is simple. In 25 words or less (and in your
neatest PRINTING possible), write the message in the space
provided below. All (legible) greetings that are written in the
holiday spirit will be included in the December 1993 issue of the
Seafarers LOG, if they are received in time.
The deadline for receipt of the holiday messages is Friday,
November 12, 1993. Send them by mail to the Seafarers LOG,
5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746.
After November 1, facsimile copies will be accepted. The fax
number is (301) 702-4407.
Forms also may be filled out in any union hall and turned in
to the official at the counter—or may be given to the boarding
patrolman at a vessel's payoff.
Holtbap JttesifiaBr
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE)
To:
From:
Message:
Check the blcck which describes your status with the <SIU:
• Active Seafarer • Family Member of Active Seaferer
• Detired Seafarer • Family Member of CJetired Seafarer
Send your greeting to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, MD 20746. The greeting shmild be received
at the LOG office by Friday, November 12,1993.
9/93
?
4 •.
' I"
It'
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tin'
ft?:'#-' V.
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18 SEAFARERSLOG SEPTEM8ER1993
IV%. :
5 •
ft
ffilPSIiSi!"-• . - :
. r-j
ty
The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union ship
board minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space
limitations, some will be omitted.
Ships minutes first are reviewed by the union's contract department.
Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the
union upon receipt of the ships minutes. The minutes are then for
warded to the Seafarers LOG.
Steward delegate reported beef and
disputed OT. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by engine delegate.
Crew asked contracts department to
look into amending shipping rules
regarding time at sea. Crew gave vote
of thanks to galley gang.
SEA-LAND CONSUMER (Sea-
Land Service), May 30—Chairman
FRANCES HAMMER (OCCI),
March 14—Chairman Richard Wil-,
son. Secretary Steven Parker, Educa
tional Director Denny Burns, Deck
Delegate William Powell, Engine
Delegate George Demetropoulos.
Chairman discussed contract negotia
tions and urged members to submit
recommendations to contracts depart
ment. Secretary thanked entire crew
for helping keep mess halls and gal
ley clean. Educational director urged
members to upgrade at Piney Point.
Treasurer reported $477 in ship's
fund and announced educational
films will be purchased next port. No
beefs or disputed OT reported Crew
asked contracts department to look
into several items including permis
sion for New Bedford, Mass. union
hall to provide clinic cards and drug
testing for deep sea members, a
change in shipping rules regarding
time at sea and explanation of policy
regarding maximum OT per voyage.
Chairman asked contracts depart
ment to send vessel safety informa
tion. Steward thanked Chief Cook
Dadang Rashldi for excellent
meals and keeping galley spotless.
Next port: Rotterdam.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-Land
Service), April 18—Chairman Car
mine Bova, Secretary TJ. Smith,
Educational Director Gerald Payne,
Deck Delegate William Dillion, En
gine Delegate Edward Trester,
Steward Delegate Louis Lightfoot.
Chairman announced arrival in Bos
ton and payoff in Elizabeth, N.J.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to upgrade skills at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Chairman reminded crew to
rewind tapes and help keep recreation
room tidy.
WESTWARD VENTURE (lOM),
April 29—Chairman M.W. Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Cris Cunningham,
Steward Delegate Steve Soofi. Chair
man reported smooth sailing. Educa
tional director encouraged members
to upgrade at Paul Hall Center and
donate to SPAD. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew reported
Sea/arerj LOGi received. Crew gave
vote of thanks to steward department.
Chairman reminded crewmembers to
keep lounge clean because it is home
while aboard ship. Next port:
Anchorage, Alaska.
CLEVELAND (Sealift Inc.), May
7—Chairman F, Khan, Secretary R.
Linasan, Educational Director J.
Barry, Deck Delegate David
Gasoutte, Engine Delegate Dion
Papas, Steward Delegate Mike
Vinca. Chairman thanked crewmem
bers for job well done. Secretary
thanked crew for keeping ship clean.
Educational director congratulated
Piney Point upgraders and advised all
members to upgrade skills at Lun
deberg School. Treasurer reported
ship's fund used to purchase new
movies in San Francisco. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew reported
urgent need for mail service in every
port. Crew asked contracts depart
ment for clarification regarding OT
for carriage of explosive cargo and •
making potable water in port Crew
also had questions about coverage of
medical expenses overseas. Next
port: Pusan, Korea.
GALVESTON 04/(Sea-Land Ser
vice), May 31—Chairman Jim Has
san, Secretary C. Scott, Educational
Director P. Kanauos, Deck Delegate
Daniel Miller, Engine Delegate Ellis
Young. Chairman reminded mem
bers to donate to SPAD and an
nounced payoff. Educational director
reported smooth sailing. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang for
clean ship and very clean mess rooms
and galley.
OMI CHARGER (OMI), May 5—
Chairman G. Beverly, Secretary
Neville Johnson, Educational Direc
tor M.R. Williams, Deck Delegate
Clemente Roche, Engine Delegate
A. Craig, Steward Delegate Leon
Grant. Chairman announced new
washing machine will be brought
aboard in Florida. Educational direc
tor urged members to upgrade skills
at Paul Hall Center. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew held discus
sion on Seafarers Welfare Plan. Next
port: Port Everglades, Fla.
OMI MISSOURI (Vulcan Carriers),
May 23—Chairman C. Gutierrez,
Secretary C. Kreiss, Deck Delegate
Charles Parman, Engine Delegate B.
Magliano, Steward Delegate Abdul
Aziz. Chairman announced smooth
trip and payoff in Mobile, Ala
Treasurer reported $50 in ship's fond.
Deck delegate and engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by steward delegate.
Chairman reported starboard gangway
needs repair and asked crewmembers to
help keep ship clean.
OVERSEAS VALDEZ(Maritime
Overseas), May 2S—Chairman
Frank Cottongiu, Secretary T. Laf-
fitte. Educational Director E.
iiacom. Deck Delegate K. Mc-
Lamb, Engine Delegate Guadalupe
Garza, Steward Delegate Carlos
Arauz. Crew reported new vent for
dryer needed. Beef reported by deck
delegate. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or steward
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending
shipping rules regarding time at sea.
Next port: Tampa, Fla.
SEA-LAND ACHIEVER (Sea-Land
Service), May 30—Chairman James
E. Davis, Secretary Felipe Orlanda,
Engine Delegate Sheldon Green-
berg, Steward Delegate Robert
Arana. Chairman informed members
of update on contract negotiations.
Educational director encouraged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. Treasurer reported $45 in
movie fond. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Steward delegate reported
problems with menu selection. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment. Galley gang members include
Chief Steward Orlanda, Chief Cook
Arana and SA Jose Santos. Chair
man reminded crewmembers to cleati
int off dryer trap before and after
use. Next port: Norfolk, Va.
SEA-LAND ATLANTIC (Sea-Land
Service), May 16—Chairman Calvin
James, Secretary F. Costango,
Educational Director Kevin DeSue,
Deck Delegate G. Hernandez,
Steward Delegate Donald Williams.
Chairman gave vote of thanks to Cap
tain Tangen for holding sanitary in
spection during homeward voyage.
Chairman reported captain rated ship
"10." He reminded gangway watch to
look out for strangers who may board
vessel while in port Educational direc
tor reminded crewmembers to take ad
vantage of upgrading at Piney Point
Deck delegate rqwrted disputed OT.
W. Mortier, Secretary D'Vaughn
Scruggs, Educational Director Chris
topher Earhart, Deck Delegate Rus
sell Haynes, Steward Delegate
Lawrence Carranza. Educational
director announced safety movies
available in officers lounge. He
reminded members to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center to advance in maritime in
dustry. Deck delegate reported dis
puted OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or steward
delegate. Crewmembers reported
Seafarers LOGs received. Next port:
Honolulu.
SEA-LAND CRUSADER (Sea-
Land Service), May 25—Chairman
Angel Hernandez, Secretary R.
Evans, Educational Director Oswald
Bermeo. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward and galley gang for
job well done. Chairman reminded
crew garbage is to be separated into
two cans for plastic and paper.
SEA-LAND DEFENDER (Sea-
Land Service), May 16—Chairman
G.M. Westphal, Secretary John
Alamar, Educational Director Rolan
do Gumanis. Chairman told crew he
was happy to join vessel in Kobe,
Japan. Chairman reported no word on
contract negotiations. Educational
director urged members to use
upgrading system at Lundeberg
School to better self and job skills.
Disputed OT reported by deck
delegate. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or stewed
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending
shipping rules regarding sea time.
Crew asked chairman to look into
having captain post a notice prior to
inspection and have one unlicensed
person present at all times when
licensed members enter crew
quarters. Next port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND EXPLORER (Sea-
Land Service), May 30—Chairman
Jack Kingsley, Secretary W. Bur-
dette. Educational Director G. Pol
lard Lowsley, Deck Delegate Edgar
Townsend, Engine Delegate Robert
Lee, Steward Delegate Jesse James.
Chairman reminded crewmembers
signing off to strip bunks and leave
rooms clean. He gave vote of thanks
to galley gang for good menus and
crew for good trip. Steward delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or en
gine delegates. Crew reported
Seafarers LOGs received and dis
tributed. Crew asked contracts depart
ment to look into increased funds for
fresh produce on foreign voyages.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), May 1—Chair
man Francis Adams, Secretary
Nancy Heyden, Educational Director
Ray John Machaj, Deck Delegate
Lee Dubany, Engine Delegate Saleh
All, Steward Delegate Cecil
Gubisch. Chairman announced letter
received from captain. He reported
everything running smoothly with no
beefs or disputed OT. Chairman
thanked SlU President Michael
Sacco, Secretary-Treasurer John Fay
and San Francisco Port Agent Nick
Celona for visiting the ship. He also
gave special thanks to Wilmington,
Calif. Port Agent George Tricker for
help in resolving beef. Secretary
reported smooth sailing. Educational
director reminded members to read
Seafarers LOGs and donate to SPAD.
He reported new VCR still needed
and urged members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center when opportunity
presents itself. Treasurer reported $95
in ship's fond. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew asked contracts
department to look into increasing
medical and dental coverage. Crew re
quested new seat covers for crew
lounge and reported sauna door is
broken. Crew thanked galley gang for
great food and clean ship for entire
trip. Next port: Hong Kong.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), May 9—Chair
man Francis Adams, Secretary
Nancy Heyden, Educational Director
Ray John Machaj, Engine Delegate
Saleh All, Steward Delegate Cecil
Gubisch. Chairman thanked entire ,
crew for great job. He thanked galley
gang for great chow during entire
toiir and complimented members for
keeping clean ship. He also en
couraged SPAD donations. Educa
tional director urged crew to read
Seafarers LOGs and donate to SPAD
and MDL. He discussed importance
gave vote of thanks to galley gang for
excellent job. Next port: Boston.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-Land
Service), May 23—Chairman Car
mine Bova, Secretary TJ. Smith,
Educational Director Ken Linah,
Deck Delegate Leo Enhace, Engine
Delegate Edward Trester, Steward
Delegate Louis Lightfoot. Chairman
announced arrival in Charleston, S.C.
on May 26. Educational director
reminded members to upgrade skills
at Lundeberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew reported let
ter from headquarters received and
requested additional Seafarers LOGs.
Chairman reminded crewmembers to
keep recreation room clean. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment.
SEA-LAND SP//?/r (Sea-Land Ser
vice), May 9—Chairman Rafael Cle-
Sailing Time Aboard the Ambassador
AB Joseph McGIII updates the sailing board at the loading ramp aboard
Crowley s Ambassador.
of upgrading at Lundeberg School.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Chairman reminded crewmembers
suggestions for new contract should
K turned in to patrolman at payoff.
Crew reported shipboard funeral ser
vices for SlU brothers George M^l-
am Harding and Goon Van Ching.
4ext port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND NAVIGATOR(Sea-
.and Service), May 16—Chairman
' Vemer Becher, Secretary J. Or
tega, Educational Director Walter
Stevens, Deck Delegate Sean
)aherty. Engine Delegate Robert
Zurfluh, Steward Delegate
Napoleon Gavin. No beefs or dis-
juted OT reported. Crew reported
new coffee machine needed in
crew lounge and engineroom.
4ext port: Tacoipa, Wash.
SEA-LAND PACIFIC (Sea-Land
Service), May 23—Chairman Lothar
teck. Secretary R. Mathews, Educa
tional Director Steve Bigelow. Chair
man reported no lodging available for
crewmembers during shipyard period
as of yet. Treasurer report^ $80 in
movie fund and $45 in ship's fond.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
received. Crew asked contracts
department for clarification on room
cleaning below bridge deck. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment. Crew discussed using movie
fund to get new VCR.
mente. Secretary Steve Apodaca,
Educational Director Charles Hen
ley, Deck Delegate Theodore Doi,
Engine Delegate Phil Parent,
Steward Delegate Frank Maliga.
Chairman reported smooth sailing.
Treasmer reported $420 in movie
fond. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew asked contracts
department to look into company
providing chair on bridge for
helmsman. Crew also asked contracts
department to clarify cargo hold work
in new contract. Crew thanked galley
gang for job well done. Crew gave
special thanks to Theodore Doi for
helping keep recreation room clean.
Next port: Honolulu.
SEA-LAND TACOMA (Sea-Land
Service), May 24—Chairman A. Eck-
SEA-LAND PERFORMANCE
Sea-Land Service), May 3—Chair
man Ervin Bronstein, Secretary
Dante Slack, Educational Director
D.L.. Johnson, Deck Delegate Carl
Sands, Engine Delegate Juan Toro,
Steward Delegate Stephanie Torres.
Chairman announced payoff in
Elizabeth, N.J. Educational director
urged members to keep accurate
record of seatiipe and encoiuaged
crew to upgrade at Piney Point No
)eefs or disputed OT. Chairman read
letter from Seafarers Plans' Ad
ministrator Nick Marrone regarding
retirement time. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending ship
ping rules regarding time at sea. Crew
ert. Secretary F. Sison, Educational
Director C. Kper, Steward Delegate
William Wales. Educational director
reminded members to donate to
SPAD and take advantage of upgrad
ing opportunities at Paul Hall Center.
Treasurer reported $700.50 in ship's
fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for good meals.
Next port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND TRADER (Sea-Land
Service), May 30—Chairman Loren
Watson, Secretary Joe Johnson,
Educational Director R.W. Risbeck.
Educational director urged members
to upgrade at Lundeberg School.
Treasurer reported $100 in ship's
fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave galley gang vote
of thanks for job well done on salad
bar and excellent food.
SEALIFT CHINA SEA (IMC), May
15—Chairman Anthony Zizzo,
Secreta^ Martin Pak. Chairman dis
cussed importance of Piney Point and
encouraged members to upgrade.
Secretary announced 15-day order of
stores expected next port. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave spe
cial thanks to galley crew for smiles
along with good food: Next port:
Long Beach, Llalif.
Continued on page 20
. .'v-
PS
CM"
•• ••
'W '
SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 19
Final Departures
DEEP SEA
WILLIE ALBERT
Pensioner
Willie Albert,
67, passed
away July 5.
Bom in South
Carolina, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1951 in the
port of New
York. Brother Albert sailed in the
steward department. He upgraded
at the Lundeberg School in 1981.
Brother Albert served in the U.S.
Army from 1952 to 1954. He
began receiving his pension in Sep
tember 1985.
HERBERT BRANDON
Pensioner Herbert Brandon, 86,
died May IS. A native of Glens
Ferry, Idaho, he joined the Marine
Cooks and Stewards in 1937 in the
port of San Francisco, before that
union merged with the Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict (AGLIWD) of the SIU.
Brother Brandon retired in July
1968.
LICHECTA BUTLER
Lichecta But-^
ler,21,
passed away
July 14. Bora
in Louisiana,
he graduated
from the
Harry Lun
deberg
School of
Seamanship in 1992. Brother But
ler sailed in the steward department
ERICDAHL
Pensioner Eric Dahl, 85, died June
27. A native of Sweden, he joined
the Seafarers in 1951 in the port of
New York. Brother Dahl sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in January
1975.
LAWSON EVANS
Pensioner Lawson Evans, 87,
passed away July 28. Bora in
Washington, D.C., he joined the
union in 1944 in the port of New
York. Brother Evans sailed in the
engine department. He served in
the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1942.
Brother Evans began receiving his
pension in June 1969.
JUAN HOPKINS
Pensioner
Juan Hopkins,
79, passed
away August
3. Bora in
Puerto Rico,
he joined the
Seafarers in
1942 in the
port of New
York. Brother Hopkins sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in November
1979.
WILLIAMJEFFERSON
William Jef
ferson, 50,
died July 12.
A Tulsa,
Okla. native,
he joined the
union in 1963
in the port of
Houston.
Brother Jeffer
son completed the bosun recertifica-
tion program at the Lundeberg
School in 1976. He served in the
U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1%2.
KOSTA HATGIMISIOS
Pensioner Kosta Hatgimisios, 73,
died Apgust 1. A native of Nor^
LEARTHUR JORDAN
Learthur Jor
dan, 46,
passed away
July 31. He
joined the
SIU in 1970
in his native
Mobile, Ala.
Brother Jor
dan sailed in
the steward department. He
upgraded to chief cook at Piney
Point in 1989.
EVERETT MAXWELL
Pensioner Everett Maxwell, 78,
died July 20. Bora in Springfield,
Mass., he joined the Seafarers in
1956 in the port of Baltimore.
Brother Maxwell sailed in the en
gine departinent. He began receiv
ing his pension in February 1980.
WILLIAM MCRAE
Pensioner
William
McRae, 95,
passed away
June 26. A
Philadelphia
native, he
joined the
union in 1955
in the port of
Seattle. Brother McRae sailed in
the steward department. He retired
in April 1976.
HENRY NUTTING
Pensioner
Henry Nut
ting, 69, died
July 8. Bora
in Hassell,
Belgium, he
joined the
SIU in 1965
in the port of
Houston. He
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Nutting recently retired to
St. Augustine, Fla.
RAMON ROQUE
Pensioner Ramon Roque, 81,
)assed away July 18. A Key West,
^la. native, he joined the Seafarers
in 1940 in the port of Miami.
Brother Roque sailed in the
steward department. He began
receiving his pension in February
1971.
UGENIUS SIERADZKI
Pensioner Eugenius Sieradzki, 80,
died August 2. Bora in Lwow,
Poland, he joined the union in
957 in the port of Philadelphia.
Irother Sieradzki sailed in the en
gine department. Brother Sieradzki
served in the Polish army from
942 to 1949. He retired in Oc
tober 1973.
RODNEY SIMMONS
Pensioner
Rodney Sim
mons, 73,
passed away
June 18. He
joined the
Marine Cooks
and Stewards
in 1959 in his
native New
wich. Conn., he joined the SIU as a
charter member in 1939 in the port
of Providence, R.I. Brother Hat
gimisios sailed in the steward
department. He retired in Novem
ber 1973.
Orleans, before that union merged
with the AGLIWD. Brother Sim
mons began receiving his pension
September 1984. in
PAULBILLIOT
Paul Billiot,
53, passed
away July 5.
He joined the
Seafarers in
1971 in his na
tive New Or
leans.
Boatman Bil
liot sailed in
the deck department.
FRANK BLACHOWICZ
Pensioner Frank Blachowicz, 72,
died June 16. A Maryland native,
he joined the SIU in 1975 in the
port of Norfolk, Va. Boatman
Blachowicz sailed in the engine
department. He retired in August
1983.
ANTOINEGUIDROZ
Pensioner An
toine
Guidroz, 72,
died July 10.
A native of
Leonville-Pt.
Barre, La., he
joined the
Seafarers in
1974 in the
port of Houston. Boatman Guidroz
sailed as an AB for G & H Towing
from 1969 until his retirement in
1985. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1941 to 1945.
EARL JOHNSON
Pensioner Earl Johnson, 66, passed
away July 16. Bora in Rocking
ham, N.C., he joined the SIU in
1972 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Boatman Johnson sailed as an en
gineer. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1944 to 1946. Boatman
Johnson began receiving his pen
sion in April 1989.
WOODROW SEWARD
Pensioner
Woodrow
Seward, 79,
died June 19.
A native of
Galveston,
Texas, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of Port Arthur, Texas. Boat
man Seward sailed as an engineer.
He retired in October 1977.
WILLIAM WEST
Pensioner
William
West, 82,
passed away
May 1. Bora
in Mathews,
Va., he joined
the union in
1967 in the
port of
Philadelphia. Boatman West sailed
in the deck department. He began
receiving his pension in May 1978.
BERNON DAVIDSON
Pensioner Beraon Davidson, 78,
jassed away June 29. Bora in
'4orth Carolina, he joined the union
n 1961 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Joatman Davidson sailed as an en
gineer. He began receiving his pen
sion in March 1983.
GREAT LAKES
JOHNWEGLIAN
Pensioner John Weglian, 81,
)assed away August 1. A Miclygan
native, he joined the Seafarers in
965 in the port of Detroit. He
sailed in the steward department.
Brother Weglian retired in August
1974.
JAMES ANDERSON
James Ander
son, 49, died
June 5. A
Michigan na
tive, he joined
the SIU in
1978 in the
port of Al
pena, Mich.
Brother
Anderson sailed in the deck depart
ment.
MARTIN OZMINA
Pensioner
Martin Oz-
mina, 87,
passed away
July 25. Bora
in Illinois, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1962 in the
port of
Chicago. Brother Ozmina sailed in
the deck department. He retired in
February 1977.
VERNONSAVAGE
Pensioner
Vernon
Savage, 71,
died May 8. ,
A native of
Jersey City,
N.J., he sailed
both as a
Great Lakes
tugboat
operator and as an inland boatman.
Brother Savage served in the U.S.
Navy from 1942 to 1948. He began
receiving his pension in May 1989.
CLIFFORD THOMAS
Pensioner
Clifford
Thomas, 79,
passed away
June 19. Bora
in Michigan,
he joined the
union in 1969
in the port of
Frankfort,
Mich. Brother Thomas sailed in the
deck department. He retired in Oc
tober 1978.
JOSEPH TURNER
Pensioner
Joseph
Turner, 66,
died May 8.
A native of
Sault Ste. .
Marie, Mich.,
he joined the
SIU in 1961
in the port of
Detroit. Brother Turner sailed as a
tug linesman with Great Lakes
owing until his retirement in
December 1987.
RAILROAD MARINE
WILLIAM LANCZKY
Pensioner
William
Lanczky, 77,
died April 9.
A New Jersey
native, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of New
York. Brother Lanczky began
receiving his pension in Janurary
1971.
FRANCIS STEWART
Pensioner
Francis
Stewart, 77,
passed away
May 9. Bora
in Brooklyn,
N.Y.,he
joined the
union in I960
in the port of
New York. Brother Stewart served
in the U.S. Army from 1934 to
1946. He retired in November
1974.
ATLANTIC
FISHERMEN
ANTHONY GALLO
Pensioner An
thony Gallo,
74, passed
away June 10.
He joined the
Seafarers in
1967 in his na
tive
Gloucester,
Mass. Brother
Gallo sailed as an engineer. He
retired in March 1984.
CORRECTION
HERNELL E. EDWARDS
The August
edition of the
Seafarers
LOG inadver
tently printed
incorrect in
formation on
HernellE.
Edwards.
The notice
should have read: Pensioner Ed
wards, 71, passed away June 16. A
^uisiana native, he joined the
Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1971 in the port of New Orleans,
jefore that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother Edwards com-
jleted the steward recertification
course at the Lundeberg School in
979. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1941 to 1944. Brother Ed
wards retired in March 1987.
Max Steen Honored by Seattle Seafarers
Paisioner
Max Steen,
83, passed
away July 10.
Broker Steen
had no sur
viving family
when he died,
so his SIU
brothers and
sisters and friends from Seattle's
Jewish community joined together
to honor his memory.
Brother Steen was born in
Sweden where for many years he
was a professional horse breeder
and was involved in the European
horse racing circuit. He continued
to work widr horses when he flr^t
came to the United States during
World War II.
Steen joined the Seafarers in
March 1946 in the port of Baltimore.
His first ship was the SS Mission San
Araonio. He began sailing as a
steward utility and worked his way
up to chief steward.
In 1969, Steen became a
naturalized U.S. citizen and
changed his name from Steinsapir.
After 22 years of sailing, he began
his retirement in 1968 in Seattle. He
later moved to Piney Point, Md. to
live at the Harry Lundeberg School
of Seamanship. Several years later
he moved back to Seattle.
When Steen died in June,
friends provided funeral and
memorial services. Six SIU mem
bers served as pallbearers and car
ried Brother Steen to his final
resting place.
• ' • ••• •
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ZO SEAFARERS IHQ SEPTEMRER1993
Ships Digest
Continued from page 18
SEAM rO/? (Crowley American
Transport), May 23—Secretary R.T.
Seim, Educational Director William
Cameron. Crew still waiting for cor
respondence from headquarters
regarding deck beef. Educational
director urged members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center and contribute to
SPAD and MDL funds. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew discussed
involvement in political areas of union
issues. Crew thanked galley gang for
fine varied menus and weekly bar
becue cookouts. Steward department
thanked entire crew for fine team woiic
in keeping ship very clean. Next port;
Port Everglades, Ha.
WESTWARD l^E/Vriy/7E(IOM),
May 31—Chairman M,W, Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Robert Ohier, Deck
Delegate Paul Davis, Engine
Delegate Bert Abella, Steward
Delegate Steve Soofi. Chairman an
nounced ship to shipyard for 5 days
in Tacoma, Wash. Educational direc
tor urged members to donate to
SPAD and upgrade skills at Piney
Point Crew discussed courtesy in
, crew lounge with use of VCR and
radio. Chairman reminded crew to
' keep lounge clean.
AMERICAN FALCON iCrov/ley
American Transport), June 19—
Chairman Harold Power, Secretary
PJ. Zilkow, Educational Director
Earnest Cox, Deck Delegate Mike
Davis. Educational director reminded
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No bwfs or disputed OT
reported.Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for job well
done. Crew asked contracts depart
ment for explanation of weekend OT
conditions.
CONSTELLATION (Maersk
Lines), June 18—Chairman B. Shel
ley, Secretary B. Tyler, Educational
Director L. Strong, Deck Delegate
Glen Miller O, Steward Delegate F.
Umali. Educational director urged
members to upgrade skills at Paul
Hall Center. Treasurer reported $600
in ship's fund and announced two
tape rewinders will be purchased in
Oakland, Calif, for crew lounge. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew
gave vote of thanks to galley gang for
good food. Crew thanked 'Ashing
gang" on Midway Island and stated
the six yellow fin tuna and two
wahoo they donated to ship were fan
tastic. Next port: Concord, Calif.
GOPHER STATE (lOM) , June
Chairman Dan Teicbman, Secretary
A. Austin, Educational Director M.
Arron, Deck Delegate Claude New,
Engine Delegate Eric McTinney.
Chairman announced date of arrival
in Newport News, Va. and reported
patrolman will meet vessel. Secretary
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment for fine job and extra efforts
putting together barbecues. Educa
tional director urged members to take
advantage of upgrading opportunities
at Piney PdinL No beefs or disputed
OT. Crew discussed designating
separate sleeping quarters for day
sleepers and watch standers.
TTB G/70r0/V (Sheridan Transporta
tion), June 4—Chairman Neil Mat-
they. Secretary M. Deloatch,
Educational Director J. Carnell,
Deck Delegate Brian Fountain, En
gine Delegate Pete Murtagh,
Steward Delegate Michael Ham-
mack. Chairman announced ship
scheduled to lay up in shipyard end
of June or beginning of July. Crew .
gave vote of thanks to company for
new couch. Secretary thanked crew
for keeping mess room clean at night.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to upgrade at Paul Hall Center.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
received. Crew gave many thanks to
galley gang and deck department for
great cookout on Memorial Day.
ITB GROTON (Sheridan Transporta
tion), June 16—-Chairman Neil Mat-
they. Secretary M. Deloatch,
Educational Director J. Carnell.
Chairman announced ship is
scheduled to lay up in Brooklyn
shipyard dry dock. He reported crew
will be laid off approximately 3
weeks. He announced after layup,
ship will go to St. Croix for under
water survey. He reminded crewmem-
bers repair list must be turned in.
Educational director encouraged
members to upgrade at Piney Point.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew and officers gave vote of
thanks to galley gang for great
cookout.
ITB PHILADELPHIA (Sheridan
Transportation), June I—Chairman
V. Nielsen, Secretary J.P. Emidy,
Educational Director B. Sengelauh,
Deck Delegate C. Brown, Engine
Delegate Carlos Bonefont, Steward
Delegate Jack Hart. Steward
thanked crew for keeping mess halls
clean. Crew gave vote of thanks to
galley gang. Next port: New York.
PFC JAMES ANDERSON
(Maersk Lines), June 20—Chairman
Thomas Anderson, Secretary Hugh
Wildermuth, Educational Director
L. Cochrane, Deck Delegate James
Hailstone, Steward Delegate Earl
Castain. Educational director urged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. Treasurer reported $100 in
ship's fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Diego Garcia.
JULIUS HAMMER (OCCD, June
28—Chairman Richard Nicholas.
Chairman reported contract exten
sion. Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
not being received. Educational direc
tor reminded members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center. Treasurer reported
$180 in ship's fund to be used to pur
chase two sets of fishing poles and
tackle. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew discussed importance
of having U.S.-flag ships. Crew re
quested new refrigerator, short wave
radio and speakers, new beds, new
sink. Crew reported antenna needs
repair. Crew thanked steward depart
ment for great food and cookouts.
LNG ARIES (ETC), June 2—Chair
man Dlus Veach, Secretary Doyle
Cornelius, Educational Director
Charles Pomraning, Deck Delegate
Lifeboat Inspection
Cr^wmembers aboard Crowley's Ambassador inspect one of the
ship's lifeboats to make sure it works properly. They are (from left)
Steward/Baker Milton Youmet, AB Glenn Reynolds, Bosun Leon Jekot
and ABs Rubin Mitchell, Ben Bess and Robert Grubbs.
Louis Sorito Jr., Engine Delegate
Richard Robertson, Steward
Delegate Udjang Nurdjaja. Chair
man reminded crewmembers to ad
here to ETC policies while ashore as
well as on vessel. Educational direc
tor encouraged members to check
upgrading schedule and upgrade at
Lundeberg School while off vessel.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
LNG AQUARIUS (ETC), June 13-
Chairman Sam Brooks, Secretary
Franklin Robertson, Educational
Director John Orr, Engine Delegate
Bruce Zennon, Steward Delegate
Rafael Cardenas. Chairman thanked
galley gang for food and menus.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to send seatime in with applica
tion when applying for upgrading
courses at Piney Point. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew re- .
quested new VCR. Steward delegate
asked crewmembers not to go in
refrigerators and take things at will.
Crew gave vote of thanks to Rafael
Cardenas for job well done. Cardenas
thanked crew for support and help.
Next port: Bontang, Indonesia.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), June 13—Chairman Kelly
Devine, Secretary Anthony Curran,
Deck Delegate Don Deflorio,
Steward Delegate Dehora Grendahl.
