http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/ccc6d76b56acf86c04bde60045feaa83.pdf 1fdfaa14ec652c23860e749b2e2d7de1 PDF Text Text 34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:50 AM Page 1 Volume 68, Number 2 February 2006 More New New Ships Ships More On the the Way! Way! On SIU-Contracted Cruise Ship, Tankers And More Under Construction At least five new Seafarers-contracted vessels plus an ATB are scheduled to launch in 2006. They include (clockwise, from upper left) the tanker Alaskan Legend, the military support ship USNS Sacagawea, the first of 10 tankers being built for OSG in Philadelphia, and NCL America’s cruise ship Pride of Hawaii. Page 3. Photo courtesy NASSCO Photo courtesy NASSCO Photo courtesy Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Tug Tragedy Claims 3 Page 4 Tax Tips for Mariners Pages 12-13 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 1:33 PM Page 2 President’s Report Remembering Our Fallen Brothers From time to time we are reminded that shipboard life, for all its appeal and rewards, carries a certain inevitable amount of risk. That’s true in the deep sea, Great Lakes and inland divisions, and it’s also the case in other transportation-related industries. Some of the risk simply comes with the territory. It’s the nature of the work, particularly where heavy equipment is involved. That’s one reason why our union always has emphasized shipboard safety and especially the need for each Michael Sacco member to stay up-to-date with the latest safety training. In particular we have gone to great lengths with our affiliated school, the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, to make sure that Seafarers can and do receive the absolute “latest and greatest” courses which help them do their jobs safely and effectively. In the merchant marine, we also constantly face the threat of an uncontrollable and often seemingly unpredictable companion in Mother Nature. There may be times when severe weather is a flat overwhelming foe, no matter how many precautions are taken. That appears to have been the case in the fatal sinking of the SIU-crewed tug Valour last month off the coast of North Carolina. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the incident, but even before all the details are reported, it’s apparent that extremely rough seas played a big part in the sinking. There are no words that can compensate for the three lives that were lost—those of SIU member Ron Emory, Chief Engineer Richard Smoot and Chief Mate Fred Brenner, who began his career with our union many years ago. But I would say to their families and friends and shipmates that everyone in the SIU genuinely feels the loss. We’re a closely knit organization—a community of Seafarers—and I think that to some extent we all share in each other’s experiences. When one of our crews helps earn a safety award or some other positive recognition, we have every reason to feel good about it throughout the entire SIU. When one of our brothers or sisters suffers a tragic loss, we all share in the pain. No matter what facts emerge in the final report on the Valour, the incident itself is a grim reminder that safety training and documentation are about far more than just fulfilling obligations on some checklist. Some accidents truly are unavoidable and blameless. But we owe it to every Seafarer and their families to continue fully preparing our membership to face the challenges in all three shipboard departments and in every division. We most certainly will continue fulfilling that mission—working with our affiliated school, with our contracted companies, with the appropriate government agencies and international maritime bodies and with anyone and everyone else who gives us a better chance to help ensure the safe return of every SIU member. On behalf of our officials and members, I extend the SIU’s deepest sympathies to the families and shipmates of the Valour victims. New Ships on the Way There is no completely comfortable way to go from such a serious subject to looking at the year that lies ahead, but we of course must continue and move forward. And on that note, I believe we have plenty to look forward to in 2006. For example, on our cover and on page 3 you can read about some of the new SIU-contracted ships that are due to begin sailing this year. Those vessels represent the continued job security of Seafarers and continued success in our efforts to help revitalize the U.S.-flag fleet. As usual, we won’t let up in those efforts. Volume 68, Number 2 Navy League President Urges Policy for Stronger U.S. Fleet The national president of the Navy League of the United States recently called for presidential action to further strengthen the U.S. Merchant Marine and stated that a vibrant U.S.-flag fleet is vital to America. Writing in the Navy League’s latest annual Seapower Almanac, John A. Panneton, a decorated veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, said that a “strong U.S.-flag Merchant Marine is essential to support the defense of our nation and our economic security in the 21st century.” Speaking of all U.S. sea services, Panneton likened current conditions to the pre-Katrina days in New Orleans. “The primary lesson arising from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and other recent disasters is that we must not wait until tragedy strikes to refurbish and maintain the nation’s critical infrastructures,” he observed, adding that the federal government must avoid similar pitfalls when it comes to maintaining sufficient U.S. tonnage. Panneton continued, “During a conflict, 95 percent of the equipment and supplies required to deploy the U.S. armed forces overseas are delivered by ship. U.S.-flag commercial and government-owned vessels, manned by U.S. citizen mariners, played an indispensable role in providing strategic sealift for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in the continuing Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sea Power 21, the Navy’s strategic vision of the future, underscores the need for a robust logistics force and commercial sealift capability to support and sustain Special Operations Forces, maritime coalition forces and additional expeditionary strike groups. A variety of commercial maritime vessels, in-stream cargo handling systems and high-speed connector vessels also will be needed.” Underscoring the organization’s belief in U.S. mariners, Panneton wrote, “Our call for White House intervention to bolster the Merchant Marine is a central element of the Navy League’s Maritime Policy for 2006-07. The underlying purpose of our policy is to establish the basis for Navy League support of the sea services’ mission success. The Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine are beset by rising expectations of performance and diminishing resources. Personnel and equipment are being driven to extremes as the sea services continue to prosecute the global war on terrorism in the Middle East and Southeast Asia while vastly increasing their humanitarian operations around the globe, from tsunami relief in Southeast Asia to hurricane relief on the U.S. Gulf Coast and earthquake relief in Pakistan. John Panneton, president of the Navy League of the United States, notes that U.S. mariners have “played an indispensable role” supporting our troops. “Accordingly, the Navy League Maritime Policy for 200607 concludes that the sea services are stretched to the point where they can no longer do more with less. The nation must provide the funding for the reconstitution and modernization of its forces, and avoid the specter of failure that lies on our horizon.” He concluded, “Providing for the future is not easy or cheap, but it is essential. Each day, the people of our nation ask sailors, Marines, Coast Guard personnel and merchant mariners to go into harm’s way to protect their interests. We are obliged to hold ourselves accountable, and provide them with the resources to survive and prevail.” SIU of Canada Protects Jobs Company Tried to Use Cyprus-Flag Tonnage The SIU of Canada, an affiliate of the Seafarers International Union of North America, started the New Year by protecting members’ jobs when a company attempted to use Cyprus-flag tonnage in the Canadian domestic trades. SIU of Canada President Roman Gralewicz confirmed a report in the newspaper Trade Winds indicating that bulk shipper Canada Salt Co. had applied to the Canadian Transport Agency (CTA) for work involving cargo shipments from the Magdalen Islands to ports along the St. Lawrence River. However, Canada Salt wanted to give the work to the Greek company Navarone SA, which apparently would have utilized its Cyprus-flag vessels Mandarin and Pintail. “The SIU objected on the basis that SIU-contracted vessels would be available,” SIU of Canada Executive Vice President Michel Desjardins noted. “We also objected to any issuance of temporary work visas, as Canadian seafarers were available to do the work, in accordance with our immigration laws. We were helpful in safeguarding approximately four weeks’ work for our members.” The SIU of Canada had allies in this fight: Domestic owners Canada Steamship Lines, Transport Desgagnes Inc. and Seaway Marine Transport also protested the application. All three of those companies have contracts with the SIU of Canada. Canada’s cabotage rules stipulate that foreign-flag vessels may be used in the domestic trades only if no appropriate Canadian-flag tonnage is available. According to Trade Winds, when the CTA denied Canadian Salt’s application, “The authorities explained that the burden of proof was on the shipper to ‘prove that the vessel capacity offered by Canadian vessel operators, that have previously always met its transportation needs, is insufficient.’” Port Council Honors McLaughlin, Johnston, Bishop February 2006 The SIU on line: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 8990675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Deborah A. Hirtes; Associate Editor, Jim Guthrie; Art, Bill Brower; Administrative Support, Misty Dobry. Copyright © 2006 Seafarers International Union, AGLIWD All Rights Reserved. 2 Seafarers LOG The Maritime Port Council of Greater New York and Vicinity presented its annual awards Oct. 15, 2005 in New York City. Pictured at the ceremony are (from left) Brian McLaughlin, president of the 1.5 million member New York City Labor Council and recipient of the port council’s Paul Hall Labor Man of the Year Award; SIU and AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department President Michael Sacco; U.S. Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-N.Y.), the port council’s Government Man of the Year; SIU VP Atlantic Coast Joseph Soresi, who also serves as president of the port council; Captain Robert E. Johnston, senior VP at Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) and recipient of the council’s Herb Brand Memorial Man of the Year Award; Port Council Secretary-Treasurer Peter Busaca; and MTD Executive SecretaryTreasurer Frank Pecquex. February 2006 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 1:33 PM Page 3 More New Ships Due this Year When it comes to new SIUcontracted vessels, Seafarers should have plenty to look forward to this year. Based on the latest projections from the respective shipyards, at least five new Seafarers-contracted vessels plus an ATB are scheduled to launch in 2006. Those ships include NCL America’s cruise ship Pride of Hawaii, slated for a mid-April debut; Crowley’s ATB Pacific Reliance, scheduled for late March; the Matson containership Maunalei, due in June; BP Oil Shipping Company USA’s fourth Alaskaclass tanker, the Alaskan Legend, set to debut mid-year; the second ship in the Lewis and Clark class, the USNS Sacagawea; and the first of 10 tankers to be built at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard for Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG). Delivery dates haven’t been specified for the latter two vessels but both are expected sometime this year. “This type of great news should never be taken for granted,” said SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez. “So many things play a role in the SIU’s success—political action, doing an outstanding job aboard ship and staying on top of the latest training techniques and requirements. As always, we won’t rest on our laurels.” The 920-foot Pride of Hawaii undoubtedly will garner the most headlines in the commercial media. It is the third ship in NCL America’s fleet and is undergoing finishing touches in a German shipyard. The Pride of Hawaii will have a passenger capacity greater than 2,100 and will be capable of a top speed of 25 knots. It will join the Seafarers-crewed Pride of Aloha and Pride of America on Hawaiian Island itineraries (see related story, page 24). Crowley’s Pacific Reliance and accompanying barge 650-1 are being built at Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss. The tug will have 10,000 h.p. while the 580foot barge will have a capacity of 185,000 barrels. The unit will have 14 cargo tanks, two more than the earlier generation of ATBs. Each of those tanks will have its own electronically driven cargo pump. Members of the union’s Government Services Division will crew up the 689-foot USNS Sacagawea, part of a new class of combat logistics force vessels. The new T-AKE ships are dry cargo/ammunition vessels designed to operate independently for extended periods at sea while providing underway replenishment services. The first such ship, the USNS Lewis and Clark, began sailing last year. The Alaskan Legend will join three double-hulled sister ships in its class operated by Alaska Tanker Company. The other ships are the Alaskan Explorer, Alaskan Frontier and Alaskan Navigator. Each is 941 feet long; they have a combined capacity of 1.3 million barrels of crude oil. The vessels already in operation have been delivering cargo from Alaska to BP’s refineries in Los Angeles and Cherry Point, Wash. OSG’s first new tanker, unnamed for now, will be 600 feet long and capable of carrying 330,000 barrels of petroleum products. Construction also has begun on the second ship in the Veteran class; it is due to launch in 2007. Matson’s Maunalei is its fourth containership being built at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. It is approximately 700 feet long and will join sister ships Manulani, Maunawili and Manukai along with the R.J. Pfeiffer in what the company describes as an integrated weekly West Coast-HawaiiGuam-China service. Photo courtesy Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Above: In the foreground is the first of 10 tankers being built for SIU-contracted OSG at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard; right behind it is the final in a series of four Seafarerscontracted Matson ships under construction. Left: The fourth Alaskaclass tanker, the Alaskan Legend, will transport cargo from Alaska to the West Coast. Photo courtesy NASSCO Additional North Slope Acreage Opened for Safe Oil Exploration Photo courtesy NASSCO The USNS Sacagawea is the second in the new T-AKE class, being built at San Diego’s NASSCO shipyard. Aker Philadelphia Shipyard has begun production on the second of 10 vessels in the product tanker program announced last spring. President to Nominate Sanborn for MarAd Post The White House last month announced that president Bush “intends to nominate David C. Sanborn, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation. Mr. Sanborn currently serves as Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America at DP World. Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President for North America Service Delivery at CMACGM (America) LLC. Mr. Sanborn also served as Vice President for Network-Operations for American President Lines, Pte. Ltd. Earlier in his career, he served as Director for Operations for Sea-Land Service, Inc. Mr. Sanborn is a retired Lieutenant Junior Grade for the United States Naval Reserve. He received his bachelor’s degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.” February 2006 The U.S. Department of Interior may well have paved the way for future oil exploration in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and potentially more SIU jobs, as a result of its Jan. 11 approval to open thousands of acres on Alaska’s North Slope for oil exploration. According to several sources, including Reuters, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, the Interior Department gave its okay for oil and gas exploration in the Teshekpuk Lake Region, an area that previously was considered off-limits because of concerns about the impact on wildlife. The department’s action came just weeks after Congress blocked legislation that would have permitted energy development in the nearby ANWR. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposed opening the area—used by migrating caribou and birds and situated west of the 19.9 million acre wildlife refuge on Alaska’s North Slope—one year ago, but it was not until Jan. 11 that Deputy Assistant Secretary Chad Calvert approved a modified version of the original arrangement. The area and adjacent land is not part of a wildlife refuge and does not require Congressional approval for oil development. The latest plan will open up more than 500,000 acres in and around Teshekpuk Lake on Alaska’s oil rich North Slope. Government officials said the area has significant potential for oil development and estimate it contains about 2 billion barrels of oil that economically is recoverable, along with 3.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The area—especially portions near Teshekpuk Lake—has been a focal point of concern among environmentalists for some time. They say oil operations would disrupt an area where thousands of geese molt. Caribou and tundra swans also would be harmed, they predicted. BLM officials acknowledged that the area is important for wildlife and subsistence hunting, and said their plan was very meticulous in requiring environmental protection and mitigation. They also pointed out that technological advances in oil drilling allow drilling to occur safely, without the impact previously feared. No surface drilling will be allowed on 242,000 acres considered vital for molting geese, or on another 244,000 acres used by caribou. Slant drilling will be allowed under those surfaces from adjoining land. Pipelines must be seven feet high, at least initially, to allow caribou and hunters to pass beneath. Finally, a maximum of 2,100 acres total in seven different zones can be permanently disturbed on the surface, and a three-year study will be conducted of molting geese, BLM officials said. The leasing of lands could begin as early as September, following reviews by Alaskan coastal and regional planning agencies, but drilling on the lake will be deferred for 10 years. “We have done a very good job balancing the subsistence resources while allowing some areas to be opened to oil and gas drilling,” said Susan Childs, energy and mineral planning coordinator for the BLM’s Alaska office, which will oversee implementation of the plan. BLM Alaska Spokeswoman Jody Weil echoed Childs’ comment, noting “Our mission is to provide for multiple uses. A part of our mission is to protect wildlife, but also part of our mission is to allow for the development of resources. Our job is to find that balance on oil and gas mining.” Actual oil drilling in the area could start as soon as the winter of 2007-08 by some estimates. And with the ANWR closed to exploration, the oil industry likely will be attracted and keenly interested in this new opportunity. “We believe there will be a lot of interest,” said Henri Bisson BLM director of Alaska. “It’s the most significant prospect on the North Slope, absent ANWR.” Seafarers LOG 3 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:51 AM Page 4 SIU-Crewed Cape Trinity Recognized For Active Role in Enduring Freedom The SIU-crewed Cape Trinity late last year was recognized for its performance during Operation Enduring Freedom. As was reported earlier in the Seafarers LOG, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) in December awarded its Professional Ship Award to the Cape Trinity crew for services in the war on terror. Specifically, the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessel’s crew and officers were cited for voluntarily serving on the high seas for 341 continuous days. During this period, they repeatedly transported assorted provisions to American military personnel in the Middle East and returned home. A formal awards ceremony to commemorate the service of the crew and officers on Nov. 29, 2005 took place at Brady’s Landing in Houston. SIU Asst. Vice President Southern Region Jim McGee represented the Seafarers during the event. On behalf of SIU President Michael Sacco and the union as a whole, McGee congratulated crew members on their accomplishment. He also thanked them for their hard work and the professional fashion in which they collectively represented the union throughout the time for which they were recognized. SIU members aboard the vessel during the period for which accolades were bestowed included Bosun Charles Jackson, ABs Frank Thompson, Robert Taylor, Vincent Lao, Richard Molina-Blackman and Dan Carman; Electrician Carlos Perez; GVAs Timoteo Nunez, Abdo Ahmed and Ali Hussein; Oilers Zaid Shaif, Filiberto Moreira and Rodolfo Menchaca; Chief Cook Amilcar Bermudez, Assistant Cook Jamie Cayonte and SAs Ramon Hernandez and Rolando Batiz. In addition to McGee, several other officials from the maritime industry attended the event. Deepak Varshney, acting director, Central Region, MarAd, served as the event’s keynote speaker. Also in attendance were Erny Otterspoor, president, Mormac Marine, Inc., and other officials from MarAd. MarAd’s Professional Ship Award is given to non-military ships that achieve the highest degree of safety, readiness, performance, efficiency, reliability and productivity, according to the agency. The crew and officers of the Cape Trinity also received the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal, given to mariners who serve in war zones. Ready Reserve Force ships, crewed by U.S. Merchant Mariners, have carried much of the supplies to and from the Middle East since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Cape Trinity, in its 341 days of activation, carried 19,603 metric tons of cargo between various ports including Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, Shauiba and Ash Shuaybah in Kuwait, and Messaieed in Qatar. Ports in Europe included Bremerhaven, Szczecin and Antwerp. U.S. load ports included Charleston and Corpus Christi. The Cape Trinity originally was constructed in Germany’s HDW shipyard in 1977 for commercial roll-on/roll-off service. In 1994, it was converted to the U.S. flag and became part of the RRF. Tug Sinking Claims Lives of 3 Mariners Tragedy struck during the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 18, as a Seafarer and two officers from the Maritrans tugboat Valour lost their lives when the boat sank in high seas and gale-force winds off the coast of Cape Fear, N.C. Six other men aboard the Valour survived the ordeal. Three are SIU members and three are members of the American Maritime Officers. Longtime SIU member Ron Emory, age 56, sailing as an AB/tankerman, died in the acci- Contract Briefs The following items were reported at the January membership meetings: Sagamore Shipping – Ascension and Sagamore In accordance with their agreement, members of the unlicensed crew aboard the Ascension and Sagamore will receive a 3 percent increase to all wage-related items effective Jan. 1, 2006. Osprey Ship Management, Inc. – American Tern Last month (December 2005) with the re-award of the Military Sealift Command contract for the operation of an ice-strengthened vessel to Osprey Ship Management, Inc., the American Tern moved onto the new contract. The new agreement will include a 3 percent increase to all wage-related items along with a vacation benefit of 15 for 30 and 5 percent into the Seafarers Money Purchase Plan Benefit. Members also will continue to receive health benefits in accordance with the Core Plus Plan level. 