Chairman discussed hazard pay with
crewmembers. Treasurer reported
$244 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew thanked
captain for allowing use of rib boat
for training. Next port: Jacksonville,
Ha.
NORTHERN LIGHTS aOM), June
27—Chairman Ray Waiters,
Secretary K. Whit, Educational
Director Keith Jordan, Deck
Delegate Timothy Jackson, Engine
Delegate Charles Kennedy, Steward
Delegate Christopher Green. Chair
man discussed putting lock on
bathroom doors. Educational director
encouraged members to upgrade at
Lundeberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Next port:
TaComa, Wash.
NEDLLOYD HOLLAND (Sea-Land
Service), June 13—Chairman F.
Gothe, Secretary V. Harper, Educa
tional Director D. Bush, Deck
Delegate Robert Rager, Engine
Delegate Gerald Yore, Steward
Delegate Michael Harris. Chairman
urged members to take advantage of
upgrading opportunities at Lundeberg
School. Educational delegate also en
couraged members to visit Piney
Point. Treasurer reported $75 in
ship's fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vbte of thanks to
steward department. Next port: Char
leston, S.C.
NUEVO SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico
Marine),June 6—Chairman J. Wil
liams Secretary R. Fagan, Education
al Director C. Gallagher, Deck
Delegate D.M, Hood, Engine
Delegate J. Williams Jr., Steward
Delegate B. Winfield. Chairman
reported ship running smoothly with
very good deck department. He an
nounced payoff in Elizabeth, N.J. and
reminded crewmembers to ask patrol
man about new contract. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang for
good food and job well done.
OOCL INSPIRATION (Sea-Land
Service), June 27—Chairman Mark
Trepp, Educational Director Donald
Christian, Deck Delegate Oscar
Lopez, Engine Delegate Jeff
Kinsman. Educational director en
couraged members to upgrade skills
at Piney Point.Treasurer reported
$190 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department with
special thanks to Chief Cook George
Monseur who is signing off. Next
port: Charleston, S.C.
OMI CHAMPION (OMl Corp.),
June 13r—Chairman Paul Domes,
Secretary W. Washington, Deck
Delegate Errick Nobles, Engine
Delegate Earl Adams, Steward
Delegate Daniel Crawford. Chair
man announced payoff upon arrival
in Portland, Maine. Educational direc
tor urged members to upgrade skills
at Lundeberg School. Deck and
steward delegates reported disputed
OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine delegate. Crew
gave vote of thanks to chief steward
for job well done. Crew requested
new washer and reported refrigerator
needs repair.
OMI LEADER (OMI Corp.), June
27—Chairman Patrick Rankin,
Secretary C. Michael Davalie,
Educational Director Davon Mc
Millan, Deck Delegate Eugene Fin-
ley, Steward Delegate Nee Tran.
Chairman requested another dryer for
crew laundry. He thanked crew for
fine job done and announced payoff
on July 4 upon arrival in Boston.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang. Educational director en
couraged members to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
OMI MISSOURI (Vulcan Carriers),
June 27—Chairman Cesar Gutier
rez, Secretary Clyde Kreiss, Deck
Delegate Randolf Boiling, Engine
Delegate Grant Shuman, Steward
Delegate Abdul Aziz. Chairman
reported smooth sailing and an
nounced arrival in Tanga, Tanzania.
He announced outgoing mail should
be given to captain. Treasurer
reported $50 in ship's fund. No beefs
or disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked steward department for great
cookouts.
OMI SACRAMENTO (Vulcan Car
riers), June 20—Chairman Ray
Gorju, Secretary Raul Cavalcanti,
Educational Director Henry Hall,
Deck Delegate Kenneth Gilson, En
gine Delegate Thomas Martines,
Steward Delegate Norman Taylor.
Chairman announced new TV in
crew lounge and dryer in crew
laundry repaired. He also reported
poor mail service on vessel. He urged
members to upgrade skills at Piney
^oint. Educational director also en
couraged merribers to upgrade. Deck
delegate reported disputed OT. No
Ijeefs or disputed OT reported by en
gine or steward delegates. Next port:
*ilew Orleans.
OMI WILLAMETTE (OMI Corp.),
. Tune 27—Chairman Glen James,
Secretary Robert Scott, Educational
Director J. Badgett. Chairman
reported crew needs new washer and
dryer for crew laundry. Chairman dis
cussed waste disposal. Secretary
reported smooth sailing. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave spe
cial thanks to Robert Scott for excel
lent salad bar. Chairman urged crew
to upgrade skills at Lundeberg
School. Next port: New York.
OVERSEAS HARRIETTE
Maritime Overseas), June 20—
Chairman W. Jeffersen, Secretary
H.G. Williams, Engine Delegate
Nathaniel Gaten. Secretary reported
vessel in Lithuania with load of com
and expected back in United States
on July 12. He reported smooth sail
ing. No beefs or ^sputed OT
reported. Crew announced Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew reported over
load in crew mess hall needs repair.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
»ang for doing fine job. Next port:
New Orleans.
OVERSEAS NEW ORLEANS
(Maritime Overseas), June 3—Chair
man Sonny Pinkham, Se<;retary
Daniel Brown, Educational Director
Gerald Daley, Deck Delegate
Pasquale Giorgilli, Engine Delegate
Jim Skuhna, Steward Delegate
Marco Guity. Chairman announced
contract negotiations in process. He
encouraged members to stay aware of
maritime politics and elect repre
sentatives who support U.S. mer
chant seamen. Secretary reminded
members to rqad Seafarers LOG.
Educational director urged members
to upgrade skills at Paul Hall Center.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported TV in lounge needs
repair. Crew gave vote of thanks to gal
ley gang and observed moment of
silence for departed union brothers and
sisters. Next port: Newington, N.H.
OVERSEAS NEW ORLEANS
(Maritime Overseas), June 24—
Chairman Sonny Pinkham,
Secretary Daniei Brown, Education
al Director Gerald Daley, Deck
Union Support
When the OM/Leacferstopped off
in Boston, SlU member Robert
Duncan had a chance to catch up
on union business.
Delegate Pasquale Giorgilli, Engine
Delegate Jim Skuhna, Steward
Delegate Marco Guity. Chairman
reported telephone conversation
regarding contract negotiations with
Assistant Vice President Tony Sacco,
Chairman discussed contract exten
sion with crewmembers. Educational
director urged members to utilize
Paul Hall Center. No Ireefs of dis
puted OT reported. Crew reminded
of dress code for meal time. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment for outstanding job. Crew con
gratulated scholarship recipients and
observed moment of silence for
departed brothers and sisters. Next
port: Pascagoula, Miss.
OVERSEAS OHIO (Maritime Over
seas), June 13—Chairman George
Schuj, Secretary Earl Gray, Educa
tional Director D. Bautista, Deck
Delegate Larry Lee, Engine '
Delegate R J. Butoh, Steward
Delegate Robert Gilliam. Chairman
announced payoff upon arrival in
Long Beach, Calif. Secretary
reminded members that it is time to
consider upgrading at Piney Point.
Educational director discussed ad
vantages of upgrading at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew congratulated deck
department for excellent job painting
ship. Crew gave vote of thanks to gal
ley gang for job very well done.
OVERSEAS WASHINGTON
(Maritime Overseas), June 13—
Chairinan J. H. Lewis, Secretary R.
Miller, Educational Director L«
Cope, Deck Delegate Glen
Thompson, Engine Delegate Scott
Wilkirtson, Steward Delegate Thur-
man Johrtson. Chairman announced
arrival in port. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew gave vote of
thanks to galley gang for job well
done and clean area.
flOFE/? (Vulcan Carriers), June 6—
Chairman Dennis Brown, Deck
Delegate Jori Williams, Engine
Delegate Danny Thoma^, Steward
Delegate Leslie Davis. Chairman an-
noimced fax sent to union notifying
of arrival date. Educational director
encouraged members to upgrade
skills at Lundeberg School. Treasurer
reported $50 in ship's fund. Disputed
OT reported by engine and steward
delegates. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by deck delegate. Crew gave
steward department letter of apprecia
tion for excellent work. Next port:
New York.
SEA-LAND ANCHORAGE (Sea-
Land Service), June 23—Chairman
G. Walker, Secretary J. Wright,
Educational Director K. Bertei, Deck
Continued on pt^e 21
• V^' . • '
SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 21
Ships Digest
Continued from page 20
1.. :. ••-•
. <v..: •
Delegate Thomas Luketich, Engine
Delegate Alan Hansen, Steward
Delegate William Bryley. Chairman
announced payoff upon arrival in
Tacoma, Wash. He reminded all
crewmembers to check with boarding
patrolman and those signing off to
please leave room clean with fresh
linens. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Chairman asked crewmem
bers to keep recreation and laundry
rooms clean. Crew gave vote of
thanks to galley gang.
SEA-LAND A TLANTIC (Sea-Land
Service), June 20—Chairman Calvin
James, Secretary F.Costango, Educa
tional Director Kevin DeSue, Deck
Delegate James Rush. Chairman an
nounced results of captain' s sanitary
inspection were good. He thanked
crew for good job. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department.
Secretary reported fresh stores will be
received in Charleston, S.C. Educa
tional director urged members to use
facilities at Piney Point to upgrade
skills. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received in Rotterdam. Crew
requested new washing machine,
VCR, chairs and two vacuum
cleaners.
SEA-LAND CHALLENGER (Sea-
Land Service), June 13—Chairman
Roy Williams, Secretary H. Scypes,
Educational Director Ronald Smith.
Chairman reported ship just out of
shipyard in Norfolk, Va. He reported
payoff in Elizabeth, N.J. Secretary
reported dishwasher; coffee maker,
refngerator and pantry sprinkler need
repairs. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
SEA-LAND HA WAII (Sea-Land
Service), June 20—Chairman James
Carter, Secretary J. Jones, Educa
tional Director D.G. Gordios. Chair
man announced with the threat of
going foreign flag, it is important to
contribute to SPAD. He reported ap
plications for Lundeberg School avail
able. Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for good food.
Next port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), June 27—Chair
man Greg Hamilton, Secretary P.
Schulz, Educational Director Ray
Machaj, Deck Delegate M. Santana,
Engine Delegate Melvin Layner.
Chairman discussed importance of
fire safety and awareness. Secretary
discussed garbage and agricultural
laws. Educational director reminded
members to read Seafarers LOGs and
donate to SPAD. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew asked con
tracts department to look into
lowering retirement age for all
Seafarers to age 55. Crew thanked
galley gang for job well done.
SEA-LAND LIBERATOR (Sea-
Land Service), June 13—Chairman
Charles Herrera, Secretary G.F.
Thomas, Educational Director D.F.
Dean. Chairman requested patrolman
to meet vessel prepared for union
business. Crew discussed movie fund
contributions. Crew discussed pur
chasing bicycles and new lounge sofa
with fund. Educational director
reminded members to upgrade at
Piney Point when possible. Steward
delegate asked contracts department to
clarify paying of early meals and extra
meals to non-crew people in port.
Crew asked contracts department to
look into improved optical benefits.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND NA VIGATOR (Sea-
Land Service), June 20—Chairman
Werner Becher, Secretary J. Or
tega, Educational Director Walter
Stevens, Deck Delegate Ken Hagar,
Engine Delegate Robert Zurfluh,
Steward Delegate Virgilio Hofimann.
Chairman reported no new information
received fiom headquarters regarding
contract negotiations. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Next port: Tacoma,
Wash.
SEA-LAND PACIFIC (Sea-Land
Service), June 28—Chairman H. Gif-
ford. Secretary R. Mathews, Educa
tional Director Steve Bigelow.
Treasurer reported $40 in movie fund
and $90 in ship's fund. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Due to dif
ference in schedules of watch
Know Your Rights
FINANCIAL REPORTS.
The constitution of the SIU At
lantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland
Waters District makes specific
provision for safeguarding the
membership's money and union
finances. The constitution re-:
quires a detailed audit by cer
tified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to
the membership by the secretary-
treasurer. A yearly finance com
mittee of raiik-and-file members,
elected by the membership, each
year examines the finances of the
union and reports fully their find
ings and recommendations. Mem
bers of this committee may make
dissenting reports, specific recom
mendations 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 trus
tees in charge of these funds shall
equally consist of union and
management representatives and
their alternates. All expenditures
and disbursements of trust funds
are made only upon approval by
a majority of the trustees. All
trust fund financial records are
available at the headquarters of
the various trust funds.
SHIPPING RIGHTS. A
member's shipping rights and
seniority are protected exclusive
ly by contracts^ between the union
and the employers. Members
should get to know their shipping
rights. Copies of these contracts
are posted and available in all
union halls. If members believe
there have been violations of
their shipping or seniority rights
as contained in the contracts be
tween the union and the
employers, thdy should notify the
Seafarers Appeals Board by cer
tified mail, return receipt re
quested. The proper address for
this is;
Augustin Tellez, Chairman
Seafarers Appeals Board
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Full copies of contracts as
referred to are available to mem
bers at all times, either by writing
directly to the union or to the
Seafarers Appeals Board.
CONTRACTS. Copies of
all SIU contracts are available in
all SIU halls. These contracts
specify the wages and conditions
under which an SIU member
works and hves aboard a ship or
boat. Members should know their
contract rights, as well as their
obligations, such as filing for over
time (OT) on the proper sheets and
in the proper manner. If, at any
time, a member believes that an
SIU patrolman or other union offi
cial fails to protect their contractual
rights properly, he or she should
contact the nearest SIU port agent.
EDITORIAL POLICY —
THE SEAFARERS LOG. The
standers and day workers, crew asked
contracts department to look into
having separate rooms for members
of engine department.
SEA-LAND PATRIOT(Sea-Land
Service), June 26—Chairman R.F.
Garcia, Secretary J. Russell, Educa
tional Director J.F. Hagner. Chair
man reported contract extension.
Chairman discussed foreign flag
issue and urged crewmembers to
write representatives asking the
government to give merchant fleet
tax incentives and help keep U.S. ves
sels U.S. flagged. Educational direc
tor announced Lundeberg School
class schedule posted and encouraged
members to upgrade skills. He
reminded members that SPAD helps
contribute to keeping U.S. ships
under U.S. flag and everyone needs
to do their part. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Chairman reminded
crewmembers to clean up after them
selves. He also reminded crew not to
put empty coffee pot back on hot
burner. Next port: Wilmington, Calif.
SEA-LAND RELIANCE (Sea-Land
Service), June 17—Chairman R. Me-
Gonagle, Secretary G.Sivley, Educa
tional Director A. Jaramillo, Deck
Delegate Michael Anderson, Engine
Delegate Leon Fountain, Steward
Delegate L. Acosta. Chairman
reminded crewmembers to wear
safety gear on deck and thanked them
for smooth trip. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department for job
well done. Next port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND SPIRIT (Sea-Land Ser
vice), June 6—Chairman Rafael Cle-
mente, Secretary Steve Apodaca,
Educational Director Charles Hen
ley, Deck Delegate Theodore Doi,
Engine Delegate C. Mendeiros,
Steward Delegate Frank Maliga. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew
asked contracts department to look
into wage and manning increases for
new contract Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department for job
well done. Next port: Honolulu.
SEALIFTA TLANTIC (IMC), June
26—Chairman John NefF, Secretary
R. Catahan, Educational Director
Michael Parker. Educational direc-
Seafarers LOG traditionally has
refrained from publishing any ar
ticle serving the political pur
poses of any individual in the
union, officer or member. It also
has refrained from publishing arr
tides deemed harmful to the
union or its collective member
ship. This established policy has
been reaffirmed by membership
action at the September 1960
meetings in all constitutional
ports. The responsibility for
Seafarers LOG policy is vested
in an editorial board which con
sists of the executive board of
the union. The executive board
may delegate, from among its
ranks, one individual to carry
out this responsibility.
PAYMENT OF MONIES.
No monies are to be paid to anyone
in any official capacity in the SIU
unless an official union receipt is
given for same. Under no cir
cumstances should any member
jay any money for any reason un-
ess he is given such receipt. In the
event anyone attempts to require
any such payment be made without
supplying a receipt, or if a member
is required to make a payment and
is given an official receipL but feels
that he or she should not have been
required to make such payment,
this should immediately be
reported to union headquarters.
CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS AND OBLIGA
TIONS. Copies of the SIU con
stitution are available in all union
Meeting Aboard USNS Capella
During a recent stopover in Jacksonvilie, Fla., crewmembers gathered
in the mess room of the USNS Capella for a shipboard meeting.
Pictured above are (from left) Paul Pagano, Mike Shappo, James
ilin. Jordan and Joe Conlii
tor urged memljers to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Deck delegate discussed im
portance of separating plastic from
other garbage. Chairman reminded
crewmembers to work as teams in
crew mess area.
THOMPSON PASS (lOM), June
24—Chairman Jim Colson,
Secretary D. Bergeson, Educational
Director Joe Walker, Deck Delegate
Muhsin Ali, Engine Delegate
Ahmed Yahmed, Steward Delegate
Larry Lopez. Chairman thanked
company for new washing machine.
Secretary reminded members impor
tance of upgrading at Piney Point.
Deck delegate reported disputed OT.
No beefs or disputed OT by engine or
steward delegates. Crewmembers
reported spotting 60 foot albino
whale with pink eyes off coast of
Vancouver Island.
l/Lr/?/lSEA(SealiflInc.), June 13—
Chairman Jim Dawson, Secretary
W. Williams. Chairman reported TV
antenna has been repaired and crew
can once again enjoy TV while in
port. Treasurer reported $56 in ship's
fiind. Deck delegate complimented
galley gang on excelleht meals. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Chair
man asked crew to keep noise down
and radios off while in passageway
because people are asleep at different
times. Next port: Haifa, Israel.
USNS WILKES (Bay Ship Manage
ment), June 18—Chairman R. Skip
Yager, Secretary K. Dougherty,
Educational Director C.J. Brown.
Chairman reported everything run
ning smoothly and notes good
cooperation between all departments.
Educational director urged crew to
take advantage of upgrading and
educational opportunities available at
Paul Hall Center. Treasurer reported
$239 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Steward depart
ment asked for crew cooperation in
not walking on newly waxed decks.
Crew gave vote of thanks to Chief
Cook Doug Swets and Cook/Baker
K. Rohy.
WESTWARD VENTURE (lOM),
June 29—Chairman M.W. Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Robert Ohler.
Chairman reported telex received
firtm company regarding two-month
extension of contract. Chairman
reminded crew to keep noise down
and reported ice machine parts will
be on board upon arrival in Tacoma,
Wash. He also asked crewmembers
to return dishes to pantry.
halls. All members should obtain
copies of this constitution so as to
familiarize themselves with its
contents. Any time a member
feels any other member or officer
is attempting to deprive him or
her of any constitutional right or
obligation by any methods, such
as dealing with charges, trials,
etc., as well as all other details,
the member so affected should
immediately notify headquarters.
EQUAL RIGHTS. All
members are guaranteed equal
rights in employment and as
members of the SIU. These rights
are clearly set forth in the SIU
constitution and in the contracts
which the union has negotiated
with the employers. Consequent
ly, no member may be dis
criminated against because of
race, creed, color, sex, national or
geographic origin. If any member
feels that he or she is denied the
equal rights to which he or she is
entitled, the member should
notify union headquarters.
SEAFARERS POLITI
CAL ACTIVITY DONATION
— SPAD. SPAD is a separate
segregated fund. Its proceeds are
used to further its objects and
purposes including, but not
limited to, furthering the politi
cal, social and economic interests
of maritime workers, the preser
vation and furthering of the
American merchant marine with
improved employment oppor
tunities for seamen and boatmen
and the advancement of trade
union concepts. In connection
with such objects, SPAD sup
ports and contributes to political
candidates for elective office.
All contributions are voluntary.
No contribution may be solicited
or received because of force. Job
discrimination, financial
reprisal, or threat of such con
duct, or as a condition of mem
bership in the union or of
employment. If a contribution is
made by reason of the above im
proper conduct, the member
should notify the Seafarers Inter
national Union or SPAD by cer
tified mail within 30 days of the
contribution for investigation
and appropriate action and
refund, if involuntary. A mem
ber should support SPAD to
protect and further his or her
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 or she
has been denied the constitution
al right of access to union records
or information, the member
should immediately notify SIU
President Michael Sacco at
headquarters by certified mail,
return receipt requested. The ad
dress is:
Michael Sacco, President
Seafarers International Union
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746.
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22 SEJ^MERSLOG SEFIEMBER1B93
Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
Trainee Lifeboat Class 513—Graduating from trainee lifeboat class 513 are (from left, kneeling)
Michael Pedersen, Jo Doris Stinnett, Michael Johnson, Michael Maddox, Nigel Talley, Stephen Walsh,
Marshall Turner, (second row) Jack Caffey III, Michael Woodman, Damon Mathews, Miguel A. Carmona
Jr., Warren Moore, Emmitt Sykes, Jimmy Hesson Jr., Michael Natoli, (third row) Ben Cusic (instructor),
John McClinton, Anthony Jacbbson, Brian Gaffigan • Richard Smetana and Philip Britt.
Advanced Firefighting—Upgrading members completing
the advanced firefighting course are (from left, front row) Byran
Cummings (instructor), Willie Marsh, Debra Gardiner, Harry Nar
rower, Fred Caltabiano, (second row) Richard Butrim, William Burns,
David Wigley, (third row) Mary Brayman and Warren Blankenship.
QMED—Graduating on June 23 as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) are (from
left, seated) Michael DiAngelo, John Osburn, Peter Sternberg, Thomas Keseru, Burdette Smart, Brian
Monnerjahn, Tracy Hill, Scott Duckworth, Jeffrey Murray, (second row) DiMarko Shoulders, Pasquale
Gazillo, Bert Voto-Bemales, Mark Aimer, Michael Ribeiro, Eric Millsap, Kevin Twiford, Neil Carter, John
Fleming, John Kasbarian, William Scott, (third row) Peter Littman, Richard Metcalf, Brian Collins, Richard
Davis, Martin Allred, Eron Hall, Edward Louis, Erik Larka and Ralph Gosnell. Not pictured are Tedd Avey,
John Groom and Christine Cameal.
Pumproom Maintenance and Operations—Complet
ing this engine department course are (from left, first row) John
Parkhurst, William Parker, Sellers Brooks, Riley Donahue, Steven Hos-
kins, (second row) Kelly Davis, Cail Montoya, Russ Levin (instructor)
and Robert Rudd.
Fireman, Oiler, Watertender—^Working their way up the engine departmnet ratings are (from left,
kneeling) Duane Werda, Carolyn ThifaulL Glynn Courson, Scott Fuller, Celina Butler, Jeffery Roddy, Felipe
Clotter, (second row) Greg Garrett, Kevin Cooper, Beckett Young, Stephen Walters, Gene Whellis, George
ow)Jeffer,
Irew Vanbourg.
Beavers, Cromwell Henderson, Gary Winter, Daniel Weaver, (third row)Jeffery Willis, Ronald Pheneuf, David
Bowles, Lonnie Matthews and J.C. Wiegman (instructor). Not pictured is Andre
Radar—Renewing their radar endorsements on July 14 are (from
left) Jake Karaczynski (instructor), Tom Culpepper, Hans Wethal, Jon
Weirauch, Lyie McCorison, Ray Femandez and Thomas Tinsley.
Celestial Navigation—Graduating from the
celestial navigation course in June are (from left, kneel
ing) Ralph Race, Dennis Goodwin, Charlotte Winstead,
Jon Weirauch, Don Filoni, (second row) Jim Brown (in
structor), Mike Payne, VVarren Blankenship, Hans
Wethal, Walter Taulman and Matthew Holley.
Upgraders Lifeboat—Certificates of training were
received by the June 29 class of upgraders. They are (from
left, kneeling) William Begendorf, Erwin Arellano, Charlotte
Winstead, David Gannoun, Ben Cusic (instructor), (second
row) Ronnie Davis, Oswald Stoiber, Suzanne Van Schoor,
Sah/atore Tomeo and Enrique Garrido,
Refngeration Systems— Upgrading memtiers of
the engine department completing the refrigeration systems
cpurse are (from left, front row) John K. Halim, Bruce Zenon,
Rex Solin, Matthew Doherty, (second row) Sean Nicholson,
Kevin Conklin, (third row) Pompey Alegado, Jerome
Kirstein, Paul Patterson and J.C. Wiegman (instructor).
• f
SEPTEMBER 1993
•m^
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LWUDEBERG SCHOm.
The following is the current course schedule for classes beginning between
September and December 1993 at the Seafarers Hairy Lundeberg School of
Seamanship located at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education
in piney Point, Md. All programs are geared to improve job skills of Seafarers and
to promote the American maritime industry.
The course sc^ may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the
maritime industiy and—in times of conflict—the nation's security.
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
AhleSeamui September 13 October 22
November 8 December 17
Shipbandibig^ September 27 ^
l^ovemberS November 19
Ratia September 20 September 24
November 1 Novembers
November 22 Decmitiierl7
October 11
Novembers
December b
October 22
Nbi^mberl9
De<%mberl7
Septemlnert
November 2
Septemlrerl?
November 12
Sealift Operations & Maintenance October 25 November 19
m mm m mm
UPGRADING APPLKATIOM
Name Date of Birth
Address
(UW) (Fin#) (Middle) Monlh/Day/Year
(SUeel)
(CSly) (Stale) (Zip Code)
.Telephone _£
(AreaCbde)
Deep Sea Memberd Lakes MemberQ Inland Waters MemberE] Pacified
If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not
be processed.
Social Security # — Book #
Seniority Department
U.S. Citizen: DVes • No Home Port.
Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held
Are you a graduate of the SHLSS trainee program?
If yes, which program: from to .
n Yes Id No
Last grade of school completed
Have you attended any SHLSS upgrading courses?
If yes, course(s) taken.
• Yes GNO
Have you taken any SHLSS Sealift Operations courses? GYes G NO
If yes, how many weeks have you completed?.
Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement?
n Yes GNO Firefighting: G Yes GNO CPR:GYes QNO
Date available for training
Primary language spoken —— —-—
1,
SEAFARERS LOG 23
RacmMkMtmProigrams
I ^
Course
i ,
tsL- •
Cbeck-ln
Date
Complethin
Date
Bosun Recertiflcation October 4 November 8
-
4" "• .. '
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Course
Cbeck-In
Date
Completioil
Date
AsslstantCool^
ChleTCmi^ ChMSietill^
Ail open-ended (contact adrai^Bipil^
oilice for starti%^tes)
All open-ended («mbetadiijytes^^
office fSor starting datm)
^urse
Chedk-ln
Ihde
Cmtipletlmi
Dale
FirenianAVatertender and Ctiler Septemlrer 27 . November 5
Ail stiiderusjlmst take the Oil Spill Prevention and Conkdnmera cla^
Pumproom Maint & Operations . Novembers Decmnberl7
Marine Electrical Maintenance n September 13 October 22
':<.OdMtaHr22
' ; '.
: U' :
Marine Electronics Technician II November 8
Hydraulics
mding
Novembers
D^nd)erl7
Stq^mnber 13 October 8 ;
November 22 December!^
October 25 November 19
1
1992 Adillt IdiN^^
The following courses are available through the Seafarers Hany Lundeberg
SclmoL Please contact the adinissions office for emoIbnern infiDrmation.
•'Cwiilsej
Oieck-bi
Date
Completion
Date
High School Equivalmicy (GED) All open-^nded
Adult Basic Education (ABE) (contact admissions office for startims
English as a Second Language (ESL) dat^)
With this application COPIES of your discharges must be submitted showing sufficient
time to qualify yourself for the course(s) requested. You also must submit a COPY of
each of the following: the first page of your union book indenting your department
and seniority, your clinic card the from and back of your Lundeberg School
identification card listing die course(s)you have taken and completed TheAdnissions
Office WILL NOT scfmbde you until all of the above are received
RATING DATE DATEOF
VESSEL HELD SHIFFED DISCHARGE
SIGNATURE. .DATE.
I am interested in the following
courts) checked below or indicated
here if not listed
DECK
• AB/Sealift
• 1st Class PUot
D Third Mate
• Radar Observer Unlimited
• Master Inspected Towing
Vessel
D Towboat Operator Inland
• Celestial Navigation
D Simulator Course
D Marine Electrical
Maintenance
• Pumpmm Maintenance ft
Operation
Q Refrigeration Systems
Maintenance ft Operation
• Diesel Engine Technology
O Assistant Engineer/CTiief
Engineer Motor Vessel
Original 3idEngiiieer Steam
or Motor
Refrigerated Containers
Advanced Maintenance
Q Electro-Hydraulic Systems
Q Automation
D Hydraulics
• Marine Electronics
Technician
•
•
ALLDK>ARTMENTS
• Welding
O Lifeboatman (must be taken
with anodier course)
n Oil Si^l Prevention ft
Contaimnent
D Basic/Advanced
' Rre Fighting
• Sealift
ENGINE
• FOWT
D QMED—^Any Rating
• Variable Speed DC Drive
Systems (Marine Electronics)
STEWARD
• Assistant Cook Utility
n <3ook and Baker
• ChiefCook
• diief Steward
• Towboat Inland Cook
ADULT EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
D Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Q Hi^ School Equivalency
Program (GED)
• Developmental Studies (DVS)
O English as a Second
Language (ESL)
• ABE/ESLUfeboat
Preparation
COLLEGE PROGRAM
D Associate in Alts Degree
Tn rtaMonwOI be fM In acconlaiice with IhtidwdBMiit tetter only If yoopretnt original rtcelpli and succtadWayteM-
pkte the course. If you have any qaathmt, contact your port afcat brfore dcparliiii for Phiey Pstat
RETURN COMPLETED APPUCATION TO: LBiidel>eitD|itraili«C(al«r. P.O. Bon 75, Plmy Flow, MD MC74.
*93
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SEAmKERS
Volume 55, Number 9 September 1993
Where will you be in
December for the holidays?
Whether at sea or ashore,
Seafarers can send holiday
messages to their loved ones
through the LOG.
See page 17.
^Brotherhood of the Sea^ Comes Through for Seafarers
SIU Launch Operators Rescue 11 Boatmen
After Collision Sets off Pre-Dawn Blasts
Seafarers Stephen Jean and
Robert Layton were getting
ready to end a long night of work
shuttling pilots across Tampa Bay
on the launch boat Manatee.
It was Layton's fourth day
with the Tampa Bay Pilots As
sociation and his first night duty
with his training partner. The duo
were walking down the sidewalk
toward the fishing pier at Fort De-
Spto State Park where the launch
was tied when Jean saw an
orange glow in the pre-dawn
darkness just before 6 a.m. on
August 10.
"What is that?" Jean wondered
aloud to Layton. About then, the
two heard an explosion and the
question was answered.
An outbound foreign-flag
freighter had collided with two
incoming tug/barges, setting off a
series of explosions on the
second—the SlU-crewed
Maritrans tug Seafarer and barge
Ocean 255.
Jean was dispatching the
association's night launches
which are operated by SIU mem
bers. He knew Michael Allen
was standing by on the launch
Egmont near the Egmont Key
lighthouse to pick up the pilot
aboard the freighter Balsa 37.
"I knew there were three ships
in the area and there was trouble,"
Jean told a reporter for the
Seafarers LOG.
Heard Anxious Voices
Jean radioed die Coast Guard
that an accident occurred before
he and Layton raced down the
fishing pier to the Manatee.
Meanwhile, Allen said he heard
"urgency in the voices" between
two boats on the radio and looked
up to see the first explosion. Like
Jean and Layton, Allen took off
immediately for the scene.
The Manatee and Egmont ar
rived at approximately the same
time, within minutes of the initia
blast. While the launches raced to
the scene, the Ocean 255 began a
series of explosions. The barge
was loaded with 235,000 barrels
of jet fuel, oil and gasoline.
As Allen explained it, "We
gathered our wits and went about
looking for survivors.
Jean guided the Manatee up
wind and Allen took the Egmont
the opposite way to look for any
mariners in the water. About the
same time, the Balsa 37 appeared
through the wall of smoke and
flames. The Philippine-flagged
ship was headed for anchorage.
As Jean took the Manatee
closer with Layton standing
watch on the bow, the jet fuel on
the Ocean 255 exploded. "We
were 600 to 700 yards away when
it went," Jean recalled. "It sent a
mushroom cloud 2,000 feet in the
air. I thought all the windows on
my boat would shatter."
Gap in Flames
Inunediately after the blast,
Layton spotted three glow-sticks
shining in the water. Jean
maneuvered closer and the two
began rescuing the crew of the
Seafarer.
"As we got the first three, we
saw more swimming toward us,"
Jean said. "All of the water was
on fire; jet fuel was everywhere.
But there was this gap in the
flames at the stern [of the
Seafarer]. It was like God opened
it up to let them out. Otherwise,
they would have been trapped and
burned to death."
Jean and Layton rescued all 11
members aboard the Seafarer, in
cluding a 10-year-old boy who
was sailing with his father, the
tug's engineer. While all of them
SIU members I
crew of the tug Seafarer and barge
AP by Huy Nguyen (The St. Petersburg nrnes)
ten Jean shoved off from the pier in the bottom right to rescue the
?an 255burning in Tampa Bay.
lad the strength to swim beyond
the flames, severd were not able
o climb aboard the boat. Jean ̂ d
Layton provided the extra hands
that brought them to safety.
All were exhausted, Jean said,
)ut no one was seriously injured.
Once he verified the entire crew
lad been picked up, he called the
Coast Guard as well as Allen on
the Egmont and set sail for Eg
mont Key to provide the crew of
the Seafarer with warmth and
shelter until medical help ar
rived.
investigation Continues
The cause of the accident has
not been released as the Coast
AP by Peter Cosgrove
The Philippine-flagged Balsa 37can be seen to the right below the smoke pouring from the tug Seafarer
and barge Ocean 255 following a collision in Tampa Bay on August 10. All 11 crewmeml)ers from the
tug/barge were plucked from the water by SlU-crewed pilot's launch Manatee.
Guard is continuing its investiga
tion. However, news reports im
mediately following the accident
stated the Balsa 37, a 400-foot
freighter, was outbound from Port
Manatee when it struck the non
union Capf. Fred Bouchard with
Barge B155 and the Seafarer with
barge Ocean 255. Only the crew
of the Seafarer was forced to
abandon ship.
The Balsa 37 was run aground
after it began taking on water. The
Bouchard came to rest a little
more than a mile inbound from
the collision with the barge leak
ing No. 6 ftiel oil, which was Con
tained before it damaged an
environmentally sensitive area.
The Ocean 255 was allowed to
bum out near Fort DeSoto Park.
Because of the intensity of the
flames and heat, salvage crews
could not uncouple the tug
Seafarer from the barge until the
day after the accident.
Allen, 24, said he had been
part of search-and-rescue mis
sions when he was a member of
the Coast Guard. "1 had helped
with small boat fires, but notldng
like this," noted the three-year
veteran with the pilots.
The 38-year-old Jean grew up
on nearby St. Petersburg Beach.
He sailed as a commercial fisher
man for 15 years before signing
on with the pilots association just
over two-and-a-half years ago.
"That was a first for me and
plenty to last me my lifetime," he
said. "But if someone is in the
water, you go get them. I'd expect
the same if 1 was there."
Help Locate This Missing Miiid
The National Center for
Missing and Exploited
Children has asked the
Seafarers International Union
to assist them in locating
Amanda Marie Escobedo.
Amanda Marie Escobedo
The child was abducted by
her non-custodial mother, Ar-
lene Renea Ervin, on August
23,1991 from Olympia, Wash.
A felony warrant for custodial
interference has been issued in
her name.
Amanda Escobedo was six
years old at the time of her
disappearance. The brown-
haired, brown-eyed girl was 4
feet tall and weighed 50
pounds.
Anyone having information
on the whereabouts of Amanda
Marie Escobedo should con
tact the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children
at (800) 843-5678 or the Miss
ing Persons Unit of the Renton
(Wash.) Police Department at
(206)277-6236.
'-^i.-^.^-;.,'-.'-.:; •:•^'••
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pi.
STANDARD FREIGHTSHlP/>
between
Ray McKay, who passed away August 9, is shown speaking at
the dedication of the Paul Hail Center for Maritime Training
and Education in 1991.
Ray McKay,
AMO Head,
Dies at 68
Raymond T. McKay, president of AMO-Dlstrict 2
MEBA, who guided his organization to a position
of strength in the U.S. maritime industry, passed
away August 9. A forward-looking trade unionist,
McKay had a long and close working relationship
with the SlU going back more than 40 years.
Atlantic, -
The SlU has negotiated a new
three-year standard contract with
the shipowners group, the
American Maritime Association,
that will be presented for approval
to SlU members this month
• Paged
Paged
1993
STANDARD TANKER AGREEMENT
bclwecii
WON
Lakes and Inland Waters District. AFL-CIO
and
Contracted Companies
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SEPTEMBER 1993
President's Report
Our 'Economic and Strategic Future'
Representing more than 80 trade unions made up of more
than 14 million members, the AFL-CIO serves as the voice of
working people in the United States. The
AFL-CIO has long held that a strong, viable
U.S.-fleet is a good thing for America's
economic and security interests and as such
is a good thing for American workers.
So when the AFL-CIO Executive Council
met last month in Chicago, it issued a state
ment on the subject of the future of U.S.
shipping that did not mince words. "The
U.S. government appears to be on the verge
of dismantling what remains of the
American merchant marine," opened the
statement adopted by the full council,
is in chaos," the statement charged.
Michael Sacco
licy
CIO statement, adopted unanimously by the coun-
"Maritime po
The AFL-(
cil which is made up of 33 international union presidents and
the AFL-CIO's president and secretary-treasurer, urged Con
gress and the Clinton administration to choose a course "that
will not only preserve but rebuild a strong maritime industry
that is so essential to the nation's economic and strategic fu
ture."
Moreover AFL-CIO support for the American merchant
marine casts a different light on the issue. The labor federation
speaks for working Americans, no matter their occupation—
teachers, construction workers, actors and actresses, health care
employees, workers in manufacturing and mining, among
others. When the AFL-CIO says America must have a mer
chant fleet, it is speaking for millions of Americans who have
no direct connection with the maritime industry. But those
Americans do have a stake in an America that is not dependent
for her strategic interests on uncertain allies. Those Americms
do have a stake in an America that has a U.S.-flag presence in
international shipping trades, thereby ensuring the nation's
economic security.
The AFL-CIO recognizes the essentiality of a U.S.-flag fleet
to the nation's interests. It is high time those entrusted with the
nation's public policy do the same. Insofar as the Seafarers is
concerned, we will be doing everything within our power to
make sure that policy-makers at all levels recognize that the
world's largest trading nation is only an independent super-
>ower as long as the Stars and Stripes is firmly planted on the
lighseas.
The Loss of Ray McKay
We in the SIU are going to miss Ray McKay, a man with
whom Seafarers enjoyed an intimate trade union relationship
for decades. Brother McKay's death last month is a severe
blow for everyone who cares about the American merchant
marine—seamen and shipowners alike. He was a man who
never gave up on the U.S. merchant marine. His union's for
ward looking training program is testimony to his determina
tion to keep the U.S. flag on the high seas.
He was a man who never accepted defeat. He always
planned for tomorrow. Brother McKay was a wonderful guy to
be fighting alongside of.
It will be a long time—if ever—that we see his likes come
our way again. But we can be comforted by the satisfaction of
having known and worked with him—that he was one of ours.
He leaves a solid legacy and great memories for those of us
who had the advantage of comradeship with him. We will al
ways respect his memory.
MSC Head Inspects Union's Training Facility
Vice Admiral Michael Kalleres, head of the Military Seallft Com
mand, meets an englneroom upgrader during his visit to the Paul
Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education on July 23.
Kalleres also toured the union's manpower facility and shipfiandling
simulator, as well as talked with Seafarers during his visit.
Senate Panel Told That Re-Hagging
Will Cost Nation Mere Than Dollars
A Senate subcommittee heard
testimony from maritime labor
and shipping representatives as
well as a fellow senator that im
mediate attention from the Clin
ton administration is needed to
keep the U.S. flag flying on con-
tainerships belonging to Sea-
Land and American President
Lines (APL).,
The Senate Merchant Marine
Subcommittee called the August
5 hearing after the two SlU-con-
tracted companies filed applica
tions during the summer with the
Maritime Administration
(MarAd) to transfer 20 vessels
(13 from Sea-Land and- seven
from APL) to a foreign-flag
registry. The two companies had
been threatening to make such a
move since early 1992 unless a
national maritime policy was
enacted.
Appearing as the first witness.
Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-
Md.) began the attacks on the
American companies' registering
their vessels offshore. "I am ap
palled at the idea of our leading
shipping companies re-flagging
under a foreign flag," Mikulsia
told the panel. "I am, frankly, ap
prehensive at the idea that the
next time our country is called to
war, we will be dependent upon
some other country's goodwill to
carry our troops and our weapons
to the conflict."
'Wake-Up Cair
The senator stated she wanted
"to send a wake-up call to the
president, the secretary of
defense and the secretary of
transportation. I do not believe we
can afford to let this vital industry
sail off into the sunset."
She called on the administra
tion to offer a plan that would
ensure a U.S.-flag reserve fleet
or military purposes, provide dif-
erential payments for U.S.-flag
shipping companies to compen
sate for milita^ reserve functions
and protect the jobs of thousands
of American merchant mariners.
"Everyone is talking about
reinventing government and I
think it might be time to reinvent
the merchant marine," Mikulski
told the panel. "We need to be
able to have the flexibility to be
able to respond around the world,
even if it's for peacekeeping, for
delivery of humanitarian help and
any number of other things."
Costs to Country Mount
She was joined in opposition
to the re-flagging effort by SIU
President Michael Sacco. He
pointed out the cost to the country
if the 20 ships are re-flagged.
"The result will be hundreds of
jobs that will be lost, a major
reduction in our nation's strategic
sealift capability, a reduced
American presence in ports
around the world, a loss of tax
revenues and a worsening of our
foreign trade deficit," Sacco told
the subcommittee.
"Maritime assets are more
than just a collection of ships.
They are also people—highly
skilled people, adept at the spe
cialized nature of their craft, who
by virtue of their citizenship and
professional conunitment offer
unquestioned loyalty to their
country.
"Certainly the military views
its crewmembers as an integral
component of its overall strength.
So too should ship operators,"
Sacco stated.
From left, listening to testimony during the hearing are Sens. Trent
Lott (R-Mlss.) and John Breaux (D-La.).
The uniort president continued
by saying such a re-flagging
move could not be viewed as just
a private business decision. "It is
very much the business of the
public, and bad business at that."
Joining Sacco at the witness
table were Timothy Brown, presi
dent of the International Or
ganization of Masters, Mates and
Pilots; Gordon Ward, president of
District No. 1 PCD Marine En
gineers Beneficial Association;
and Jerome Joseph, executive
vice president of the American
Maritime Officers, District 2-
MEBA.
Merchant Fleet Needed
In opening the hearing.
Senator John Breaux (D-La.), die
subcommittee chairman, noted
that "every flag officer that I have
spoken to over the past 20 years
has acknowledged the impor
tance of the U.S.-flag commercial
fleet to our security. And I con
tinue to hear that from the people
responsible for fighting the wars.
"It's the 'white collared policy
gurus' that don't think we need a
Representing the Clinton ad
ministration tiefore the subcom
mittee Is Joan YIm, the acting
maritime administrator.
commercial fleet and only hope
that ships will somehow appear in
a national emergency," Breaux
added.
The senator acknowledged the
administration's attempts to
reduce the national debt. "While
I appreciate the fiscal restraints
we are operating under, the cost
of saving this vital industry is
negligible. The cost of not saving
it, on the other hand, is tremen
dous," Breaux said.
When industry officials were
asked by the subcommittee why
they were seeking to re-flag their
ships, John Snow, chairman and
chief executive officer of Sea-
Land's parent company CSX,
respond^ "We have no incen
tive under the current system to
invest in the U.S.-flag fleet. We
don't want to re-flag, but we have
no option with our responsibility
to shareholders to take the actions
we are proposing."
American Crews 'Better'
Breaux asked Snow what as
surance Americans will have that
foreign crews will sail into war
zones with supplies for the U.S.
armed forces.
"The only honest answer is
there is no absolute assurance,"
Snow said.
The subcommittee chairman
then asked if American merchant
mariners "are better than those
you will use from foreign
countries."
Continued on pt^e 8
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) praises the U.S. merchant marine's
efforts In recent military conflicts.
Volume 55. Number 9 September 1993
The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is published
monthly by the Seafarers Intemational Union; Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District; AFL-CIO; 5201
Auth Way; Camp Springs, Md. 20746. Telephone (301)
899-0675. Second-class postage paid at MSC Prince
Georges, Md. 20790-9998 and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the
Seafarers LOG. 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Md.
20746. F F 6
Communications Department Director and Editor, Jes
sica Smith; Managing Editor, Daniel Duncan; Associate
Editors, Jordan Biscardo and Corrina Christensen; As
sociate Editor/Production, Deborah A Hirtes; Art, BiU
Brower.
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SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERSLOG 3
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3-Year Standard Pact Announced
Gains in WageSy Out-Patient Care; Pensions Uncapped
A new three-year standard
freightship and tanker contract
embodying beneficial gains in
wages, pensions and medical
benefits as well as certain work
rule changes has been negotiated
by the Seafarers International
Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District.
The agreement, reached last
month with deep sea operators in
the management group known as
the American Maritime Associa
tion, calls for a cumulative base
wage increase of 11 percent over
the next three years and extends
out-patient medical benefits to
the dependents of Seafarers.
The new contract allows the
board of trustees of the Seafarers
Pension Plan to lift the $1,000 per
month maximum limit, paving
the way for higher pensions for
Seafarers who retire in the future
and who meet the eligibility re
quirements of the program.
Under the pact—which covers
the period of June 16, 1993 to
June 15, 1996—the manning
levels currently in force are
retained.
Negotiators for the union and
the companies also addressed is
sues that have come up as a result
of the sweeping regulatory
regime governing tanker opera
tions which was brought about by
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990
(CPA '90). The new contract
calls for an extensive training cur
riculum for Seafarers who sail on
tankers.
In addition to changes brought
about by regulatory concerns, the
union and the company addressed
shipboard work procedures in an
effort to build in flexibility while
maintaining strict safety prac
tices.
The work rule changes in the
new contract increase the ver
satility and skills of Seafarers and
encourage shipowners to have
routine maintenance take place
while the vessel is under navigation
or in operation at a port instead of
having it done in a shipyard.
Membership Contract Vote
The entire contract package
will be presented to Seafarers for
approval during union meetings
held on Tuesday, September 7,
1993. On this day, the pact will be
presented at the regularly
scheduled headquarters meeting
at Piney Point, Md. which begins
at 10:30 a.m. At 1:00 p.m. on the
same day, special meetings on the
contract will be concurrently held
at every union hall.
The pact will also be presented
by boarding union officials to
SIU members on ships calling at
U.S. ports.
Extended Negotiations
While the previous standard
labor agreement with the
American Maritime Association
for both tankers and freightships
expired June 15,1993, the terms
of that contract were extended
through the middle of August by
agreement of both negotiating
parties. The contract talks, which
began in the spring, thus extended
into the summer.
Increased Pensions
Possible
See page 4
In preparing for the negotia
tions, the union carefully
reviewed the contract reconunen-
dations made by Seafarers in
minutes of shipboard union meet
ings, in minutes of monthly mem
bership meetings at the varioiis
halls, in communications to the
contracts department and in ses
sions with Seafarers attending
classes to upgrade their skills at
the Lundeberg School.
The union also culled the sug
gestions raised in a series of con
ferences held in 1991 sponsored
by the Seafarers Plans on the
health care coverage and other
benefits available to Seafarers
and their families.
All the recommendations from
these venues were compiled and
crafted into a bargaining position
for the union as negotiations
began last spring.
Wage increases: 3-4-4
The pact raises base wages 3
percent effective July 1, 1993. A
4 percent increase begins on July
1, 1994 and another 4 percent
raise kicks in on July 1,1995. The
1993 raise is retroactive to July 1
which allows Seafarers who have
sailed on vessels covered by the
standard agreement to apply for
the wage increase back to that
date.
The penalty on-watch rate will
go up 3 percent in the first year of
the contract, effective July 1,
1993. All other Overtime and
penalty rates will remain the same
for the life of the contract.
Vacation time remains at cur
rent levels, but Seafarers will see
higher vacation pay as it is in
dexed to base wages which are
upped under the new agreement.
Included in the pact is a cost-
of-living-adjustment (COLA)
provision for the second and third
years of the agreement. COLA
payments are based on the
Department of Labor Bureau of
Labor Statistics Consumer Price
Index (CPI) which tracks infla
tion in the American economy.
The COLA payment goes into
effect if the CPI rises above 5
percent by a full percentage point.
Fractions betvyeen 5 and 6 percent
can be carried to the next year.
The cost of living adjustment
measured by full percentage
points will be added to the base
wage, premium overtime and off-
watch penalty rates.
Criteria for Registering
In conjunction with the new
contract, the union's shipping
rules have been amended to ̂ ow
a Seafarer to register for shipping
at any union hall without present
ing a drug test certificate or a ben
zene-test certificate. This will
allow a Seafarer to register
without having to wait out the
period of time between taking the
tests and obtaining the results and
clearances.
However, the Seafarer will be
responsible for having proof that
he or she has passed the drug
screening and benzene testing at
the time the job is called and the
Seafarer throws in for the work.
Continued on page 6
Meditml Coverage Extended Per Dependents of Seafarers
The spouses and children of
Seafarers who are employed by
shipping companies that are sig-
nators to the SIU's standard con
tract are eligible for a wide range
of out-patient benefits as a result
of the new three-year pact
negotiated by the union.
During this round of contract
deliberations, the union was
determined to secure out-patient
coverage for dependents because
the membership had sent a strong
and clear message of interest in
this benefit through communica
tions to SIU headquarters and
recommendations at the Seafarers
Plans conferences on benefits.
Negotiated through the stand
ard agreement is an increased
contribution on the part of the
contracted companies which are
signators to the pact to the
Sparer plans.
As a result of these additional
monies, the board of trustees of
the Seafarers medical plan,
known as the Seafarers Welfare
Plan, has voted to put in place a
series of out-patient benefits for
dependents of Seafarers, subject
to all the rules and regulations
Under the New Medical
The benefit of having dependent out-patient care covered for a large
part by the Seafarers Welfare piem can be seen in tire following
examples:
Bosun Joe Smith's wife, Sally, feels sick and has a fever, chest pains
oes to the doctor. The doctor examines her, orders and a rash. She
a chest x-ray, a Blood test and other lab work Including a culture of
the affected area of skin. The doctor gives Sally a prescription, tells
her he will call her and to make an appointment In two weeks to
ensure she is completely recovered. In two Weeks, Sally jreturhe to
the doctor, he examines her and pronounces her reooveiWd.
Here is a breakdown of what would have been covered by the
Seafarers Wei^e Plan prior to this contract and what Is paid now.
^rvice Cost Covered
BySWP
in Past
Covered
BySWP
Now*
1st doctor visit
X-ray
Blood test,
iab work
$65.00
$25.00
$50.00
$0
$0
$0
$52.00
$20.00
$40.00
Chief Cook Diane Brown has a ten-ydar old son. Bill. Bill falls out of
a tree and appears to have injured his arm. Diane rushes him to the
emergency room where he sees a doctor, has x-rays taken of his
arm and is treated for a broken arm. Diane is told to take Bill to their
family physician in a month. As Bill's arm is on the mend, he visits
the family doctor three times. In two of those visits the doctor orders
x-rays. In the third session at the doctor's office, six months after the
initial injury, the physician says Bill's arm is fully repaired and he no
longer needs to be checked for it.
Here is a breakdown of what would have been covered by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan prior to this contract and what is paid now.
Prescription
2nd doctor visit
$10.00
$65.00
$0
$0
$0.00
$52.00
* The Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover out-patient dependent
medical care at a level of 80 percent of reasonmsle and customary
costs which are determined by the general price for the service. The
out-patient dependent benefits are subject to a once-a-year $50
deductible per individual. In this case, if this had been Sally's first
claim submitted to the Seafarers Welfare Plan in the year, $50 would
have been deducted from the amount listed in this column.
Service Cost Covered
BySWP
In Past
Covered
BySWP
Now*
ER doctor** $100 $100 $100
ER tests** $100 $100 $100
1st Dr. visit $50 $0 $40
1st Dr. X-rays $100 $0 $80 '
2nd Dr. visit $50 $ 0 $40
2nd Dr. X-rays $70 $0 $56
3rd Dr. visit $ 50 $ 0 $ 40
The Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover out-patient dependent
which govern the program.
Hospitalization Covered
Until this contract, only
Seafarers themselves were
eligible for out-patient health care
services under the benefits
provided by the Seafarers Wel
fare Plan. While dependents of
Seafarers have always enjoyed
100 percent of reasonable and
customary coverage by the
Seafarers medical plan for emer
gency room and hospital room
and board, doctors' office visits
and diagnostic services provided
on an out-patient basis were not
covered by the plan.
Dating from June 16,1993, the
effective date of the new labor
agreement, dependents of
Seafarers can receive medical
care on an out-patient basis and
the Seafarers Welfare Plan will
cover a large share of the cost.
medical care at a level of 80 percent of reasonable and customary
costs which are determined b\ ined by the general price for the service. The
out-patient dependent benefits are subject to a once-a-year $50
deductible per individual. In this case, if this had been Diane's first per
claim for Bill, $50 would have been deducted from the amount listed
in this column.
••Emergency Room
80 Percent Covered
Under the terms of the plan, 80
percent of the reasonable and cus
tomary charges for out-patient
health care services to dependents
of Seafarers will be paid by the
plan subject to a $50 per year
deductible for each dependent.
Among the out-patient ser
vices now covered by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan for de
pendents of Seafarers are doctors'
office visits, diagnostic tests con
ducted on an out-patient basis,
pre-natal care and follow-up care
for a wife of a Seafarer, pediatric
care and routine check-ups of
Continued on page 4
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4 SBVAREIISLOe SEPTBUBBt /A99
Monthly Pension Payment Cap Lifted
Active Seafarers who retire
after June 16, 1993 may be
eligible to receive pensions
higher than $1,000 per month as
a result of the new standard con
tract reached with the SIU's con
tracted deep sea operators.
In the past, the monthly pen
sion was capped at $1,000 per
month.
The lifting of the maximum
ceiling is made possible through
higher contributions brought
about in the new pact to the
Seafarers Plans on the part of its
contracted operators. In turn, the
board of trustees of the Seafarers
Pension Plan is able to amend the
program to allow eligible
Seafarers to earn more retirement
income.
In determining if the pension
plan can take on increased out
lays, the Seafarers Pension Plan
utilizes the services of an outside
actuary, a trained professional
who specializes in calculating the
funds needed today in order to
meet the future obligations of the
retirement program.
The services of an actuary
were employed in calculating the
uncapping of the pension in order
to ensure that Seafarers currently
on pension and those who will
take retirement benefits in the fu
ture will be protected from having a
plan that cannot meet its obligations.
The removal of the cap on the
monthly pension does not change
any of the procedures for apply
ing for the retirement pay. Addi
tionally, eligibility requirements,
and the rules and regulations
governing the plan remain the
same.
A Seafarer applying for retire
ment benefits will calculate his or
her pension using one of the two
formulas allowed by the plan —
a wage-based determination or
the computation of service time.
The Seafarers Pension Plan
will help in the figuring of what
an eligible Seafarer can receive
under either formula. The amount
the Seafarer will be awarded is
the one that is higher.
For those Seafarers retiring
after June 16, 1993 and who
qualify for a higher than $1,000 a
month pension, the joint and sur
vivors annuity benefit will also be
higher than what it would have
been prior to the lifting of the cap.
(The joint and survivors annuity
is an option available to a retiring
Seafarer who wishes to have his
spouse continue receiving his
pension benefits after he dies.)
Seafarers planning to retire in
the near future are advised to con
tact the Seafarers Pension Plan
for assistance in calculating
potential retirement income. Re
quests can be made through any
union hall or by contacting the
Seafarers Pension Plan at 5201
Auth Way; Camp Springs, Md.
20746.
Under the Uncapped Pension
Service-Time Formuia
The lifting of the $1,000 maximum monthly payment will allow
qualifying Seafarers who retired after June 16, 1993 to receive a
higher norma/ pension. Here are some examples of what the
change in the pension plan benefit means:
John Rodriguez is an FOWT who is retiring at the age of 65. He has
credit for 8,840 days of service. As a seaman who has reached the
age of 65 with 5,475 days of seatime, John is eligible for the basic
pension of $600 per month. But because the plan allows for $15
more a month for every 120 days after the 5,475 service time has
been met, John is eligible for a larger pension. Also because the
plan allows a day-and-a-quarter-day credit for every day of seatime
after the first 3,000 days have been met, John is credited with 8,840
days although in actuality he sailed less days than this number
indicates. With his 8,840 days of service, John can now receive
$1,020 per month.
Here are some additional examples of what an eligible Seafarer can
earn as a monthly pension using the sen/ice time formula before
and after the new pact took the cap off the pension's monthly
payment:
Under the Uncapped Pension
Wage-Based Formula
Bob Lin is a 59-year old QMED. He has 8,760 days of service and in the last ten years of shipping,
Bob's average of the highest base wages he earned in any five years in a row comes to $30,000. To
determine his wage-based pension. Bob divides his 8,760 days of seatime by 365 and calculates that
he has 24 years of service. He then multiplies 24 by 2 to find his percentage credit, which comes to 48
percent. He then takes his average base earnings of $30,000 and multiplies it by 48 percent to find his
yearly benefit. It comes to $14,400. By dividing this by 12, Bob arrives at his monthly benefit of $1,200
per month. Under the new system Bob is eligible to receive the $1,200, whereas prior to this contract
'his monthly retirement pay would have been capped at $1,000 per month.
Here are some additional examples of what an eligible Seafarer can earn as a monthly pension using
the wage-related formula before and after the new pact took the cap off the pension's monthly payment:
Allowable Days of
Service/
Years of
Service
Percentage
Credit
Average Base
Earnings
Actual Days Credited Before This After
of Seatime Days* Contract June 16
t
4,980 5,475 $600 $600
5,460 6,075 $675 $675
6,324 7,155 $810 $810
7,668 8,835 $1,000 $1,020
8,052 9,315 $1,000 $1,080
8,532 9,915 $1,000 $1,155
9,012 10.515 $1,000 $1,230
9,492 11,115 $1,000 $1,305
*The plan allows credit for 1.25 days of service for every one day
of actual seatime after 3,000 days if it took place after June 16,1984.
Average Base
Earnings
Multiplied by
Percentage
For Yearly
Benefit
Monthly
Benefit
Prior to
This
Contract
Monthly
Benefit
Now
5,475
15 years
15x2 =
30 %
$35,000 $35,000 X 30% =
$10,500
$875.00 $875.00
7,300
20 years
20x2 =
40 %
$28,000 $28,000x40% =
$11,200
$ 933.33 $933.33
8,030
22 years
22x2 =
44%
$32,000 $32,000 x 44% =
$14,080
$1,000.00 $1,173.33
8,760
24 years
24x2 =
48 % •
$39,000 $39,000 X 48% =
$18,720
$1,000.00 $1,560
8,760
24 years
24 X 2 =
48%
$20,000 $20,000 X 48% =
$9,600
$ 800.00 $800
9,125
25 years
25x2 =
50%
$30,000 $30,000 X 50% =
$15,000
$1,000.00 $1,250
Medical Coverage Extended to Seafarers' Dependents
Continued frontpage 3
babies of Seafarers, physicals and
vaccinations at any doctor's of
fice. The new out-patient benefit
plan does not extend to prescrip
tion drugs.
A Visit to the Doctor
When a spouse or a child of
Seafarer visits a physician's of
fice for a health-care related ser
vice, the Seafarers Welfare Plan
will cover 80 percent of the cost,
subject to the annual $50 per year
per family member deductible.
The deductible is applied the first
time a claim is filed for each in
dividual family member in any
given year and will continue to be
applied until totaling $50 in any
given year.
For purposes of coverage
under the Seafarers Welfare Plan,
a doctor's office visit can be for
any of the following purposes—a
check-up, a treatment for an ill
ness, the seeking of a diagnosis,
care for an injury, minor surgical
procedures, among others.
Doctors often are. not sole
practitioners, but work from a
health care complex such as a
clinic or a health maintenance or
ganization (HMO) or a preferred
provider projgram (PPG). The
Seafarers medical plan will
recognize a doctor's visit at any
of these kinds of establishments
as covered by the plan.
The SIU and the Seafarers
Welfare Plan encourage
Seafarers and their families to use
the designated PPOs of the
Seafarers medical program.
However, Seafarers and their de
pendents may seek medical ser
vice from their own doctors and
health care institutions.
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has chosen a PPG in each city
where an SIU hall is located.
These PPGs are first class hospi
tals and clinics which have be
come familiair with Seafarers,
their families and the peculiarities
of the maritime industry. Thus
these PPGs are well-equipped to
meet the health care needs of
Seafarers and their families. (For
the name of the PPG in his or her
area, a Seafarer can call the local
union hall.)
Diagnostic Tests
Gften, a physician examining
a patient will seek the assistance
of test results in making a diag
nosis. A doctor has a wide variety
of tests he or she can order.
Many of these tests can be
done outside of a hospital facility
on an out-patient basis. For ex
ample a doctor's office might
take a blood sample and have a
laboratory review it or a doctor
associated with a PPG may ask jiay for 80 percent of the
that the tests be done at an on-site reasonable and customary costs
laboratory.
Also covered under the new
out-patient benefit program for
dependents of Seafarers are diag
nostic tests. Among these are x-
rays, sonograms, mammograms,
blood tests, cultures, MRIs and scans.
Pre-Natal/Well Baby Care
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has traditionally paid the first
$300 of health care costs as
sociated with a spouse's mater
nity in full and thereafter picked
up 80 percent of the maternity-re
lated reasonable and customary
expenses. The medical plan also
has covered hospitalization costs
associated with the newborn's
delivery.