2006. All fringe benefits remain unchanged. Also effective Jan. 1, 2006 unlicensed personnel employed aboard the E-Ships-operated Endurance, Endeavor and Enterprise received a 3.5 percent increase to wages and wage-related items. This contract is due to expire June 15, 2006. Interocean American Shipping Corp. – Car Carriers Interocean American Shipping Corp. (IAM) has extended their agreements covering unlicensed personnel aboard company-operated car carrier vessels to expire June 15, 2006 to coincide with the expiration of the Standard Freightship Agreement. With the extension of the agreement, there was also a 3 percent increase negotiated for wages and wagerelated items. The vessels included are the F reedom, Independence, Courage, Honor, Integrity, CF Liberty, CP Patriot and CR Resolve. Fringe benefit levels will remain the same through the duration of the agreement. Central Gulf Lines – Energy Enterprise Effective retroactively to July 1, 2005, there will be a 3 percent increase to wages and wage-related items for unlicensed personnel employed aboard the SS Energy Enterprise. The existing agreement has been extended to expire June 15, 2006. Maersk Line, Ltd. – Page and Carter SIU-contracted Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) announced that it has been awarded a one-year agreement to charter two vessels under the U.S. Military Sealift Command’s prepositioning program. The contract covers sister ships, the Seafarers-crewed military support carriers Lt. Col. John U.D. Page and Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr. The company noted that the agreement follows MLL’s “successful completion of an existing fiveyear contract and has options that could extend the performance period to a total of 59 months.” Company officials acknowledged the good work of Seafarers aboard those ships during the past five years. Waterman Steamship Corp. – Buenos Aires, Vera Cruz Effective January 1, 2006, the P&O Ned Lloyd Buenos Aires and the P&O Ned Lloyd Vera Cruz received a 3 percent increase in wages and wagerelated items. The agreement has also been extended to expire June 15, 2006. E-Ships – Argonaut, Endurance, Endeavor and Enterprise Effective Jan. 1, 2006, unlicensed personnel employed aboard the E-Ships-operated vessel the SS Argonaut received a 4.5 percent increase in wages and wage-related items. Additionally, the contract for this vessel has been extended to expire Dec. 31, Marine Personnel and Provisioning, Inc. – Motivator Effective Jan. 1, 2006, unlicensed personnel employed aboard the Americana-Class vessel Motivator received a 3 percent increase in wages and wage-related items. The agreement has been extended to expire June 15, 2006. 4 Seafarers LOG Seafarers recently were honored for their service aboard the Cape Trinity in Operation Enduring Freedom. Some of those SIU members are pictured at a MarAd awards ceremony last November in Houston, joined by SIU Asst. VP Southern Region Jim McGee (seated at far left). dent along with Chief Mate Fred Brenner, 53, and Chief Engineer Richard Smoot, 50. Brenner sailed with the SIU from 19711985. The survivors are AB/Tankerman Earl Shepard, AB/Tankerman James Hamilton, Cook Jay Templett, Captain Michael Lynch, Second Mate Jim Garnett and Assistant Engineer Lou Gatto. “On behalf of everyone in the SIU, I extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and to the surviving shipmates,” stated SIU President Michael Sacco. “Words always seem inadequate at times like this, but we are all part of the ‘Brotherhood of the Sea,’ and we all share in this terrible loss.” “We are deeply saddened by this incident and the related loss of life. Our primary concern is with the crew and their families,” said Jonathan Whitworth, president of Maritrans Operating Company L.P. According to company and newspaper reports, the 135-foot Valour was towing the Maritrans tank barge M-192 (carrying 135,000 barrels of No. 6 oil, a thick oil used as fuel) when the tug began taking on water in heavy seas late in the evening of Jan. 17. The tug separated from the barge and sank at approximately 2:30 a.m. Before the tug went down, Shepard was washed overboard while trying to secure an emergency door. His fellow mariners attempted to rescue him but were thwarted by the heavy seas. Shepard eventually was saved by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Another seagoing tug, the Justine Foss, reportedly was in the area after completing a longdistance assignment and answered a Coast Guard call for assistance as the Valour was sinking. The Justine Foss arrived in time to pick up the remaining survivors as the Valour went down. Emory, wearing a survival suit, was lost at sea. According to unconfirmed reports, he likely was injured before the boat sank, possibly fatally. The Coast Guard dispatched a search team but later called off the search on Jan. 19. Similarly, and also according to unconfirmed reports, one of the officers was badly injured and may already have perished before going down with the Valour. Maritrans reported that the Coast Guard later in the day helped secure its drifting fuel barge and arranged for its tow to Wilmington, N.C. The barge apparently was undamaged and lost no cargo. The Coast Guard is investigating the sinking. As this edition of the Seafarers LOG went to press, there had been no official report indicating whether the sinking strictly was due to the severe weather or if other factors contributed. Shepard, who has sailed with the SIU for more than 30 years, was understandably distraught following the accident but quietly described Emory as “a great guy. I worked with him for 28 years. He was retired from the Navy—a great seaman and a loving family man…. The whole thing seems like a bad dream. It happened so fast.” MSC Buys 3 SIU-Contracted Ships The U.S. Military Sealift Command last month announced that it has purchased three Seafarers-contracted prepositioning vessels: the PFC Dewayne T. Williams, 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez and 1st Lt. Jack Lummus. SIU-contracted American Overseas Marine Corp. (AMSEA) will continue operating the vessels. In a news release, the agency reported a purchase date of Jan. 17 and indicated that the vessels “had previously been under long-term charter to the command from Braintree II, III and IV Maritime Corps. of Quincy, Mass…. The options to purchase these ships were part of the original contracts, which were delivered to MSC in 1985 and 1986.” MSC further stated that AMSEA will remain as the vessels’ operator. The Williams is prepositioned in the Mediterranean; the Lopez in the Indian Ocean; and the Lummus in the western Pacific. They carry U.S. Marine Corps cargo. February 2006 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 1:34 PM Page 5 Report Underlines U.S. Health Care Woes Costs Consume 16 Percent of Nation’s Economic Output A government report released Jan. 10 brought to center stage what consumers and many companies have known for a long time: Health-care costs have soared out of control—they now consume 16 percent of the nation’s economic output. Issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Office of the Actuary, the report conceded that this level represented the highest amount ever recorded. It further stated that the nation’s health-care bill also continued to grow at a significantly greater rate than inflation and wages, increasing by almost 8 percent in 2004. Spending for physicians and hospitals shot up considerably faster than in recent years, while drug costs grew at a slower rate than over the past decade. Even as health care costs continue to escalate, however, many Americans— especially minorities and the poor—don’t get high-quality care, according to two other federal reports released the same day. Health care quality is improving slowly and some racial disparities are narrowing, the reports found, but gaps persist and Hispanics appear to be falling even further behind. “We can do better,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt at a Washington conference on racial and ethnic disparities in health. “Disparities and inequities still exist. Outcomes vary. Treatments are not received equally.” Experts from the political, medical and economic arenas have long warned that health care cost trends gradually will overwhelm the economy, and many companies now complain that employee and retiree health costs are making them less competitive. This latest report without doubt has added fresh fuel to a blaze that already is raging out of control. The overall cost of health care—everything from hospital and doctor bills to the cost of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, insurance and nursing home and home-health care—doubled from 1993 to 2004, said the CMS report. In 2004, the nation spent almost $140 billion more for health care than the year before. In 1997, health care accounted for 13.6 percent of the gross domestic product. “Americans rejected the tougher restrictions of managed care in the late 1990s, and yet they want all the latest advances in medical technology,” said Drew Altman, president of the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation, which researches health issues. “Since government regulation of prices and services is not in the cards, the inevitable result is higher costs.” The health care increase of 7.9 percent in 2004 was almost three times greater than the overall national inflation rate, which was 2.7 percent. The average hourly wage for workers in private companies was essentially unchanged that year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The best news in the report involved spending on pharmaceutical drugs, which of 9 percent over 2003 and an increase in hospital costs of 8.6 percent. The report’s authors said the jumps appeared to be associated with higher Medicare reimbursement rates for some doctors and, anecdotally, to an upswing in the construction of new hospitals. “This is an alarming situation, but it’s more like a creeping infection than a broken bone, and so people get used to it,” said Edward Howard, executive vice president of the Alliance for Health Reform, a non-profit education group chaired by The rise in health care costs “is an alarming situation, but it’s more like a creeping infection than a broken bone, and so people get used to it. Frankly, I don’t see major change until people who have some sort of organized political influence start hurting a little more.” —Edward Howard, VP Alliance for Health Reform increased by less than 10 percent for the first time in more than a decade. Cynthia Smith of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, lead author of the health spending report, attributed the slower increase in drug spending to greater use of generic drugs and mail order pharmacies, a slowdown in the introduction of costly new medications, and the impact of higher drug co-pays. Mark Merritt, president of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents drug benefit managers, said the trend was also a result of their “work over the past decade to change the way consumers, clinicians, and purchasers think about prescription drugs.” While the fast rise in drug spending in the past decade attracted great attention from officials and health policy experts, it remains a relatively small part of the health care bill—about 10 percent. Defenders of increased drug spending have often argued that those added costs would keep people healthier and reduce the amount spent on hospitals and doctors. The 2004 statistics told a different story, however, with an increase in doctor costs Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), and Bill Frist, (R-Tenn.).“Frankly, I don’t see major change until people who have some sort of organized political influence start hurting a little more.” In a related development, working families, their unions and community allies are joining with the AFL-CIO in launching a major health care campaign to ensure the largest corporations, such as Wal-Mart, stop shifting health care insurance costs onto workers, taxpayers and other businesses. As part of the AFL-CIO “Fair Share Health Care” campaign, activists will work with legislators in 31 states to win legislation to require companies to pay their fair share for health care. Fair Share Health Care legislation will reduce the bill taxpayers pay to cover profitable employer’s expenses, ease the financial strain states face in growing Medicaid costs and help level the playing field between companies that provide good jobs and benefits and those that don’t. “I’m pleased to launch the AFL-CIO’s breakthrough Fair Share Health Care campaign,” said AFL-CIO President John Report Reveals Problems Aplenty On Doomed Runaway-Flag Ship USCG Concludes Capt. Violated Safety Practices The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded that the captain of the runaway-flag chemical tanker Bow Mariner—which during the early evening hours of Feb. 28, 2004 exploded and sank off the Virginia Coast—violated safety practices by ordering crew members to open empty cargo tanks for cleaning. Nearly two years after the 570-foot vessel exploded and claimed the lives of 21 crew members, the Coast Guard on Jan. 3 released its final incident report on the catastrophe. Investigators blamed gross negligence on the part of the vessel’s captain for the massive loss of life and said that opening the tanks’ hatches caused highly flammable vapors to escape onto February 2006 the deck, where the crew of the Bow Mariner was working. A spark ignited the mixture of air and vapors from a gasoline additive, the investigators said. The investigation also found that Greek Capt. Efstratios Kavouras abandoned ship without sending a distress call or trying to save his crew, contributing to the high death toll. Investigators blamed the Greek company that managed the ship and the senior officers on board for the disaster. The report said there was a failure to comply with the company’s and ship’s safety, quality and environmental system that likely exposed crew members to toxic vapors. Investigators also noted there was poor communication between the ship’s Greek officers and its Filipino crew. The Singapore-flagged chemical tanker was built in 1982 and was managed by a Greek company, Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises Ltd. Its owners, Odfjell USA, are headquartered in Houston. According to the Virginian Pilot newspaper, the Bow Mariner—which picked up its cargo of methyl tert butyl ether (a flammable liquid used as an additive in unleaded gasoline) in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 24, 2004, and unloaded part of it in New York on Feb. 25, 2004—prior to the catastrophe had been carrying 3.1 million gallons of the ethyl alcohol, along with 192,904 gallons of heavy fuel oil and 48,266 gallons of diesel fuel. While the Sweeney on Jan. 5. “Beginning this month, the AFL-CIO and its unions, together with progressive state legislators and other allies, will be introducing and pushing legislation in more than 30 states to stop large, profitable corporations—like Wal-Mart— from freeloading off their communities and shifting their employees’ health care insurance costs onto workers, taxpayers and smaller businesses. “Health care is a basic need of every family,” he continued. “It’s nothing short of immoral that big, rich companies are shirking their responsibilities to their employees—we’re talking about mothers and fathers who are pushed to tears because they can’t take their children to the doctor. And it’s happening every day.” Forty-six million Americans—most of them in working families—live without health insurance, according to Sweeney. And literally thousands more lose their insurance each day, as good-paying jobs with benefits continue to be destroyed. To make matters worse, the AFL-CIO president said, those companies that do provide insurance are increasingly shifting the cost onto workers and cutting back on the benefits they provide, pushing hundreds of thousands of workers and their children into Medicaid programs all over the country. Between 2001 and 2004, the number of uninsured people in the U.S. rose by a staggering 5 million, with nearly the entire increase accounted for by a decline in employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. Today, more than one-quarter of workers in companies with 500 or more employees do not receive employer-based coverage, according to a study by the Commonwealth Fund. “As a result, around the country, workers, taxpayers and other businesses are forced to pick up a staggering $113 billion when profitable companies refuse to shoulder their employees’ health care costs,” Sweeney said. “Workers who have family coverage are forced to pay more and more each year, and at every bargaining table, those workers lucky enough to have a union are fighting to hold on to their health care coverage. The bottom line is that our health care system is broken—but it didn’t just split open. Big companies like Wal-Mart are pulling it apart and profiting at taxpayers’ expense.” ignition source could not be determined, investigators said it probably came from one of the following: electrostatic discharge, mechanical sparks caused by metal-on-metal contact, faulty electrical equipment, hot soot or particles from the ship’s smoke stack or funnel, or even sparks from changing batteries in a flashlight. Because the tanks had not been washed or mechanically ventilated, the concentration of vapor was well above the “upper explosive limit” for methyl tert butyl ether, the report said. Opening all the cargo tank hatches permitted vapors to escape at deck level, exposing crew members to a greater risk of an explosion from an accidental spark. The ignition produced two major explosions less than two minutes apart that began at 6:06 p.m. Feb. 28, 2004. The blasts resulted in catastrophic structural damage to the vessel and caused immediate flooding that sent crew members who had survived a series of explosions into the icy water. The explosions were heard on shore, more than 50 miles away, and witnesses from a passing tanker that arrived first on the scene described a ring of fire extending for hundreds of yards from the stricken ship. At around 6:30 