Now, the plan will also cover
the kind of health care associated
with the nine months of pregnan
cy and the costs of regular check
ups for the infant.
The pre-birth health care
needs of the mother and unborn
child require regular doctor visits
and periodic tests. The plan will
cover 80 percent of the
reasonable and customary costs
of pre-natal care for a spouse of a
Seafarer (subj^t to the $50 de
ductible).
Following the infant's birth,
the Seafarers Welfare Plan will
of the baby' s follow-up care (sub
ject to the $50 deductible). Peri
odic doctor's visits for check-ups
ensure the baby is healthy during
the critical stages of early growth.
Under the new benefits.
Seafarer family members can
have their annual physicals con
ducted at the location of their
choice. When the physicals are
done outside of a designated SIU
clinic, the Seafarers Welfare Plan
will cover 80 percent of the cost,
subject to the $50 per year, per
person deductible.
Vaccination/Immunization
The fees associated with im
munization and vaccination ser
vices and supplies for all
dependents of Seafarers will also
be picked up in part by the
Seafarers Welfare Plan. Eighty
percent of the reasonable and cus
tomary costs of these services and
supplies will be provided by the
Seafarers medical plan, subject to
the $50 annual deductible per
family member.
If Spouse Has Other Plan
In the case of a household with
two income earners, the spouse of
a Seafarer is likely to have health
care coverage of his or his own. If
this is the case, the spouse of the
Seafarer can first submit his or her
claim to his or her medical plaii.
Gnce the spouse's health in
surance plan has processed the
claim, it can be submitted to the
Seafarers Welfare Plan. In turn,
the Seafarers medical plan may
then pay the remaining portion of
the bill which has not been
covered by the spouse's health
care plan, or it may provide credit
towards the $50 deductible up to
the maximum allowed by the
plan's rules and regulations.
If a child of a Seafarer and a
spouse with his or her own medi
cal coverage is the patient, the
health care plan to which the
claim should first be submitted is
the one of the parent who has the
earliest birthday in the year.
National Health Care
The new standard pact recog
nizes the need for a national
health care policy to make access
to medical services fair in this
nation and to bring soaring costs
under control. A provision in the
contract states that in the event of
a national health care system
being enacted by Congress and
signed into law by the president,
the union and its contracted
operators will work to ensure that
Seafarers and their families con
tinue to receive the high level of
benefits they currently enjoy.
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1993 SEAFMEiaiM 5
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AMD President Raymond McKay Dies
RAYMCM)T.MCKAY,
kngitiie president of
the American
Maritime Officers
(AMO) District 2
of the Marine Engineers Benefi-
cial Association (MEBA)
passed away in a Miami hospital
on August 9 due to heart failure.
He was 68 years old. McKay
had served since 1957 as the
president of the union.
In his tenure as head of the
union, McKay dedicated his ef
forts to building a premier union
of American seagoing officers.
SIU President Michael
Sacco, speaking at a memorial
service for McKay remembered
the AMO president as a fighter,
a builder and a friend.
"He was a fighter for what he
believed, who could be counted
oh no matter how difficult or
daring the cause happened to
be," Sacco said at McKay's
funeral mass. "Ray was a
builder, a contributor who al
ways did more than his fair
share to help make maritime a
better industiy for his member
ship. Above all, Ray was a true,
true friend—that rarest of com-
modities in this uncertain
world."
Succeeding McKay as presi
dent of AMO is Michael R.
McKay, his son, who had been
serving as the union's secretary-
treasurer.
Sailed In WWII
The native New Yorker
began his seafaring career prior
to World War H as an un
licensed mariner in the en-
gineroom. Hours before the
Japanese surprise attack at Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941,
the vessel on which McKay was
serving sailed out of the port. It
was loaded with ammunition.
During the war, he acquirer
his engineer's license. His first
voyage as an engineer was cut
short when a German submarine
torpedoed his vessel, the SS
Fairfield City, off the coast of
Florida.
Rises Up the Ranks
After the war, McKay joined
the Brotherhood of Marine En
gineers (BME), a licensed en
gineer union initiated by two
Seafarers International Union
officers—Harry Lundeberg and
Paul Hall. BME became an af
filiate of the Seafarers Interna
tional Union of North America
(SIUNA) in 1949. Hall and Lun
deberg considered the BME a
vital alternative to a marine en
gineer union with pockets of
communist domination.
McKay's first position with
the BME was as a patrolman. He
then worked for the BME's
newly-established benefit
plans.
In 1957, McKay was elected
president of the BME and be
came a vice president of the
SIUNA.
The BME ranks grew
adding members from off
shore vessels as well as har
bor crafts on the Atlantic,
Pacific and Gulf coasts.
Shortly after the 1957 merger
of the AFL and the CIO, the two
labor federations in the United
States, Hall—then president of
the SIUNA—and McKay
entered in behalf of BME into
merger discussions with the
Marine Engineers Beneficial
Association (MEBA), noting
that MEBA was free of any
communist sectors.
In 1959, the BME merged
into National MEBA, joining
forces with MEBA Local 101
Under the terms of the merger
agreement, the BME retained its
offshore contracts and had juris
diction for the Great Lakes.
With the merger effected,
McKay became an officer of
National MEBA. He continuec
to serve as an officer of National
MEBA until his death.
As an officer of National
MEBA, McKay worked with
the leadership of the other dis
tricts of the union in advancing
the interests of the American
merchant marine and working
for government policies tha
provided for a strong U.S.-flag
fleet.
National MEBA President
Gordon M. Ward, in a com
munication to the officers,
members and staff of McKay's
union upon the latter's death,
noted that National MEBA "has
lost a strong leader and a good
friend."
Dij3trlct2MEBA
In 1960, in a reorganiza|tiid!i
of MEBA, the former BM^nd
MEBA Local 101 forces be
came District 2 MEBA with
McKay as its head. District 2, as
it came to be known, successful
ly organized Great Lakes and
seagoing officers.
With the escalation of the
Vietnam conflict in the mid-
1960s, District 2 and the SIU
met the need for increased man
power in the sealift surge by
creating a joint training program
to assist seamen in preparing for
U.S. Coast Guard exams for
various licensed and unlicensed
shipboard positions.
That program proved to be
the beginning of District 2's
training and upgrading pro
gram, now located in Dania, Fla.
From his position as head of the AMO-District 2 MEBA, Ray McKay
worked for a vital U.S.-flag shipping industry.
and known for its profes
sionalism and advanced training
equipment, including its
Simulation Training and Re
search (STAR) Center-
regarded as the world's most
advanced ship simulator sys
tem. (See article on page 14.)
As District 2's training pro
gram has expanded, it has of
fered many Seafarers an
opportunity to move up the
hawsepipe, earning marine
licenses through the school's
program.
AMO has its roots in the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers, chartered as an affiliate of the SIUNA in 1949.
In this 1959 photo, Ray McKay is swom into office for a second consecutive time. From the left are Gordon
Spencer, McKay, John Regan and W. Gammill while E. Goldsmith administers the oath.
Continued Growth
District 2 has continued to
grow. In 1992, District 2 MEBA
changed its name to American
Maritime Officers-District 2
MEBA, representing the in
creased membership growth in
the union within dl areas of
shipboard operations.
The union, in the past 20
years, has been able to secure
new jobs for its members aboard
commercial and military
chartered vessels.
As president of the union,
McKay gained the respect of
management as a tough but
responsible negotiator who
struck the necessary balance be
tween the needs of his member
ship and the health of the in
dustry.
One of those who sat across
from McKay at the negotiating
table was Gene Rose, president
of Bay Tankers whose ships sail
with AMO members.
"This is a tragic loss to the
industry, especially at this very
critical juncture," Rose said.
"Ray knew the bottom line, and
the bottom line is jobs.
"It's also a personal loss, be
cause I respected Ray, admired
him and enjoyed him as a per
son.
A Trusted Trade Unionist
McKay also committed his
energies to supporting other
workers in their trade union
struggles and to building federa
tions of maritime unions.
In 1990, he chartered the
Greater South Florida Maritime
Trades Council. As president of
this organization, he was able to
work with and commit resour
ces to help fellow trade
unionists in the area. The coun
cil was very active in assisting
trade unionists who had lost
Continued on page 14
Throughout his career as a rnaritime trade unionist, Ray McKay was Involved in virtually marine labor. Also participating are SIU President Paul Hall (second from left), ILA
every ̂ ue of concern to waterfront workers. In this 20-year-old photo, McKay (second Pr^esident Teddy Gleason (third from left) and Herb Brand (left), who worked closely
rom right) joins a meeting to discuss a, maritime-related issue with representatives of with Hall.
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6 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER 1993
3-Year Pact Reached,
Retroactive to June 16
Continued from page 3
An in-depth training program
for all crewmembers who ship on
tankers will be put into effect at
the union's Lundeberg School of
Seamanship at the Paul Hall Cen
ter for Maritime Training and
Education in Piney Point, Md.
Extensive Training
A joint committee made up of
union representatives. Seafarers,
shipowners and specialists in
tanker regulations will develop
the curriculum over the coming
year. Once in place, all Seafarers
who wish to ship on tankers must
take the course.
It is projected that the tanker
course will be instituted next
year. The union will advise all
members through union meetings
and the Seafarers LOG of the
dates the course will be offered
and the time period by which each
Seafarer sailing on a tanker must
have evidencfe of having com
pleted the Lundeberg School
tanker course.
To ensure compliance with
CPA '90, the work schedule of
day workers in the deck and en
gine departments may be
modi fled or changed.
The general rules of the con
tract have been amended to in
clude under customary duties the
maintenance of vessel equipment
and machinery. Although this has
generally been among the duties
of Seafarers, it was put in writing
in this contract to secure this work
for unlicensed crewmembers in
the future.
Second-Hand Smoke
In an effort to make a safer
shipboard environment by not
subjecting non-smokers to
second-hand cigarette smoke,
smoking will only be allowed in
designated areas. The crew
lounge ^d crew dining areas will
be smoke-free areas.
If the wheelhouse is a desig
nated smoking area, the
helmsman or quartermaster will
be permitted to smoke except
while maneuvering.
Day Workers
On vessels with at least one
bosun/watchstander and five able
seamen (ABs), the bosun may be
a designated day worker and two
AB s may be assigned to the job of
an AB/deck-maintenance. This
designation of duties is similar to
what has been in place on tankers
for the past three years.
The two ABs who become
converted to day workers will get
the corresponding increase in
wages. In the case of a Green
Ticket AB this could be near $200
a month in base pay; for a Blue
Ticket AB the additional money
could reach $350 per month base
pay-
Work Rule Changes
Descriptions of the work rule
changes put into effect by the new
pact follow. These provisions en
courage the np-keep of a ship
while it is in operation, thus
eliminating the need for
shipowner to commit a vessel to
a shipyard for this function.
Maintenance work in certain
areas of the house will be per
formed at straight time when per
formed between the hours of 8:0(
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday. Chipping,
sougeeing, scaling, priming and
brush painting all quarters, pas
sageways adjacent to all quarters,
dining areas, lounges, laundries,
the galley, pantries and ship's of
fices will be compensated at
straight time.
Seafarers serving as
helmsmen while a vessel is un
derway under automatic steerage
can now perform routine main
tenance on the bridge, bridge
wings and flying bridge. In order
to ensure a safe working environ
ment, such work cannot be done
on stagings or aloft. Additionally,
no mate is allowed to relieve the
helmsman, except in an emergen
cy.
Wipers and QMEDs may now
assist the 'deck department with
docking and undocking opera
tions. This work will be compen
sated at straight time if performed
during regular working hours.
Overtime pay kicks in after eight
hours on any calendar day and on
weekends and holidays.
Day worker QMEDs can now
chip, paint and sougee for up to
three hours per day during normal
working hours. This change
brings the tanker pact in sync with
Contract Vote on Sept 7
Seafarers can vote on the entire contract package at SlU
meetings scheduled for Tuesday, September 7,1993.
The agreement will be presented at the regularly
scheduled headquarters meeting at Piney Point, Md.,
which begins at 10:30 a.m.
At 1 p.m. that same day, special meetings on the contract
will be concurrently held at every SlU hall.
The pact also will be presented by boarding union officials
to SlU members on ships calling at U.S. ports.
the freightship agreement.
In light of increasingly strict
security requirements of
shipyards and port terminals and
the consequent liability issues,
the agreement says that a Seafarer
will no longer be used for
gangway watch when the vessel
is in these locations and that the
company can hire an outside
security guard in the place of the
gangway watchstander.
The new pact adds Columbia,
Venezuela and Central American
countries to the list of voyages
which require six months of con
tinuous onboard shipboard work
on the part of a seaman in order to
qualify for transportation expen
ses.
Other minor modifications
have been made in the area of
work rules and will be available
to Seafarers at the membership
meetings held on the contract at
the union halls and on the ships.
Tanker Tour of Duty
Rated positions above entry
level will now ship on a tanker for
a 16-month period in allotments
of four-months-on-two-months-
off. After this period, the job goes
back to the rotary shipping system.
Emergencies and Permanents
The permanent ratings may
now request an emergency relief
for 30 days without forfeiting
their position.
The transportation expenses
incurred with leaving and return
ing to the vessel will be the
responsibility of the Seafarer with
the permanent rating. The
Seafarer taking the relief position
similarly will be responsible for
lis or her own transportation ex
penses.
Permanent ratings have the
right to, one 30-day emergency
relief in a 12-month period.
Permanent ratings who leave
the vessel for medical reasons
will be allowed to return to the
same ship and position after ob
taining a fit-for-duty status as
ong as he or she has not been off
the vessel for more than 120 days.
Federal Regulations
The contract has been
amended to reflect changes
brought about by regulations is
sued by the U.S. Coast Guard on
drug testing and the law enacted
by Congress last year known as
the Americans with Disabilities Act
The term "disabled" has been
removed from the contract. The
no-discrimination language of the
pact now states that shipboard
employees cannot be dis
criminated against on the basis of
physical or mental disabilities. It
also states that all Seafarers will
be qualified to perform their ship-
loard duties.
In this regard, the new pact
recognizes the work of the John
Hopkins Center for Occupational
Environmental Health. Tlie pres
tigious medical center was con
tracted by a Seafarers Welfare
Plan specially constituted steer
ing committee made up of union
and company representatives to
conduct a detailed study of the
essential functions that make up
shipboard work.
The center's team of
physicians and professionals in
the field of occupational
medicine conducted a year-long
study in which they interviewed
Seafarers in person and via ques
tionnaires and observed first
hand shipboard work. After
compiling the data, the team
determined the essential func
tions of work in each of the three
shipboard departments—deck,
engine and steward.
Safety Program
In recognition of the
dangerous nature of shipboard
work and the need for constant
vigilance in safeguarding life and
limb, the union, the Lundeberg
School, the Seafarers Welfare
Plan and the contracted com
panies will work together to
develop a shipboard safety program.
It will be the goal of the pro
gram to reduce the incidence of
onboard injuries to Seafarers and
to ensure that their workplace—
whether in the deck, engine, or
steward department—is as safe
a working environment as possible.
The hours, wages and working
conditions set out in the standard
freightship and tanker agreement
apply to Seafarers sailing on ships
operated by companies who
belong to the American Maritime
Association.
Application of Pact
(Not all SlU-contracted com
panies are signators to the stand
ard contract and Seafarers are
advised to consult with the union
hall on the labor agreements as
sociated with any shipboard job.)
The primary company parties
to the standard freightship agree
ment are Sea-Land Service, Inc.;
Waterman; and Puerto Rico
Marine - Management, Inc. Sig
natory companies to the tanker
contract include Maritime Over
seas and OMl.
A separate labor agreement is
in effect on American President
Lines and Matson Navigation
vessels. This contract is
negotiated by the SlU's Pacific
District Unions—made up of the
Sailors' Union of the Pacific for
the deck department; the Marine
'iremen' s Union representing en
gine department seamen; and the
SlU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
nland Waters District for
steward department Seafarers.
Contract Highlights
Base wages increase 3 percent this year retroac
tive to July 1,4 percent in 1994 and another 4 per
cent in 1995
Seafarers Welfare Plan will cover 80 percent of
the cost of out-patient health care services for de
pendents of Seafarers — including doctors visits,
diagnostic tests, pre-natal care, well-baby care,
vaccinations and immunizations, subject to a $50
annual deductible per individual covered
Monthly pension cap of $1,000 has been removed,
opening the door to higher pensions for Seafarers
retiring after June 16,1993 who meet the eligibility
requirements and who qualify under either the
wage-based or service-based formulas
On watch penalty rate goes up 3 percent retroac
tive to July 1
Comprehensive tanker training courses to be es
tablished at Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training
and Education
Proof of drug screening and benzene certificate to
be shown at the time of shipping instead of when
registering
Shipboard safety program will be developed
Vacation time remains at current levels, but
Seafarers will realize greater vacation pay be
cause it is indexed to increased base wages
Cost-of-living-ad]ustment provision for second and
third years of the agreement
Provision in the new contract states that in the
event that a national health care plan is enacted,
the union and its contracted operators will work to
ensure that Seafarers and their families continue
receiving the high level of benefits they currently
enjoy
Permanent ratjngs may request 30-day
emergency relief without forfeiting position
Protection from second-hand smoke
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SEPTEMBER1993 SEAFARERS LOG 7
Inland Shipping Resumes en the Mississippi River
Barges Md riverboats are sail
ing the upper Mississippi River
after two months of layup created
hy record-breaking floods along
the river and its tributaries.
The high waters affected river-
home operations in nine mid-
western states. News reports have
estimated the loss to barge com-
)anies at between $3 and $4 mil-
ion a day.
The opening of the Mississippi
followed towboat test mns con
ducted by the U.S. Coast Guard.
As a result of the test tows, the
Mississippi River reopened in
mid-August with some restric
tions from Minneapolis to Cairo,
lU.
During the worst of the flood
ing, most of the navigable rivers
in the midwest north of Cairo
were closed and thousands of bar
ges were tied up riding out the
flood.
Both the Missouri River and
the Illinois River opened later in
August for slow, restricted traffic
only. The maximum tow size was
15 barges on the Mississippi, with
Alton Belle deck department members rinse off the mud left behind
by the flood waters. The bridge leading to the Belle has since been
taken down, and normal operations of the riverboat have resumed.
smaller loads being allowed on
the Missiouri and Illinois rivers.
Tugboats Underway
Seafarers are sailing on 14 Or-
gulf boats that have resumed their
Happy to be back aboard the Orgulf tug Omegaare Cook Betty Adams
and Lead Deckhand David Rice.
usual routes on the Mississippi
River. Normal operations for the
SlU-contracted company would
have 16 or 17 tugs .§ailing. The
company plans to get more boats
underway as river conditions
warrant.
Steamboats Shift Routes
The, SlU-contracted Delta
Queen Steamboat Company con
tinued operations on the lower
Mississippi River and other
tributaries despite flooding on the
upper sections of the river.
The company adjusted the
itineraries of the Delta Queen and
Mississippi Queen so that the
steamboats could keep sailing
down the rivers. The St. Louis to
St. Paul, Minn, cruises on the
upper Mississippi were rerouted
to the Ohio or other heartland
rivers.
The Mississippi Queen was
diverted to the Tennessee River
valley, sailing from Chattanooga,
Tenn. on the Tennessee River to
Memphis, Tenn. on the lower
Mississippi. With a Memphis to
Cincinnati departure in late
August, the steamboat began
series of Ohio River cruises.
The Delta Queen also cruisec
through Tennessee with the main
ports being Chattanooga and
Nashville on the Cumberland
River.
The company announced that
the Delta Queen still plans to
dock in St. Louis in late Septem
ber.
"The only thing that Will keep
us from being docked on the St.
Louis riverfront on September 20
is if the river is still so high that
we can't get our steamboat stacks
under the bridges," a company
spokesperson stated.
Riverboat Resumes Cruises
The Alton Belle Riverboat
Casino has resumed its regular
cruise schedule up the Mississip-issip-
pi River. During" the flood, the
Belle continued operations while
at dockside using a bridge to safe
ly carry passengers over the flood
waters to the Alton Landing. The
ramp has been disassembled and
operations are back to normal.
While the Mississippi is still
well above flood stage, the water
has receded back into its banks.
Seafarers who work in the deck
department have been busy clean
ing the Belle and the surrounding
areas.
There is tons of mud and
sludge that we have been working
to clean up for the last few weeks.
It ranges from six inches to up to
two feet deep. We have success
fully cleaned the promenade and
the ramps but there is still a lot of
sludge in places like the parking
lot," deck department member
Lonnle Partridge told a reporter
from the Seafarers LOG.
Partridge and other deck
department members have been
cleaning the Alton Belle and
Landing using three-foot pumps
and two-foot fire hoses.
I think the smell is the worst
part of our clean-up efforts. At
times it is unbearable," Partridge
added.
With the reopening of the Mis
sissippi and the area bridges.
Belle business is steadily climb
ing. The first weekend the river-
)oat resumed sailing operations
there were more than 1,200 guests
on board for several cruises. That
is only 200 short of the vessel's
1,400-person capacity.
Seafarers Return to River
Boatmen Keep Sharp Watch for Changing Conditions
SIU boatmen once again are
moving cargo and passengers
along the upper Mississippi River
after the waterway and several of
its tributaries were closed for
nearly two months because of
flooding.
"Everybody is happy to be
moving again," stated Captain
Ralph Hawkins from the bridge
of the Alton Belle Riverboat
Casino in Alton, 111.
Although flood waters kept
the vessel tied to the Alton Land
ing for weeks, the casino still was
open for business with crewmem-
bers reporting for work.
The situation was not the same
aboard SlU-contracted Orgulf
tugboats. Summer normally is the
busiest time of year for the com
pany. As many as 17 of the Cin
cinnati-based company's 21
boats would be sailing on the in
land waterways. At the height of
the flooding, Orgulf had tied up
15 of its vessels.
Since returning. Camel
described the river as calmer, but
still treacherous because of the
swift current.
The Fanchi was northbound
for Minnesota when Camel talked
with the Seafarers LOG. "We still
have to stop at night because of
the conditions," he said. "No one
is sure where shallow spots may
occur because of silt and top soil
that has been washed into the
river."
Deckhand Adam Shacknai
reported similar conditions
aboard Orgulf s Ed Renshaw.
'Good To Be Back'
"It's good to be back," noted
Deckhand Greg Camel, who
returned to work aboard the Pieter
Fanchi in mid-August.
The McComb, Miss, resident
experienced the river just as the
flooding began in late spring
which he compared to seeing it
return to its banks in August.
"We could see pieces of hous
ing and campsites floating past,"
Camel recalled of the spring
voyage aboard the tug when it
Captain Ralph Hawkins of the
Alton Belle overlooks a calmer
Mississippi River after the floods.
passed Dubuque, Iowa. "I had
never witness^ anything like this
before."
The deckhand stated the crew
of the tug, which was pushing a
full load of 15 barges, had dif
ficulty guiding the vessel through
the locks because of the rising
waters and increasing currents.
One attempt took three tries with
die full crew called out to help
catch lines on the stem and head,
he said.
Crew Taking Precautions
"We are using tree lines and
houses to see how high the river
went," the Memphis resident
noted.
He added the crew is taking
precautions, but the "river ap
pears to be clean, but muddy."
Neither Camel nor Shacknai
reported seeing any major debris
left in the upper Mississippi.
Downriver in Alton, Hawkins
resumed piloting the Alton Belle
on its six-mile cruises in late
August.
"There is a little driftwood left
in the river and the current is
swifL but we're able to sail safe
ly," he said.
Hawkins explained the current
normally passes through Alton at
one-half mile-per-hour. Present
ly, he estimate the flow at be
tween six and six-and-a-half
miles-per-hour.
The only thing he saw con
gesting the river was "the barges
and tows backed up to go through
the locks." The riverboat is ap
proximately one mile north of the
Melvin Price Lock and Dam.
the river as wild as it was this
Deck Gang Praised
As noted earlier, the riverboat
remained open for business all
through the flooding. Hawkins
said the crew of the Alton Belle
did "a great job" of the making
sure the vessel stayed in sailing
condition.
"The deck crew would pull
driftwood from our temporary
bridge (which connected the
Alton Belle Landing to dry
ground) on the average of six to
eight hours each day," Hawkins
recalled. "At times, full sized
trees would be among the debris.
"They would use a john boat
and rope to pull everything away.
It was somewhat dangerous
work, but they took every precau
tion and we never had any
problems. All of us are proud of
them."
Regarding the riverboat itself,
the captain said the current was
not strong enough to allow the
debris to damage the vessel.
Some of it would jam under the
Alton Belle, but the crew would
take the boat out without pas
sengers and let the debris drift
out.
In his 20 years on the Missis
sippi (18 as a towboat captain and
the last two with the Alton Belle),
Hawkins said he never had seen
summer.
"There is no comparing this
flood to any other floods I have
seen on the river. The Mississippi
should be a quarter-mile wide as
it passes [Alton]. It was eight
miles wide at the flood's height
when the Mississippi and Mis
souri merged."
The Mississippi exceeded the
Alton's 21-foot flood stage on
June 7 and crested at a record 42.7
feet on August 1.
Catching up on papenwork is
Deckhand Adam Shacknai.
Deckhand James Tomczak and
Cook Betty Gibson report to work
aboard the Jim Ludwig when the
Orgulf tug resumed regular opera
tions on the Mississippi River.
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8 SEAFJI8E8SL0G SEPTEMBER 1993
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Document Ignites Protest
Foreign-Flag interests Push
Their Agenda Through
iiero 'Reinvent GevT Group
The handiwork of foreign
flag interests apparently found its
way into Vice President A
Gore's National Performance
Review (NPR) and has been
claimed to be the work of one
staff member assigned to the five-
month-old White House pro
gram.
Ensconced in the document o
the NPR, a review process estab
lished by President Clinton to
find ways to make govemmen
agencies more efficient, are
recommendations that would vir
tually wipe out U.S. shipping.
Entitled "Congress Should
Deregulate the U.S. Maritime In
dustry," the document calls for
eliminating any of the existing
government programs which ad
vance a U.S.-flag fleet, clearing
the way for control of the U.S.
maritime trades by foreign inter
ests.
Hollings Fights Back
The document's unexplained
release to the public last month,
touched off a storm of protest
from the Senate, the independent
Federal Maritime Commission
(PMC) and the maritime industry.
Meanwhile, the leaking of the
document seemed to have caused
considerable embarrassment in
the administration.
Senator Ernest Hollings (D-
S.C.), angered by the implica
tions of the document,
immediately introduced legisla
tion that would create a commis
sion to review maritime policy.
Hollings charged that if the NPR
proposals are adopted "there
would be nothing left of the U.S.
maritime industry." His bill, he
said, would "ensure that the issue
of maritime reform is given fair
consideration."
The Hollings legislation was
swiftly cosporisored by Senators
John Breaux (D-La.), chairman of
the Senate Merchant Marine Sub
committee; John Kerry (D-
Mass.); Barbara Mikulski
(D-Md.) and Charles Robb (D-
Va.).
'Absurd on Ks Face'
Overhauling L S Maritime Policy
industry
is a hodgepodge of subsid
regulation and taxa-
tion that makes a mockery of sensij
ble industrial policy.
r* CM n
f «r«n uan •• hmei Mr*
• iliM m Or,
(Mc
for supporting
hodgepodge of
subsidies, protectionism and regula-1
tion that are a "mockerv to sensible
.industrial poUcyJ'
A White House program to "reinvent govemment" known as the
National Policy Review adopted a report that obviously comes from
anti-U.S. merchant marine lobbyists. The work of foreign-flag shipping
advocates is apparent in a number of areas, including reports which
surfaced in the press.
SIU President Michael Sacco
called the paper "absurd on its
face," adding, "it so clearly bears
the imprint of forces inimical to
U.S. interests that it cannot be
taken seriously." He said
"Whoever is responsible for it has
questionable motives, at the very
east."
The most striking thing about
the NPR document is that it
makes no effort to conceal its
source of information, freely lift
ing verbatim the work of foreign-
flag lobbyists and proponents.
The majority of the NPR
document's citations excerpt the
work of three vigorous opponents
of a strong American fleet of
which at least two have been in
the employ of foreign-flag ship
ping interests.
The NPR document borrows
leavily from the work of Allen
erguson, an economist who has
)een urging Congress to undo
U.S.-flag slupping since the late
1950s.
It also quotes Rob Quartel, a
mouthpiece for foreign-flag inter
ests who while serving as a com
missioner with a government
agency, the PMC, attacked U.S.
govemment maritime programs.
Quartel immediately upon leav
ing the PMC went to work for a
foreign-flag shipowner.
Also citi^ by the NPR docu
ment are statements from the
columns of James Bovard, a free
trader associated with ultra-con
servative, anti-government
groups.
The PMC, in its rebuttal of the
document, said the cited material
in the NPR document is "inac
curate and incomplete and con
tain wholly incorrect allegations
and misrepresentations."
The independent govemment
agency said die document "makes
unwarranted assumptions ... and
presents as support for its positions
flimsy and ane^otal evidence of a
highly selective nature."
The PMC response said it was
"disturbing" that an analysis of
U.S. shipping would be done "oh
the basis of hasty, one-sided
analysis, mischaracterizations
and errors" and the adoption "as
absolute tmths the rejected argu
ments of the past."
The r^ommendations of the
NPR will be released officially on
September 7, according to a
spokeswoman of the vice presi
dent contacted by the Seafarers
LOG. Until that time, no working
paper of the administration pro
gram is a final proposal, she
said.
Senate Passes Clinton's
Delicit'Cutting Budget
The Senate in August passed
President Clinton's budget
reconciliation plan, with Vice
President A1 Gore casting the
tie-breaking vote, paving the
way for the plan to become law.
The action followed a similarly
close vote in the House.
The agreement, hammered
out in a House-Senate con
ference, is designed to cut the
budget deficit by $496 billion.
The maritime industry
scored two important victories
with the budget's passing. In its
original deficit-reduction pack
age, the House had approved
both a 50-cent-a-gallon inland
waterways fuel tax and another
tax based on the energy content
of fuel, known as British ther
mal units (Btu). But the SIU,
along with other maritime in
terests and energy users, lob
bied heavily against both
proposals, stating they would
be unfair. The Senate removed
both ideas from consideration
and instead approved a 4.3-
cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline.
Wealthy to Pay Most
Opponents of the budget
plan have claimed that it is little
more than a massive tax hike
which primarily will be
shouldered by middle-class
Americans. But in fact, most
Americans will see only a
nominal change in their federal
income taxes. Only single wage
earners making more than
$115,000 and couples earning
more than $140,000 will see a
jump in their income taxes.
(Under current law, the top tax
rate of 31 percent applies to
single people who earn more
than $53,500 and couples earn
ing more than $89,150. The
new law creates a 36 percent
tax rate on the $115,000 and
$140,000 groups. It also creates
a 39.6 percent rate for either
singles or couples earning more
than $250,000.)