p.m., the Coast Guard received its first and only distress call from one of the Bow Mariner’s Filipino crewmen and quickly launched a search and rescue mission. The ship sank in one hour and 32 minutes. The flight crew of Coast Guard divers who responded to the scene quickly plucked six survivors out of the sea. They immediately were transported to a makeshift triage center set up at the Ocean City, Md. Municipal Airport and later to area hospitals. Eighteen other crew members on the Bow Mariner weren’t as lucky. Searchers recovered only one other body following the explosion. Three crewmen who were recovered died from expoContinued on page 6 Seafarers LOG 5 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 1:34 PM Page 6 Seafarers Credited by Gen. Schwartz TOTE’s Northern Lights Sailed in OIF for 2 Years The commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) praised the efforts of mariners aboard the SIU-crewed Northern Lights in a letter to Seafarers-contracted Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE). TRANSCOM Commander Gen. Norton A. Schwartz wrote to TOTE Chairman and CEO Robert P. Magee concerning the crew’s excellent performance in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Northern Lights, a roll-on/roll-off vessel that normally operates in the Jones Act trade, supported U.S. troops for more than two years while under charter to the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command. General Schwartz cited the “superior support” of the unlicensed and licensed mariners as well as that of the company and its officials. “Early in the Iraq deployment, the Military Sealift Command sought commercial support and your company answered the call,” General Schwartz wrote on Oct. 26, 2005. “Since 18 February 2003, six weeks after the start TRANSCOM Commander Gen. Norton A. Schwartz has been quick to credit the U.S. Merchant Marine for its support of U.S. troops. of the deployment of forces to Iraq, SS Northern Lights was under charter to MSC. She continuously operated in support of U.S. forces since that time, never missing a commitment. No other ship, government-owned or commercial, has operated as long in support of these critical operations. Special Guest aboard Manulani Seafarers recently welcomed U.S. Deputy Maritime Administrator John Jamian (second from right) aboard the Manulani. Jamian said he sailed on the Matson ship for a few days and that the SIU members aboard “took great care of me and fed me very well.” Pictured in the crew mess are (from left) Assistant Cook Ruben Siclot, Chief Steward Stephen Valencia, Jamian and Chief Cook Jose Guzman. Runaway-Flag Ship Captain Violated Safety Practices Continued from page 5 sure and other injuries. Kavouras, 51, whose body was among those missing after the explosion 50 miles east of Chincoteague on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, was one of three Greek officers aboard ship and drew much of the criticism from investigators. However, also contributing to the disaster “was the failure of the operator, Ceres … and senior officers of the Bow Mariner to properly implement the company’s and vessel’s Safety, Quality and Environmental System,” investigators said. For example: Cargo tanks were not fixed in stationary positions or neutralized of their chemical activity as required; procedures for cleaning tanks were not followed; procedures for entering confined spaces were not followed; the failure of one of two required 6 Seafarers LOG blowers used to disburse vapors was not reported; monthly fire drills were not conducted; training was scheduled and recorded in the minutes of a safety committee meeting but not actually held. “Opening of all of the hatches for the empty cargo tanks, as was done on the Bow Mariner, fails to conform to any known customary marine practice,” investigators wrote. “Because the tanks had not been washed or mechanically ventilated, the concentration of vapor was very high and certainly above the upper explosive limit for the MTBE. Opening all of the cargo tank hatches permitted vapors to escape at deck level, where the crew was actively working. This exposed them to toxic vapors and increased the likelihood of an explosion to initiate from an accidental spark.” Investigators also cited significant culture problems between “During the charter period SS Northern Lights made 25 voyages and 49 port calls,” he continued. “She carried 12,220 pieces of military gear totaling 81,000 short tons and covering over 2 million square feet. “Those statistics clearly demonstrate the value that the U.S.-flag shipping industry brings to the Defense Transportation System. At 200,000 square feet of cargo space, this ship has nearly the capacity of the Fast Sealift Ships, has speeds approaching those of the Navy’s Large, Medium Speed RoRo ships, and had a perfect record of reliability. Having this asset enabled us to improve readiness by keeping ships of the Ready Reserve Fleet available for other contingencies as needed. “You and your team of professionals showcased the U.S.-flag industry at its best,” General Schwartz concluded. After one of the vessel’s first deployments in 2003, Recertified Steward Steve Dickson, proving that humor remained even as the Northern Lights endured numerous alerts in Kuwait, noted that the U.S. Marines on board “are well-trained and polite. They have been learning shipboard lingo, such as the floor is called the deck, and the wall is a bulkhead, left is the port side and right is the starboard. They already know the salty language.” As of early January 2006 no fewer than a dozen SIU-crewed ships remained activated in support of U.S. troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Seafarers on the Northern Lights fulfilled their duty as part of America’s fourth arm of defense. Notice: Mariner Credentials Extended in Gulf The U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 17 announced that the agency is extending the expiration dates of credentials held by merchant mariners impacted by the effects of Hurricane Katrina until Feb. 28, 2006. The authority for this temporary relief measure was included in the Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-141). Details are contained in the notice published in the Federal Register on Jan. 17, 2006 (available on the internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/f edreg/frcont06.html). This measure applies to certain mariners whose credentials expired on or after March 1, 2005, or will expire before Feb. 28, 2006. The requirements are as follows: „ Credentials are automatically extended for mariners whose home of record is listed as Alabama, Mississippi or Louisiana on their merchant mariner credentials. To serve under the authority of their existing credentials, these mariners must carry a copy of the Federal Register notice with their existing credentials. „ Credentials issued by Regional Examination Center New Orleans are automatically extended. To serve under the authority of their existing credentials, these mariners must carry a copy of the Federal Register notice with their existing credentials. „ Other mariners who believe their ability to renew their credentials in a timely manner has been adversely impacted by Hurricane Katrina should contact any Regional Examination Center to establish their eligibility for an extension. If credentials were lost or damaged due to Hurricane Katrina, mariners may apply to any Regional Examination Center to receive a duplicate credential that will bear the same expiration date and information as the lost or damaged one. Mariners whose home of record is Alabama, Mississippi or Louisiana may receive a waiver of the fees for issuance of duplicate credentials. All mariners whose credentials are within one year of expiration are encouraged to submit renewal applications as early as possible. Mariners may contact any Regional Examination Center with questions regarding these temporary measures, for a copy of the Federal Register notice, or for any other assistance. The Regional Examination Center locations and phone numbers are: the officers and crew. The Filipinos said they were treated with disrespect by the officers and were constantly threatened with being fired. The report goes on to state that the vessel’s senior officers, all Greek, were abusive to the junior officers and crew, all Filipino. “The survivors clearly feared the Greek officers, and each stated that they would obey any order from them, even if they knew the order to be unsafe,” the investigators said. The chief cook and his assistant said the fear of the Greeks extended to the galley. Reynaldo A. Tagle, 51, a messman, said the officers were verbally abusive and constantly threatened to send him home if he did not work harder or faster. Chief Cook Dominator M. Marentes, 57, likewise feared losing his job, the report said. “While these may have been the usual complaints of the lowest ranking crewmen aboard ship, there can be no question that such fear can lead to a shipboard culture where safety takes a backseat to preserving one’s livelihood,” the report said. “Filipino officers did not take their meals in the officer’s mess, were given almost no responsibility and were closely supervised in every task,” according to the report. The second assistant engineer, identified in the report as Edimar L. Aguilar, 48, working aboard a Ceres ship for the first time, was upset that he was chastised on his first day aboard because he inquired about his management and administrative duties. The attitude toward Filipino officers and crew was not limited to the Bow Mariner, the Coast Guard said. As part of the investigation, Jerry R. Crooks Jr., senior investigator for the Marine Safety Office in Norfolk and the investigating officer for the Bow Mariner, wrote that he visited a sister ship, the Bow Transporter, in Singapore, and observed many of the same attitudes. “The Filipinos were only permitted to speak to the investigating officer and Singapore offi- cials in the presence of the senior officers, leading to obvious nervousness,” Crooks wrote in the report. “Nevertheless, several crew members made statements confirming the same cultural divide existed aboard the Bow Transporter.” The Coast Guard recommended that its report be sent to the governments of Greece, the Philippines and Singapore, as well as to the owners and operators of the ship and international and American shipping interests. The U.S. attorney’s office in Norfolk issued subpoenas to get them to speak before a grand jury, but only after promising immunity from prosecution. The Coast Guard cited Ceres for pollution and has recommended a fine of $11,000, said Crooks, the senior investigator. That case is pending. The Bow Mariner explosion was the worst of four tank ship explosions that occurred worldwide between December 2003 and June 2004, resulting in a total of 27 deaths. Anchorage, Alaska - (907) 271-6736 Baltimore - (410) 962-5132/5147 Boston - (617) 223-3040/41/42 Charleston, S. C. - (843) 720-3250 or (800) 826-1511 Guam - (671) 339-2001 Honolulu - (808) 522-8264 Houston - (713) 948-3350/51 Juneau, Alaska - (907) 463-2458 San Pedro, Calif. - (310) 732-2080 Memphis, Tenn. - (901) 544-3297 or (866) 777-2784 Miami - (305) 536-6548/49/6874 or (800) 982-9374 New Orleans (temporarily operating in Memphis, Tenn.) (901) 544-3941 New York - (212) 668-7492/7864/ 4970/6395 Portland, Ore. - (503) 240-9346 Oakland, Calif. - (510) 637-1124 San Juan, Puerto Rico (787) 729-2376 Seattle - (206) 220-7327 St. Louis - (314) 539-3091 Toledo, Ohio - (419) 418-6010 February 2006 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:51 AM Page 7 SIU-Crewed Lummus Supports U.S. Troops The SIU-crewed 1st Lt. Jack Lummus is the flag ship for the U.S. Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Three. The vessel, home-ported in the Guam/Saipan area of the Western Pacific, is one of MSC’s 17 container and roll-on/roll-off ships and is one of the 36 ships in the prepositioning program. The Lummus and its sister prepositioning vessels are configured to transport supplies for the U.S. Marine Corps. They were built or modified beginning in the mid1980s and are forward-deployed to the western Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Collectively, the ships contain nearly everything the Marines need for initial military operations— from tanks and ammunition to food and water and from fuel to spare parts and engine oil. Following a recent voyage, the vessel tied up in Guam. While the Lummus was in port, SIU Guam Port Agent Jeff Turkus met with crew members, discussed their concerns and conducted a union meeting. The photos which appear on this page were taken while the vessel was docked. Taking in the proceedings during the meeting are, front, left to right, ABM Steve Wilson Jr. and Chief Steward Greg Williams. In the back row are AB Pankiatou Oleg and Chief Cook Gennady Dragunov. Below: ABs Denny Manns, left, and Ray Fanning prepare to power wash the deck of the Lummus. Pumpman Dan Kresconko maintains radio contact during fueling operations. Fleet Support Command Established The U.S. Military Sealift Command reported that a “significant benchmark” in MSC’s transformation was reached Nov. 13, 2005 when Military Sealift Fleet Support Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Va., was officially established. MSFSC’s mission is to staff, train, equip and maintain MSC government-owned and -operated ships worldwide and to support other MSC assets as directed by MSC’s commander. Some of the functions previously performed by MSC’s area commands are being combined and transferred to MSFSC. The new command will manage the repair and maintenance processes aboard MSC’s 38 government-owned and -operated ships, including the repair and maintenance of all shipboard installed communication systems. Engineering, comptroller and contracting functions will also be executed by MSFSC. In addition, personnel administration aboard government-owned and-operated ships—for both the active duty military and the civilian mariners—is an MSFSC responsibility. MSC’s Afloat Personnel Management Center, located in Virginia Beach, Va., has been realigned under the command of MSFSC and is now the Human Resources and Manpower Directorate for the organization. MSFSC headquarters is expected to be fully staffed with about 500 employees by April 2006. SA Mac Brown prepares to launch an all out cleaning assault in the galley. ing the SIU formed a coalition to ensure that employees would have effective representation as this process continued. The unions through many discussions and legislative efforts have tried to persuade DOD that these changes and regulations would substantially harm employees. The SIU and the licensed maritime unions fought hard to convince DOD that CIVMARS are a unique group of employees and should remain exempt from the NSPS. That exemption was granted for all but “Part I”—the labor relations portion of these regulations. The regulations implementing the program severely limit collective bargaining rights for bargaining unit employees and their representatives. Despite the arguments made by NSPS staffers, the regulations provide very little protection for employees who may come up against disciplinary and other employment issues. Much of the current collective bargaining agreements will be eradicated if the regulations are implemented as DOD expects. Once DOD published the final regulations and indicated their intent to implement this program, the unions had no other choice but to file a lawsuit to try and stop the regulations. A judge was scheduled to hear an oral argument on January 24, 2006. The unions understand that a decision may be made as soon as February 15, 2006. The union will continue to provide information to CIVMARS about the NSPS. In addition, up-tothe-minute information is available on the coalition’s web site at http://www.uniteddodworkerscoalition.org/. NSPS Update Wage Update Throughout 2005, the union kept CIVMARS advised about the Department of Defense’s NSPS (national security personnel system) program. DOD introduced this program in February 2004. It was proposed to substantially change how pay, performance and labor relations issues were carried out throughout all of DOD’s agencies. Approximately 30 federal sector unions includ- Federal law requires that each year the union must provide MSC with private sector maritime wages. To do this, the union gives MSC letters containing the wages and collective bargaining agreements. MSC uses this information and other types of information to develop the wage scales that apply to CIVMARS. Generally CIVMARS receive increases in July. February 2006 Electrician Bruce Callaghan monitors the gauges in the engine room. Steward Assistants Minnie Thomas, left, and Ray Baluyot talk about their latest culinary creations. Cook/Baker Evelyn Tayag, left, and SA Ryan Anderson are busy baking cookies for the next meal. CIVMAR News SIU Guam Port Agent Jeff Turkus, second from right, conducts a meeting with the crew of the 1st Lt. Jack Lummus in Guam. In October 2005, the union provided MSFSC with the wage information for its review and action. The union has been requesting information as to when there will be an announcement regarding 2005-2006 wages. The agency representative recently stated MSFSC had met with the Department of Defense but would not release any information to the union about those discussions. As soon as the union secures an update regarding the status of CIVMAR wages it will disseminate that information. Union Files Health and Safety Grievances The union has filed two health and safety grievances on behalf of SIU East Coast CIVMARS. The first grievance was filed on behalf of CIVMARS sailing on board USNS Spica. The union received a communication advising that the ship had a severe infestation of cockroaches. The infestation was one of the worst that shipboard personnel had encountered. The insects created health hazards in the galley when they were found in the food, cooking and eating utensils. Because it remained untreated, the infestation then spread from the galley to the rest of the vessel. Some shipboard supervisors appeared unconcerned when this issue was raised by several unlicensed CIVMARS. On the same day the union learned of this problem it contacted the APMC and requested an immediate investigation and treatment of the infestation. The union was advised that environmental health personnel had boarded the vessel and done an inspection along with the report. Extermination treatments, the union was told, started immediately. The union is still waiting for a formal response to its grievance. It has an information request pending regarding the report that was produced and other questions about the amount and type of chemicals used to treat the infestation. Thanks to the efforts of the CIVMARS who reported this issue, the union took very quick action to assist in ensuring that this important health and safety issue Chief Cook Gennady Dragunov readies the main course for the lunch meal. is addressed. The CIVMARS who reported this issue to the union made it clear that they did so to protect their own health as well as that of their shipmates, and to prevent illnesses and other health concerns aboard the Spica. If CIVMARS have concerns about a specific health or safety issue aboard a vessel, do not hesitate to contact your union official or send an e-mail to civmarsupport@seafarers.org. The second health and safety grievance was filed on behalf of CIVMARS reporting to the CSU East. MSFSC uses several hotels in the area but selected as the main hotel housing CIVMARS one located at Military Circle. Along with complaints made by East Coast unlicensed CIVMARS, an inspection by SIU Government Services Representative Maurice Cokes revealed that this hotel was in a dangerous neighborhood. Many crimes have been reported in this area and the union learned that someone was robbed at the hotel. Additionally the rooms were dirty and the furniture was in bad shape. Linens were not clean, drug paraphernalia was found in a room and one CIVMAR reported seeing roaches. The union believes that this hotel provides substandard accommodation to CIVMARS. It filed this health and safety grievance and requested a report that had been produced by an environmental protection officer to evaluate the conditions. The union is now waiting for a response to its grievance. It will continue to monitor the conditions at the hotel. While normally there are not many health and safety grievances that come to the union’s attention, monitoring such issues is one of the most important services that the union can provide to its membership. Those efforts will be most successful if CIVMARS take the time to make SIU Government Services Division representatives aware of shipboard and shore-side habitability conditions. Finally, do not be afraid to make such reports. The union in most cases can keep the mariner’s name confidential while notifying the Command of a problem in working towards its resolution. Seafarers LOG 7 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 2:25 PM Page 8 2005 Great Lakes Sailing Season Comes to an End A s most of the lakers began laying up in January for the icy winter months, the Seafarers who ply these vessels on the Great Lakes were able to look back on a good year, noted SIU Algonac Port Agent Todd Brdak. In addition to the busy Lakes season, the union in June welcomed new shipboard jobs when SIUcontracted American Steamship Company added a twelfth vessel—the Burns Harbor—to its fleet. The 1,000-foot self-unloading vessel primarily sails between Duluth, Minn. and Burns Harbor, Ind., carrying steel and steel byproducts. According to the Lake Carriers’ Association, which represents 12 American corporations that operate 54 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes, shipments of coal totaled 42.7 million tons in 2005, an increase of 7 percent compared to the previous year. SIU members crew many of the cargo vessels represented by the Lake Carriers’ Association, carrying the raw materials that help drive the nation’s economy: iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, limestone and cement for the construction industry, and coal for power generation. Furthermore, the lakers sail under the Jones Act, a law which mandates that cargoes carried from one U.S. port to another must be carried on U.S.