The average family will pay
less than 10 cents a day in new
taxes, all from the increase in
the federal gas tax.
Those earning more than
$200,000 (about 1.3 percent of
the taxpaying population) will
account for more than 8() per
cent of the new taxes. The bill
also raises the top corporate in
come tax rate from 34 percent
to 35 percent, retroactive to
January 1,1993.
Some low-income workers
will pay less in taxes under the
plan, due to an expansion of the
earned income tax credit. For
example, a single parent who
supports two children, is a
renter and earns $19,0()0 per
year, will experience a federal
tax decrease of almost $600 in
1994 compared with this year.
The plan includes many other
changes from current law, in
cluding increased taxes on some
people's Social Security
benefits, several revisions for
people who own small busi
nesses, changes in the alternative
minimum tax, a bigger tax break
for people in Ae r^ estate busi
ness, and many others.
Shipyard Workers Approve Representation
Seafarers Ed Len, DEU (left), and Dave Dunklin, QMED, hold
up a message for Avondale employees as they leave work.
Workers at the shipyard voted this summer to go union.
Cost of Re-Fiagging Would Re Severa, Panel Told
Continued from page 2
"There is no doubt that there is
a much, much higher probability
of success of being able to be
where we're needed and operat
ing effectively where we need
them with U.S. crews," Snow
responded.
Both Breaux and Senator
Trent Lott (R-Miss.), the
subcommittee's ranking minority
member, expressed their dis
pleasure that neither Defense
Secretary Les Aspin nor
Transportation Secretary
Pederico Pena appeared before
the subcommittee. "We are in a
SIU President Michael Sacco tells the Benate panel that re-flagging serious crisis in America's
will cost America money, jobs and respect mantime mdustry and this issue
deserves the highest attention
from our highest officials,"
Breaux said.
Acting Maritime Ad
ministrator Joan Yim, who repre
sented the Department of
Transportation at the hearing,
noted MarAd was awaiting a
decision from the White House
regarding various options con
cerning maritime revitalization
made by the agency to the
president's National Policy
Council.
(In one of his first acts after
being sworn in. President Clinton
created the council to review and
make recommendations about
various government functions
and policies. The council is com
posed of representatives from all
departments of the federal
govemment.)
Breaux asked Yim if Pena had
made a specific recommendation
to the president. She said what
Clinton received was a combined
effort written by several members
of the council.
"Please understand my
frustration. No one can tell me
what the [maritime revitalization]
recommendation was?" he asked
of Yim.
"That's correct," she
answered.
When Breaux asked if Pena's
own recommendation received
any support from the council, she
stated she did not know.
// ^ y.y : / . /
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1993 -•. f i
Hasan Rahman enjoyed all
aspects of the steward recer-
tlfication training. Here he
presents his latest
culinary specialty.
:-'i
Reflecting on their careers and
on the courses they have taken at the
Paul Hall Center for Maritime
Training and Education, the 11
Seafarers who last month graduated
from the SIU's steward recertifica-
tion program all emphasized the
importance of members continually
upgrading their skills.
As members who have com
pleted the highest curriculum avail
able to Seafarers who sail in the
steward department, they spoke
from experience.
Mew RecerUfieil Stewanfo:
l^tgiading ls tite Way to Go
The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship "offers you
a way to better your careers and
your lives," Francisco Rosich
stated at the graduation ceremony,
which took place during last
month's membership meeting in
Piney Point, Md. Like most of the
other new recertified stewards,
Rosich, 52, has upgraded several
times at the Lundeberg School.
For 61 -year-old Hazel Johnson,
however, this was his first time at
the school. "I'm glad I Anally got
here," said the 32-year member of
the SIU. "It was even better than I
expected. The new lab is the most
modern one I've ever seen, the
computer training was fantastic and
the instructors are great."
Rebecca Sleeper Manion is congratulated Gregory Melvin learns the proper use of all the
by her husband, Joseph, and son, Trevor, equipment in the school's modern galley.
The whole course is very good,"
states Raymond Garcia at the Putting in time on computers, a requirement for completion
graduation ceremony. of the recertification program, is Francisco Rosich.
Comprehensive Training
Johnson, Rosich and their
classmates received comprehensive
training during the five-week
course. They worked in the school's
new training facility for stewards, a
spacious building which features
state-of-the-art galley equipment
and classrooms. They earned cer
tification in CPR, first aid and
firefighting.
Additionally, they studied and
practiced communications skills
and learned to use computers for
setting and storing menus, requisi
tions, overtime hours and more.
The members also met with rep
resentatives from every department
of the SIU for question-and-answer
sessions. For example, they spoke
with officials from the union's col
lective bargaining department,
from its governmental affairs
department, from the welfare, vaca
tion, training and pension funds and
from the Seafarers LOG. They also
traveled to SIU headquarters in
Camp Springs, Md. and to Capitol
Hill, where they spoke with
Maritime Trades Department Ex
ecutive Secretary-Treasurer Frank
Pecquex.
Finally, they went to Baltimore
to tour the SlU-crewed cable ship
Global Link.
"It's a great course and it
definitely enhanced us," said
Robert Miller, SO, who joined the
union 10 years ago in Hawaii and
has upgraded three times. "The in
structors are exceptional and the
new lab is excellent."
The 11 Seafarers successfully completing the steward recertification program pose with SIU Executive Vice President,Joe Sacco
following the graduation ceremony. They are (from left) Steve Crane, Peter Schmitt, Hazel Johnson, Robert Miller, Francisco Rosich,
Roger Linasan, Raymond Garcia, Hasan Rahman, Gregory Melvin, Sacco, Rebecca Sleeper Manion and Robert Castillo.
"We learned a lot that we will be
able to use when we get back on the
ships," observed 45-year-old
Roger Linasan. "The computer
training was excellent, as was the
CPR, first aid and firefighting."
Steve Crane, 35, graduated
from the Lundeberg School trainee
program in 1974 and has upgraded
several times. "You always learn
something here, even if you come
in thinking you already know it all,"
he said. "This was a terrific course."
Reach Any Goal
Holding her 2-year-old son, an
emotionally charged Rebecca
Sleeper Manion delivered several
important messages in her remarks
at graduation.
"My son, Trevor, was here the
whole time, and it's good to know
that you can do this [training] as a
mom," said Manion, who graduated
from Piney Point in 1984.
"I remember when I was a
trainee, I used to look at the [recer
tified stewards and bosuns] and
think, 'I'll never make it that far.'
But today I'm telling you that you
can reach any goal if you apply
yourself."
Manion, whose husband
traveled from their home in Florida
to attend the ceremony, is a past
recipient of the SIU Scholarship.
She told a reporter for the LOG that
she is only a few credits short of
earning an associate's degree in
business administration, and she
plans to finish soon.
Regarding the recertification
course, she said, "The instructors
went that extra mile, and I liked
being able to work with top-notch
stewards. Also, the lab is exception
al."
Similarly, Robert Castillo, 45,
said the lab "marks great progress.
This is my fourth time at the school,
and I still believe it is the best train
ing facility in the world."
"The whole course is very
good," added Raymond Garcia,
36. "It helped refresh our minds
about some things as well as teach
ing us new things we can use on a
ship."
Undertaidng More Studies
For Gregory Meivin, there was
no immediate time to celebrate
finishing the recertification course.
That's because he stayed at the Lun
deberg School an extra week in
order to take the oil spill prevention
and cleanup course.
"I ride tankers, so it made sense
for me take the oil spill course,"
explained Melvin, 32, who
graduated from the entry program
at the Lundeberg School in 1980.
He said that the recertification
course "went very well. People
worked together and had good
unity."
Peter Schmitt, 40, said the
course's high points included "the
practical work at the lab. This is my
fourth time here, and the training
was even more comprehensive than
I've seen in the past."
Another frequent upgrader, 50-
year-old Hasan Rahman, said he
enjoyed all aspects of the training.
"I learned a lot, and the instructors
were wonderful. There was a lot of
dne-on-one training and good inter
action between the class members
and the instructors."
SEAFARERS LOG 9
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iOt^ SEMiaensLOG smBniBERma
PPO Provides Heaitii Care Services
For New Bedford Area Seafarers
The Seafarers Welfare Plan
has designated another notec
medical facility as a preferrec
provided organization (PPO).
In June, the SIU contractec
with St. Luke's Hospital in New
Bedford, Mass., minutes from the
New Bedford union hall. The out
patient clinic began operations in
late August..
The largest community hospi
tal in Massachusetts, St. Luke's
has 400 beds and the third busies
emergency room in the state.
"We have a very dedicatee
staff to work with the members o
the SIU. Our doctors are highly
qualified ranging from gener^ in
ternists to very sub-specializec
physicians," said Administrative
Director of Clinical Specialties
Services Ellen Banach, who is
also the director of the clinic.
"Because we are located
within the hospital, we have ac
cess to any service a patient may
need, including the emergency
room. We set the system up to get
care for patients in a quick and
efficient manner. I feel that we
have achieved this primary goal.
Seafarers began using the
facility on August 17. The plan
determined the out-patient clinic
is able to provide all of the medi
cal services required by
Seafarers, such as fit-for-duty
physicals, care for illness and
treatment of injuries.
"We picked this clinic because
it is convenient for our members
who live in the New Bedford and
the New England area. Before
this, members had to travel to
New York City for the very ser
vices that now are being offered
by the physicians at St. Luke's,"
said Dr. Kenneth Miller, medical
director for the Seafarers Welfare
Plan. "This facility will serve as a
drawing card for members Who
live in the region. It is another
enhanced membership service
that we can offer our members."
SIU members have reacted
positively to the clinic. One of its
first visitors was Chief Steward
Bob Haggerty, a resident of New
Bedford. "The clinic is really nice
and everyone is very friendly. St.
Luke's is so convenient. I used to
travel to Baltimore to have my
medical work done. I'd stay with
relatives to make the long trip a
little bit more pleasant, but it was
very inconvenient not to have the
proper medical facility around,"
the chief steward told a reporter
from the Seafarers LOG.
AB Donald LeGere used to
take the midnight train to New
York City for his annual physical,
arriving by 6 a.m. "The clinic is
very nice. They treated me
wonderfully, and service is so ef
ficient. It only took two hours to
do everything. That sure beats al
the long nights on trains travelin
to the Brooklyn clinic. I know
Seafarers in New Hampshire
Maine and Vermont, and this
[clinic] will take care of all o:
New England," said LeGere, who
lives approximately 40 miles
from New Bedford in Braintree,
Mass.
Meeting Members' Needs
The Seafarers Welfare Plan's
designation of St. Luke's Hospi
tal represents the coritinuet
progress in preferred provider
health care for Seafarers. The
welfare plan is contracting with a
preferred provider in each of the
cities where an SIU clinic pre
viously had been located.
The PPO program was startec
to ensure that SIU members and
their families continue to obtain
quality medical care and, at the
same time, help the welfare plan
combat perpetually rising health
costs. A preferred provider clinic
or hospital is simply a medical
facility which agrees to provide
services to Seafarers and their
families at a negotiated reimbur
sement rate.
"With the system we have set
up with the SIU, a member can
streamline sessions. Everything
the member may need is in one
area. The entire program has
many advantages," said Banach.
The advantages of using
PPG's include:
• Using a facility which is
familiar with Seafarers and
whose staff knows the unique
needs of the membership and
their families.
• Streamlined claims proce
dures for members and depend
ents using the facility.
• Use of these facilities al-
ows the welfare plan to monitor
claims and make sure the hospital
offers services efficiently and
maintains high standards of
quality and care.
» When the hospital sees
many Seafarers and their families
using the facility, reasonable
rates for services can be main
tained. This allows the welfare
jlan to use these savings to
jenefit members and their de
pendents.
• Preferred provider or
ganization hospitals are among
he biggest in their cities.
To date, the SIU has desig
nated the following PPOs: Seat-
le—Virginia Mason Hospital;
San Francisco—St. Mary's
New Bedford union hall secretary Nidia Pereira helps two members
prepare for their first visit to the clinic at St. Luke's Hospital. Chief
Steward Bob Haggerty (center) and Recertified Bosun Robert Carson
gather the forms necessary for their annual physicals.
Hospital; Honolulu—-Straub
Hospital; New Orleans—Tulane
University Hospital and Medical
Center; New York—^Methodist
Hospital and Healthmark Incor
porated Clinic; Baltimore^—
Johns Hopkins University Center
for Occupational and Environ
mental Health and Francis Scott
Key Hospital; Houston—St.
Joseph Hospital; Philadelphia—
Methodist Hospital and
Healthmark Incorporated Clinic;
Wilmington — Torrance
Memorial Hospital and Immedi
ate Medical Care Center in San
Pedro, Calif.
St. Luke's is a foil service
community hospital which
provides various services: pre-
employment physicals; annual
examinations; diagnostic studies,
including X-rays and hearing
tests; vision and glaucoma
screenings; blood tests; drug
The new preferred provider organization is St. Luke's Community
Hospital, located only minutes from the union hall in New Bedford.
screens; pulmonary function
tests; cardiovascular studies, in
cluding stress testing and EKG;
drug tests and much more.
"Occupational medicine is
something that we are all learning
about. It gives us an opportunity
to see a new type of working
people with good skills. Many of
the Seafarers haive interesting
stories about their travels. I think
that this is going to be fon. It's
nice to see a good group of fit and
healthy people for a change," said
Kathleen Treadup, an adult nurse
practitioner for the St. Luke's
clinic who has been a staff mem
ber at the New Bedford hospital
for 15 years.
"Our hospital has the ability to
see Seafarers in a reasonable
amount of time and provide them
with all the services they need in
a convenient and efficient man
ner," she added: "We are very
pleased to be doing this with the
Seafarers and confident that it
will work well."
Clinton To Unveil Health Plan This Month
President Clinton this month is
expected to present to Congress an(
the nation his health care reform
jrogram, some details of which he
;ave on August 16 in a spirited
address to the National Govemors
Association in Tulsa, Okla.
In all likelihood. Congress will
not produce reform legislation until
sometime next year.
Speaking to the governors, Clin
ton revealed that under his pro
gram, employers who currently do
not provide at least a portion of their
workers' health insurance would be
required to do so. "I don't believe
anybody should get a free ride in
this deal," he stated.
But he also i.ldirectly responded
to critics of the program who have
asserted that an employer mandate
would cripple some companies,
jarticularly small businesses. The
jresident said his plan calls for a
ive- to seven-year phase-in period
which he believes will help busi
nesses and create jobs, without any
new taxes. "If you just passed an
employer mandate and did nothing
else, there'd be a ton of problems,
Clinton acknowledged.
White House aide Ira Magaziner
ater elaborated on the plan, saying
that it ultimately would require big
employers to pay 80 percent of their
workers' premiums. However, he
added, the administration probably
will limit the payments to 7% to
.5% of payroll.
This cap would apply only to
arge companies that join regional
iealth insurance purchasing pools
to be created by the Clinton plan.
The largest companies, probably
those with at least 5,000 workers,
may have the option of not joining
the pools.
Health premium spending by
small businesses and low-wage
irms would be limited to 4% of
their payrolls, with subsidies cover
ing the difference to provide full
coverage. Magaziner said the sub
sidies will come from a $30 billion
to $40 billion pool generated by
savings in Medicare, Medicaid and
other federal health programs.
Other elements of the plan
which Clinton described to the
govemors include:
Coverage for every U.S. citizen,
regardless of their health or
employment status. Currently, al
most 40 million Americans have no
coverage.
• Establishment of a national health
spending budget.
• A restructuring of the insurance
industry, with premiums based on
average costs of providing medica"
services in particular geographic
areas — and with no adjustments
for an individual's past or projectec
health.
• Allowing self-employed people to
deduct the entire cost of their health
benefits.
Clinton also pointed out that
most employers already provide a
part of their workers' insurance. He
said his plan eventjially will reduce
health care costs and thereby leave
businesses with "more money
they're going to have to invest in
creating new jobs."
Clinton's program has been
described as a managed competi
tion plan. It requires employers to
offer (and, realistically, requires
workers to join) one of several com
prehensive, accountable health
plans consisting of a limited num
ber of doctors and hospitals.
Such a plan would bmit costs
through market forces, i.e. com
parison shopping by individuals
from plans screened by employers
or other intermediaries.
Among the other reform plans
for the U.S. under consideration by
policy-makers is a Canadian-style
system in which a tax-supported
program run by the government
pays all medical bills.
Another proposal is dubbed
play or pay" because it requires
employers to provide a minimum
herdth insurance plan or pay new
taxes to a government fond to cover
the uninsured.
Still others advocate a "con
sumer choice" plan, in which
citizens would be required to buy
health insurance on their own or
through employers. Presumably
they would pay with a proposed tax
credit.
Regardless of which type of
plan one supports, there seemingly
is nationwide agreement that the
U.S. cannot afford to continue on
its current path of skyrocketing
health care costs and gross underin
surance or non-insurance. As
Senator Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and
Senator J.D. Rockefeller (D-
W.Va.) said in a recent letter to The
Wall Street Journal: "In today's
health care system, the more tests
and procedures doctors and hospi
tals do, the more they get paid.
Under the Clinton plan, health
dans would be paid a set amount
Jer enrollee, forcing them to
manage health care delivery more
efficiently and effectively, and en
couraging cost-effective primary
and preventive care to avoid having
treatable illnesses turn into costly
emergencies. The Clinton plan ...
gives consumers greater choices
and forces plans to compete for the
first time on cost and quality."
The AIT.-CIO long has been a
leading proponent of a universal
and fair national system of health
care. While not taking a stand on
one specific proposal put forward
by any representative of the ad
ministration or Congress, the
federation of national trade unions
also has played a key role in expos
ing the fact that the biggest reason
for skyrocketing health care costs is
the enormous number of uninsured
citizens. While those people techni
cally do not have health care
coverage, their expenses inevitably
are passed along to those who do.
For example, people without
health benefits often do not or can
not afford to seek treatment for rela
tively minor conditions. But if the
condition worsens and the unin
sured person goes to the emergency
room, the cost for his or her care is
passed on to those who have
benefits, in the form of higher
premiums, higher deductibles, etc.
(reflecting higher hospital billing to
compensate for the cost of indigent
care). This type of scenario is
replayed daily throughout the
country.
Other factors contributing to the
high cost of adequate health care
include huge profit margins for
some drug companies, as well as
the cost of scientific advancements.
One way that unions and the
health care providers they work
with have tried to combat rising
costs is the use of preferred
jrovider organizations (PPOs) and
iealth maintenance organizations
HMOs).
A PPO is a hospital or clinic
designated as the primary care
giver, subject to a utilization review
irocess in which permission must
le obtained for medical treatment.
An HMO provides all of a
patient's care for a set annual fee
and covers little outside its set
larameters. (President Clinton's
ilan will offer incentives to enroll
in HMOs.) HMOs generally have
salaried physicians, and their struc
ture encourages doctors and hospi
tals to function as parts of large
groups. Some of the advantages of
using an HMO are low out-of-pocket
costs and reduced pap^work.
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1993 PAGE 11
Marttrans Seatams Earn Tankeman Endorsemmt • iK •
Twelve Seafarers who sail
aboard Maritrans tugs and barges
recently earned their tankerman's
endorsement after completing a
specially designed two-week
course at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Educa
tion.
The course lasted from August
2 to August 13 and consisted of
all aspects of loading, transfer^ng
and unloading the various
goeis carried by tank barges.
Members also studied and prac
ticed diesel engine operation and
repair, with particular emphasis
on safety aspects involved in han
dling fuels and other potentially
dangerous cargoes.
TTie course was designed to
meet the training needs of
Maritrans employees while at the
same time accommodating then-
work schedules.
OS Mike Morrissey said the
class was "very informative."
This .was his second time at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship, which he
described as "a first-class facility
with great instructors. I also like
the fact that when you're here,
you're with other Seafarers. Be
sides the classes, that interaction
can be educational."
The tankerman course also
marked the second trip to Piney
Point for AB David Lane, who
graduated from the Lundeberg
School in 1979 and then briefly
sailed in the deep sea division
before switching to conunercial
fishing. Lane, who began work
ing for Maritrans two years ago,
described the tankerman course
as "thorough" and said the school
'has improved considerably. I
remember as a trainee staying in
the old bungalows. This time, my
wife and three kids were with ine,
which made it a nice stay. My
kids love it here."
Like Lane, AB Ed Putro
works aboard Maritrans tugs in
the Philadelphia area. "This
course covered everything we
need to know," said ^tro, who
also has completed AB and ad
vanced firefighting courses at the
school. "It boosted my
knowledge about the boats I work
on and around."
Lane added that he firmly
believes in the value of upgrading
at the Lundeberg School. "It helps
me gain more and more
knowledge. The school is readily
available, and the special courses
for inland members are great.
That's what keeps us coming
back."
In addition to Morrissey, Lane
and Putro, the other Maritrans
employees who completed the
course are Rodney Bennett,
George Davis, Gregory Gibson,
Ray Kucharczyck, David O'
Neal, Rupert Perry Jr., Dale
Watts, Phillip Yeomans and
Troy Zimmerman. The course
was taught by Jim Shaffer.
Maritrans operates 35 tugs and
45 barges, as well as several oil
terminals, on the Eastern
Seaboard and in the Gulf of
Mexico. The SIU members who
work for Maritrans have taken
part in several special courses at
Piney Point in recent years, which
prompted John Bums, Maritrans'
director of labor relations, to note.
In the last several years, the
vocational staff at the school has
been most helpful in accom
modating us and developing
training programs which are ex
tremely beneficial to our
employees. This [tankerman
course] is one more example of
that training."
Completing a specially designed two-week course leading to a tankerman's endorsement are (from left,
front row) Michael Morrissey, Troy Zimmerman, Ray Kucharczyck, Rupert Perry Jr., David O'Neal, David
Lane II, Jim Shaffer (instructor), (second row) George Davis, Dale Watts, Phillip Yeomans. Ed Putro,
Rodney Bennett, Allen Shaw and Greg Roanoke.
Express Marine Boatmen Complete Special Gourees
Six Seafarers and five mem
bers of the American Maritime
Officers (AMO) employed by
Express Marine, Inc. last month
completed special upgrading
courses at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Educa
tion.
The courses, which began on
August 23 and lasted until die end
of the month, were structured
with consideration for the work
schedules of inland division
members. Courses covering a
wide variety of skills were avail
able to Seafarers and AMO mem
bers who sail in the deck, engine
and steward departments. (Some
training, such as oil transfer pro
cedures, was given simultaneous
ly to members from all three
departments. However, most of
the curriculum, including lots of
hands-on work, was department-
specific.)
Stewart Parks, a 57-year-old
AB/cook who has been an SIU
member for 13 years, said he
"learned a lot" from the courses.
"I think very highly of the whole
experience. This was my first
time at the school, and it's even
better than I expected. I love it,
said Parks, who sails aboard the
tugboat Escort.
Parks added that he particular
ly enjoyed working with SIU in
structor Ed White in the new
galley training building at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship.
The following Seafarers from
Express Marine completed the
upgrading courses: Pruitt, Foster,
Parks, Captains Bobby Lewis
a'nd James Pruitt, and Mate
Mack Keech. AMO members
who completed the courses are
Chief Engineers Louis Hopkins
and Thomas Pigott, Second En
gineers Malvin Pendleton and
Robert Judy, and Barge Engineer
Richard Riddick.
The instructors are White,
Karaczynski, Dan Holden, Jim
Shaffer and Eric Malzkuhn.
Express Marine is based m
Pennsauken, N.J. The company
operates five tugs and barges
which move coal up and down the
East Coast.
Bobby Lewis checks the radar screen on the deck of the simulator.
Troy Zimmerman studied diesel engirie operation as part of the
course, designed to meet the training needs of Maritrans employees.
While Parks had not been to
the facility in Piney PoinL Md.
before, several other members
who work for Express Marine at
tended a special firefighting and
hazardous materials training
course last year at the school. One
of those members, AB/Cook Hil
ton Foster, said he was glad to
return to the school last month.
"It's always very worthwhile to
come here," said Foster, 37, who
has been a Seafarer for 14 years.
"All of the facilities are first-rate,
and the new galley is fantastic."
For 32-year-old Mate Gil
Pruitt, who sails aboard the tug
Guardian, making the trip to
Piney Point is old hat. Pruitt
graduated from the trainee pro
gram in 1979 and has upgraded
five times, including twice in the
past two years.
Pruitt commended the training
available on the Lundeberg
School's state-of-the-art shiphan-
dling simulator and said he
learned a lot from instructor Jake
Karaczynski.
"This school is getting better
eveiy day," Pruitt added. "I've
always said Piney Point is ex
tremely helpfiil if you apply your
self. It's here if you want it."
Stan Latka, marine operations
manager at Express Marine,
praised the Lundeberg School
courses and staff. "I find the cour
ses and the instructors exception
al," he said. "They handle
everything we need, and they are
very, very willing to work with us
in tailoring courses to our specific
needs. I've heard nothing but
positive comments from the
people who have been there, in
cluding myself, and I hope we can
make even more use of the school
in the future."
Chief Engineer Thomas Pigott
was one of the AMO memt>eFS
who completed the course.
Steward Parks (left) and Hilton Foster work in the new galley training
building as part of their upgrading curriculum.
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T
12 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1993
Bosun Dubs American Mariner's
Historic Grain Voyage 'Fantostic'
Bosun Robert Eckley
proclaimed the historic voyage o
the American Mariner through
the St. Lawrence Seaway to
Montreal "the best trip of my
life."
The 33-year veteran of the SIU
was among the crew of the
American Steamship Company
(ASC) self-unloader that carriec
21,420 tons of cargo preference
grain from, Toledo, Ohio to
Montreal where it was transferrec
to a U.S.-flag ocean-going
freighter bound
Petersburg, Russia.
for St
Bosun Robert Eckley said this was
the best trip of his life.
The American Mariner be
came the broadest ship, at 78 feet,
to successfully navigate the locks
along the Seaway. (Maximum
width allowed is 76 feet.)
"We had a foot on either side,"
Eckley recalled when he was con
tacted by the Seafarers LOG.
"We were right up against the
sides.
Eckley handled the aft wine
with the assistance of a deckhanc
during each lock operation. Eac
process took 45 minutes to an
hour to complete which Eckley
said was "faster" than he ex
pected.
The crew of* the American
Maririerwas notified in mid-June
that it would take part in
transporting the grain—^part o
the $1.6 billion aid package
presented in April by Presidem
Clinton to Russian President
Boris Yeltsin for the people of his
country.
The 730-foot vessel normally
hauls iron ore and coal during the
Great Lakes sailing season, so
crewmembers went right to work
to prepare the holds for the grain.
"We would clean the holds as
we unloaded them," Eckley said.
We would take every advantage
we could to get rid of any ruSt or
paint chips. It meant extra work
for all of us, but it was not a bad
deal to be part of this.
Before the grain could be
loaded, the vessel was inspected
by officials from the Department
of Agriculture. "We had no
>roblems with the inspection,"
the 63-year-old bosun stated.
Not bad for a crew that carries
ore and coal!"
Loading started July 6 at the
Anderson Grain Terminal, with
the American Mariner setting sail
across Lake Erie on July 8. A^en
the vessel reached the Welland
Canal around Niagara Falls, it
was entering waters never before
sailed by any of the ASC fleet.
After sailing across Lake On-
tario, the American Mariner
reached the Thousand Islands in
the St. Lawrence River between
New York and Ontario.
"It was beautiful," Eckley
said. "I can honestly say that was
all the crew talked about when we
sailed through it. None of us had
seen it from a ship before."
From there, the vessel sailed
through the St. Lawrence Seaway
to Montreal, completing the
voyage in just under three days,
where offloading took ap
proximately 30 hours. In less
than five hours, the ship was
loading ore for the trip back to
Lake Erie.
The other SIU members who
sailed aboard the American
A/ar/ner to Montreal and back in
cluded from the deck department
AB/Wheelsmen Kenneth Bluitt,
Joseph Kelly and Richard
Lund; AB/Watchmen David
Barber, Robert Wagoner and
Jeffrey Stockman; and Deck-
lands Edward Martin and
Mohamed Shaihi.
Engineroom members con
sisted of Conveyorman Myron
Johnston, Gateman Musid El
dodiyi, QMEDs Thomas Tuck
er, Kassim AhduUa and Masood
Igirsh and Wiper Mohsin Har-
lara. Taking care of business in
the galley were Second Cook
)awn Weymouth and Porter
Mward Ringsred.
The American Marinerpasses through a lock in the Well
Its historic cargo preference grain voyage to Montreal.
on-Locatkm
luring
Reacfy to shift barrels of oil are Wiper Mohsin A. Harhara (left) and QMED
Kassim S. Abdulla.
Piney Point Graduate
Saves Life of Mariner
The first aid and lifesaving
techniques taught at the Harry
Lundeberg School of Seamanship
are important skills which con
tribute to the safety and well-
being of Seafarers and the vessels
on which they sail. SIU members
who perfect these skills at the
Lundeberg School never know
when they may be called on to put
such knowledge into practice.
For Wiper Anthony Niek-
rasz, it was only four months
after ̂ adUating from Piney Point
and signing on his first ship, the
USNS Silas Bent, that these im
perative skills came into play.
On July 22, Niekrasz and OS
Wiper Anthony Niekrasz was able
to put into practice ttie skills he had
earned at the Lundeberg School.
Ray Gayton were enjoying time
off their ship at a seaman's center
in Dubai, when Niekrasz noticed
one of the fellow mariners drown
ing after diving into the swim
ming pool.
"I kne>v there was trouble
when he didn't come up out of the
water right away. I dove in and
brought him to the side and rolled
him up out of the pool. He was out
for a few seconds and then came
to," the wiper told a reporter from
the Seafarers LOG.
"I remembered everything that
I learned in my classes at Piney
Point about life saving and reviv
ing a person who has come close
to drowning. I immediately rolled
him on his side and he came to
quickly, so [additional first aid
attention was not needed],
would have been prepared
though," Niekrasz recalled.
The mariner that Niekrasz res
cued sailed aboard the American
Osprey, which was in dry-dock in
Dubai.
"I didn't know the guy—only
that he was a seafarer too and he
was in trouble. I had to help him
out," the March Piney Point
graduate stated. "He was very
grateful and happy, and it felt
good knowing I played a part in
saving another seaman's life. We
hung out for a while and mainly
he just kept telling me how grate
ful he was," he added.
Brother Niekrasz sailed
aboard the Silas Bent until sign
ing off on July 31. He is planning
to upgrade to fireman, oiler and
watertender in the fall classes at
the Paul Hall Center.
C)omlng up from the engineroom Is Caateman MusId 'Art* El Modhji.
AS Watchman Jeffrey Stockman
keeps an eye on deck operations
during a recent voyage on the
American Mariner.
QMED Masood Elglrsh was an en-
is Deckhand
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SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 13 • . v. ,• , V^l
11
a
LEFT Ihe American Republic
begins Its journey up the Cuyahoga
River in Cleveland with a load of ore.
QMED Dave Cameron operates the engine
room control board.
From the snows of February to the summer sun of August,
Seafarers aboard the American Republic have maintained the
ship's steady run on Lake Erie during the 1993 shipping season.