-flag, U.S.-built and U.S.crewed vessels. The winter lay-up period will allow time for maintaining the vessels—a key factor in the long lifespan and exemplary safety record of the Great Lakes fleet. Sporting the Stars and Stripes on his hardhat is Bosun Charles Neigebauer, working on the deck of the St. Clair in Superior, Wis. Conveyorman Terry Pyrlik inspects the conveyor belt underneath the boom aboard the St. Clair in Superior, Wis. Bill McAndrews is a deckhand aboard a Great Lakes Towing tug in Buffalo, N.Y. First Mate Leo Bonser proudly displays the new soda machine recently installed aboard the dinner cruise vessel Detroit Princess, docked in downtown Detroit, Mich. From the left aboard the tug Sandusky and barge Cleveland Flats are Deckhand Clarence Brazzell, First Mate Leo J. Bonser and SIU Algonac Patrolman Ken Horner. Tim Burke is a recertified bosun, pictured working aboard the Adam E. Cornelius in Detroit, Mich. The American Spirit called on the port of Detroit on Dec. 1. Above: DEU Amin Quraish (left) observes DEU Mousa Ali being lowered in the bosun’s chair to the pier as the St. Clair prepares to dock in Superior, Wis. At right: AB Robert Mason retrieves the chair aboard the vessel. 8 Seafarers LOG Leonel Gutierrez catches up on the latest news in the Seafarers LOG while on the tug Sandusky and barge Cleveland Flats. Gutierrez is a deckhand aboard the vessel, which was docked in Detroit, Mich. February 2006 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:59 AM Page 9 More SIU Snapshots from The Great Lakes SIU Representative Don Thornton (seated) and 2nd Cook Maccine Bell review some paperwork aboard the Adam E. Cornelius in Wyandotte, Mich. Engineer Edd Carlson works aboard a Luetdke Engineering Co. vessel in Cleveland, Ohio. You can tell it’s getting near lay-up time by the frozen eye in the line. The American Spirit glides under the Ambassador Bridge on the Detroit River in early December. Paul Paton is the 2nd cook on the J.A.W. Iglehart in Toledo, Ohio. Tug/Barge Combo Transports Windmill Parts The most recent addition to the Laken Shipping Corp. of Cleveland, Ohio fleet is the tug Sandusky and its barge, the Cleveland Flats. Managed by SMT (USA), the tug and barge combo moved out of the port of Milwaukee in late September, powered by new twin diesel engines. The Cleveland Flats was loaded with tower sections for wind turbines, to be delivered to upstate New York. The tug Sandusky pushes the barge Cleveland Flats through the Welland Canal. Jamie Long is the captain of the tug Sandusky. The tug and barge combo is ready to depart the dock. Cargo is firmly secured on the deck of the Cleveland Flats. The newly re-powered tug (3,000 hp) Sandusky and its barge, the Cleveland Flats, are the most recent addition to the Laken Shipping Corp.fleet. Right: The unit passes under the Garden City Skyway Bridge in St. Catharines, Ontario. February 2006 Seafarers LOG 9 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 5:43 AM Page 10 Remembering a War Hero Katrina Claims Life of SIU Retiree Alberto Rocha For many who witnessed Hurricane Katrina from the comfort of their living rooms while watching the tragic events unfold on television, it was the unimaginable. For many residents of the area who lived through it, it was a nightmare. And for countless others, the flooding that took place in the Gulf Coast region marked the end of their lives. And so it was for SIU Pensioner Alberto Rocha who, at 87, lost his life in his New Orleans home during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was a somewhat ironic end for Rocha, who served on a submarine during World War II. The sub was torpedoed, and Rocha rescued at least a dozen of his fellow mariners, yet no one was there for him when he was left, presumably to drown in the flood waters of New Orleans. Born in São Paolo, Brazil in 1918, Rocha was one of 21 siblings (each one beginning with the letter “A.”) He joined the union in 1943 in the port of New York and later moved to New Orleans, where he lived with his wife, Maria. He sailed in the deck and engine departments, retiring from the union in 1973. He last sailed as an FOWT aboard Waterman Steamship Corp’s John Penn. Much of the information about Rocha in this article was given to the Seafarers LOG by Julia Ewens, a good friend who, with her husband, Ralph Ewens (a former NMU bosun), befriended Rocha and considered him their adopted grandfather for the past 21 years. Ralph and his first wife were neighbors of the Rochas in New Orleans’ 9th ward. When Ralph’s wife died suddenly at 41 years of age, he became quite distraught, Giving Thanks with Fellow Seafarers and Alberto and Maria Rocha were very kind to him and helped him through this difficult time. When Julia married Ralph in 1985, she, too, got to know the Rochas well and helped repay the kindness that they had shown her husband in his time of need. But, as Julia said to the LOG, “kindness like his can never be repaid in anything but kindness.” And so the Ewens helped the Rochas in whatever ways they could. “Alberto was very loyal,” Julia said. “His word was his bond.” Alberto Rocha retired from the SIU in 1973. He did some maintenance work for a local hospital and helped people in the neighborhood. “He could tell some of the funniest stories of things he did as a seaman,” Julia Ewens reminisced. Rocha’s wife later was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and Julia was always there to help take her to her doctors’ appointments and whatever else she could do to ease the pain. Maria died in 2000, and the Ewens continued to look after Rocha, making sure his accounts were in order and he had been to the grocery store. In February, Julia’s husband, Ralph, died as well, and Rocha insisted that it was too much for Julia to continue being his caretaker and that he should go to an old-age home. But Julia remained as loyal to Alberto Rocha as he had been to her, often driving 25-30 minutes from her home in eastern New Orleans to make sure all his affairs were in order. With Hurricane Katrina forecast to hit New Orleans in late August 2005 and an evacuation called for, Julia did not hesitate to leave, as she had done in past evacuations. Rocha, however, who had lived through Hurricane Alberto Rocha Betsy in 1965, wasn’t about to leave his home. And he did survive the hurricane, which did little damage to the area. Even when the levee finally broke and water began rising in his home, he still thought he was going to be OK, he told neighbors. Julia is still trying to adjust to the loss. She identified and claimed his body (by tattoos on his right arm and chest), and he was given a full military burial. She will mail the flag that covered his coffin to his sister Albertina in Brazil. SIU members, pensioners and their families gathered at the union hall in Houston Nov. 22 and at the hall in San Juan, P.R. Nov. 23 to share in pre-Thanksgiving festivities. Members at both halls donated their time and talents to help conduct the events, which featured traditional holiday menus. Approximately 130 people attended the feast in Houston, while an estimated 50 participated in San Juan. Photos from the respective events are shown below. HOUSTON SAN JUAN Pictured from left to right are SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey, Father Sinclair Oubre and SIU Representative Robert Troy. Father Oubre, an active SIU member who also serves as president of the Apostleship of the Sea of the United States, gave the blessing before the meal. Retiree Luis Roman (right) and his nephew Ezequiel Ocasio Members, officials and their families are ready for the buffet. Odalys Vallejo (wife of SIU Chief Cook Juan Vallejo), Wildalis Rivera (secretary at the San Juan hall) and Maria Crespo (wife of Port Agent Amancio Crespo) Seafarers, officials and guests QMED José Quiñones and Port Agent Amancio Crespo Retiree Ralph Moore helps set up for the dinner. 10 Seafarers LOG Chief Stewards Henry Manning and Grant Bazile, Retiree Joe Clark and Chief Steward Saundra Leonard (inset) were among those who volunteered to help ensure the gathering’s success. AB Kevin Farrell and Port Agent Amancio Crespo Seafarers and their families enjoy the feast at the San Juan hall. February 2006 �2006-February.qxp 1/28/2006 3:07 PM Page 11 Celebrating With the SIU The port of Wilmington continued its yearly tradition of visiting SIU members aboard various vessels on Christmas Day. This past Dec. 25, Wilmington Port Agent John Cox stopped off at four Crowley tugs in Long Beach: the Leader, Master, Scout and Admiral. From the left are Engineer George Cox, Capt. Rick Cavalier, Wilmington Port Agent John Cox, Mate Roger Stewart, Mate Dave Verschoor and Mate Chad MacAuley. It was a small but nevertheless cheerful group that celebrated the holidays at the New Orleans hall this year. And while they enjoyed in the festivities, their hearts, prayers and thoughts went out to those who were unable to join them in welcoming the new year. These photos were sent to the LOG by AB Arthur Machado. SIU VP West Coast Nicholas Marrone (left) conducts the swearing-in ceremony for Tony Marino (holding his new book) at the SIU hall in San Francisco. Looking on are (from left) SIU Asst. VP Nick Celona, SIU Executive VP Augie Tellez and SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel. Jesse Solis Retires After 44 Years in Maritime Jesse Solis (right) enjoys his retirement party and reminiscing with the good friends he’s made over the years, like QMED David Hamilton. The wording on the cake says it all: “We will miss you Jesse!” Solis is joined by his son and two daughters. February 2006 After 44 years working in the maritime industry, Jesse Solis was treated to a couple retirement parties by his friends and fellow Seafarers. One was held at the Dispatcher Jesse Solis Wilmington union hall in September. He officially retired Nov. 1. Solis, 70, began working as a steward aboard ships like the Monterey and some of the early Delta Lines vessels as a member of the Marine Cooks & Stewards union. He came ashore in 1978 with the merger of the MC&S and the SIU, and worked behind the counter as a dispatcher for the next 28 years. With all that experience and knowledge of the workings of the union, his absence will be duly noted. “He will be greatly missed,” said Wilmington Port Agent John Cox. Solis, who was born in Texas, is considering a return to the Lone Star State to enjoy his retirement years. Lots of well-wishers came to give Solis a big send-off for his well-deserved retirement. Some of the deck crew from the Pride of Aloha get together for a golf outing on the island of Kauai. From the left are AB Lonnie Evans, OS Christopher Vincenzo, AB Warren Asp (who sent this photo to the LOG) and AB Slade Matthews. SIU Asst. VP Nick Celona (left) and SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone (second from right) meet SIU members aboard the Horizon Reliance during a recent servicing call. From the left are Celona, Chief Electrician James McParland, Marrone and AB Rick Grubbs. The Horizon Line vessel is on a West Coast to Far East run. Seafarers LOG 11 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 4:49 AM Page 12 TAX TIPS HOW TO PREPARE A TAX RETURN Step 1. Get all records together. ‹ Income Records. These include any Forms W-2, W-2G and 1099. ‹ Itemized deductions and tax credits. ‹ Medical and dental payment records. ‹ Real estate and personal property tax receipts. ‹ Interest payment records for items such as a home mortgage or home equity loan. ‹ Records of payments for child care so an individual could work. Step 2. Get any forms, schedules or publications necessary to assist in filing the return. IRS Publication 17 entitled “Your Federal Income Tax for Individuals” is the most comprehensive guide the agency has issued this year. Most IRS offices and many local banks, post offices and libraries have publications designed to provide individuals with information on correctly filing tax returns. Also, you may access the IRS web site at www.irs.gov for forms, instructions and publications. Step 3. Fill in the return. Step 4. Check the return to make sure it is correct. Step 5. Sign and date the return. Form 1040 is not considered a valid return unless signed. A spouse must also sign if it is a joint return. Step 6. Attach all required forms and schedules. Attach Copy B of Forms W-2, W-2G and 1099R to the front of the Form 1040. Attach all other schedules and forms behind Form 1040 in order of the attachment sequence number. If tax is owed, attach the payment to the front of Form 1040 along with Form 1040-V (original only). Write Here are some of the changes that will take effect in 2005 and 2006 from the Hurricane Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act, the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, the 2005 Energy Tax Incentive Act, and other tax law changes: Uniform Definition of Qualifying Child – To simplify the tax law beginning in 2005, the definition of “qualified child” changes for taxpayers who claim a child as a dependent, elects Head of Household status, or takes the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, Child or Dependent Care Credit. To meet this new definition, the person needs to be your child, sibling (or descendant of either), adopted or foster child. The child must be under either (1) age 19; (2) under age 24 if a student; or (3) any age if permanently and totally disabled. Also, the child must be either a citizen, resident or national of the United States and must have the same principal place of abode as the taxpayer for more than one-half of the year. The child must not provide more than one-half of his/her own support for the year. Foster Child – New rules apply to determine who is a foster child and when a foster child can be used to claim certain benefits. To claim a foster child as a qualifying child for any tax benefits, the child must be placed with a taxpayer by an authorized placement agency or by judgment, decree or other order of any court of competent jurisdiction. A foster child no longer qualifies a taxpayer to use qualifying widow(er) filing status. Combat Pay – Some military personnel receiving combat pay get larger tax credits because of two law changes. The new law counts excludable combat pay as income when figuring the Child Tax Credit and gives the taxpayer the option of counting or ignoring combat pay as income when figuring the Earned Income Tax Credit. Counting combat pay as income when calculating these credits does not change the exclusion of combat pay from taxable income. Sales Tax Deduction – Taxpayers who itemize deductions will have a choice of claiming a state and local tax deduction for either sales or income taxes on their 2005 return. The IRS will provide optional tables for use in determining the deduction amount, relieving taxpayers of the need to save receipts throughout the year. Sales taxes paid on motor vehicles and boats may be added to the table amount, but only up to the amount paid at the general sales tax rate. Taxpayers will check a box on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, to indicate whether their deduction is for sales or income taxes. Tuition and Fee Deduction – Individuals may be able to deduct up to $4,000 if Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is not more than $65,000 ($130,000 if married filing jointly), or deduct up to $2,000 if AGI is higher than that limit but not more than $80,000 ($160,000 if married filing jointly). The following highlights some of the most important provisions of the Hurricane Katrina Act and Gulf Opportunity Zone Act affecting individual taxpayers: In general, non-business casualty losses are deductible as itemized deductions to the extent they exceed 10 percent of adjusted gross income plus $100. However, these limitations are suspended for losses resulting from the hurricane and incurred in the disaster area. The 10 percent penalty imposed on premature withdrawals from IRA and other qualified retirement plans is waived for victims of a hurricane. Such individuals may withdraw up to $100,000 from those plans without penalty for distributions made after August 25, 2005 and before January 1, 2007. Also, the threshold limitations for loans from qualified employer plans for hurricane victims are increased to $100,000 or 100 percent of the account balance effective for loans made on or after September 23, 2005 and before January 1, 2007. The standard business mileage rate for charity work related to Hurricane Katrina is increased to 29 cents per mile during the period of August 25, 2005 through August 31, 2005, and 34 cents per mile for September 1 through December 31, 2005. Individuals who use their principal residence to provide housing free of charge to hurricane evacuees for at least 60 consecutive days may claim a $500 exemption for each evacuee (up to $2,000 total). 12 Seafarers LOG Presented on these two pages of the Seafarers LOG are han mariners. Included are the new deduction amounts for 2 name, address, phone number, Social Security number and form number on your check or money order. Payment also can be made by credit card. You may use American Express, Discover, Visa or Master cards. To pay by credit card, call the toll-free number 1-800-272-9829 or 1-729-1040 or visit web sites www.officialpayments.com or www.pay1040.com. There is a fee charged based on the amount you are paying. Rounding Off to Whole Dollars: Cents may be rounded off to the nearest whole dollar on the tax return and schedules. To do so, raise amounts from 50 to 99 cents to the next dollar. For example, $1.39 becomes $1 and $1.50 becomes $2. line 73d is the taxpayer’s account number at the bank. When tax returns are filed electronically, a refund will be received in about 3 weeks, or in 2 weeks if it is deposited directly into a savings or checking account. For a charge, many professional tax return preparers offer electronic filing in addition to their return preparation services. If an individual prepared his or her own return, a preparer or transmitter in their area can file the return electronically. For a list of who can file a tax return electronically in any given area, visit the IRS web site at: www.irs.gov. Fast Refund: Taxpayers are able to request direct deposit of their tax refunds by filling out lines 73b, 73c and 73d on their Form 1040. Line 73b is for the bank’s routing number. Line 73c indicates the type of account, and Personal Exemption Amount: The deduction for each exemption—for the individual, his or her spouse and dependents has increased to $3,200 per person. In 2005, the exemption deduction for high income taxpayers may be reduced or eliminated if their adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts. A child cannot claim an exemption on his or her return or qualify for a higher education credit if the child’s parents claim a dependency exemption for their child. Standard Deduction Has Increased: The standard deduction, or dollar amount that reduces the amount that is taxed, has increased for most people (see box on this page). Because of this increase, it may be to an individual’s benefit to take the standard deduction this year even if that person has itemized deductions in the past. Personal Interest Deductions: For 2005, personal interest cannot be deducted. Personal interest includes interest on car loans, credit cards, personal loans and tax deficiencies. Interest on Secured Loans Deductible: Interest paid on mortgages or investments is 100 percent deductible. Union Dues Deduction: Union dues, including working dues, are deductible only if they exceed 2 percent of adjusted gross income. If they do, only the portion over the 2 percent is deductible. SPAD contributions have never been deductible. Club Dues Deduction: No deduction is permitted for club dues; however, dues paid to professional or public service organizations are deductible for business reasons. Deductions Subject to 2 Percent of Adjusted Gross Income: These include investment advisory fees, trustee’s administrative fees, legal expenses that are paid to produce taxable income, unreimbursed employee expenses, safe deposit box rental and tax preparation fees. Deducting Work-Related Expenses: Expenses associated with a seaman’s work may be considered tax deductible. However, no expense can be deducted for which a seaman has been reimbursed by the employer. Travel to the union hall to register or travel to the union’s designated medical facility to take the required physical and drug tests are examples of expenses which are work-related but not reimbursed by the company. Members of the galley crew may deduct the costs of knives and other equipment they personally own but use when on a ship performing their work duties. The purchase of work-related clothing and other gear, as long as it is truly for work and not paid for by the employer, are likely to be considered tax-deductible. Deducting Work-Related Car Expenses: Use of a personally-owned automobile in work-related travel can result in deductible expenses. Two methods can be used to compute automobile expenses—either listing a standard mileage rate or determining actual cost. On the tax return due April 15 of this year, the IRS is accepting a standard mileage rate of 40.5 cents per mile (48.5 cents after August 31, 2005). Parking fees and tolls can be added when using the standard mileage rate. If using actual expenses, information must be available on all operating-related costs for the vehicle, including interest, insurance, taxes, licenses, maintenance, repairs, depreciation, gas, oil, tolls and parking. In either the standard mileage rate or the actual cost method of determining car expenses, accurate records should be kept. WHAT’S NEW FOR 2005? CAUTION As of the writing, Congress is working on other tax law changes which may impact your 2005 income taxes. Please check www.irs.gov before filing your return. FOR SEA The charitable contribution deduction limitation for individuals of up to 50 percent of the contribution base is temporarily suspended for cash contributions made after August 27, 2005, and before January 1, 2006. Individuals who lived in the disaster area and were displaced as a result of the hurricane may elect to use their 2004 income instead of 2005 to calculate the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC). The new law doubles the HOPE Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit for individuals who attend an eligible educational institution in the disaster zones for any tax year beginning in 2005 or 2006. The Hope Credit for qualifying students will be $3,000, and the Lifetime Learning Credit increases to a $4,000 maximum. In addition, certain room and board expenses qualify. These credits are for both returning and new students. Tax credit for the installation of non-business energy property – Starting in 2006, a tax credit is available to individuals for the installation of non-business energy property, such as residential exterior doors and windows, insulation, heat pumps, furnaces, central air conditioners and water heaters. The credit is limited to a lifetime maximum of $500. The credit breaks down as follows: $200 of the credit can be based on expenditures for windows; $50 of the credit on any advanced main air circulating fans; $150 on any qualified natural gas, propane, or oil furnace or hot water boiler; and $300 of the credit on any item of energy-efficient building property. Tax credit for residential alternative energy equipment – A tax credit is available to help individuals pay for residential alternative energy equipment. The credit is 30 percent of the cost of eligible solar water heaters, solar electricity equipment and fuel cell plants placed in service in 2006 and 2007. The maximum credit is $2,000 per tax year for each category of solar equipment, and $500 for each half kilowatt of capacity of fuel cell plants installed per tax year. Clean fuel vehicle deduction – For 2005, Internal Revenue Service allows taxpayers to claim a $2,000 deduction for purchasing (not leasing) a qualifying new (not used) hybrid vehicle. The following vehicles qualify: Ford Escape Hybrid (2005 and 2006 model year), the Honda Accord Hybrid (2005), the Honda Civic Hybrid (2005), the Honda Insight (2005), the Lexus RX 400h (2006), the Mercury Mariner Hybrid (2006), the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (2006), the Toyota Prius (2006). This deduction expires in 2005. Six-month Automatic Extensions – Beginning with 2005 returns due in 2006, individuals will be able to file Form 4868 to get an automatic six-month extension of time to file. Previously, only corporations could request an automatic six-month extension, and other taxpayers were required to file for two extensions. Also, almost all states have indicated that they are following the IRS’s lead. Standard mileage rates – The 2005 rate for business use of your vehicle is 40.5 cents a mile (48.5 cents after August 31, 2005). The 2005 rate for use of your vehicle for medical care or to move is 15 cents a mile (22 cents a mile after August 31, 2005). Donations of Automobiles – Starting in 2005, there is a limit on the charitable contribution of used motor vehicles (with a claimed value in excess of $500) to the gross sales price received by the charity for the subsequent sale of the donated vehicle, rather than the fair market value. A charitable organization must provide the donor with Form 1098-C. Exemption – The amount you can deduct for each exemption has increased from $3,100 in 2004 to $3,200 in 2005. You lose all or part of the benefit of your exemptions if your adjusted gross income is above a certain amount. The amount at which the phaseout begins depends on your filing status. For 2005, the phaseout begins at: „ $218,950 for married people filing jointly and qualifying widow(er) with dependent children, „ $182,450 for a head of household, „ $145,950 for single taxpayers, and „ $109,475 for married persons filing separately. The exemption phaseout threshold for 2006 and 2007 is reduced by one-third, and for tax years beginning in 2008 and 2009 by two-thirds. For the tax years beginning after 2009, the exemption phaseout is repealed completely. WHAT ARE CONSIDERED DEDUCTIONS AND CREDITS This is the standard ded there are additional sta $1,250 for an unmarried Filing Status Single. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Married filing joint retu with dependent childr Married filing separate Head of household . . . The IRS recommends ke diary listing all expense Only work-related expen by an employer can be c Deducting Work-Rela Traveling: Workers in allowed a special rate on of $41 per day in the co $46 per day outside th Otherwise the IRS standa is generally $31. In some and in Hawaii and Alaska ferently. Travel expense can only be deducted if one’s work and if they h bursed from any other so There has been a tax cou Comm. 115 TC210[200 chant seaman was denie for the full M & IE rate that in situations where at no cost, the incidental able as an itemized dedu $3 (in the continental U ing from $1 to $53 in oth these rates, to the extent a higher deduction amou Limit on Itemized Ded itemized deductions may viduals earning more tha eral adjusted gross inco married and filing separa Earned Income Cred earned income credit (E certain individuals who h and meet certain adjus thresholds. For tax year 2 does not have to have a be eligible for this cred tions are met. Different and phase-out percenta based on the taxpayer’s the number of qualifyin if any. The maximum c follows: Taxpayers with $11,450 and no qualifyi maximum credit; taxpa less than $30,338 and child—$2,604 maximum with income less than $3 more qualifying childr mum credit. If the ear reduces the income tax li a refund will be gran Taxpayers should use fo EIC to see if they are eli Dependent’s Social S Each dependent must hav number (SSN). Individua for their dependent by with their local Social istration office or calling at 1-800-772-1213. It u two weeks to receive an General Information: 1-800-829-1040 may answer questions 24 ho Publications: Call 1-800-829-3676 instructions and publica Walk-In Help: IRS representatives country to help with tax q telephone. To find the lo book under “United Stat Telephone Help: The IRS is prepared agency’s taxpayer info aspects of tax-filing can The federal Tele-Tax ing about 150 topics. February 2006 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:53 AM Page 13 AFARERS e handy tax tips—some of which are intended specifically for for 2005 as well as where to get additional information. STANDARD DEDUCTION d deduction chart for most people. If a taxpayer is 65 or older or blind, al standard deductions ($1,000 for a married person or “spouse” or married person). Note that the personal exemption deduction is $3,200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standard Deduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 nt return or qualifying widow(er) children. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000 arate return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,300 ds keeping a log book or penses related to travel. expenses not reimbursed n be claimed. Related Meals When rs in transportation are te on the meal allowance the continental U.S. and de the continental U.S. standard meal allowance some locations it is $42, Alaska it is computed difpenses, including meals, ted if directly related to hey have not been reimher source. ax court case (Johnson v. 0[2000]) where a merdenied a full deduction E rates. The court ruled here meals are provided ental expense rate allowd deduction is limited to tal U.S.) and rates rangin other areas. In lieu of extent you have receipts, amount may be allowed. d Deductions: In 2005, s may be limited for indire than $145,950 of fedincome (or $72,975 if separately). Credit: A refundable dit (EIC) is available to who have earned income adjusted gross income year 2005, an individual ave a qualifying child to credit if certain condiferent credit percentages rcentages are provided ayer’s income level and lifying children eligible, um credit allowed is as with income less than alifying children—$390 taxpayers with income and with 1 qualifying ximum credit; taxpayers an $34,450 and with 2 or children—$4,300 maxie earned income credit tax liability below zero, granted by the IRS. use form 1040, schedule re eligible for the credit. ial Security Number: st have a Social Security ividuals may get an SSN nt by filing Form SS-5 Social Security Adminalling the Administration . It usually takes about ve an SSN. Child Child Credit: In 2005, taxpayers who have a qualifying child who is a U.S. citizen and for whom the taxpayer may claim a dependency exemption and who is less than 17 years old, are entitled to the child tax credit. The amount of the credit is $1,000 per child. The credit begins to phase out when modified Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) reaches $110,000 for joint filers, $75,000 for single taxpayers or $55,000 for married taxpayers filing separately. Credit for Higher Education Tuition: Individuals may be able to take the “HOPE” credit for tuition and related expenses paid for oneself, spouse or dependents to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution (i.e., college or graduate school or vocational training). The HOPE credit provides a maximum allowable credit of $1,500 per student for each of the first two years of postsecondary education. For qualified expenses paid after January 1, 2005, taxpayers can take the “Lifetime Learning Credit,” that is a credit of 20 percent of qualified tuition expenses paid by the taxpayer for any year (after that date) the HOPE credit is not claimed. This credit is not limited to the first two years of postsecondary education. Also, no credits are available for expenses of a student in any year that tax-free distributions from an education IRA are used to pay the student’s expenses. These credits are subject to income limitations. The phaseout of the credits begins for single taxpayers when modified AGI reaches $43,000, and completely phase out when modified AGI reaches $53,000. For joint filers, the phaseout range is $87,000 to $107,000. The HOPE and Lifetime Learning Credit are not available to taxpayers married filing separately. In 2005, the Lifetime Learning Credit will be $2,000. Student Loan Interest: Taxpayers may be able to deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid for qualified education expenses for oneself, spouse or dependents. The deduction is allowed in figuring adjusted gross income. Individual Retirement Accounts: ‹ Education IRAs – Taxpayers can contribute up to $2,000 each year to an Education IRA for a person under age 18. The contribution is not deductible. Earnings on the contribution will be distributed tax-free provided that they are used to pay the beneficiary’s postsecondary education expenses. However, the exclusion is not available for any year in which the HOPE credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit is claimed. ‹ Traditional IRAs – The contribution limit to a traditional IRA in 2005 was increased to $4,000. If taxpayer reaches age 50 before 2006, the most that can be contributed will be $4,500. Modified TAX TIPS Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) phaseout range increased to $50,000-$60,000 for single, head of household, and $70,000$80,000 for married couples filing jointly or qualifying widow(er). Also, solely for the purpose of figuring the $100,000 modified AGI limit on eligibility to make qualified rollover distributions from a Traditional IRA to Roth IRA, minimum required distributions from IRAs and other qualified plans received in tax year beginning with 2005 are excluded from modified AGI. ‹ Roth IRAs – The maximum total yearly contribution that can be made by an individual to a Roth IRA is $4,000. Roth IRAs are subject to income limits. The maximum yearly contribution is phased out for single taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) between $95,000 and $110,000, for joint filers with an AGI between $150,000 and $160,000, and for married filing separately with an AGI between $0 and $10,000. Although the contributions are not deductible, the distributions may be tax-free depending on when and why they are made. ‹ Penalty-Free IRA Distributions – The additional 10 percent tax penalty on an early distribution from an IRA may not apply if you pay higher education expenses for yourself, spouse or your children or grandchildren. The tax penalty also may not apply if you pay expenses related to the purchase of a home by a first-time homebuyer. Only $10,000 during the individual’s lifetime may be withdrawn without a penalty for this purpose. Also, the tax penalty does not apply to distributions for an individual’s disability, medical care, or to a beneficiary after death of the individual. OTHER TAX INFORMATION Private Delivery Services: Tax returns and extensions can be mailed through private delivery services such as Airborne Express, DHL Worldwide Express, Federal Express and United Parcel Service. Forms of Payments: One can pay the Internal Revenue Service through credit cards, debit cards, charge cards, bank check or money order. WHICH RECORDS TO KEEP Keep records of income (such as receipts), deductions (for example, canceled checks) and credits shown on the tax return, as well as any worksheets used to figure them, until the statute of limitations runs out for that return, usually 3 years from the date the return was due or filed, or 2 years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. However, it is recommended that all records be kept for about 6 years. Some records should be kept even longer. For example, keep property records (your home, stocks) as long as they are needed to figure the basis of property. Change of Address: If an individual has changed his or her address from the one listed on that person’s last tax return, IRS Form 8822 should be filled out and filed with the agency. Death of a Taxpayer: If a taxpayer died before filing a required return for 2005, the taxpayer’s personal representative (and spouse, in the case of a joint return) must file and sign the return for that person. A WHERE TO GET INFORMATION ion: 0 may be called for general information. IRS staff 24 hours a day. 9-3676 to order current and prior year forms, ublications. tives are available in many IRS offices around the h tax questions that cannot be answered easily by the location of an IRS office, look in the phone d States Government, Internal Revenue Service.” pared to answer questions by phone. Through the r information service, publications covering all g can be ordered. e-Tax system has recorded tax information coveropics. 1-800-829-4477 is the IRS’s automated February 2006 Tele-Tax system. When calling from a touch tone phone, the number “9” will repeat the topic and the number “2” will cancel the topic. To listen to a directory of topics after the introductory message finishes, dial 123. You can also check the status of your refund. This telephone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Personal Computer: Access the IRS’s internet web site at www.irs.gov to: download forms, instructions and publications; see answers to frequently asked tax questions; search publications on-line by topic or keyword; figure your withholding allowances using their W-4 calculator, check the status of your 2005 refund, send the IRS comments or requests for help via e-mail; and sign up to receive local and national tax news by e-mail. Send IRS Written Questions: Written questions regarding the tax returns can be sent directly to an IRS District Director (listed on the tax form). Include a Social Security number with the letter. personal representative can be an executor, administrator or anyone who is in charge of the taxpayer’s property. WHICH INCOME TO REPORT In addition to wages, salaries, tips, unemployment compensation, capital gains, dividend payments and other income listed on the federal tax return, the following kinds of income must be reported: ‹ Jones Act settlements for lost wages. ‹ Amounts received in place of wages from accident and health plans (including sick pay and disability pensions) if employer paid for the policy. ‹ Life insurance proceeds from a policy cashed in if the proceeds are more than the premium paid. ‹ Canceled debts ‹ State income tax refunds ‹ Rents ‹ Repayments ‹ Royalties ‹ Unemployment benefits ‹ Profits from corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts. ‹ Endowments. ‹ Original Issue Discount. ‹ Distributions from self-employed plans. ‹ Bartering income (fair-market value of goods or services received in return for services). ‹ Tier 2 and supplemental annuities under the Railroad Retirement Act. ‹ Lump-sum distributions. ‹ Gains from the sale or exchange (including barter) of real estate, securities, coins, gold, silver, gems or other property (capital gains). ‹ Accumulation distributions from trusts. ‹ Prizes and awards (contests, raffles, lottery and gambling winnings). ‹ Earned income from sources outside the United States. ‹ Director’s fees. ‹ Fees received as an executor or administrator of an estate. ‹ Embezzled or other illegal income. WHICH INCOME NEED NOT BE REPORTED The following kinds of income do not need to be reported on the federal tax return: ‹ Benefits from government welfare programs. ‹ Jones Act settlements for injuries, pain, suffering, medical costs. ‹ Maintenance and Cure. ‹ Workers’ compensation benefits, insur- OVERSEAS AT TAX TIME Should Seafarers find themselves overseas and seeking IRS forms or assistance, U.S. embassies and consulates are equipped to provide some taxpayer-related services. At a minimum, IRS forms are available at all U.S. embassies and consulates located in: Berlin, Germany; Caracas, Venezuela; London, England; Mexico City, Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; Ottawa, Canada; Paris, France; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Rome, Italy; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Sydney, Australia; Tokyo, Japan. ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ance, damages, etc. for injury or sickness. Disability retirement payments (and other benefits) paid by the Veterans’ Administration. Child support. Gifts, money or other property inherited or willed. Dividends on veterans’ life insurance. Life insurance proceeds received because of a person’s death. Amounts received from insurance because of loss of the use of a home due to fire or other casualty to the extent the amounts were more than the cost of normal expenses while living in the home. Certain amounts received as a scholarship. FILING AN EXTENSION Taxpayers can get an automatic 6-month extension if, no later than April 17, 2006, Form 4868 will be filed with the IRS. It is important to remember that a 6-month extension to file does not extend the time to pay the taxes. Form 4868, when sent in, must be accompanied by all tax monies due to the U.S. government. WHERE IS MY REFUND? In 2004, the IRS launched a new program that allows taxpayers to trace their refunds online. If taxpayer(s) have not received a refund check within 28 days from the original IRS mailing date, information can be accessed through the web site at www.irs.gov. To get the refund status, taxpayers will need to provide the information from their tax returns. You should know your Social Security Number (or IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), Filing Status (Single, Married Filing Joint Return, Married Filing Separate Return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er)) and the Refund amount (It is important to enter the refund amount exactly as it is shown on your return). WHY SEAFARERS MUST PAY STATE INCOME TAX Federal law prohibits employers from withholding state and local taxes from the wages of mariners working aboard U.S.