The 635-foot self-unloader was called into duty a month
earlier than normal this year because of a need to transport ore
to a steel mill in Trenton, Mich. A mild winter in the region kept
the Lakes from freezing over, thus allowing the vessel to
complete the mission.
Crewmembers reported the additional time on the Lakes has
had no effect on them.
"So far, it's been a great year," noted AB/Wheelsman Bren
dan Murphy. "We've kept busy all season,"
"This crew has done a great job this year," added Bosun
Terry Henrietta. "This vessel is in constant motion, so we have
to stay alert for any problems that would throw off our
schedule."
Except for special loads, the American Steamship Company
vessel keeps a regular run of carrying ore from Lorain, Ohio to
Cleveland—a distance of 40 miles. The ship averages a
roundtrip every 24 hours depending on weather conditions and
river traffic.
The Americanwas specially built in 1981 to deliver
ore to steel plants along the winding Cuyahoga River in
Cleveland.
Overseeing docking operations on deck is
Bosun Terry Henrietta.
On deck to Inspect the conveyor rollers Is
Conveyorman Rick Springs.
AB/Wheelsman Brendan Murphy handles'
dockslde adjustments from the deck control
room.
AB/Watchman Eugene Repko main- Ready to go ashore Is Second Cook
tains a presence on deck. Harry Petersen.
Lonn?e"Br(X)ks.'^°"^^'°"QMED Gapske makes his way to shore In the landing chair.
Peering at dock activities from the
American Republic's port gate Is Wiper
Hamid Hizam.
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U SEMFARBtS LOG SEPIEMBEG 1993
AMO President Ray McKay Passes Away
Since the BME merged with the MEBA in 1959, Ray McKay senred
as an officer in the union's national organization. From the left are
Jesse Calhoun, retired National MEBA president; McKay, who most
recently served as an executive vice president; and Gordon Ward,
National MEBA president.
Continued from page 5
their homes during Hurricane
Andrew last year.
McKay also represented
American seagoing workers at
meetings of the International
Transport Workers Federation
(ITF), the world organization of
independent unions repre
senting workers in all sectors of
transportation.
John Bowers, president of the
International Longshoremen's
Association, who also serves as
an executive board member of
the ITF, worked with McKay in
an effort to bring the concerns of
American maritime labor to the
world body's attention.
"His contributions to his
membership and to all maritime
workers in the free world were
enormous. His memory will
long endure," Bowers noted.
McKay, a forward-looking
trade unionist and a remarkable
strategist, "was a very effective
fighter for maritime," said Herb
Brand, the chairman of the
board of directors of the
Transportation Institute, an
education and policy organiza
tion representing American-flag
shipping operators.
Brand, who previously had
been associated with the SIU,
knew McKay for more than 40
years. "He never hesitated to
participate in any effort
designed to improve the condi
tion of the industry.
He served the industry and
his membership very well, and
he made a great contribution.'
McKay is survived by his
wife of 50 years, Dolly; three
sons — Michael, Thomas and
Robert; a daughter, Cecilia Ann;
a brother; 15 grandchildren and
four great-grand children.
He was buried in Oran-
;eburg, N.Y.
Ray McKay, a trade unionist who believed in fisting other workers
n their efforts to attain job security, dedicated himself to bulding a
South Florida-affiliate of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department,
n 1991, he received a charter for the Greater South Florida Maritime
Trades Council from MTD (and SIU) President Michael Sacco.
McKay's Legacy Includes School Of Engineering and HarigaUon
Ray McKay, the longtime
American Maritime Officers
(AMO) District 2 MEBA presi
dent who passed away on
August 9, leaves a legacy of
numerous and important con
tributions to the American mer
chant marine.
One of those contributions,
of which McKay was especially
proud, is the AMO School of
Marine Engineering and Naviga
tion, which he founded in 1966.
The original school was lo
cated on the fifth floor of the
old SIU headquarters building
in Brooklyn, N.Y. But within a
year, the officers had outgrown
the space and moved to a five-
story building next door.
In 1967 the school provided
sealift training in direct
response to America's need for
qudified seamen to take part in
the Vietnam War. The cur
riculum subsequently expanded,
year after year.
In 1982, the union purchased
property in Dania, Fla. and relo
cated the school to a three-story
building there. A fourth floor
was added two years ago, and
the school remains as part of
AMO headquarters in Dania.
Nowadays, about 40 courses
are available at the school, with
titles such as Refrigeration, Air
Conditioning & Refrigerant
Recovery System Training;
Maritime Law Training; Radar
Certification and Re-Certifica-
tion; Health and Safety Hazard
ous Material Spill Response
Training; and many others.
The newest feature of the
school is the Simulation Train
ing and Research (STAR) Cen
ter. Conceived and fostered by
McKay, the STAR Center
opened earlier this year and is
regarded as the world's most ad
vanced ship simulator system.
When the STAR Center
opened, McKay said,
"Shipowners and operators and
insurers understand that a high
ly skilled manpower comple
ment is what makes a ship safe,
efficient and profitable, and
that's what STAR Center
promises.
In remembering McKiay, SIU
President Michael Sacco said,
"This great school is testimony to
lus determination and deep belief
in the future of American-flag
shipping. He never accepted
defeate. He always planned for
tomorrow."
Using highly advanced, com
puter-driven graphics, STAR
can recreate Ae operation of
any vessel under any conditions
in all ports and waterways
throughout the world.
Other features include:
• The world's only 360-degree-
view training bridge.
• A 247-degree-view rotating
docking bridge for close
maneuvers.
• Three navigation radar/ARPA
simulators.
• Slow-speed and medium-speed
diesel engine simulators.
• A liquid cargo simulator.
• Day and night navigation.
• Climate conditions such as wind,
currents, fog, rain and snow.
• Remote instruction with video
and radar monitors.
Since the mid-1960s, McKay developed a premier maritime training
program now housed in the union's headquarters complex in Dania.
• Video playback for review.
• Aerial tracking of plotted courses.
STAR also has programs
available in emergency
response drills, restricted
visibility piloting, tug-barge
operations, coastal piloting and
more.
The center also may be used
for military training such as con
voy operations and underway
replenishment. In many cases,
training at the center counts as
Coast Guard-certified sea time.
For example, in two weeks, a
second mate can earn 60 days of
sea time toward the position of
chief mate.
The STAR Center opened earlier this year at the AMO school in Dania, Fla. Conceived and fostered by Ray McKay, the STAR Center has a number of high-tech features. ,,, • vlvig;...;"; ^
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sEPimmta^ SEAFARBIS LOe W
Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1993
•TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Trip
RelieEs
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Port
New York 31 20 6
Philadelphia 1 11 7
Baltimore 1 9 1
Norfolk 20 25 5
Mobile 14 25 4
New Orleans 33 20 10
Jacksonville 27 19 5
San Francisco 26 17 3
Wilmington 13 15 7
Seattle 17 15 1
Puerto Rico 7 2 3
Honolulu 4 16 15
Houston 16 34 5
St. Louis 0 2 ••• 0
Piney Point 0
Algonac .. - - , 0 >. 0
Totals 210 235 72
Port
New York 20
Philadelphia •V 1
Baltimore 6 7 1
Norfolk 7 4
Mobile 10 10 0
New Orleans 13 13 7
Jacksonville 18 22 wm-s.
San Francisco 12 21 1
Wilmington 14 5
Seattle 14 14
Puerto Rico 7 1 0
Honolulu 3 12 8
Houston 11 14
St. Louis 0 1 0
Piney Point 3 . 15 3
Algonac 1 0 0
Totals 135 182 43
Port
New York 15 1
Philadelphia 1 3 Wy-O
Baltimore 2 ':•••• 1 •^€:..,0
Norfolk 16 7 1
Mobile 10 5 0
New Orleans 8 8 0
Jacksonville 6 2
San Francisco 33 0
Wilmington 15 ^ 2
Seattle 20 6 • 1
Puerto Rico 1 1 1
Honolulu 12 22 14
Houston 16 4: : 0
St Louis 1 0 0
Piney Point \ 8, (S® "'O
Algonac 1 0 0
Totals 160 98 21
Port
New York 11 38 15
Philadelphia 2 4 3
Baltimore 0 8 2
Norfolk 10 28 5
Mobile 1 14 0
New Orleans 10 17 7
Jacksonville 2 12 5
San Francisco 13 25 15
Wilmington 10 13 6
Seattle 9 9 2
Puerto Rico 6 6 2
Honolulu 7 52 96
Houston 2 9' 3
St. Louis 0 1 0
Piney Point 0 32 2
Algonac 0 2 1
Totals 83 270 164
DECK DEPARTMENT
17
1
3
11
6
21
24
14
14
12
8
4
15
0
0
0
19
9
6
6
14
23
22
15
13
14
1
12
26
4
9
0
2
0
1
4
2
1
1
1
1
0
6
5
0
0
0
11
5
2
3
2
2
10
u::8'^
7 ,
7
3
3
4
0
1
. •K-BW'SS i
150 193 26
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 -
68
58
1
4
31
19
43
50
50
30
46
16
8
42
1
1
J 0
400
38
13
13
40
32
35
39
38
27
48
4
24
45
0
2
m
11
8
2
7
6
12
9
12
11
9
6
18
14
0
0
•M '•
399 125
i 3: ...... 0
0 0 0
87 100 24
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
9
2
2
9
6
11
1
4
0
8
3
4
24 1
4 2,
16
1
11
-^tio;
I
1
118
1
0
15
6
0
4
0
58
0
0
'va),„
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
10
':ro'.
0
0
0
14
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
2
0
0
5
1
8
4
7
3
8
1
5
; 3
0
0
0
47
22
2
4
7
7
11 ,
13
3
3
8
4
50
11
1
24
1
171
3
2
1
6
1
0
1
:'0^ .• •
0
0
94
1
0
1
1
113
0 5 19
0 1 2
50
1
264 326
"•V''6'; • " 27 19
1
t.'-
: 3
mit- 4 : 2
3 15 7
2 15 11
3 13 16
23 11
W^IO: 74 28
5 25 8
6 37 : ' 11
0 7 1
51 15 37
^ 20 5 •
0 2
W. - 3 mi.
0 ' ' 0 0
99 282 172
26 76
0 2 3
0 iP 1 12
0 11 42
0 0 23
0 12 34
0 > 4 28
0 . 32 50
0 25
0 23
0 7 12
0 8 62
0 2 23
0 0 2
0 0 26
0 0 4
0 132 445
5
• 1
8
0
10
10
5
7
4
1
9
2
0
3
0
67
•"T-f
I-
0
3
0
2
1
2
1
3
2
15
2
0
1
0
34
October i November 1993
Membership Meetings
Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters
Piney Point
Tuesday: Monday: October 4, November 8
New York
Tuesday: October 5, November 9
Philadelphia
Wednesday: October 6, November 10
Baltimore
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Norfolk
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Jacksonville
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
Algonac
Friday: October 8, November 12
Houston
Monday: October 11, November 15
New Orleans'
% ^ Tuesday: October 12, November 16
Mobile
Wednesday, October 13, November 17
San Francisco
Thursday: October 14, November 18
Wilmington
Monday: October 18, November 22
Seattle
Friday, October 22, November 26
San Juan
Thursday: October 7; Friday, November 12*
* changed by Veterans Day holiday
St Louis
: Friday: October 15, November 19
Honolulu
, Friday: October 15, November 19
Duluth
Wednesday, October 13, November 17 ;
Jersey City - ••
s f - Wednesday: October 20, November 24
' ^ New Bedford
Tuesday: October 19, November 23
Each port's meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
35
6
2
12
0
19
12
26
13
10
10
129
9
0
1
0
284
Personals
JOHN CLAYTON ATKINSON
If you were bom on August 2, 1949 and are the
half-brother of Suzanne Couch, you may contact her
directly at: 11505 Highview Drive, Austin, Texas
78750, or you may convey a message for her by
contacting Mrs. Mildred Collier at The Salvation
Army, 1424 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta, OA
30329; (404) 728-1300.
ARTHUR RATHJENS
Please contact your old friend Larry Caffin at 26
Primrose Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
Totals All
Departments 588 785 300 402 522 177 217 1,078 1342 510
. Tolal Registered" means Ihe number of men who actually registered for shipping at tfie port last month.
•• "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at Re port at the end of last inonft
A total of 1J18 lobs were shipped on SlU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the 1,318 jobs ahip^ 402 jobs
or about 30 nercent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were Blled by "B" and C semonty
people. From July 1« to August 15,1993, a total of 217 trip reHefJote^ie shipped. Since the tnp rehef
^ram began on April 1,1982, a total of 19,332 jobs have been shipped.
The One That Didn't Get Away
George Koulouris, cook/baker aboard the Cpl. Louis
J. Hauge, does a little fishing in Diego Garcia and
comes up with enough tuna for the crew's dinner
(plus some leftovers).
':m¥.
sC^.
I -
• ' ./ / . / /•
16 XAFMERSLOG SmBmER1993
Seafarers International
Union Directory
Michael Sacco
President
John Fay
Secretary-Treasurer
Joseph Sacco
Executive Vice President
Augustin Tellez
Vice President Collective Bargaining
George McCartn^
Vice President West Coast
Roy A. •'Buck" Mercer
Vice President Government Services
Jack CafTey
Vice President Atlantic Coast
Byron Kelley
Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters
Dean Coraey
Vice President Gulf Coast
HEADQUARTERS
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675
ALGONAC
520 St. Clair River Dr.
Algonac,MI 48001
313)794-4988
BALTIMORE
1216 E. Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410)327-4900
DULUTH
705 Medical Arts Building
Duluth,MN 55802
(218)722-4110
HONOLULU
606 Kalihi St.
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-5222
HOUSTON
1221 Pierce St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713)659-5152
JACKSONVILLE
3315 Liberty St.
Jacksonville, PL 32206
(904) 353-0987
JERSEY CITY
99 Montgomery SL
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 435-9424
MOBILE
1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy.
Mobile, AL 36605
(205)478-0916
NEW BEDFORD
48 Union St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508)997-5404
NEW ORLEANS
630 Jackson Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504)529-7546
NEW YORK
675 Fourth Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11232
(718)499-6600
NORFOLK
115 Third St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
(804) 622-1892
PHILADELPHIA
2604 S. 4 St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215)336-3818
PINEY POINT
P.O. Box 75
Piney Point, MD 20674
(301) 994-0010
PORT EVERGLADES
2 West Dixie Highway
Dania, PL 33004
(305) 921-5661
SAN FRANCISCO
350 Fremont SL
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-5855
Govenunent Services Division
(415) 861-3400
SANTURCE
1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave.
Stop 16V^
Santurce, PR 00907
(809) 721-4033
SEATTLE
2505 First Ave.
SeatUe, WA 98121
(206)441-1960
ST. LOUIS
4581 Gravois Ave.
SL Louis, MO 63116
(314)752-6500
WILMINGTON
510 R Broad Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
(310)549-4000
Dispatchers' Report for Great Lakes
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1993
CL—Company/Lakes L—Lakes NP—Non Priority
•TOTAL REGISTERED
AH Groups
TOTAL SHIPPED
AH Groups
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
AH Groups
Class CL Class L Class NP OassCL Class L Class NP Class CL Class L Class NP
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
Port
Algonac
0
0
24
14
4
17
7
6
0
10
DECK DEPARTMENT
0 35 12
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 28 5
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0 8 5
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
0 8 5
0 • IJ
0 13 10 :
.oi
n 8 12 0 8 14
Totals All Departments 0 59 23 0 79 27 0 34
* "Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
25
Dispatchers' Report for Inland Waters
JULY 16 -
•TOTAL REGISTERED
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Region
Atlantic. Coast,
Gulf Coast
•
Lakes & Inland Waters „.
West Coast
Totals
Region
Atlantic Coast
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
6
9
16
2
33
0
1
0
1
2
14
17
31
AUGUST 15,1993
TOTAL SHIPPED
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
DECK DEPARTMENT
3:
2 1 6
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
AH Groups
Class A Class B Class C
47
12
2
4
0
33
X.
Totals
Region
Atlantic Coast
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
1
4
13
0
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
9 0 0
79 0 25
93 1 31
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 0
1 0 0
33
4
96
1
7
55
88
3
4
1
2
0
9
0 a
1
1
2
1
5
0
0
0
0
0
0.
4
0
3
7
0 0 0
5 0 0
STEWAM) DEPARTMENT
0 . 0 ..
0 1 3
1 0 0
3 0 3
4 1 6
22 0 0
0
29
0
3
0
9
4
1
6
2
13
0
1
0
1
2
Totals All Departments 56 41 102 37 138 12 111
* "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.
MARKING THE
50th ANNIVERSARY
OF WORLD WAR n
MUM wn
SOCIETY SEEKS
TUGBOAT PHOTOS
AND INFORMATION
New York City, long a major
gateway for the Unit^ States, continued
to play a vital role during World War II.
Hundreds of convoys were builL loaded
and manned in New York's port.
The South Street Seaport Museum
and The Seamen's Church Institute will
mark the 50th anniversary of World War
II with programs conunemorating the
role of New York's World War Il-era
port workers and merchant seamen.
Veteran Seamen's Sunday, Nov. 7
at the South Streeet Seaport Museum—
A day of activities honoring those who
prepared and manned merchant vessels
during the war will include a harbor
cruise, buffet lunch and museum
demonstrations. (Admission: museum -
$6; cruise - $12; lunch - $12; $25
veteran's package includes museum,
cmise and lunch. Pre-registration is re
quired for the package.) Tickets are
available at museum's Visitors Center,
12 Fulton Street. Reservations may be
made by calling (212) 669-9416.
Storytelling Session: Remembering
the Port of New York During WWII,
November 11—Four who labored at sea
and on shore will recount all manner of
maritime activity, keeping their mem-
mories alive using the oral tradition of
seafarers worldwide. They include a
merchant seaman, longshoreman and
two female shipbuilders. Free admission
at the Seamen's Church Institute, 241
Water St.
The Tugboat Enthusiasts Society is
seeking photographs, stories and other
materials concerning tugs that are plying
or have sailed on America's waterways.
The Society is dedicated to preserv
ing the heritage of tugboating in the
United States and sharing its wealth of
information with people fascinated by
the history and current affairs of the
tugboat industry.
For more information on the or
ganization, contact Joseph P. DeMuccio
at the Tugboat Society of America,
Bayview, 308 Quince Street, Mount
PleasanL SC 29464.
ATTENTION: MEMBERSHIP -
PORT OF SEATTLE
UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS
If you recently moved or changed
your name, it is necessary to have your
correct address on file with the Seafarers
Vacation Plan.
If you have not yet notified the union,
go to your nearest union hall and fill out
a chainge of address form or send your
new address (along with your name,
book number and social security num
ber) to: Address Control, Seafarers In
ternational Union, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, MD 20746.
Virginia Mason Clinic will offer flu
shots and blood draws for benzene tests
on Wednesday, November 10, between
the hours of 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:(X)
- 3:30 p.m. at the Seattle hall, located at
2505 1st Avenue.
Any member interested in using this
benefit should call the hall between 9:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on November 8 or
November 9; (206) 441-1960.
In order to utilize this benefiL a mem
ber must qualify under the rules of the'
plan (including proof of 120 days
seatime in 1992 and I day of employ
ment in the last six months).
isi
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SEFJEMBER1993 SEAFARERS LOG 17
To Our New Pensioners
... Thanks for a Job Well Done
Each month in the Seafarers LOG, the names ofSIU members who recently have become
pensioners appear with a brief biographical sketch. These men and women have served
the maritime industry well, and the SIU and all their union brothers and sisters wish them
happiness and health in the days ahead.
Two members who
graduated from the
union's top training programs
in the steward and deck depart
ments at the Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship are
among the 20 mariners who
retired last month as announced
by the Seafarers Welfare Plan.
Brother David Atkinson
graduated from the bosun recer-
tification course in 1973 while
Brother Revels Poovey com
pleted the steward recertifica-
tion course in 1985.
A total of 11 members sign
ing off from their seagoing
careers sailed in the deep sea
division while 6 were aboard in
land vessels and 3 worked on
the Great Lakes.
Ten Seafarers who are begin
ning their retirements served in
the U.S. armed forces: three in
the Army, three in the Navy,
two in the Air Force and two
served in both the Army and
Navy.
TTiree of those signing off
are beginning their retirements
in Washington while two each
reside in Maryland and Texas.
The remaining merchant
mariners have made their
homes in Missouri, West Vir
ginia, Hawaii, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Florida,
Alabama, Louisiana, Ohio, Wis
consin, Michigan* Norway and
the Philippines.
Brief biographical sketches
of Brothers Atkinson and
Poovey, as well as the others,
follow.
DEEP SEA
WILDER
ADAMS,
65, joined
the SIU in
1975 in the
port of Wil
mington,
Calif. A na
tive of
Springfield, Miss., he sailed in
the deck department. Brother
Adams upgraded at the Lun
deberg School frequently. He
served in the U.S. Navy from
1945 to 1949 and the U.S.
Army from 1950 to 1972.
Brother Adams still calls
Springfield home.
DAVID AT
KINSON,
56, Joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of Seat
tle. Bom in
Bellingham,
Wash., he
completed the bosun recertifica-
tion program at the Lundeberg
School in 1973. Brother Atkin
son served in the U.S. Navy
from 1956 to 1958. He resides
in Spokane, Wash.
ALEX
ANDER
BECKER,
65, Joined
the union in
1949 in the
port of New
York. A
Connecticut native, he sailed in
the engine department. Brother
Becker upgraded at Piney Point
in 1975. Brother Becker retired
to Seattle.
MARTIN DALE, 66, Joined
the SIU in 1964 in the port of
Seattle. A native of Norway, he
sailed in the engine department.
Brother Dale resides in Norway
RICHARD
GLAZE,
63, Joined
the union in
1946 in his
native Bal
timore. He
sailed in the
engine
department. Brother Glaze
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1978. He still calls
Baltimore home.
SANTIAGO KINANAHAN,
69, Joined the Seafarers in 1969
in the port of Seattle. Bora in
the Philippines, he sailed as a
chief cook. Brother Kinanahan
served in the U.S. Army from
1942 to 1946. He resides in
Seattle.
EDGEL LUZIER, 64, Joined
the SIU in 1946 in the port of
Baltimore. A Richwood, W.Va.
native, he sailed in the deck
department. Brother Luzier
upgraded at Piney Point fre
quently. He retired to Camden-
on-Gauley, W.Va.
BONIFACIO
PALMA,
72, Joined
the
Seafarers in
1968 in the
port of San
Francisco.
Bora in the
Philippines, he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Palma served in the U.S. Navy
from 1945 to 1965. He lives in
Metro Manila, Philippines.
REVELS
POOVEY,
67, Joined
the union in
1968 in the
port of San
Francisco. A
native of
Gastonia,
N.C., he completed the steward
recertification program at the
Lundeberg School in 1985.
Brother Poovey served in the
U.S. armed forces from 1943 to
1946. He resides in Houston.
RICHARD
RIGNEY,
65, Joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of New
York. Bora
in Bal
timore, he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Rigney calls Falkston,
Md. home.
HERBERT
WON, 65,
Joined the
Seafarers in
1955 in the
port of New
York. A na
tive of
Honolulu,
he sailed in the deck depart
ment. Brother Won still calls
Honolulu home.
INLAND
FREMONT
ANDER
SON, 55,
Joined the
union in
1969 in the
port of
Philadel
phia. Bora
in New Jersey, he sailed in the
engine department. Boatman
Anderson served in the U.S.
Army from 1956 to 1958. He
resides in Berlin, N.J.
JOHN
FRANKLIN
JR., 68,
Joined the
SIU in 1979
in the port
of Norfolk,
Va. Bora in
Miami, he
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Boatman Franklin served
in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to
1964. He retired to Corapeaka,
N.C.
LOLAPINKSTON,65,
Joined the Seafarers in 1981 in
the port of Paducah, Ky. A na
tive of Norfolk, Ark., she sailed
in the steward department.
Boatwoman Pinkston resides in
Melbourne, Fla.
CLARENCE ROBINSON,
65, Joined the union in 1974 in
the port of Mobile, Ala. A Mis
sissippi native, he sailed as a
chief engineer. Boatman Robin
son served in the U.S. Army
from 1952 to 1957. He lives in
Perdido, Ala.
JAMES
TODD HI,
54, Joined
the SIU in
1964 in the
port of New
Orleans.
Bora in
Amite, La.,
he sailed as a captain. Boatman
Todd upgraded at Piney Point
in 1973. He served in the U.S.
Air Force from 1958 to 1962.
He calls Denham Springs, La.
home.
ROBERT TRAHAN, 50,
Joined the Seafarers in 1975 in
the port of Port Arthur, Texas.
A Nederland, Texas native, he
sailed in the dedk department.
Boatman Trahan still calls
Nederland home.
GREAT LAKES
LEWIS
DIEHL, 58,
joined the
union in
1954 in the
port of Al
pena, Mich.
A native of
West Vir
ginia, he sailed as a
wheelsman. Brother Diehl
retired to New Matamoras,
Ohio.
LEO KAHL, 65, joined the
SIU in 1954 in the port of El-
berta, Mich. A Michigan na
tive, he sailed as a cook.
Brother Kahl resides in
Manitowoc, Wis.
ROBERT
MCCARL,
62, Joined
the
Seafarers in
1961 in the
port of
Chicago.
Bora in Ashland, Wis., he
sailed as a dredgeman. Brother
McCarl served in the U.S. Air
Force from 1950 to 1954. He
retired to Ludington, Mich.
Clie Holtbaj* ̂ eaifon Si
3uit ̂ tounb tl^e Comer
One feature in the Seafarers LOG that has been extremely well
received over the past two years is the inclusion of holiday
greetings in the December issue. Active and retired Seafarers—^as
well as their family members—^are invited to send their greetings
to friends, shipmates and loved ones through the pages of the
LOG.
The procedure is simple. In 25 words or less (and in your
neatest PRINTING possible), write the message in the space
provided below. All (legible) greetings that are written in the
holiday spirit will be included in the December 1993 issue of the
Seafarers LOG, if they are received in time.
The deadline for receipt of the holiday messages is Friday,
November 12, 1993. Send them by mail to the Seafarers LOG,
5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746.
After November 1, facsimile copies will be accepted. The fax
number is (301) 702-4407.
Forms also may be filled out in any union hall and turned in
to the official at the counter—or may be given to the boarding
patrolman at a vessel's payoff.
Holtbap JttesifiaBr
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE)
To:
From:
Message:
Check the blcck which describes your status with the <SIU:
• Active Seafarer • Family Member of Active Seaferer
• Detired Seafarer • Family Member of CJetired Seafarer
Send your greeting to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, MD 20746. The greeting shmild be received
at the LOG office by Friday, November 12,1993.
9/93
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18 SEAFARERSLOG SEPTEM8ER1993
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The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union ship
board minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space
limitations, some will be omitted.
Ships minutes first are reviewed by the union's contract department.
Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the
union upon receipt of the ships minutes. The minutes are then for
warded to the Seafarers LOG.
Steward delegate reported beef and
disputed OT. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by engine delegate.
Crew asked contracts department to
look into amending shipping rules
regarding time at sea. Crew gave vote
of thanks to galley gang.
SEA-LAND CONSUMER (Sea-
Land Service), May 30—Chairman
FRANCES HAMMER (OCCI),
March 14—Chairman Richard Wil-,
son. Secretary Steven Parker, Educa
tional Director Denny Burns, Deck
Delegate William Powell, Engine
Delegate George Demetropoulos.
Chairman discussed contract negotia
tions and urged members to submit
recommendations to contracts depart
ment. Secretary thanked entire crew
for helping keep mess halls and gal
ley clean. Educational director urged
members to upgrade at Piney Point.
Treasurer reported $477 in ship's
fund and announced educational
films will be purchased next port. No
beefs or disputed OT reported Crew
asked contracts department to look
into several items including permis
sion for New Bedford, Mass. union
hall to provide clinic cards and drug
testing for deep sea members, a
change in shipping rules regarding
time at sea and explanation of policy
regarding maximum OT per voyage.
Chairman asked contracts depart
ment to send vessel safety informa
tion. Steward thanked Chief Cook
Dadang Rashldi for excellent
meals and keeping galley spotless.
Next port: Rotterdam.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-Land
Service), April 18—Chairman Car
mine Bova, Secretary TJ. Smith,
Educational Director Gerald Payne,
Deck Delegate William Dillion, En
gine Delegate Edward Trester,
Steward Delegate Louis Lightfoot.
Chairman announced arrival in Bos
ton and payoff in Elizabeth, N.J.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to upgrade skills at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Chairman reminded crew to
rewind tapes and help keep recreation
room tidy.
WESTWARD VENTURE (lOM),
April 29—Chairman M.W. Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Cris Cunningham,
Steward Delegate Steve Soofi. Chair
man reported smooth sailing. Educa
tional director encouraged members
to upgrade at Paul Hall Center and
donate to SPAD. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew reported
Sea/arerj LOGi received. Crew gave
vote of thanks to steward department.
Chairman reminded crewmembers to
keep lounge clean because it is home
while aboard ship. Next port:
Anchorage, Alaska.
CLEVELAND (Sealift Inc.), May
7—Chairman F, Khan, Secretary R.
Linasan, Educational Director J.
Barry, Deck Delegate David
Gasoutte, Engine Delegate Dion
Papas, Steward Delegate Mike
Vinca. Chairman thanked crewmem
bers for job well done. Secretary
thanked crew for keeping ship clean.
Educational director congratulated
Piney Point upgraders and advised all
members to upgrade skills at Lun
deberg School. Treasurer reported
ship's fund used to purchase new
movies in San Francisco. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew reported
urgent need for mail service in every
port. Crew asked contracts depart
ment for clarification regarding OT
for carriage of explosive cargo and •
making potable water in port Crew
also had questions about coverage of
medical expenses overseas. Next
port: Pusan, Korea.
GALVESTON 04/(Sea-Land Ser
vice), May 31—Chairman Jim Has
san, Secretary C. Scott, Educational
Director P. Kanauos, Deck Delegate
Daniel Miller, Engine Delegate Ellis
Young. Chairman reminded mem
bers to donate to SPAD and an
nounced payoff. Educational director
reported smooth sailing. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang for
clean ship and very clean mess rooms
and galley.
OMI CHARGER (OMI), May 5—
Chairman G. Beverly, Secretary
Neville Johnson, Educational Direc
tor M.R. Williams, Deck Delegate
Clemente Roche, Engine Delegate
A. Craig, Steward Delegate Leon
Grant. Chairman announced new
washing machine will be brought
aboard in Florida. Educational direc
tor urged members to upgrade skills
at Paul Hall Center. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew held discus
sion on Seafarers Welfare Plan. Next
port: Port Everglades, Fla.
OMI MISSOURI (Vulcan Carriers),
May 23—Chairman C. Gutierrez,
Secretary C. Kreiss, Deck Delegate
Charles Parman, Engine Delegate B.
Magliano, Steward Delegate Abdul
Aziz. Chairman announced smooth
trip and payoff in Mobile, Ala
Treasurer reported $50 in ship's fond.