-flag ships. Specifically, the law [46 USCA 11108(11) ] provides that “no part of the wages due or accruing to a master, officer or any other seaman who is a member of the crew on a vessel engaged in the foreign, coastwise, intercoastal, interstate or non-contiguous trade shall be withheld pursuant to the provisions of the tax laws of any state, territory, possession or commonwealth, or a subdivision of any of them, but nothing in this section shall prohibit any such withholding of the wages of any seaman who is employed in the coastwise trade between ports in the same state if such withholding is pursuant to a voluntary agreement between such seaman and his employer.” The law, however, does not exempt seamen from paying state and local taxes. Mariners, just like any other citizens of any given state, must meet their obligations to the government of the area in which they live. Each state has a set of criteria to determine whether an individual is a resident of that state. A seaman should check with a state tax office if he or she is unsure about residency status. For example, in California during the early 1970s, a case before the California State Board of Equalization stated that a merchant seaman—despite the fact that he was on a ship for 210 days of the year—was a resident of the state for tax purposes. The board took into consideration the fact that the seaman owned a home in California and maintained a bank account in a California-based bank. Additionally, each state has established conditions under which non-residents of that state must pay a portion of state tax if such an individual earned income from a source based in that state. Many states allow a credit in the amount an individual must pay the state if that person has already paid taxes in another state. In 2000, President Clinton signed into law the bipartisan Transportation Worker Tax Fairness Act, a measure aimed at providing “equitable treatment with respect to state and local income taxes for certain individuals who perform duties on vessels.” The law, which took effect Nov. 9, 2000, stipulates that pilots and other mariners “who perform regularly assigned duties while engaged as a master, officer or crewman on a vessel operating on the navigable waters of more than one State” shall be subject to state income tax only in his or her residential state. If any questions arise regarding residency and state tax issues, mariners should telephone the taxpayer assistance office in the state in which they reside. Seafarers LOG 13 �2006-February.qxp 1/30/2006 1:58 AM Page 14 Seafarers Win ‘Food in a Bowl’ Cook-off Three prizes were awarded to chief stewards at the first annual cook-off for ships stationed in Diego Garcia, and all three were won by members of the SIU! The Seaman’s Club in Diego Garcia played host to the event, which was sponsored by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Diego Garcia and Capt. Tuck Hord, USN, Commander, Maritime Prepositioning Squadron. The purpose of the cook-off was twofold. First, it was a chance to get mariners together for an enjoyable event; second, it served to introduce the new Food Service Officer for Naval Support Facility (NAF) Diego Garcia, Chief Warrant Officer Arnie Limon, to the ships’ masters and stewards, who are his primary customers. The rules of participation for this event were that the recipe had to be (1) original, (2) eaten out of a bowl and (3) of a semiliquid consistency (e.g., chili, gumbo)—hence the term “Food in a Bowl.” Only one entry per ship was permitted, and enough of the recipe had to be prepared to feed 10 to 12 people. Yeoman First Class Linda Varnell at the Military Sealift Command Office spearheaded the event, going the extra mile to ensure that the first “Food in a Bowl” was a top-notch affair. The enviable job of judging was left to CWO Limon along with Left: Chili peppers marinate in a garlic dip from Chief Steward Leo Dela Cruz. Below: The cook-off taste-testing gets under way. the NSF stock control officer, Ensign Scott Schwemin, and Culinary Specialist Third Class Matthew Melius. They had an extremely difficult task, but with years of eating experience, they were able to narrow the field to three. The “Best in Show and Presentation” award went to Leo Dela Cruz, chief steward aboard the SIU-crewed William H. Pitsenbarger. His “Hawaiian Seafood Creole” (a combination of shrimp, scallops, oysters and lobster) was accompanied by some incredibly intricate food decorations. USNS Pomeroy Chief Steward Javier Delosreyes received the “Best Taste” award for his “Slammin’ Jammin’ Clammin’ Chowder,” and Chief Steward Tony E. Spain of the Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips took home the envied prize of “Hottest” with his “Voodoo Stew,” which was made with 16 chili peppers! Robert Greenwood, steward on the USNS Soderman, noted that the “Food in a Bowl” contest was enjoyed by everyone. He said he solicited his ship’s chief engineer, John Fleming, to enter his famous chicken gumbo in the competition. “Even though we did not walk away with a plaque,” Greenwood noted, “we were pleased that the gumbo was the only dish to be completely eaten up. So we know it was outstanding.” The galley gang from the Soderman also provided fresh chocolate chip cookies to “keep the energy flowing.” The “Food in a Bowl” event was a huge success with stuffed bellies and good camaraderie all around, stated Executive Officer Union Industries Show Comes to Cleveland For the first time in more than 50 years, the Union Industries Show will be held in Cleveland May 5-7. The show, now promoted under the name “America@Work,” and followed by the tag-line “100% Union-Made, American-Made Products, Services and Jobs,” will continue as it has for nearly 70 years in educating the public abut America’s best products and services, created by the best workers in the world—the men and women of organized labor. The SIU and its affiliated United Industrial Workers union regularly participate in the show, and this year will be no exception. Cleveland’s I-X Center will be the venue for the 2006 event. It has the advantage of being conveniently located near several large highways connecting dozens of towns and cities, like Columbus, Akron, Canton and Toledo. The America@Work show attracts between 250,000 and 300,000 visitors each and every year. While the crowds are pretty evenly divided between union members and people who do not belong to a union, many of the attendees are “conscientious consumers,” those looking to purchase products and services made by employers who care about people and the community and who provide good jobs. It also attracts an audience of all ages—high school and college students as well as young workers seeking information about employers and career opportunities, as well as more established men and women looking at the exhibits for quality appliances, automobiles, boats and luxury goods. Many of the hands-on exhibits display skills and craft work in construction, transportation, high-tech, electronics, engineering and white-collar occupations. Live music, fashion shows, frequent raffles and product giveaways are always very popular attention-getters. 14 Seafarers LOG As always, admission to the show is free. This year the hours will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. “Cleveland could be our biggest show ever,” said Union Label and Service Trades Department President Charlie Mercer. “We are excited to be working closely with the Ohio AFL-CIO and the Cleveland Federation of Labor and all the individual unions across Ohio. This region is full of fine unionized companies with great products and services, and the public is going to learn a great deal about them. The public will also learn a lot about the Alliance for Retired Americans, Working America and the important political and organizing work that our unions are doing. That, too, is a very exciting ad promising development,” Mercer concluded. Frequent raffles, like this one held at the SIU/UIW booth during the 2004 show in St. Louis, attract an audience of all ages. Awards are presented to Chief Stewards (from left) Tony Spain (hottest), Javier Delosreyes (best tasting) and Leo Dela Cruz (best presentation). Standing in back is Capt. Tuck Hord, commander, Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two, who helped sponsor the event. Ben Metcalf of the MSC. A big vote of thanks went to all the participants who put a lot of hard work into some excellent dishes. Thanks also to Capt. Michael Finnigan, master on the USNS Pomeroy, for providing the Seafarers LOG with the photos accompanying this article. Yeoman First Class Linda Varnell (right) looks over the shoulder of Chief Steward Leo Dela Cruz holding his beautiful centerpiece of roses and tulips, sculpted entirely from fresh vegetables. SEAFARERS BENEFIT PLANS NOTICE TO PARTICIPANTS Keep the Plan Informed of Your Address Changes It is important that all participants remember to keep the Plan informed of any change of address. Update Your Beneficiary Designations Keep your beneficiary designations up to date. In the event that your beneficiary predeceases you, you must submit a substitute designation. Inform the Plan of Your Divorce In order for your spouse to be eligible to receive continuation coverage (under COBRA) from the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan, you or your spouse must inform the Plan at the time of your divorce. Please submit a copy of the divorce decree to the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan. Full-time College Students If your dependent child is a full-time college student, you must submit a letter of attendance every semester in order for your child to be covered by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan. Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan P.O. Box 380 Piney Point, MD 20674 IMPORTANT NOTICE: SEAFARERS HEALTH AND BENEFITS PLAN — COBRA NOTICE HEALTH CARE CONTINUATION Under federal law, a participant and his or her dependents have the right to elect to continue their Plan coverage in the event that they lose their eligibility. This right is granted by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, better known as “COBRA.” The COBRA law allows a participant and his or her dependents to temporarily extend their benefits at group rates in certain circumstances where coverage under the Plan would otherwise end. A participant and his or her dependents have a right to choose this continuation coverage if they lose their Plan coverage because the participant failed to meet the Plan’s seatime requirements. In addition, a participant and his or her dependents may have the right to choose continuation coverage if the participant becomes a pensioner ineligible for medical benefits. The participant’s dependents may also elect continuation coverage if they lose coverage under the Plan as the result of the participant’s (1) death; (2) divorce; or (3) Medicare eligibility. A child can also elect COBRA if as the result of his or her age, he or she is no longer a dependent under the Plan rules. If a member and his or her dependents feel that they may qualify, or if they would like more information concerning these rights, they should contact the Plan office at 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Since there are important deadlines that apply to COBRA, please contact the Plan as soon as possible to receive a full explanation of the participant’s rights and his or her dependents’ rights. February 2006 �34103p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 10:43 AM Page 15 Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea March & April 2006 Membership Meetings DECEMBER 16, 2005 — JANUARY 15, 2006 *TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Class A Class B Class C Port Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Joliet Mobile New Orleans New York Norfolk Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico San Francisco St. Louis Tacoma Wilmington Totals Port Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Joliet Mobile New Orleans New York Norfolk Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico San Francisco St. Louis Tacoma Wilmington Totals Port Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Joliet Mobile New Orleans New York Norfolk Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico San Francisco St. Louis Tacoma Wilmington Totals Port Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Joliet Mobile New Orleans New York Norfolk Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico San Francisco St. Louis Tacoma Wilmington Totals Totals All Departments 2 0 8 10 2 9 32 29 1 8 8 29 9 5 0 8 19 1 38 25 3 7 9 14 4 9 25 28 2 5 6 16 26 5 21 12 7 7 28 26 4 1 3 3 1 1 15 6 3 3 4 16 5 2 0 0 5 1 11 8 TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Class A Class B Class C 0 0 3 7 1 7 29 19 0 6 8 19 10 2 0 6 16 0 17 21 243 260 92 171 1 0 3 2 1 5 17 15 0 6 7 7 6 4 3 4 10 0 10 10 0 1 3 6 1 5 9 13 1 4 10 6 13 0 0 2 8 3 12 11 1 0 0 5 0 1 9 7 0 1 1 8 7 1 1 0 2 2 4 7 0 0 3 1 1 3 11 9 0 5 4 6 11 0 1 1 6 0 10 4 111 108 57 0 0 3 2 0 10 21 16 0 5 10 18 8 3 1 1 22 1 16 28 1 0 4 6 1 4 6 6 1 3 1 5 5 0 2 1 4 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 6 0 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 Trip Reliefs DECK DEPARTMENT 3 4 6 11 4 9 20 12 1 5 8 11 19 3 12 7 7 6 16 11 175 0 1 1 2 3 0 15 5 0 0 3 9 3 0 1 1 3 0 10 9 66 0 0 3 7 0 8 21 10 0 4 4 11 8 3 1 5 6 2 17 13 123 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 76 0 0 1 4 2 2 4 14 2 3 5 7 8 0 1 3 5 4 15 10 90 0 0 0 1 0 1 9 7 0 0 1 8 9 0 1 0 0 3 2 5 47 0 0 2 0 1 0 5 10 0 3 1 7 7 0 1 1 7 1 6 2 54 STEWARD DEPARTMENT 0 0 3 6 0 9 7 8 0 4 3 10 6 2 1 2 10 0 9 20 165 59 28 100 0 0 1 0 0 2 4 4 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 2 3 0 5 1 0 3 3 7 0 6 20 12 0 10 3 32 7 0 8 1 6 0 14 6 1 8 1 7 1 9 17 22 0 0 6 25 13 0 16 0 7 3 15 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 3 2 0 6 7 0 3 3 6 8 1 0 2 2 1 4 4 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 15 ENTRY DEPARTMENT 0 4 1 3 1 4 8 8 0 4 1 11 5 0 15 0 6 0 9 6 1 1 1 6 1 6 11 9 0 0 3 7 11 0 19 0 5 1 13 5 0 0 1 5 1 5 5 8 0 3 2 7 3 1 0 1 7 0 6 10 **REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A Class B Class C 5 0 9 14 1 13 62 47 1 26 23 72 24 8 0 18 35 2 59 46 5 9 10 23 4 14 41 42 2 16 13 37 26 5 13 13 12 7 50 47 5 4 2 9 1 4 34 13 5 4 12 22 11 2 0 0 8 3 17 13 465 389 169 1 0 9 8 1 12 28 29 0 12 13 27 4 7 4 7 14 2 16 14 1 4 8 13 1 6 13 23 0 7 11 15 18 6 0 2 11 1 20 22 2 1 1 8 1 4 13 14 0 3 1 12 9 1 0 0 6 0 6 15 208 182 97 0 0 6 5 0 17 33 32 1 14 15 40 14 2 6 2 39 1 29 45 1 0 2 12 0 13 8 9 1 3 6 9 12 1 3 0 6 0 14 14 0 0 1 2 1 1 5 5 1 2 4 7 7 0 0 0 1 2 8 4 65 301 114 51 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 10 4 0 1 4 13 0 0 0 2 9 0 11 1 1 3 3 15 1 12 33 24 0 13 7 60 11 0 9 6 14 0 28 12 6 9 4 10 2 16 30 34 0 1 9 57 22 1 12 0 14 4 26 18 26 148 162 11 86 100 0 62 252 275 545 575 339 358 407 228 242 1,036 937 592 Piney Point .............Monday: March 6, April 3 Algonac ..................Friday: March 10, April 7 Baltimore ................Thursday: March 9, April 6 Boston.....................Friday: March 10, April 7 Guam ......................Thursday: March 23, April 20 Honolulu .................Friday: March 17, April 14 Houston ..................Monday: March 13, April 10 Jacksonville ............Thursday: March 9, April 6 Joliet .......................Thursday: March 16, April 13 Mobile ....................Wednesday: March 15, April 12 New Orleans ...........Tuesday: March 14, April 11 New York................Tuesday: March 7, April 4 Norfolk ...................Thursday: March 9, April 6 Philadelphia ............Wednesday: March 8, April 5 Port Everglades.......Thursday: March 16, April 13 San Francisco .........Thursday: March 16, April 13 San Juan..................Thursday: March 9, April 6 St. Louis..................Friday: March 17, April 14 Tacoma ...................Friday: March 24, April 21 Wilmington ...............Monday: March 20, April 17 ............................................ Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. Personals SHIPMATES OF MARTIN E. HURLSTONE NMU retiree Martin E. Hurlstone recently sent a note to the LOG saying he would like to hear from old shipmates. Brother Hurlstone celebrated his 90th birthday last October and reports that he is in good health. He sailed in the steward department during World War II and then joined the NMU in 1946. He retired in 1981. He may be reached at 1110 Marshall Road, Greenwood, SC 29646. More SDRF Contributors The last few editions of the LOG included lists of individuals who contributed to the Seafarers Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF). Since then, additional contributions were received from the following individuals: David Barber James High *“Total Registered” means the number of Seafarers who actually registered for shipping at the port. **“Registered on Beach” means the total number of Seafarers registered at the port. February 2006 Seafarers LOG 15 �34103p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 10:41 AM Page 16 Seafarers International Union Directory NMU Monthly Shipping & Registration Report DECEMBER 16, 2005 — JANUARY 15, 2006 Michael Sacco, President TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups Group I Group II Group III Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kermett Mangram, Vice President Government Services René Lioeanjie, Vice President at Large Charles Stewart, Vice President at Large HEADQUARTERS 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 BOSTON Marine Industrial Park/EDIC 27 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210 (617) 261-0790 GUAM P.O. Box 315242, Tamuning, Guam 96931-5242 Cliffline Office Ctr., Bldg. B, Suite 103 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96931 (671) 477-1350 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, FL 32206 (904) 353-0987 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 NEW YORK 635 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11232 (718) 499-6600 Government Services Division: (718) 832-8767 NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 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 Boston Houston Jacksonville New Orleans New York Norfolk Tacoma Wilmington Totals Trip Reliefs REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Group I Group II Group III DECK DEPARTMENT 10 13 6 2 12 1 0 1 45 0 1 0 1 4 0 0 0 6 2 0 5 0 5 0 3 1 16 Port Boston Houston Jacksonville New Orleans New York Norfolk Tacoma Wilmington Totals TOTAL SHIPPED All Groups Group I Group II Group III 3 8 6 1 5 0 0 1 24 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 2 5 0 5 0 3 1 17 0 7 5 0 8 0 1 0 21 15 37 6 14 42 1 1 4 120 9 10 0 3 12 0 1 2 37 1 2 0 7 1 0 1 0 12 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 2 6 6 15 6 3 16 0 0 4 50 1 3 3 7 9 0 1 0 24 1 2 3 7 0 0 0 0 13 ENGINE DEPARTMENT 2 1 1 2 3 0 0 1 10 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 9 Port 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 1 7 STEWARD DEPARTMENT Boston Houston Jacksonville New Orleans New York Norfolk Tacoma Wilmington Totals 2 3 2 1 3 1 0 0 12 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 6 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 4 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 5 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 6 0 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 6 6 13 5 4 16 1 0 2 47 3 2 2 1 14 1 0 0 23 0 1 3 5 0 1 0 0 10 Totals All Departments 67 13 31 33 10 30 33 217 84 35 PICS-FROM-THE-PAST These photos were sent to the Seafarers LOG by Pensioner William McAlpine of Braintree, Mass. On the right is a photo of the Katrina Luckenbach, taken Oct. 1, 1938 at Commonwealth Pier in South Boston, along with Brother McAlpine’s certificates of discharge from the vessel in 1944. Below is the Liberty ship James Otis. AB McAlpine was aboard the vessel in 1944 when it carried two sea-going tugs to England. Fortunately, he was not on it when it ran aground in Devon, England in February 1945. PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN FRANCISCO 350 Fremont St., San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 543-5855 Government Services Division: (415) 861-3400 SANTURCE 1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave., Stop 16 Santurce, PR 00907 (787) 721-4033 ST. LOUIS/ALTON 4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116 (314) 752-6500 TACOMA 3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 272-7774 WILMINGTON 510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 