Deck delegate and engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by steward delegate.
Chairman reported starboard gangway
needs repair and asked crewmembers to
help keep ship clean.
OVERSEAS VALDEZ(Maritime
Overseas), May 2S—Chairman
Frank Cottongiu, Secretary T. Laf-
fitte. Educational Director E.
iiacom. Deck Delegate K. Mc-
Lamb, Engine Delegate Guadalupe
Garza, Steward Delegate Carlos
Arauz. Crew reported new vent for
dryer needed. Beef reported by deck
delegate. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or steward
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending
shipping rules regarding time at sea.
Next port: Tampa, Fla.
SEA-LAND ACHIEVER (Sea-Land
Service), May 30—Chairman James
E. Davis, Secretary Felipe Orlanda,
Engine Delegate Sheldon Green-
berg, Steward Delegate Robert
Arana. Chairman informed members
of update on contract negotiations.
Educational director encouraged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. Treasurer reported $45 in
movie fond. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Steward delegate reported
problems with menu selection. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment. Galley gang members include
Chief Steward Orlanda, Chief Cook
Arana and SA Jose Santos. Chair
man reminded crewmembers to cleati
int off dryer trap before and after
use. Next port: Norfolk, Va.
SEA-LAND ATLANTIC (Sea-Land
Service), May 16—Chairman Calvin
James, Secretary F. Costango,
Educational Director Kevin DeSue,
Deck Delegate G. Hernandez,
Steward Delegate Donald Williams.
Chairman gave vote of thanks to Cap
tain Tangen for holding sanitary in
spection during homeward voyage.
Chairman reported captain rated ship
"10." He reminded gangway watch to
look out for strangers who may board
vessel while in port Educational direc
tor reminded crewmembers to take ad
vantage of upgrading at Piney Point
Deck delegate rqwrted disputed OT.
W. Mortier, Secretary D'Vaughn
Scruggs, Educational Director Chris
topher Earhart, Deck Delegate Rus
sell Haynes, Steward Delegate
Lawrence Carranza. Educational
director announced safety movies
available in officers lounge. He
reminded members to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center to advance in maritime in
dustry. Deck delegate reported dis
puted OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or steward
delegate. Crewmembers reported
Seafarers LOGs received. Next port:
Honolulu.
SEA-LAND CRUSADER (Sea-
Land Service), May 25—Chairman
Angel Hernandez, Secretary R.
Evans, Educational Director Oswald
Bermeo. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward and galley gang for
job well done. Chairman reminded
crew garbage is to be separated into
two cans for plastic and paper.
SEA-LAND DEFENDER (Sea-
Land Service), May 16—Chairman
G.M. Westphal, Secretary John
Alamar, Educational Director Rolan
do Gumanis. Chairman told crew he
was happy to join vessel in Kobe,
Japan. Chairman reported no word on
contract negotiations. Educational
director urged members to use
upgrading system at Lundeberg
School to better self and job skills.
Disputed OT reported by deck
delegate. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine or stewed
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending
shipping rules regarding sea time.
Crew asked chairman to look into
having captain post a notice prior to
inspection and have one unlicensed
person present at all times when
licensed members enter crew
quarters. Next port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND EXPLORER (Sea-
Land Service), May 30—Chairman
Jack Kingsley, Secretary W. Bur-
dette. Educational Director G. Pol
lard Lowsley, Deck Delegate Edgar
Townsend, Engine Delegate Robert
Lee, Steward Delegate Jesse James.
Chairman reminded crewmembers
signing off to strip bunks and leave
rooms clean. He gave vote of thanks
to galley gang for good menus and
crew for good trip. Steward delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or en
gine delegates. Crew reported
Seafarers LOGs received and dis
tributed. Crew asked contracts depart
ment to look into increased funds for
fresh produce on foreign voyages.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), May 1—Chair
man Francis Adams, Secretary
Nancy Heyden, Educational Director
Ray John Machaj, Deck Delegate
Lee Dubany, Engine Delegate Saleh
All, Steward Delegate Cecil
Gubisch. Chairman announced letter
received from captain. He reported
everything running smoothly with no
beefs or disputed OT. Chairman
thanked SlU President Michael
Sacco, Secretary-Treasurer John Fay
and San Francisco Port Agent Nick
Celona for visiting the ship. He also
gave special thanks to Wilmington,
Calif. Port Agent George Tricker for
help in resolving beef. Secretary
reported smooth sailing. Educational
director reminded members to read
Seafarers LOGs and donate to SPAD.
He reported new VCR still needed
and urged members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center when opportunity
presents itself. Treasurer reported $95
in ship's fond. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew asked contracts
department to look into increasing
medical and dental coverage. Crew re
quested new seat covers for crew
lounge and reported sauna door is
broken. Crew thanked galley gang for
great food and clean ship for entire
trip. Next port: Hong Kong.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), May 9—Chair
man Francis Adams, Secretary
Nancy Heyden, Educational Director
Ray John Machaj, Engine Delegate
Saleh All, Steward Delegate Cecil
Gubisch. Chairman thanked entire ,
crew for great job. He thanked galley
gang for great chow during entire
toiir and complimented members for
keeping clean ship. He also en
couraged SPAD donations. Educa
tional director urged crew to read
Seafarers LOGs and donate to SPAD
and MDL. He discussed importance
gave vote of thanks to galley gang for
excellent job. Next port: Boston.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-Land
Service), May 23—Chairman Car
mine Bova, Secretary TJ. Smith,
Educational Director Ken Linah,
Deck Delegate Leo Enhace, Engine
Delegate Edward Trester, Steward
Delegate Louis Lightfoot. Chairman
announced arrival in Charleston, S.C.
on May 26. Educational director
reminded members to upgrade skills
at Lundeberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew reported let
ter from headquarters received and
requested additional Seafarers LOGs.
Chairman reminded crewmembers to
keep recreation room clean. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment.
SEA-LAND SP//?/r (Sea-Land Ser
vice), May 9—Chairman Rafael Cle-
Sailing Time Aboard the Ambassador
AB Joseph McGIII updates the sailing board at the loading ramp aboard
Crowley s Ambassador.
of upgrading at Lundeberg School.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Chairman reminded crewmembers
suggestions for new contract should
K turned in to patrolman at payoff.
Crew reported shipboard funeral ser
vices for SlU brothers George M^l-
am Harding and Goon Van Ching.
4ext port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND NAVIGATOR(Sea-
.and Service), May 16—Chairman
' Vemer Becher, Secretary J. Or
tega, Educational Director Walter
Stevens, Deck Delegate Sean
)aherty. Engine Delegate Robert
Zurfluh, Steward Delegate
Napoleon Gavin. No beefs or dis-
juted OT reported. Crew reported
new coffee machine needed in
crew lounge and engineroom.
4ext port: Tacoipa, Wash.
SEA-LAND PACIFIC (Sea-Land
Service), May 23—Chairman Lothar
teck. Secretary R. Mathews, Educa
tional Director Steve Bigelow. Chair
man reported no lodging available for
crewmembers during shipyard period
as of yet. Treasurer report^ $80 in
movie fund and $45 in ship's fond.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
received. Crew asked contracts
department for clarification on room
cleaning below bridge deck. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment. Crew discussed using movie
fund to get new VCR.
mente. Secretary Steve Apodaca,
Educational Director Charles Hen
ley, Deck Delegate Theodore Doi,
Engine Delegate Phil Parent,
Steward Delegate Frank Maliga.
Chairman reported smooth sailing.
Treasmer reported $420 in movie
fond. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew asked contracts
department to look into company
providing chair on bridge for
helmsman. Crew also asked contracts
department to clarify cargo hold work
in new contract. Crew thanked galley
gang for job well done. Crew gave
special thanks to Theodore Doi for
helping keep recreation room clean.
Next port: Honolulu.
SEA-LAND TACOMA (Sea-Land
Service), May 24—Chairman A. Eck-
SEA-LAND PERFORMANCE
Sea-Land Service), May 3—Chair
man Ervin Bronstein, Secretary
Dante Slack, Educational Director
D.L.. Johnson, Deck Delegate Carl
Sands, Engine Delegate Juan Toro,
Steward Delegate Stephanie Torres.
Chairman announced payoff in
Elizabeth, N.J. Educational director
urged members to keep accurate
record of seatiipe and encoiuaged
crew to upgrade at Piney Point No
)eefs or disputed OT. Chairman read
letter from Seafarers Plans' Ad
ministrator Nick Marrone regarding
retirement time. Crew asked contracts
department to look into amending ship
ping rules regarding time at sea. Crew
ert. Secretary F. Sison, Educational
Director C. Kper, Steward Delegate
William Wales. Educational director
reminded members to donate to
SPAD and take advantage of upgrad
ing opportunities at Paul Hall Center.
Treasurer reported $700.50 in ship's
fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for good meals.
Next port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND TRADER (Sea-Land
Service), May 30—Chairman Loren
Watson, Secretary Joe Johnson,
Educational Director R.W. Risbeck.
Educational director urged members
to upgrade at Lundeberg School.
Treasurer reported $100 in ship's
fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave galley gang vote
of thanks for job well done on salad
bar and excellent food.
SEALIFT CHINA SEA (IMC), May
15—Chairman Anthony Zizzo,
Secreta^ Martin Pak. Chairman dis
cussed importance of Piney Point and
encouraged members to upgrade.
Secretary announced 15-day order of
stores expected next port. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave spe
cial thanks to galley crew for smiles
along with good food: Next port:
Long Beach, Llalif.
Continued on page 20
. .'v-
PS
CM"
•• ••
'W '
SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 19
Final Departures
DEEP SEA
WILLIE ALBERT
Pensioner
Willie Albert,
67, passed
away July 5.
Bom in South
Carolina, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1951 in the
port of New
York. Brother Albert sailed in the
steward department. He upgraded
at the Lundeberg School in 1981.
Brother Albert served in the U.S.
Army from 1952 to 1954. He
began receiving his pension in Sep
tember 1985.
HERBERT BRANDON
Pensioner Herbert Brandon, 86,
died May IS. A native of Glens
Ferry, Idaho, he joined the Marine
Cooks and Stewards in 1937 in the
port of San Francisco, before that
union merged with the Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict (AGLIWD) of the SIU.
Brother Brandon retired in July
1968.
LICHECTA BUTLER
Lichecta But-^
ler,21,
passed away
July 14. Bora
in Louisiana,
he graduated
from the
Harry Lun
deberg
School of
Seamanship in 1992. Brother But
ler sailed in the steward department
ERICDAHL
Pensioner Eric Dahl, 85, died June
27. A native of Sweden, he joined
the Seafarers in 1951 in the port of
New York. Brother Dahl sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in January
1975.
LAWSON EVANS
Pensioner Lawson Evans, 87,
passed away July 28. Bora in
Washington, D.C., he joined the
union in 1944 in the port of New
York. Brother Evans sailed in the
engine department. He served in
the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1942.
Brother Evans began receiving his
pension in June 1969.
JUAN HOPKINS
Pensioner
Juan Hopkins,
79, passed
away August
3. Bora in
Puerto Rico,
he joined the
Seafarers in
1942 in the
port of New
York. Brother Hopkins sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in November
1979.
WILLIAMJEFFERSON
William Jef
ferson, 50,
died July 12.
A Tulsa,
Okla. native,
he joined the
union in 1963
in the port of
Houston.
Brother Jeffer
son completed the bosun recertifica-
tion program at the Lundeberg
School in 1976. He served in the
U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1%2.
KOSTA HATGIMISIOS
Pensioner Kosta Hatgimisios, 73,
died Apgust 1. A native of Nor^
LEARTHUR JORDAN
Learthur Jor
dan, 46,
passed away
July 31. He
joined the
SIU in 1970
in his native
Mobile, Ala.
Brother Jor
dan sailed in
the steward department. He
upgraded to chief cook at Piney
Point in 1989.
EVERETT MAXWELL
Pensioner Everett Maxwell, 78,
died July 20. Bora in Springfield,
Mass., he joined the Seafarers in
1956 in the port of Baltimore.
Brother Maxwell sailed in the en
gine departinent. He began receiv
ing his pension in February 1980.
WILLIAM MCRAE
Pensioner
William
McRae, 95,
passed away
June 26. A
Philadelphia
native, he
joined the
union in 1955
in the port of
Seattle. Brother McRae sailed in
the steward department. He retired
in April 1976.
HENRY NUTTING
Pensioner
Henry Nut
ting, 69, died
July 8. Bora
in Hassell,
Belgium, he
joined the
SIU in 1965
in the port of
Houston. He
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Nutting recently retired to
St. Augustine, Fla.
RAMON ROQUE
Pensioner Ramon Roque, 81,
)assed away July 18. A Key West,
^la. native, he joined the Seafarers
in 1940 in the port of Miami.
Brother Roque sailed in the
steward department. He began
receiving his pension in February
1971.
UGENIUS SIERADZKI
Pensioner Eugenius Sieradzki, 80,
died August 2. Bora in Lwow,
Poland, he joined the union in
957 in the port of Philadelphia.
Irother Sieradzki sailed in the en
gine department. Brother Sieradzki
served in the Polish army from
942 to 1949. He retired in Oc
tober 1973.
RODNEY SIMMONS
Pensioner
Rodney Sim
mons, 73,
passed away
June 18. He
joined the
Marine Cooks
and Stewards
in 1959 in his
native New
wich. Conn., he joined the SIU as a
charter member in 1939 in the port
of Providence, R.I. Brother Hat
gimisios sailed in the steward
department. He retired in Novem
ber 1973.
Orleans, before that union merged
with the AGLIWD. Brother Sim
mons began receiving his pension
September 1984. in
PAULBILLIOT
Paul Billiot,
53, passed
away July 5.
He joined the
Seafarers in
1971 in his na
tive New Or
leans.
Boatman Bil
liot sailed in
the deck department.
FRANK BLACHOWICZ
Pensioner Frank Blachowicz, 72,
died June 16. A Maryland native,
he joined the SIU in 1975 in the
port of Norfolk, Va. Boatman
Blachowicz sailed in the engine
department. He retired in August
1983.
ANTOINEGUIDROZ
Pensioner An
toine
Guidroz, 72,
died July 10.
A native of
Leonville-Pt.
Barre, La., he
joined the
Seafarers in
1974 in the
port of Houston. Boatman Guidroz
sailed as an AB for G & H Towing
from 1969 until his retirement in
1985. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1941 to 1945.
EARL JOHNSON
Pensioner Earl Johnson, 66, passed
away July 16. Bora in Rocking
ham, N.C., he joined the SIU in
1972 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Boatman Johnson sailed as an en
gineer. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1944 to 1946. Boatman
Johnson began receiving his pen
sion in April 1989.
WOODROW SEWARD
Pensioner
Woodrow
Seward, 79,
died June 19.
A native of
Galveston,
Texas, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of Port Arthur, Texas. Boat
man Seward sailed as an engineer.
He retired in October 1977.
WILLIAM WEST
Pensioner
William
West, 82,
passed away
May 1. Bora
in Mathews,
Va., he joined
the union in
1967 in the
port of
Philadelphia. Boatman West sailed
in the deck department. He began
receiving his pension in May 1978.
BERNON DAVIDSON
Pensioner Beraon Davidson, 78,
jassed away June 29. Bora in
'4orth Carolina, he joined the union
n 1961 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Joatman Davidson sailed as an en
gineer. He began receiving his pen
sion in March 1983.
GREAT LAKES
JOHNWEGLIAN
Pensioner John Weglian, 81,
)assed away August 1. A Miclygan
native, he joined the Seafarers in
965 in the port of Detroit. He
sailed in the steward department.
Brother Weglian retired in August
1974.
JAMES ANDERSON
James Ander
son, 49, died
June 5. A
Michigan na
tive, he joined
the SIU in
1978 in the
port of Al
pena, Mich.
Brother
Anderson sailed in the deck depart
ment.
MARTIN OZMINA
Pensioner
Martin Oz-
mina, 87,
passed away
July 25. Bora
in Illinois, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1962 in the
port of
Chicago. Brother Ozmina sailed in
the deck department. He retired in
February 1977.
VERNONSAVAGE
Pensioner
Vernon
Savage, 71,
died May 8. ,
A native of
Jersey City,
N.J., he sailed
both as a
Great Lakes
tugboat
operator and as an inland boatman.
Brother Savage served in the U.S.
Navy from 1942 to 1948. He began
receiving his pension in May 1989.
CLIFFORD THOMAS
Pensioner
Clifford
Thomas, 79,
passed away
June 19. Bora
in Michigan,
he joined the
union in 1969
in the port of
Frankfort,
Mich. Brother Thomas sailed in the
deck department. He retired in Oc
tober 1978.
JOSEPH TURNER
Pensioner
Joseph
Turner, 66,
died May 8.
A native of
Sault Ste. .
Marie, Mich.,
he joined the
SIU in 1961
in the port of
Detroit. Brother Turner sailed as a
tug linesman with Great Lakes
owing until his retirement in
December 1987.
RAILROAD MARINE
WILLIAM LANCZKY
Pensioner
William
Lanczky, 77,
died April 9.
A New Jersey
native, he
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of New
York. Brother Lanczky began
receiving his pension in Janurary
1971.
FRANCIS STEWART
Pensioner
Francis
Stewart, 77,
passed away
May 9. Bora
in Brooklyn,
N.Y.,he
joined the
union in I960
in the port of
New York. Brother Stewart served
in the U.S. Army from 1934 to
1946. He retired in November
1974.
ATLANTIC
FISHERMEN
ANTHONY GALLO
Pensioner An
thony Gallo,
74, passed
away June 10.
He joined the
Seafarers in
1967 in his na
tive
Gloucester,
Mass. Brother
Gallo sailed as an engineer. He
retired in March 1984.
CORRECTION
HERNELL E. EDWARDS
The August
edition of the
Seafarers
LOG inadver
tently printed
incorrect in
formation on
HernellE.
Edwards.
The notice
should have read: Pensioner Ed
wards, 71, passed away June 16. A
^uisiana native, he joined the
Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1971 in the port of New Orleans,
jefore that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother Edwards com-
jleted the steward recertification
course at the Lundeberg School in
979. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1941 to 1944. Brother Ed
wards retired in March 1987.
Max Steen Honored by Seattle Seafarers
Paisioner
Max Steen,
83, passed
away July 10.
Broker Steen
had no sur
viving family
when he died,
so his SIU
brothers and
sisters and friends from Seattle's
Jewish community joined together
to honor his memory.
Brother Steen was born in
Sweden where for many years he
was a professional horse breeder
and was involved in the European
horse racing circuit. He continued
to work widr horses when he flr^t
came to the United States during
World War II.
Steen joined the Seafarers in
March 1946 in the port of Baltimore.
His first ship was the SS Mission San
Araonio. He began sailing as a
steward utility and worked his way
up to chief steward.
In 1969, Steen became a
naturalized U.S. citizen and
changed his name from Steinsapir.
After 22 years of sailing, he began
his retirement in 1968 in Seattle. He
later moved to Piney Point, Md. to
live at the Harry Lundeberg School
of Seamanship. Several years later
he moved back to Seattle.
When Steen died in June,
friends provided funeral and
memorial services. Six SIU mem
bers served as pallbearers and car
ried Brother Steen to his final
resting place.
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ZO SEAFARERS IHQ SEPTEMRER1993
Ships Digest
Continued from page 18
SEAM rO/? (Crowley American
Transport), May 23—Secretary R.T.
Seim, Educational Director William
Cameron. Crew still waiting for cor
respondence from headquarters
regarding deck beef. Educational
director urged members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center and contribute to
SPAD and MDL funds. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew discussed
involvement in political areas of union
issues. Crew thanked galley gang for
fine varied menus and weekly bar
becue cookouts. Steward department
thanked entire crew for fine team woiic
in keeping ship very clean. Next port;
Port Everglades, Ha.
WESTWARD l^E/Vriy/7E(IOM),
May 31—Chairman M,W, Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Robert Ohier, Deck
Delegate Paul Davis, Engine
Delegate Bert Abella, Steward
Delegate Steve Soofi. Chairman an
nounced ship to shipyard for 5 days
in Tacoma, Wash. Educational direc
tor urged members to donate to
SPAD and upgrade skills at Piney
Point Crew discussed courtesy in
, crew lounge with use of VCR and
radio. Chairman reminded crew to
' keep lounge clean.
AMERICAN FALCON iCrov/ley
American Transport), June 19—
Chairman Harold Power, Secretary
PJ. Zilkow, Educational Director
Earnest Cox, Deck Delegate Mike
Davis. Educational director reminded
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No bwfs or disputed OT
reported.Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for job well
done. Crew asked contracts depart
ment for explanation of weekend OT
conditions.
CONSTELLATION (Maersk
Lines), June 18—Chairman B. Shel
ley, Secretary B. Tyler, Educational
Director L. Strong, Deck Delegate
Glen Miller O, Steward Delegate F.
Umali. Educational director urged
members to upgrade skills at Paul
Hall Center. Treasurer reported $600
in ship's fund and announced two
tape rewinders will be purchased in
Oakland, Calif, for crew lounge. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew
gave vote of thanks to galley gang for
good food. Crew thanked 'Ashing
gang" on Midway Island and stated
the six yellow fin tuna and two
wahoo they donated to ship were fan
tastic. Next port: Concord, Calif.
GOPHER STATE (lOM) , June
Chairman Dan Teicbman, Secretary
A. Austin, Educational Director M.
Arron, Deck Delegate Claude New,
Engine Delegate Eric McTinney.
Chairman announced date of arrival
in Newport News, Va. and reported
patrolman will meet vessel. Secretary
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment for fine job and extra efforts
putting together barbecues. Educa
tional director urged members to take
advantage of upgrading opportunities
at Piney PdinL No beefs or disputed
OT. Crew discussed designating
separate sleeping quarters for day
sleepers and watch standers.
TTB G/70r0/V (Sheridan Transporta
tion), June 4—Chairman Neil Mat-
they. Secretary M. Deloatch,
Educational Director J. Carnell,
Deck Delegate Brian Fountain, En
gine Delegate Pete Murtagh,
Steward Delegate Michael Ham-
mack. Chairman announced ship
scheduled to lay up in shipyard end
of June or beginning of July. Crew .
gave vote of thanks to company for
new couch. Secretary thanked crew
for keeping mess room clean at night.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to upgrade at Paul Hall Center.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
received. Crew gave many thanks to
galley gang and deck department for
great cookout on Memorial Day.
ITB GROTON (Sheridan Transporta
tion), June 16—-Chairman Neil Mat-
they. Secretary M. Deloatch,
Educational Director J. Carnell.
Chairman announced ship is
scheduled to lay up in Brooklyn
shipyard dry dock. He reported crew
will be laid off approximately 3
weeks. He announced after layup,
ship will go to St. Croix for under
water survey. He reminded crewmem-
bers repair list must be turned in.
Educational director encouraged
members to upgrade at Piney Point.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew and officers gave vote of
thanks to galley gang for great
cookout.
ITB PHILADELPHIA (Sheridan
Transportation), June I—Chairman
V. Nielsen, Secretary J.P. Emidy,
Educational Director B. Sengelauh,
Deck Delegate C. Brown, Engine
Delegate Carlos Bonefont, Steward
Delegate Jack Hart. Steward
thanked crew for keeping mess halls
clean. Crew gave vote of thanks to
galley gang. Next port: New York.
PFC JAMES ANDERSON
(Maersk Lines), June 20—Chairman
Thomas Anderson, Secretary Hugh
Wildermuth, Educational Director
L. Cochrane, Deck Delegate James
Hailstone, Steward Delegate Earl
Castain. Educational director urged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. Treasurer reported $100 in
ship's fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Diego Garcia.
JULIUS HAMMER (OCCD, June
28—Chairman Richard Nicholas.
Chairman reported contract exten
sion. Crew reported Seafarers LOGs
not being received. Educational direc
tor reminded members to upgrade at
Paul Hall Center. Treasurer reported
$180 in ship's fund to be used to pur
chase two sets of fishing poles and
tackle. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew discussed importance
of having U.S.-flag ships. Crew re
quested new refrigerator, short wave
radio and speakers, new beds, new
sink. Crew reported antenna needs
repair. Crew thanked steward depart
ment for great food and cookouts.
LNG ARIES (ETC), June 2—Chair
man Dlus Veach, Secretary Doyle
Cornelius, Educational Director
Charles Pomraning, Deck Delegate
Lifeboat Inspection
Cr^wmembers aboard Crowley's Ambassador inspect one of the
ship's lifeboats to make sure it works properly. They are (from left)
Steward/Baker Milton Youmet, AB Glenn Reynolds, Bosun Leon Jekot
and ABs Rubin Mitchell, Ben Bess and Robert Grubbs.
Louis Sorito Jr., Engine Delegate
Richard Robertson, Steward
Delegate Udjang Nurdjaja. Chair
man reminded crewmembers to ad
here to ETC policies while ashore as
well as on vessel. Educational direc
tor encouraged members to check
upgrading schedule and upgrade at
Lundeberg School while off vessel.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
LNG AQUARIUS (ETC), June 13-
Chairman Sam Brooks, Secretary
Franklin Robertson, Educational
Director John Orr, Engine Delegate
Bruce Zennon, Steward Delegate
Rafael Cardenas. Chairman thanked
galley gang for food and menus.
Educational director reminded mem
bers to send seatime in with applica
tion when applying for upgrading
courses at Piney Point. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew re- .
quested new VCR. Steward delegate
asked crewmembers not to go in
refrigerators and take things at will.
Crew gave vote of thanks to Rafael
Cardenas for job well done. Cardenas
thanked crew for support and help.
Next port: Bontang, Indonesia.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), June 13—Chairman Kelly
Devine, Secretary Anthony Curran,
Deck Delegate Don Deflorio,
Steward Delegate Dehora Grendahl.
Chairman discussed hazard pay with
crewmembers. Treasurer reported
$244 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew thanked
captain for allowing use of rib boat
for training. Next port: Jacksonville,
Ha.
NORTHERN LIGHTS aOM), June
27—Chairman Ray Waiters,
Secretary K. Whit, Educational
Director Keith Jordan, Deck
Delegate Timothy Jackson, Engine
Delegate Charles Kennedy, Steward
Delegate Christopher Green. Chair
man discussed putting lock on
bathroom doors. Educational director
encouraged members to upgrade at
Lundeberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Next port:
TaComa, Wash.
NEDLLOYD HOLLAND (Sea-Land
Service), June 13—Chairman F.
Gothe, Secretary V. Harper, Educa
tional Director D. Bush, Deck
Delegate Robert Rager, Engine
Delegate Gerald Yore, Steward
Delegate Michael Harris. Chairman
urged members to take advantage of
upgrading opportunities at Lundeberg
School. Educational delegate also en
couraged members to visit Piney
Point. Treasurer reported $75 in
ship's fund. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vbte of thanks to
steward department. Next port: Char
leston, S.C.
NUEVO SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico
Marine),June 6—Chairman J. Wil
liams Secretary R. Fagan, Education
al Director C. Gallagher, Deck
Delegate D.M, Hood, Engine
Delegate J. Williams Jr., Steward
Delegate B. Winfield. Chairman
reported ship running smoothly with
very good deck department. He an
nounced payoff in Elizabeth, N.J. and
reminded crewmembers to ask patrol
man about new contract. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang for
good food and job well done.
OOCL INSPIRATION (Sea-Land
Service), June 27—Chairman Mark
Trepp, Educational Director Donald
Christian, Deck Delegate Oscar
Lopez, Engine Delegate Jeff
Kinsman. Educational director en
couraged members to upgrade skills
at Piney Point.Treasurer reported
$190 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department with
special thanks to Chief Cook George
Monseur who is signing off. Next
port: Charleston, S.C.
OMI CHAMPION (OMl Corp.),
June 13r—Chairman Paul Domes,
Secretary W. Washington, Deck
Delegate Errick Nobles, Engine
Delegate Earl Adams, Steward
Delegate Daniel Crawford. Chair
man announced payoff upon arrival
in Portland, Maine. Educational direc
tor urged members to upgrade skills
at Lundeberg School. Deck and
steward delegates reported disputed
OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by engine delegate. Crew
gave vote of thanks to chief steward
for job well done. Crew requested
new washer and reported refrigerator
needs repair.
OMI LEADER (OMI Corp.), June
27—Chairman Patrick Rankin,
Secretary C. Michael Davalie,
Educational Director Davon Mc
Millan, Deck Delegate Eugene Fin-
ley, Steward Delegate Nee Tran.
Chairman requested another dryer for
crew laundry. He thanked crew for
fine job done and announced payoff
on July 4 upon arrival in Boston.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang. Educational director en
couraged members to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
OMI MISSOURI (Vulcan Carriers),
June 27—Chairman Cesar Gutier
rez, Secretary Clyde Kreiss, Deck
Delegate Randolf Boiling, Engine
Delegate Grant Shuman, Steward
Delegate Abdul Aziz. Chairman
reported smooth sailing and an
nounced arrival in Tanga, Tanzania.
He announced outgoing mail should
be given to captain. Treasurer
reported $50 in ship's fund. No beefs
or disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked steward department for great
cookouts.
OMI SACRAMENTO (Vulcan Car
riers), June 20—Chairman Ray
Gorju, Secretary Raul Cavalcanti,
Educational Director Henry Hall,
Deck Delegate Kenneth Gilson, En
gine Delegate Thomas Martines,
Steward Delegate Norman Taylor.
Chairman announced new TV in
crew lounge and dryer in crew
laundry repaired. He also reported
poor mail service on vessel. He urged
members to upgrade skills at Piney
^oint. Educational director also en
couraged merribers to upgrade. Deck
delegate reported disputed OT. No
Ijeefs or disputed OT reported by en
gine or steward delegates. Next port:
*ilew Orleans.
OMI WILLAMETTE (OMI Corp.),
. Tune 27—Chairman Glen James,
Secretary Robert Scott, Educational
Director J. Badgett. Chairman
reported crew needs new washer and
dryer for crew laundry. Chairman dis
cussed waste disposal. Secretary
reported smooth sailing. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew gave spe
cial thanks to Robert Scott for excel
lent salad bar. Chairman urged crew
to upgrade skills at Lundeberg
School. Next port: New York.
OVERSEAS HARRIETTE
Maritime Overseas), June 20—
Chairman W. Jeffersen, Secretary
H.G. Williams, Engine Delegate
Nathaniel Gaten. Secretary reported
vessel in Lithuania with load of com
and expected back in United States
on July 12. He reported smooth sail
ing. No beefs or ^sputed OT
reported. Crew announced Seafarers
LOGs received. Crew reported over
load in crew mess hall needs repair.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
»ang for doing fine job. Next port:
New Orleans.
OVERSEAS NEW ORLEANS
(Maritime Overseas), June 3—Chair
man Sonny Pinkham, Se<;retary
Daniel Brown, Educational Director
Gerald Daley, Deck Delegate
Pasquale Giorgilli, Engine Delegate
Jim Skuhna, Steward Delegate
Marco Guity. Chairman announced
contract negotiations in process. He
encouraged members to stay aware of
maritime politics and elect repre
sentatives who support U.S. mer
chant seamen. Secretary reminded
members to rqad Seafarers LOG.
Educational director urged members
to upgrade skills at Paul Hall Center.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew reported TV in lounge needs
repair. Crew gave vote of thanks to gal
ley gang and observed moment of
silence for departed union brothers and
sisters. Next port: Newington, N.H.
OVERSEAS NEW ORLEANS
(Maritime Overseas), June 24—
Chairman Sonny Pinkham,
Secretary Daniei Brown, Education
al Director Gerald Daley, Deck
Union Support
When the OM/Leacferstopped off
in Boston, SlU member Robert
Duncan had a chance to catch up
on union business.
Delegate Pasquale Giorgilli, Engine
Delegate Jim Skuhna, Steward
Delegate Marco Guity. Chairman
reported telephone conversation
regarding contract negotiations with
Assistant Vice President Tony Sacco,
Chairman discussed contract exten
sion with crewmembers. Educational
director urged members to utilize
Paul Hall Center. No Ireefs of dis
puted OT reported. Crew reminded
of dress code for meal time. Crew
gave vote of thanks to steward depart
ment for outstanding job. Crew con
gratulated scholarship recipients and
observed moment of silence for
departed brothers and sisters. Next
port: Pascagoula, Miss.
OVERSEAS OHIO (Maritime Over
seas), June 13—Chairman George
Schuj, Secretary Earl Gray, Educa
tional Director D. Bautista, Deck
Delegate Larry Lee, Engine '
Delegate R J. Butoh, Steward
Delegate Robert Gilliam. Chairman
announced payoff upon arrival in
Long Beach, Calif. Secretary
reminded members that it is time to
consider upgrading at Piney Point.
Educational director discussed ad
vantages of upgrading at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew congratulated deck
department for excellent job painting
ship. Crew gave vote of thanks to gal
ley gang for job very well done.
OVERSEAS WASHINGTON
(Maritime Overseas), June 13—
Chairinan J. H. Lewis, Secretary R.
Miller, Educational Director L«
Cope, Deck Delegate Glen
Thompson, Engine Delegate Scott
Wilkirtson, Steward Delegate Thur-
man Johrtson. Chairman announced
arrival in port. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew gave vote of
thanks to galley gang for job well
done and clean area.
flOFE/? (Vulcan Carriers), June 6—
Chairman Dennis Brown, Deck
Delegate Jori Williams, Engine
Delegate Danny Thoma^, Steward
Delegate Leslie Davis. Chairman an-
noimced fax sent to union notifying
of arrival date. Educational director
encouraged members to upgrade
skills at Lundeberg School. Treasurer
reported $50 in ship's fund. Disputed
OT reported by engine and steward
delegates. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by deck delegate. Crew gave
steward department letter of apprecia
tion for excellent work. Next port:
New York.
SEA-LAND ANCHORAGE (Sea-
Land Service), June 23—Chairman
G. Walker, Secretary J. Wright,
Educational Director K. Bertei, Deck
Continued on pt^e 21
• V^' . • '
SEPTEMBER 1993 SEAFARERS LOG 21
Ships Digest
Continued from page 20
1.. :. ••-•
. <v..: •
Delegate Thomas Luketich, Engine
Delegate Alan Hansen, Steward
Delegate William Bryley. Chairman
announced payoff upon arrival in
Tacoma, Wash. He reminded all
crewmembers to check with boarding
patrolman and those signing off to
please leave room clean with fresh
linens. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Chairman asked crewmem
bers to keep recreation and laundry
rooms clean. Crew gave vote of
thanks to galley gang.
SEA-LAND A TLANTIC (Sea-Land
Service), June 20—Chairman Calvin
James, Secretary F.Costango, Educa
tional Director Kevin DeSue, Deck
Delegate James Rush. Chairman an
nounced results of captain' s sanitary
inspection were good. He thanked
crew for good job. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department.
Secretary reported fresh stores will be
received in Charleston, S.C. Educa
tional director urged members to use
facilities at Piney Point to upgrade
skills. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew reported Seafarers
LOGs received in Rotterdam. Crew
requested new washing machine,
VCR, chairs and two vacuum
cleaners.
SEA-LAND CHALLENGER (Sea-
Land Service), June 13—Chairman
Roy Williams, Secretary H. Scypes,
Educational Director Ronald Smith.
Chairman reported ship just out of
shipyard in Norfolk, Va. He reported
payoff in Elizabeth, N.J. Secretary
reported dishwasher; coffee maker,
refngerator and pantry sprinkler need
repairs. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
SEA-LAND HA WAII (Sea-Land
Service), June 20—Chairman James
Carter, Secretary J. Jones, Educa
tional Director D.G. Gordios. Chair
man announced with the threat of
going foreign flag, it is important to
contribute to SPAD. He reported ap
plications for Lundeberg School avail
able. Crew gave vote of thanks to
steward department for good food.
Next port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), June 27—Chair
man Greg Hamilton, Secretary P.
Schulz, Educational Director Ray
Machaj, Deck Delegate M. Santana,
Engine Delegate Melvin Layner.
Chairman discussed importance of
fire safety and awareness. Secretary
discussed garbage and agricultural
laws. Educational director reminded
members to read Seafarers LOGs and
donate to SPAD. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew asked con
tracts department to look into
lowering retirement age for all
Seafarers to age 55. Crew thanked
galley gang for job well done.
SEA-LAND LIBERATOR (Sea-
Land Service), June 13—Chairman
Charles Herrera, Secretary G.F.
Thomas, Educational Director D.F.
Dean. Chairman requested patrolman
to meet vessel prepared for union
business. Crew discussed movie fund
contributions. Crew discussed pur
chasing bicycles and new lounge sofa
with fund. Educational director
reminded members to upgrade at
Piney Point when possible. Steward
delegate asked contracts department to
clarify paying of early meals and extra
meals to non-crew people in port.
Crew asked contracts department to
look into improved optical benefits.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND NA VIGATOR (Sea-
Land Service), June 20—Chairman
Werner Becher, Secretary J. Or
tega, Educational Director Walter
Stevens, Deck Delegate Ken Hagar,
Engine Delegate Robert Zurfluh,
Steward Delegate Virgilio Hofimann.
Chairman reported no new information
received fiom headquarters regarding
contract negotiations. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Next port: Tacoma,
Wash.
SEA-LAND PACIFIC (Sea-Land
Service), June 28—Chairman H. Gif-
ford. Secretary R. Mathews, Educa
tional Director Steve Bigelow.
Treasurer reported $40 in movie fund
and $90 in ship's fund. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Due to dif
ference in schedules of watch
Know Your Rights
FINANCIAL REPORTS.
The constitution of the SIU At
lantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland
Waters District makes specific
provision for safeguarding the
membership's money and union
finances. The constitution re-:
quires a detailed audit by cer
tified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to
the membership by the secretary-
treasurer. A yearly finance com
mittee of raiik-and-file members,
elected by the membership, each
year examines the finances of the
union and reports fully their find
ings and recommendations. Mem
bers of this committee may make
dissenting reports, specific recom
mendations 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 trus
tees in charge of these funds shall
equally consist of union and
management representatives and
their alternates. All expenditures
and disbursements of trust funds
are made only upon approval by
a majority of the trustees. All
trust fund financial records are
available at the headquarters of
the various trust funds.
SHIPPING RIGHTS. A
member's shipping rights and
seniority are protected exclusive
ly by contracts^ between the union
and the employers. Members
should get to know their shipping
rights. Copies of these contracts
are posted and available in all
union halls. If members believe
there have been violations of
their shipping or seniority rights
as contained in the contracts be
tween the union and the
employers, thdy should notify the
Seafarers Appeals Board by cer
tified mail, return receipt re
quested. The proper address for
this is;
Augustin Tellez, Chairman
Seafarers Appeals Board
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Full copies of contracts as
referred to are available to mem
bers at all times, either by writing
directly to the union or to the
Seafarers Appeals Board.
CONTRACTS. Copies of
all SIU contracts are available in
all SIU halls. These contracts
specify the wages and conditions
under which an SIU member
works and hves aboard a ship or
boat. Members should know their
contract rights, as well as their
obligations, such as filing for over
time (OT) on the proper sheets and
in the proper manner. If, at any
time, a member believes that an
SIU patrolman or other union offi
cial fails to protect their contractual
rights properly, he or she should
contact the nearest SIU port agent.
EDITORIAL POLICY —
THE SEAFARERS LOG. The
standers and day workers, crew asked
contracts department to look into
having separate rooms for members
of engine department.
SEA-LAND PATRIOT(Sea-Land
Service), June 26—Chairman R.F.
Garcia, Secretary J. Russell, Educa
tional Director J.F. Hagner. Chair
man reported contract extension.
Chairman discussed foreign flag
issue and urged crewmembers to
write representatives asking the
government to give merchant fleet
tax incentives and help keep U.S. ves
sels U.S. flagged. Educational direc
tor announced Lundeberg School
class schedule posted and encouraged
members to upgrade skills. He
reminded members that SPAD helps
contribute to keeping U.S. ships
under U.S. flag and everyone needs
to do their part. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Chairman reminded
crewmembers to clean up after them
selves. He also reminded crew not to
put empty coffee pot back on hot
burner. Next port: Wilmington, Calif.
SEA-LAND RELIANCE (Sea-Land
Service), June 17—Chairman R. Me-
Gonagle, Secretary G.Sivley, Educa
tional Director A. Jaramillo, Deck
Delegate Michael Anderson, Engine
Delegate Leon Fountain, Steward
Delegate L. Acosta. Chairman
reminded crewmembers to wear
safety gear on deck and thanked them
for smooth trip. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department for job
well done. Next port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND SPIRIT (Sea-Land Ser
vice), June 6—Chairman Rafael Cle-
mente, Secretary Steve Apodaca,
Educational Director Charles Hen
ley, Deck Delegate Theodore Doi,
Engine Delegate C. Mendeiros,
Steward Delegate Frank Maliga. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew
asked contracts department to look
into wage and manning increases for
new contract Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department for job
well done. Next port: Honolulu.
SEALIFTA TLANTIC (IMC), June
26—Chairman John NefF, Secretary
R. Catahan, Educational Director
Michael Parker. Educational direc-
Seafarers LOG traditionally has
refrained from publishing any ar
ticle serving the political pur
poses of any individual in the
union, officer or member. It also
has refrained from publishing arr
tides deemed harmful to the
union or its collective member
ship. This established policy has
been reaffirmed by membership
action at the September 1960
meetings in all constitutional
ports. The responsibility for
Seafarers LOG policy is vested
in an editorial board which con
sists of the executive board of
the union. The executive board
may delegate, from among its
ranks, one individual to carry
out this responsibility.
PAYMENT OF MONIES.
No monies are to be paid to anyone
in any official capacity in the SIU
unless an official union receipt is
given for same. Under no cir
cumstances should any member
jay any money for any reason un-
ess he is given such receipt. In the
event anyone attempts to require
any such payment be made without
supplying a receipt, or if a member
is required to make a payment and
is given an official receipL but feels
that he or she should not have been
required to make such payment,
this should immediately be
reported to union headquarters.
CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS AND OBLIGA
TIONS. Copies of the SIU con
stitution are available in all union
Meeting Aboard USNS Capella
During a recent stopover in Jacksonvilie, Fla., crewmembers gathered
in the mess room of the USNS Capella for a shipboard meeting.
Pictured above are (from left) Paul Pagano, Mike Shappo, James
ilin. Jordan and Joe Conlii
tor urged memljers to upgrade at Paul
Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Deck delegate discussed im
portance of separating plastic from
other garbage. Chairman reminded
crewmembers to work as teams in
crew mess area.
THOMPSON PASS (lOM), June
24—Chairman Jim Colson,
Secretary D. Bergeson, Educational
Director Joe Walker, Deck Delegate
Muhsin Ali, Engine Delegate
Ahmed Yahmed, Steward Delegate
Larry Lopez. Chairman thanked
company for new washing machine.
Secretary reminded members impor
tance of upgrading at Piney Point.
Deck delegate reported disputed OT.
No beefs or disputed OT by engine or
steward delegates. Crewmembers
reported spotting 60 foot albino
whale with pink eyes off coast of
Vancouver Island.
l/Lr/?/lSEA(SealiflInc.), June 13—
Chairman Jim Dawson, Secretary
W. Williams. Chairman reported TV
antenna has been repaired and crew
can once again enjoy TV while in
port. Treasurer reported $56 in ship's
fiind. Deck delegate complimented
galley gang on excelleht meals. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. Chair
man asked crew to keep noise down
and radios off while in passageway
because people are asleep at different
times. Next port: Haifa, Israel.
USNS WILKES (Bay Ship Manage
ment), June 18—Chairman R. Skip
Yager, Secretary K. Dougherty,
Educational Director C.J. Brown.
Chairman reported everything run
ning smoothly and notes good
cooperation between all departments.
Educational director urged crew to
take advantage of upgrading and
educational opportunities available at
Paul Hall Center. Treasurer reported
$239 in ship's fund. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Steward depart
ment asked for crew cooperation in
not walking on newly waxed decks.
Crew gave vote of thanks to Chief
Cook Doug Swets and Cook/Baker
K. Rohy.
WESTWARD VENTURE (lOM),
June 29—Chairman M.W. Kadder-
ly. Secretary R.B. Sanderson, Educa
tional Director Robert Ohler.
Chairman reported telex received
firtm company regarding two-month
extension of contract. Chairman
reminded crew to keep noise down
and reported ice machine parts will
be on board upon arrival in Tacoma,
Wash. He also asked crewmembers
to return dishes to pantry.
halls. All members should obtain
copies of this constitution so as to
familiarize themselves with its
contents. Any time a member
feels any other member or officer
is attempting to deprive him or
her of any constitutional right or
obligation by any methods, such
as dealing with charges, trials,
etc., as well as all other details,
the member so affected should
immediately notify headquarters.
EQUAL RIGHTS. All
members are guaranteed equal
rights in employment and as
members of the SIU. These rights
are clearly set forth in the SIU
constitution and in the contracts
which the union has negotiated
with the employers. Consequent
ly, no member may be dis
criminated against because of
race, creed, color, sex, national or
geographic origin. If any member
feels that he or she is denied the
equal rights to which he or she is
entitled, the member should
notify union headquarters.
SEAFARERS POLITI
CAL ACTIVITY DONATION
— SPAD. SPAD is a separate
segregated fund. Its proceeds are
used to further its objects and
purposes including, but not
limited to, furthering the politi
cal, social and economic interests
of maritime workers, the preser
vation and furthering of the
American merchant marine with
improved employment oppor
tunities for seamen and boatmen
and the advancement of trade
union concepts. In connection
with such objects, SPAD sup
ports and contributes to political
candidates for elective office.
All contributions are voluntary.
No contribution may be solicited
or received because of force. Job
discrimination, financial
reprisal, or threat of such con
duct, or as a condition of mem
bership in the union or of
employment. If a contribution is
made by reason of the above im
proper conduct, the member
should notify the Seafarers Inter
national Union or SPAD by cer
tified mail within 30 days of the
contribution for investigation
and appropriate action and
refund, if involuntary. A mem
ber should support SPAD to
protect and further his or her
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 or she
has been denied the constitution
al right of access to union records
or information, the member
should immediately notify SIU
President Michael Sacco at
headquarters by certified mail,
return receipt requested. The ad
dress is:
Michael Sacco, President
Seafarers International Union
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746.
" / I' \ ^
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•v-f;---
"I "'-'J.
22 SEJ^MERSLOG SEFIEMBER1B93
Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
Trainee Lifeboat Class 513—Graduating from trainee lifeboat class 513 are (from left, kneeling)
Michael Pedersen, Jo Doris Stinnett, Michael Johnson, Michael Maddox, Nigel Talley, Stephen Walsh,
Marshall Turner, (second row) Jack Caffey III, Michael Woodman, Damon Mathews, Miguel A. Carmona
Jr., Warren Moore, Emmitt Sykes, Jimmy Hesson Jr., Michael Natoli, (third row) Ben Cusic (instructor),
John McClinton, Anthony Jacbbson, Brian Gaffigan • Richard Smetana and Philip Britt.
Advanced Firefighting—Upgrading members completing
the advanced firefighting course are (from left, front row) Byran
Cummings (instructor), Willie Marsh, Debra Gardiner, Harry Nar
rower, Fred Caltabiano, (second row) Richard Butrim, William Burns,
David Wigley, (third row) Mary Brayman and Warren Blankenship.
QMED—Graduating on June 23 as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) are (from
left, seated) Michael DiAngelo, John Osburn, Peter Sternberg, Thomas Keseru, Burdette Smart, Brian
Monnerjahn, Tracy Hill, Scott Duckworth, Jeffrey Murray, (second row) DiMarko Shoulders, Pasquale
Gazillo, Bert Voto-Bemales, Mark Aimer, Michael Ribeiro, Eric Millsap, Kevin Twiford, Neil Carter, John
Fleming, John Kasbarian, William Scott, (third row) Peter Littman, Richard Metcalf, Brian Collins, Richard
Davis, Martin Allred, Eron Hall, Edward Louis, Erik Larka and Ralph Gosnell. Not pictured are Tedd Avey,
John Groom and Christine Cameal.
Pumproom Maintenance and Operations—Complet
ing this engine department course are (from left, first row) John
Parkhurst, William Parker, Sellers Brooks, Riley Donahue, Steven Hos-
kins, (second row) Kelly Davis, Cail Montoya, Russ Levin (instructor)
and Robert Rudd.
Fireman, Oiler, Watertender—^Working their way up the engine departmnet ratings are (from left,
kneeling) Duane Werda, Carolyn ThifaulL Glynn Courson, Scott Fuller, Celina Butler, Jeffery Roddy, Felipe
Clotter, (second row) Greg Garrett, Kevin Cooper, Beckett Young, Stephen Walters, Gene Whellis, George
ow)Jeffer,
Irew Vanbourg.
Beavers, Cromwell Henderson, Gary Winter, Daniel Weaver, (third row)Jeffery Willis, Ronald Pheneuf, David
Bowles, Lonnie Matthews and J.C. Wiegman (instructor). Not pictured is Andre
Radar—Renewing their radar endorsements on July 14 are (from
left) Jake Karaczynski (instructor), Tom Culpepper, Hans Wethal, Jon
Weirauch, Lyie McCorison, Ray Femandez and Thomas Tinsley.
Celestial Navigation—Graduating from the
celestial navigation course in June are (from left, kneel
ing) Ralph Race, Dennis Goodwin, Charlotte Winstead,
Jon Weirauch, Don Filoni, (second row) Jim Brown (in
structor), Mike Payne, VVarren Blankenship, Hans
Wethal, Walter Taulman and Matthew Holley.
Upgraders Lifeboat—Certificates of training were
received by the June 29 class of upgraders. They are (from
left, kneeling) William Begendorf, Erwin Arellano, Charlotte
Winstead, David Gannoun, Ben Cusic (instructor), (second
row) Ronnie Davis, Oswald Stoiber, Suzanne Van Schoor,
Sah/atore Tomeo and Enrique Garrido,
Refngeration Systems— Upgrading memtiers of
the engine department completing the refrigeration systems
cpurse are (from left, front row) John K. Halim, Bruce Zenon,
Rex Solin, Matthew Doherty, (second row) Sean Nicholson,
Kevin Conklin, (third row) Pompey Alegado, Jerome
Kirstein, Paul Patterson and J.C. Wiegman (instructor).
• f
SEPTEMBER 1993
•m^
M -*•' <• ^ -• W
LWUDEBERG SCHOm.
The following is the current course schedule for classes beginning between
September and December 1993 at the Seafarers Hairy Lundeberg School of
Seamanship located at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education
in piney Point, Md. All programs are geared to improve job skills of Seafarers and
to promote the American maritime industry.
The course sc^ may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the
maritime industiy and—in times of conflict—the nation's security.
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
AhleSeamui September 13 October 22
November 8 December 17
Shipbandibig^ September 27 ^
l^ovemberS November 19
Ratia September 20 September 24
November 1 Novembers
November 22 Decmitiierl7
October 11
Novembers
December b
October 22
Nbi^mberl9
De<%mberl7
Septemlnert
November 2
Septemlrerl?
November 12
Sealift Operations & Maintenance October 25 November 19
m mm m mm
UPGRADING APPLKATIOM
Name Date of Birth
Address
(UW) (Fin#) (Middle) Monlh/Day/Year
(SUeel)
(CSly) (Stale) (Zip Code)
.Telephone _£
(AreaCbde)
Deep Sea Memberd Lakes MemberQ Inland Waters MemberE] Pacified
If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not
be processed.
Social Security # — Book #
Seniority Department
U.S. Citizen: DVes • No Home Port.
Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held
Are you a graduate of the SHLSS trainee program?
If yes, which program: from to .
n Yes Id No
Last grade of school completed
Have you attended any SHLSS upgrading courses?
If yes, course(s) taken.
• Yes GNO
Have you taken any SHLSS Sealift Operations courses? GYes G NO
If yes, how many weeks have you completed?.
Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement?
n Yes GNO Firefighting: G Yes GNO CPR:GYes QNO
Date available for training
Primary language spoken —— —-—
1,
SEAFARERS LOG 23
RacmMkMtmProigrams
I ^
Course
i ,
tsL- •
Cbeck-ln
Date
Complethin
Date
Bosun Recertiflcation October 4 November 8
-
4" "• .. '
' ' i'
Course
Cbeck-In
Date
Completioil
Date
AsslstantCool^
ChleTCmi^ ChMSietill^
Ail open-ended (contact adrai^Bipil^
oilice for starti%^tes)
All open-ended («mbetadiijytes^^
office fSor starting datm)
^urse
Chedk-ln
Ihde
Cmtipletlmi
Dale
FirenianAVatertender and Ctiler Septemlrer 27 . November 5
Ail stiiderusjlmst take the Oil Spill Prevention and Conkdnmera cla^
Pumproom Maint & Operations . Novembers Decmnberl7
Marine Electrical Maintenance n September 13 October 22
':<.OdMtaHr22
' ; '.
: U' :
Marine Electronics Technician II November 8
Hydraulics
mding
Novembers
D^nd)erl7
Stq^mnber 13 October 8 ;
November 22 December!^
October 25 November 19
1
1992 Adillt IdiN^^
The following courses are available through the Seafarers Hany Lundeberg
SclmoL Please contact the adinissions office for emoIbnern infiDrmation.
•'Cwiilsej
Oieck-bi
Date
Completion
Date
High School Equivalmicy (GED) All open-^nded
Adult Basic Education (ABE) (contact admissions office for startims
English as a Second Language (ESL) dat^)
With this application COPIES of your discharges must be submitted showing sufficient
time to qualify yourself for the course(s) requested. You also must submit a COPY of
each of the following: the first page of your union book indenting your department
and seniority, your clinic card the from and back of your Lundeberg School
identification card listing die course(s)you have taken and completed TheAdnissions
Office WILL NOT scfmbde you until all of the above are received
RATING DATE DATEOF
VESSEL HELD SHIFFED DISCHARGE
SIGNATURE. .DATE.
I am interested in the following
courts) checked below or indicated
here if not listed
DECK
• AB/Sealift
• 1st Class PUot
D Third Mate
• Radar Observer Unlimited
• Master Inspected Towing
Vessel
D Towboat Operator Inland
• Celestial Navigation
D Simulator Course
D Marine Electrical
Maintenance
• Pumpmm Maintenance ft
Operation
Q Refrigeration Systems
Maintenance ft Operation
• Diesel Engine Technology
O Assistant Engineer/CTiief
Engineer Motor Vessel
Original 3idEngiiieer Steam
or Motor
Refrigerated Containers
Advanced Maintenance
Q Electro-Hydraulic Systems
Q Automation
D Hydraulics
• Marine Electronics
Technician
•
•
ALLDK>ARTMENTS
• Welding
O Lifeboatman (must be taken
with anodier course)
n Oil Si^l Prevention ft
Contaimnent
D Basic/Advanced
' Rre Fighting
• Sealift
ENGINE
• FOWT
D QMED—^Any Rating
• Variable Speed DC Drive
Systems (Marine Electronics)
STEWARD
• Assistant Cook Utility
n <3ook and Baker
• ChiefCook
• diief Steward
• Towboat Inland Cook
ADULT EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
D Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Q Hi^ School Equivalency
Program (GED)
• Developmental Studies (DVS)
O English as a Second
Language (ESL)
• ABE/ESLUfeboat
Preparation
COLLEGE PROGRAM
D Associate in Alts Degree
Tn rtaMonwOI be fM In acconlaiice with IhtidwdBMiit tetter only If yoopretnt original rtcelpli and succtadWayteM-
pkte the course. If you have any qaathmt, contact your port afcat brfore dcparliiii for Phiey Pstat
RETURN COMPLETED APPUCATION TO: LBiidel>eitD|itraili«C(al«r. P.O. Bon 75, Plmy Flow, MD MC74.
*93
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SEAmKERS
Volume 55, Number 9 September 1993
Where will you be in
December for the holidays?
Whether at sea or ashore,
Seafarers can send holiday
messages to their loved ones
through the LOG.
See page 17.
^Brotherhood of the Sea^ Comes Through for Seafarers
SIU Launch Operators Rescue 11 Boatmen
After Collision Sets off Pre-Dawn Blasts
Seafarers Stephen Jean and
Robert Layton were getting
ready to end a long night of work
shuttling pilots across Tampa Bay
on the launch boat Manatee.
It was Layton's fourth day
with the Tampa Bay Pilots As
sociation and his first night duty
with his training partner. The duo
were walking down the sidewalk
toward the fishing pier at Fort De-
Spto State Park where the launch
was tied when Jean saw an
orange glow in the pre-dawn
darkness just before 6 a.m. on
August 10.
"What is that?" Jean wondered
aloud to Layton. About then, the
two heard an explosion and the
question was answered.
An outbound foreign-flag
freighter had collided with two
incoming tug/barges, setting off a
series of explosions on the
second—the SlU-crewed
Maritrans tug Seafarer and barge
Ocean 255.
Jean was dispatching the
association's night launches
which are operated by SIU mem
bers. He knew Michael Allen
was standing by on the launch
Egmont near the Egmont Key
lighthouse to pick up the pilot
aboard the freighter Balsa 37.
"I knew there were three ships
in the area and there was trouble,"
Jean told a reporter for the
Seafarers LOG.
Heard Anxious Voices
Jean radioed die Coast Guard
that an accident occurred before
he and Layton raced down the
fishing pier to the Manatee.
Meanwhile, Allen said he heard
"urgency in the voices" between
two boats on the radio and looked
up to see the first explosion. Like
Jean and Layton, Allen took off
immediately for the scene.
The Manatee and Egmont ar
rived at approximately the same
time, within minutes of the initia
blast. While the launches raced to
the scene, the Ocean 255 began a
series of explosions. The barge
was loaded with 235,000 barrels
of jet fuel, oil and gasoline.
As Allen explained it, "We
gathered our wits and went about
looking for survivors.
Jean guided the Manatee up
wind and Allen took the Egmont
the opposite way to look for any
mariners in the water. About the
same time, the Balsa 37 appeared
through the wall of smoke and
flames. The Philippine-flagged
ship was headed for anchorage.
As Jean took the Manatee
closer with Layton standing
watch on the bow, the jet fuel on
the Ocean 255 exploded. "We
were 600 to 700 yards away when
it went," Jean recalled. "It sent a
mushroom cloud 2,000 feet in the
air. I thought all the windows on
my boat would shatter."
Gap in Flames
Inunediately after the blast,
Layton spotted three glow-sticks
shining in the water. Jean
maneuvered closer and the two
began rescuing the crew of the
Seafarer.
"As we got the first three, we
saw more swimming toward us,"
Jean said. "All of the water was
on fire; jet fuel was everywhere.
But there was this gap in the
flames at the stern [of the
Seafarer]. It was like God opened
it up to let them out. Otherwise,
they would have been trapped and
burned to death."
Jean and Layton rescued all 11
members aboard the Seafarer, in
cluding a 10-year-old boy who
was sailing with his father, the
tug's engineer. While all of them
SIU members I
crew of the tug Seafarer and barge
AP by Huy Nguyen (The St. Petersburg nrnes)
ten Jean shoved off from the pier in the bottom right to rescue the
?an 255burning in Tampa Bay.
lad the strength to swim beyond
the flames, severd were not able
o climb aboard the boat. Jean ̂ d
Layton provided the extra hands
that brought them to safety.
All were exhausted, Jean said,
)ut no one was seriously injured.
Once he verified the entire crew
lad been picked up, he called the
Coast Guard as well as Allen on
the Egmont and set sail for Eg
mont Key to provide the crew of
the Seafarer with warmth and
shelter until medical help ar
rived.
investigation Continues
The cause of the accident has
not been released as the Coast
AP by Peter Cosgrove
The Philippine-flagged Balsa 37can be seen to the right below the smoke pouring from the tug Seafarer
and barge Ocean 255 following a collision in Tampa Bay on August 10. All 11 crewmeml)ers from the
tug/barge were plucked from the water by SlU-crewed pilot's launch Manatee.
Guard is continuing its investiga
tion. However, news reports im
mediately following the accident
stated the Balsa 37, a 400-foot
freighter, was outbound from Port
Manatee when it struck the non
union Capf. Fred Bouchard with
Barge B155 and the Seafarer with
barge Ocean 255. Only the crew
of the Seafarer was forced to
abandon ship.
The Balsa 37 was run aground
after it began taking on water. The
Bouchard came to rest a little
more than a mile inbound from
the collision with the barge leak
ing No. 6 ftiel oil, which was Con
tained before it damaged an
environmentally sensitive area.
The Ocean 255 was allowed to
bum out near Fort DeSoto Park.
Because of the intensity of the
flames and heat, salvage crews
could not uncouple the tug
Seafarer from the barge until the
day after the accident.
Allen, 24, said he had been
part of search-and-rescue mis
sions when he was a member of
the Coast Guard. "1 had helped
with small boat fires, but notldng
like this," noted the three-year
veteran with the pilots.
The 38-year-old Jean grew up
on nearby St. Petersburg Beach.
He sailed as a commercial fisher
man for 15 years before signing
on with the pilots association just
over two-and-a-half years ago.
"That was a first for me and
plenty to last me my lifetime," he
said. "But if someone is in the
water, you go get them. I'd expect
the same if 1 was there."
Help Locate This Missing Miiid
The National Center for
Missing and Exploited
Children has asked the
Seafarers International Union
to assist them in locating
Amanda Marie Escobedo.
Amanda Marie Escobedo
The child was abducted by
her non-custodial mother, Ar-
lene Renea Ervin, on August
23,1991 from Olympia, Wash.
A felony warrant for custodial
interference has been issued in
her name.
Amanda Escobedo was six
years old at the time of her
disappearance. The brown-
haired, brown-eyed girl was 4
feet tall and weighed 50
pounds.
Anyone having information
on the whereabouts of Amanda
Marie Escobedo should con
tact the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children
at (800) 843-5678 or the Miss
ing Persons Unit of the Renton
(Wash.) Police Department at
(206)277-6236.