549-4000 16 Seafarers LOG If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with the LOG readership, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. February 2006 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 11:32 AM Page 17 Welcome Ashore Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead. DEEP SEA DOMINICO DACUA, 66, joined the Marine Cooks & Stewards (MC&S) in 1989 in the port of San Francisco. Brother Dacua was born in the Philippines. He first sailed aboard the Independence. Brother Dacua worked in the steward department and upgraded on numerous occasions at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Md. His most recent voyage was on the R.J. Pfeiffer. Brother Dacua calls Kapole, Hawaii home. WILLIAM MARINO, 65, became an SIU member in 1965. Brother Marino first sailed aboard the Yorkmar in the engine department. The Mississippi native upgraded his seafaring skills in 2000 at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Md. Brother Marino’s most recent journey was on the USNS Altair. He is a resident of River Ridge, La. he sailed on the Samuel L. Cobb. Brother Orlando lives in Virginia Beach, Va. TRINIDAD SANCHEZ, 69, began sailing with the SIU in 1967 from the port of San Francisco. Brother Sanchez first worked aboard Alcoa Steamship Company vessels. The Puerto Rico-born mariner worked in the steward department. Brother Sanchez’s most recent voyage was aboard the USNS Fisher. He attended upgrading courses at the Paul Hall Center in 1996, 2000 and again in 2001. Brother Sanchez makes his home in Carolina, P.R. HENRY SCOTT, 58, joined the SIU in 1968 in New Orleans. Brother Scott first sailed on a Hudson Waterways vessel. He was born in Louisiana and shipped in the deck department. Brother Scott last worked aboard the John A. Chapman. He settled in Grambling, La. LOUIS McBRIDE, 65, embarked on his seafaring career in 1970 in the port of Houston. Brother McBride first shipped aboard the Amerigo. In 1990, he completed his steward recertification training at the Paul Hall Center. Brother McBride was born in Louisiana. His last ship was the Patriot. Brother McBride resides in Ringgold, La. THOMAS STEPHENS, 65, joined the SIU in 1967 in the port of San Francisco. Brother Stephens first sailed on the East Point Victory as a member of the deck department. He upgraded his seafaring skills at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Md. on a number of occasions. His last ship was the Cape Knox. Brother Stephens was born in Wisconsin and currently resides in Metairie, La. RODOLFO ORLANDO, 67, began his seafaring career in 1987 in the port of Norfolk, Va. Brother Orlando’s first voyage was on the USNS Stalwart. He attended the Seafarers-affiliated school in Piney Point, Md. on three occasions to upgrade his skills. Brother Orlando hails from the Philippines. Prior to retiring, JONATHAN STRINGER III, 64, hails from Port Arthur, Texas. Brother Stringer began shipping with the Seafarers in 1968. He upgraded his skills To submit articles, poems, photographs or letters to the editor, please send them to: Seafarers LOG 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 February 2006 often at the maritime training center in Piney Point, Md. Brother Stringer first sailed aboard the Minot Victory. He worked in the deck department, last shipping on the Liberty Grove. Brother Stringer is a resident of Dickinson, Texas. GREAT LAKES RAY BLAHNIK, 65, became an SIU member in 1962, sailing aboard the Michigan Interstate Railway-operated Ann Arbor. Brother Blahnik, who was born in Michigan, worked as a member of the deck department. He upgraded his skills in 1999 and 2000 at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Blahnik’s most recent voyage was aboard the Adam E. Cornelius. He lives in his native state. CHARLES DeVLIEGER, 53, was born in Detroit, Mich. Brother DeVlieger joined the SIU in 1970. In 1978, the deck department member upgraded his skills at the SIU-affiliated school in Piney Point, Md. Brother DeVlieger last sailed on the J.A.W. Iglehart. He calls Cheboygan, Mich. home. Editor’s Note: The following brothers, all former members of the National Maritime Union (NMU) and participants in the NMU Pension Trust, recently went on pension. IGNACIO BLANCO, 67, began his career with the NMU in 1967, initially sailing from New Jersey. Brother Blanco was born in Honduras. Prior to retiring, he worked on the Chesapeake Bay. LEONARD JOHNSON, 65, became an NMU member in 1961. Born in Alabama, Brother Johnson joined the union in Mobile. His first vessel was the Tillamook. Brother Johnson shipped as a member of the engine department, last sailing aboard the Navigator. ANGEL MINDEZ, 64, started his NMU profession in 1963 in the port of Philadelphia. Brother Mindez originally worked on the Texaco Reprinted from past issues of the Seafarers LOG. 1939 The SIU Tampa port agent ran into a rough one when he, along with the crew of the West Kyska, took some beefs to the local inspector and the U.S. shipping commissioner. Instead of acting on the beefs, they told the men to swear out affidavits, with the commissioner warning them that the beefs better be correct or else they would lose their certificates. “In the face of all this opposition from men who are supposed to represent all the people of the United States, and not a few, we decided to try and get some satisfaction from you,” the agent wrote in a letter to the Commerce Department. Among the beefs listed were: badly equipped slop chest, little heat in the foc’sles, bad drinking water, foc’sles awash in heavy weather, plus a steering engine which throws oil, making it dangerous to oil and clean up when the ship was underway. Mississippi in the engine department. The Puerto Rico-born mariner’s final voyage was aboard the Texaco California. JOHN VANASE, 66, first donned the NMU colors in 1959 in the port of New York. Brother Vanase’s first ship was the Constitution. He shipped in the engine department. Brother Vanase last sailed aboard the African Neptune. GILBERT VASQUEZ, 60, was born in San Pedro, Calif. Brother Vasquez began shipping with the NMU in 1978. The steward department member’s first ship was the Export Buyer; his last was the Cape Horn. PABLO ZALDIVAR, 65, joined the NMU ranks in 1968. Brother Zaldivar is a native of Honduras. He most recently sailed aboard the Golden Gate. 1951 Plans formulated several weeks ago for establishment of a steward department upgrading school in the SIU’s new headquarters New York-branch building are rapidly taking shape. According to Frenchy Michelet, chairman of the committee of steward department personnel, which met recently to discuss means of utilizing the building’s modern galley facilities to increase departmental efficiency and to train new men for shipboard duties, “real progress is being made. The upgrading school will be ready to function when our new building is completed this spring.” The committee chairman said that efforts are being concentrated on achieving a uniform system of steward department operation on all SIU-contracted ships. This Month In SIU History 1941 In an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board on the ships owned and operated by Robin Line (Seas Shipping Company), the SIU was the winner by an overwhelming majority. Of 210 men who were eligible to vote, 201 actually voted, with 199 voting in favor of the SIU. There was one crew member who voted against the union and one whose ballot was declared void. 1961 The newest SIU-manned supertanker to enter service is the Mt. Vernon Victory, currently finishing up its maiden run to the West Indies and Hawaii. The vessel has many features which meet the fancy of the crew, but at the top of the list is air-conditioning—in foc’sles especially. Then there’s a modest sized swimming pool aft near the stack; a large mess hall lounge and plenty of space in each room which is shared by two men who sleep in officer-style bunks. Seafarers LOG 17 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 11:52 AM Page 18 Final Departures DEEP SEA KEYNON BRAGG SR. Brother Keynon Bragg Sr., 58, passed away Aug. 16. He joined the union in 1978 in the port of San Francisco. Brother Bragg was a member of the steward department. He first sailed aboard a States Steamship Company vessel; his most recent voyage was aboard the Thailand. Brother Bragg, who was born in Arkansas, called Wilmington, Calif. home. PHILLIP DESETT Pensioner Phillip Desett, 62, died Aug. 11. Brother Desett became a Seafarer in 1978 in the port of San Francisco. The steward department member was born in Ohio. Brother Desett first shipped on the Santa Maria. Before retiring in 2004, he worked aboard a Matson Navigation Company vessel. Brother Desett lived in Pahrump, Nev. INLAND was a Crowley Towing and Transportation vessel. Boatman Peterson called Valdosta, Ga. home. GREAT LAKES CLINTON BROWN Pensioner Clinton Brown, 83, passed away Aug. 15. Brother Brown was born in Arcadia, Mich. He joined the union in 1954. Brother Brown sailed aboard Michigan Interstate Railway vessels, primarily aboard the Ann Arbor. The deck department member made his home in Traverse City, Mich. Brother Brown started receiving his retirement compensation in 1987. CHARLES GROUT Brother Charles Grout, 32, died Aug. 11. He began sailing as an SIU member in 2004. Brother Grout worked aboard Luedtke Engineering vessels. He was a native of Owosso, Mich. Brother Grout shipped in the deck department and resided in Lansing, Mich. GRAHAM EASON Pensioner Graham Eason, 82, died Aug. 7. Boatman Eason began his seafaring career in 1960. He first shipped aboard a Gulf Atlantic Transport Company vessel. Boatman Eason was born in New Hanover, N.C. He last worked aboard an Allied Towing vessel. Boatman Eason began receiving his pension in 1985. He was a resident of Wilmington, N.C. WALTER HANN Boatman Walter Hann, 61, passed away July 30. He joined the union in 1990. Boatman Hann worked primarily aboard Crowley Liner Service vessels. He was born in Fallsington, Pa. and resided in Newton, Pa. MICHAEL KISLAN Pensioner Michael Kislan, 76, died July 12. Boatman Kislan joined the SIU in 1975 in the port of Philadelphia. He first sailed on a Taylor Marine Towing vessel. Boatman Kislan, who was born in Pennsylvania, worked as a member of the deck department. His last trip to sea was on a Moran Towing Company vessel. Boatman Kislan retired in 1990 and lived in Philadelphia. RANDY PETERSON Boatman Randy Peterson, 53, passed away July 12. He became an SIU member in 1979 in the port of Jacksonville, Fla. Boatman Peterson was born in Washington state and worked in the deck department. His first ship was the Del Rio; his last 18 Seafarers LOG ALFRED MARSH EDWIN THOMAS Pensioner Ambrosio Castro, 73, passed away June 28. Brother Castro became an NMU member in 1954. He first sailed out of New Orleans aboard a vessel operated by Gatun Standard Fruit Company as a member of the engine department. Before retiring in 1988, Brother Castro sailed aboard the Export Patriot. Pensioner Alfred Marsh, 74, passed away July 28. Brother Marsh joined the NMU ranks in 1957, first shipping on the Gulf Maid as a member of the steward department. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, he last sailed aboard the Galveston Bay. Brother Marsh retired in 1988. Pensioner Edwin Thomas, 82, died Aug. 12. Born in South Carolina, Brother Thomas launched his NMU career in 1942, first sailing from Charleston. He was a member of the steward department. He last sailed aboard the Marine Dow-Chemical. In 1967, Brother Thomas started collecting his pension. WESLEY CHEVANNES Pensioner Wesley Chevannes, 87, died Aug. 16. Brother Chevannes embarked on his seafaring career in 1944, first sailing aboard the Cherry Valley. Born in Panama, he last worked on the Independence. Brother Chevannes began receiving his retirement pay in 1969. JOSEPH De SILVA LOWELL APPLEWHITE Pensioner Lowell Applewhite, 78, passed away Aug. 24. Boatman Applewhite was a native of Sacul, Texas. He started sailing with the SIU in 1968, working primarily aboard G&H Towing Company vessels. He retired in 1991 and made his home in Galveston, Texas. AMBROSIO CASTRO RAILROAD MARINE HOWARD HUDGINS Pensioner Howard Hudgins, 76, died July 5. Brother Hudgins joined the SIU in 1965 in Norfolk, Va. The U.S. Army veteran first worked with Pennsylvania Railroad in the port of Norfolk. Brother Hudgins, who was born in Virginia, last sailed on a Penn Central Transportation vessel. In 1988, Brother Hudgins went on pension. He resided in Mathews, Va. Editor’s Note: The following brothers, all former members of the National Maritime Union (NMU) and participants in the NMU Pension Trust, have passed away. RODRIGO ALMONTE Pensioner Rodrigo Almonte, 86, passed away Aug. 14. Brother Almonte joined the NMU in 1942, first shipping from Port Arthur, Texas aboard the Senator Bailey. Brother Almonte worked in both the deck and engine departments during his seafaring career. His most recent voyage was aboard the Joseph Lykes. Brother Almonte was born in Mexico. He retired in 1984. DANIEL ARMSTRONG Pensioner Daniel Armstrong, 79, died July 17. Brother Armstrong began sailing with the union in 1952 from the port of Mobile, Ala. His first trip was on the Enid Victory. Brother Armstrong shipped as a member of the engine department. The Alabama-born mariner last worked aboard the Bennington. Brother Armstrong went on pension in 1988. Pensioner Joseph De Silva, 83, passed away Aug. 21. Brother De Silva first donned the NMU colors in 1942. The Louisiana native worked in the steward department. Brother De Silva’s first ship was the Jamaica; his last was the Velma Lykes. He went on pension in 1980. RILEY FREEMAN JR. Pensioner Riley Freeman Jr., 75, died Aug. 4. Brother Freeman joined the union in 1946, first sailing on the Gulf of Venezuela. Brother Freeman was a member of the steward department. Born in Marksville, La., he last worked aboard the Gerig. Brother Freeman began collecting his retirement pay in 1971. ROBERT HASELDEN Pensioner Robert Haselden, 77, passed away Aug. 25. Born in Shulerville, S.C., Brother Haselden launched his NMU career in the port of Charleston. He first sailed aboard the Export Defender. Brother Haselden became a pensioner in 1993 after sailing aboard the American Spitfire. SINCLAIR KEITH Pensioner Sinclair Keith, 80, died Sept. 13. Brother Keith became an NMU member in 1945, first sailing from Savannah, Ga. on the Ormondale. Brother Keith was a member of the steward department. He last shipped aboard the David D. Irwin. In 1986, Brother Keith started receiving his retirement stipends. SEGISMUNDO MEJIA Pensioner Segismundo Mejia, 83, died July 25. Brother Mejia began his employment with the NMU in 1943, sailing first from the port of San Francisco. Born in Honduras, Brother Mejia initially shipped on the Vernon L. Parrington. Prior to retiring in 1985, he worked aboard the Dolly Truman. ANTONIO MENENDEZ Pensioner Antonio Menendez, 80, passed away July 20. Brother Menendez was born in Florida. He joined the NMU in 1946, first shipping out of Tampa, Fla. The steward department member retired in 1972. PRIMITIVO ORTIZ Pensioner Primitivo Ortiz, 80, died Aug. 14. Brother Ortiz began sailing with the NMU in 1946 in the port of New York. The Puerto Ricoborn mariner last went to sea on the Allison Lykes. Brother Ortiz went on pension in 1991. RUFEL RAMOS Pensioner Rufel Ramos, 83, passed away Aug. 20. Brother Ramos joined the NMU in 1948. His first ship was the Ernie Pyle. Brother Ramos, who worked in the steward department, was a native of Puerto Rico. His final voyage was on the United States. Brother Ramos began receiving his retirement pay in 1969. MICHAEL STAMOU Pensioner Michael Stamou, 78, died Aug. 2. Brother Stamou began his seafaring career in 1951, first sailing from the port of Philadelphia aboard the Simon Benson. Brother Stamou was born in Greece. He retired in 1973. ROLAND STRAIGHT Pensioner Roland Straight, 85, passed away June 20. Brother Straight was a native of Bend, Ore. and joined the union in 1946 in Portland. Brother Straight initially shipped on the Marine Robin as a member of the engine department. He went on pension in 1991. ELIGIO TORRES Pensioner Eligio Torres, 83, passed away Aug. 13. Brother Torres began sailing with the NMU in 1945 in San Pedro, Calif. His first vessel was the Appomattox. Brother Torres was born in Puerto Rico and shipped in the engine department. His last trip to sea was on the Santa Ines. Brother Torres became a pensioner in 1964. DICK YIN-TING Pensioner Dick Yin-Ting, 84, died Aug. 5. Brother YinTing was born in China. He joined the NMU in 1964. Brother YinTing worked in the steward department. Prior to retiring in 1984, he sailed aboard the Export Champion. Editor’s Note: In addition to the individuals listed above, the following NMU members, all of whom were pensioners, passed away on the dates indicated. NAME AGE DOD Alfonzo, Hector Berger, August Burnbage, Robert Butler, Frank Campos, Louis Daire, John Deane, Margaret DiMambro, Roger Fujon, Arthur Inscoe, Robert Ivery, James Jang, Cheng Kleinen, Martin Larsen, Carl Madrid, Carlos McGuire, Allen Pagan, Rafael Parker, Edward Pickett, Edward Quinones, Victor Ramos, Lester Rivera, Wilfred Ruiz, Hector Samet, Abbas Scotlas, Adam Scott, Eddie Showell, Velton Shun, Ho Solano, Emilio Stepien, Felix Tarvin, Eddie Tirado, Lorenzo Valencia, Jorge Welch, Orrie Yamamoto, Harry 88 79 79 74 75 79 87 63 92 85 64 88 90 75 94 86 86 81 81 80 88 77 90 90 83 74 93 102 69 102 85 91 87 76 76 Oct. 3 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Sept. 1 Sept.10 Sept. 30 Sept. 26 Oct. 1 Aug. 31 Aug. 27 Aug. 24 Oct. 3 Sept. 10 Oct. 1 May 9 Oct. 3 Aug. 28 Sept. 25 Oct. 1 Sept. 17 May 9 Sept. 17 Sept. 1 July 21 Oct. 22 Oct. 1 Oct. 11 Aug. 30 Oct. 13 May 3 Oct. 25 Oct. 18 Oct. 21 Oct. 2 Oct. 22 February 2006 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 12:12 PM Page 19 Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as many digests of union shipboard minutes as possible. On occasion, because of space limitations, some will be omitted. Ships minutes first are reviewed by the union’s contract department. Those issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union upon receipt of the ships’ minutes. The minutes are then forwarded to the Seafarers LOG for publication.. CHARGER (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 31—Chairman Mathew J. Bevak, Secretary Raymond S. Garcia, Educational Director Stephen J. Bradfute, Engine Delegate Nelson Powers. Chairman reported smooth trip and reminded crew members to allow at least six months when renewing MMDs. Educational director advised mariners to upgrade skills at Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Md. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Recommendations made regarding rotary shipping. Vote of thanks given to steward department for job well done. Next port: Los Angeles, Calif. CPL. LOUIS J. HAUGE JR. (Maersk Line Limited), Dec 7— Chairman Wayne K. Green, Secretary George J. Borromeo, Educational Director David Castro, Deck Delegate Allen A. Cole, Engine Delegate Andrzej Furmanowski, Steward Delegate Richard Jefferson. Chairman reported no injuries, lost time or safety issues during voyage. He also noted availability of personal protective equipment. Educational director encouraged seafarers to attend upgrading classes at unionaffiliated school in Piney Point, Md. Captain handling ship’s fund; chairman to find out amount of money in fund. Beef reported in deck department; no disputed overtime noted. Crew thanked Port Agent Jeff Turkus for keeping them informed on union matters. Members requested e-mail access and new mattresses. Next port: Guam. DENALI (Alaska Tanker), Dec. 11 —Chairman Christopher J. Kicey, Secretary Sean O'Malley, Educational Director John C. Henry, Deck Delegate James E. Murphy, Engine Delegate Corey P. Hann, Steward Delegate Dennis D. Skretta. Chairman discussed importance of SPAD. Crew members were asked to keep volume down on radios, TVs, cell phones and alarm clocks, especially while others are trying to sleep. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Suggestions made regarding wages for next contract and replacement of air filters aboard ship. Steward department given vote of thanks for excellent Thanksgiving meal. Next port: Port Angeles, Wash. FLORIDA (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 17—Chairman Barry M. Carrano, Secretary Theodore E. Quammie, Educational Director David Vega, Engine Delegate Robert Davis, Steward Delegate Daniel L. Wehr. Chairman announced payoff Dec. 24 in Charleston, S.C. Secretary thanked crew for helping maintain ship cleanliness and encouraged them to keep up good work. Educational director advised everyone to enhance seafaring skills at SIUaffiliated school in Piney Point, Md. No beefs or disputed OT reported. GREEN DALE (Waterman Steamship), Dec. 11—Chairman Shawn T. Evans, Secretary Allan D. Bright, Engine Delegate Clyde McArn, Steward Delegate Bienvenido C. Badillo. Chairman February 2006 thanked crew for good trip. He asked those departing vessel to clean rooms and turn in keys and security badges. Educational director encouraged members to watch safety films and report any items in need of repair to department head. He also urged mariners to take advantage of upgrading opportunities at Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew discussed communication received from headquarters regarding furniture and contract. Vote of thanks given to chief cook for great meals. Next ports: Vancouver; Portland, Ore.; Long Beach, Calif.; Japan. HORIZON CONSUMER (Horizon Lines), Dec. 4—Chairman Joel G. Miller, Secretary Terry L. Allen, Educational Director Juanito P. Dansalan, Deck Delegate Sangie Mohamed, Engine Delegate Curtis Barnett, Steward Delegate Jessy Sunga. Chairman announced Dec. 8 payoff in Oakland, Calif. He thanked crew for smooth trip. Secretary reported that recent ship audit in Honolulu went well. He reminded everyone to check documents’ expiration dates. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Vote of thanks given to steward department for good job. HORIZON KODIAK (Horizon Lines), Dec. 13—Chairman Garry D. Walker, Secretary Paula S. Kaleikini, Educational Director Alfonso D. Bombita, Engine Delegate Ralph D. Thomas, Steward Delegate Gary Lofton. Chairman announced ship to arrive Dec. 15 in Tacoma, Wash. for payoff, followed by blanket relief for entire crew the following day. He mentioned that Tacoma hall was collecting Christmas toys for needy children. He also advised crew to pay dues on time and recommended they contribute to SPAD. Treasurer reported $2,000 in ship’s fund. Satellite radio system is in the process of being upgraded. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Concerns raised about Tacoma clinic and costs of testing. Suggestions made pertaining to Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan, especially when medical treatment is needed overseas. Crew expressed gratitude to chief steward and entire steward department for great job. One minute of silence observed in memory of departed brothers and sisters. HORIZON RELIANCE (Horizon Lines), Dec. 3—Chairman Donald G. Rezendes, Secretary Mark S. Scardino, Educational Director James T. McParland. Chairman thanked crew members for accident-free voyage and instructed them on process of written resolutions and motions. Crew observed moment of silence in memory of late SIU Executive VP John Fay. Secretary reported payoff to take place Dec. 10 in Tacoma, Wash. Vessel to then sail for Singpore, arriving Jan. 3 for shipyard period. Reliefs can finish tours after that time. Educational director reminded Seafarers not to let documents expire as they would have to retest. Treasurer stated $903.98 in ship’s fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Discussion held on changes to medical benefits. Suggestions made regarding pension and vacation plans as well as work on bridge rule. Members requested that mattresses be changed every three years. Vote of thanks given to steward department for good food and service. INTREPID (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 18—Chairman Salvadore J. Lagare, Secretary Louis Nicoud, Educational Director Elwyn L. Ford, Deck Delegate Joemar P. Abagat, Engine Delegate Erik W. Nappier, Steward Delegate Fernando C. Onativia. Chairman urged members to read Seafarers LOG to stay current on union information. He announced ship scheduled to arrive in Oakland, Calif. Dec. 25 and sail for Los Angeles two days later. Educational director reminded mariners to allow plenty of time when renewing documents with Coast Guard. Treasurer stated $1,200 in ship’s fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Suggestions made regarding shipping rules and increase in pension and medical benefits. Crew requested new washing machines. Thanks given to steward department for job well done and good salad bar. Vote of thanks also given to everyone for helping keep ship clean. Crew wished all members at sea and ashore a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year. After stops in Oakland and Los Angeles, ship heading to Yokohama and Kobe, Japan. LIGHTNING (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 17—Chairman Romeo L. Lugtu, Secretary Rolando M. Lopez, Educational Director Rex E. Bolin, Deck Delegate Othman A. Saleh, Steward Delegate Carlito S. Navarro. Chairman wished happy holidays to all SIU members and encouraged everyone to upgrade skills at Piney Point facility and update necessary shipping documents before they expire. He reported good voyage. Secretary asked departing crew to clean rooms and change linen for next person. He thanked SA Fadel Mohamed for job well done. Educational director suggested crew members write their congressional representatives asking their support for maritime issues. Treasurer stated $230 in ship’s fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Next ports: Oakland and Long Beach, Calif. MAERSK CAROLINA (Maersk Line Limited) , Dec. 4—Chairman Brian K. Fountain, Secretary James H. Rider, Educational Director Kevin Cooper, Deck Delegate Howard G. Blanks Jr. Chairman thanked crew for safe, smooth trip. He asked everyone departing vessel to clean rooms and turn in keys. Secretary reported stores for 60-day voyage were ordered and will be loaded in Norfolk, Va. He thanked all departments for their help in keeping ship clean. Educational director advised members to upgrade skills at Piney Point facility and keep all necessary shipping documents up to date. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Recommendations made regarding pension benefits. Steward department thanked for great Thanksgiving dinner. Next ports: Charleston, S.C.; Norfolk; Newark, N.J. MAERSK VIRGINIA (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 18—Chairman Mohamed S. Ahmed, Secretary Hugh E. Wildermuth, Educational Director Randy D. Clark, Deck Delegate Damon Lobel, Engine Delegate Randy D. Clark, Steward Delegate Alex- ander P. Cordero. Chairman announced payoff Dec. 23 in port of Newark, N.J. He reported all departments operating smoothly and working well together. “Keep up the good work.” Secretary told crew he appreciated their help in keeping ship clean. Educational director encouraged mariners to enhance seafaring skills at Paul members expressed thanks for new upholstery and drapes and were asked to not turn on TV during meal hours. RED CLOUD (Maersk Line Limited), Dec. 30—Chairman Thomas H. DeCarlo, Secretary Christine A. Cassie, Educational Director Dave D. Higdon, Deck On the Job with the SIU Pictured above and below are Seafarers aboard the new Matson ship Manulani, which entered service in 2005. Shown in the top photo are John Harvey (left) and Bob Gale; in the other is Nadia Wright. Seafarers fill the steward department positions aboard Matson vessels, although they provided additional manpower to help get the Manulani ready for its debut last spring. Hall Center and watch safety videos aboard vessel. Treasurer stated $6,280 in movie fund. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Clarification requested on danger pay for current run. Vote of thanks given to steward department for outstanding food and service. PRIDE OF AMERICA (NCL America), Dec. 10—Chairman Daniel S. Marcus, Secretary Michael D. Wiley, Educational Director Mark A. Freeman, Deck Delegate Craig J. Burmeister, Engine Department Brett B. Wilson. Chairman expressed appreciation to deck and engine personnel for “working together in a friendly and safe manner.” He noted “The Brotherhood of the Sea is alive and well on this ship.” Educational director explained process of upgrading at the Piney Point school and encouraged everyone to attend classes there. President’s report from recent LOG pertaining to passing of Executive VP John Fay and progress made during 2005 was read and discussed. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Engine delegate reminded crew that any problems they have should first be taken to department delegate. PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND (Alaskan Tankers), Dec. 10—Chairman John T. Mossbarger, Secretary Jeff Smith, Educational Director Thomas E. Woerner, Engine Delegate John Miranda. Bosun suggested crew have money ready to pay dues at Dec. 31 payoff in Cherry Point, Wash. Educational director reminded members to renew z-cards early and upgrade skills at Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew Delegate David G. Knutson, Steward Delegate Samuel Washington. Educational director stressed importance of education and advised members to take advantage of upgrading opportunities available at SIU-affiliated school. Bosun read letter from headquarters concerning contract for LMSRs— specifically portions regarding ROS and vacation benefits. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Bosun will check with captain on possibility of satellite TV aboard ship as well as phone that works while underway. SGT. MATEJ KOCAK (Waterman Steamship), Dec. 2— Chairman Angelo J. Urti Jr., Secretary Stephen W. Roth, Educational Director Matthew D. Dewitt, Deck Delegate Donald M. Hood, Engine Delegate Robert C. Hines, Steward Delegate Carlos A. Rosales. Chairman asked crew members leaving vessel to clean cabins and supply with fresh linen. Educational director urged crew to use time off wisely by upgrading at Piney Point school. No beefs or disputed OT reported. USNS BRITTIN (American Overseas Marine), Dec. 4—Chairman Ronald Charles, Secretary Lawrence E. Winfield, Deck Delegate Donald L. Kelly, Engine Delegate Lamont Robinson. Chairman asked members departing ship to clean rooms and leave keys. Secretary reported all departments running smoothly. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Contract extension notice received and posted. Thanks given to steward department for job well done. Seafarers LOG 19 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 6:34 AM Page 20 Letters to the Editor (Editor’s note: The Seafarers LOG reserves the right to edit letters for grammar as well as space provisions without changing the writer’s intent. The LOG welcomes letters from members, pensioners, their families and shipmates and will publish them on a timely basis.) Thankful Message I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks for the generous help provided to me and my family by union brothers and sisters during our time of need following our recent loss resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Also, I would like to add a special “Thank You!” to the officers and crew of the Westward Venture for their support and generosity. The emotional and financial support we have received from the SIU (Seafarers Disaster Relief Fund), fellow shipmates and friends has been remarkable and much-appreciated. You all have our undying gratitude and appreciation. Daniel Laitinen Sutherland Springs, Texas Supporting H.R. 23 To all personnel of the SIU, I salute you and wish you a pros- perous New Year. I am very happy about the possibility of enactment of the Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act (H.R. 23) to give a little help to those who are still alive, who were valiant crew members and risked their lives. Yes, by luck, some of us are still living. I started sailing in 1943, first aboard SIU ships and later with the NMU, the union through which I retired. I know that today the SIU is as much my union as the NMU was back when I was sailing. Today’s SIU members are just like those of us in the 1940s that were eager to volunteer to help the cause. I hope you will now help those few of us from that era that remain. Thank you all and God bless you. tions of work, workers and workplaces that occurred between the mid-19th and late 20th centuries. This amazing collection of photographs, augmented with audio and video, can be viewed until May 29, 2006. Please consider this letter an open invitation to your union members to tour this exhibit some time in the near future. (Admission is free.) When you visit the National Archives, of course, you can also view the Charters of Freedom—U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill or Rights—and our permanent exhibit “The Public Vaults.” Allen Weinstein Archivist of the United States Washington, D.C. Exhibit Shows How Work Has Changed I am writing to call your attention to a new and exciting exhibit at the National Archives building: “The Way We Worked.” This exhibit illustrates the transforma- Scholarship Deadline Is April 15 P is made, the better. Another part of the application package includes letters of recommendation solicited from individuals who know the applicant’s character, personality and career goals. The selection committee looks at the high school grades of all applicants and also checks the scores of either their Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) or American College Tests (ACT). Therefore, arrangements should be made to take these exams no later than February 2006 to ensure that the results reach the scholarship selection committee in time to be evaluated. A photograph of the applicant and a certified copy of his or her birth certificate are two other items that must be included in the total application package. No one can be awarded a scholarship without filling out an application and mailing it to the Scholarship Program by April 15. Send for your application booklet now (see coupon below) or pick one up at any SIU hall. If you sent in an application form in 2005 and were not selected for one of the scholarships, you should try again this year. You have nothing to lose—and an education to gain! lease send me the 2006 SIU Scholarship Program booklet which contains eligibility information, procedures for applying and a copy of the application form. Name __________________________________________________________________ Mariner's Social Security Number ____________________________________________ Street Address ____________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code ______________________________________________________ ( ) Telephone Number ________________________________________________________ This application is for: † Self † Dependent Mail this completed form to Scholarship Program, Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. 2/06 20 Seafarers LOG FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. The annual financial committee will be elected during the March 6 headquarters membership meeting to review the 2005 records. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. Ruperto Lopez Rosado Puerto Rico Two months remain until the deadline—April 15—for receipt of scholarship applications from Seafarers as well as from their spouses and children who wish to continue their education at the college level in the fall of 2006. Eight monetary grants will be awarded this year to three SIU members and five dependents. One of the three scholarships reserved for SIU members is in the amount of $20,000 and is intended to help cover the costs of attending a four-year, collegelevel course of study. The other two are for $6,000 each and are intended as two-year awards for study at a post-secondary vocational school or community college. Five scholarships are to be awarded in the amount of $20,000 each to the spouses and dependent children of Seafarers. Once the scholarship booklet has been received, applicants should check the eligibility information to make sure that certain conditions are met. After checking for eligibility, applicants should start collecting other paperwork which must be submitted along with the full application by the April 15, 2006 deadline. These items include transcripts and certificates of graduation. Since schools are often quite slow in handling transcript requests, the sooner the request Know Your Rights SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Augustin Tellez, Chairman Seafarers Appeals Board 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to members at all times, either by writing directly to the union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which an SIU member works and lives aboard a ship or boat. Members should know their contract rights, as well as their obligations, such as filing for overtime (OT) on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, a member believes that an SIU patrolman or other union official fails to protect their contractual rights properly, he or she should contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY — THE SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers LOG traditionally has refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the union, officer or member. It also has refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September 1960 meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Seafarers LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the executive board of the union. The executive board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he or she should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to union headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of the SIU Constitution are available in all union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time a member feels any other member or officer is attempting to deprive him or her of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods, such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. EQUAL RIGHTS. All members are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU Constitution and in the contracts which the union has negotiated with the employers. Consequently, no member may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he or she is denied the equal rights to which he or she is entitled, the member should notify union headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION — SPAD. SPAD is a separate segregated fund. Its proceeds are used to further its objects and purposes including, but not limited to, furthering the political, social and economic interests of maritime workers, the preservation and furthering of the American merchant marine with improved employment opportunities for seamen and boatmen and the advancement of trade union concepts. In connection with such objects, SPAD supports and contributes to political candidates for elective office. All contributions are voluntary. No contribution may be solicited or received because of force, job discrimination, financial reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or as a condition of membership in the union or of employment. If a contribution is made by reason of the above improper conduct, the member should notify the Seafarers International Union or SPAD by certified mail within 30 days of the contribution for investigation and appropriate action and refund, if involuntary. A member should support SPAD to protect and further his or her economic, political and social interests, and American trade union concepts. NOTIFYING THE UNION—If at any time a member feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he or she has been denied the constitutional right of access to union records or information, the member should immediately notify SIU President Michael Sacco at headquarters by certified mail, return receipt requested. The address is: Michael Sacco, President Seafarers International Union 5201 Auth Way Camp Springs, MD 20746. February 2006 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 12:51 PM Page 21 SEAFARERS PAUL HALL CENTER UPGRADING COURSE SCHEDULE The following is the schedule of courses at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Md. for the first few months of 2006. All programs are geared to improve the job skills of Seafarers and to promote the American maritime industry. Please note that this schedule may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the maritime industry and—in times of conflict—the nation’s security. Students attending any of these classes should check in the Saturday before their course’s start date. The courses listed here will begin promptly on the morning of the start dates. For classes ending on a Friday, departure reservations should be made for Saturday. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Deck Upgrading Courses Course Start Date Date of Completion Able Seaman March 6 March 31 Automatic Radar Plotting Aids* (ARPA) (*must have radar unlimited) April 17 April 21 Lifeboatman/Water Survival February 20 March 3 Radar April 3 April 14 Recertification Bosun April 10 May 8 Steward February 6 March 6 Safety Specialty Courses Start Date Date of Completion Basic Safety Training - AB February 27 March 13 March 3 March 17 Basic Safety Training - FOWT March 27 March 31 Fast Rescue Boat March 20 March 24 Government Vessels - FOWT April 3 April 7 Tankerman Familiarization/ Assistant Cargo (DL)* February 6 April 3 February 17 April 14 February 13 Febrary 17 Course (*must have basic fire fighting) Tankerman (PIC) Barge* (*must have basic fire fighting) Steward Upgrading Courses Galley Operations/Advanced Galley Operations modules start every week. Certified Chief Cook/Chief Steward classes start every other week beginning January 23, 2006. Academic Department Courses General education and college courses are available as needed. In addition, basic vocational support program courses are offered throughout the year, two weeks prior to the beginning of a vocational course. An introduction to computers course will be self-study. Engine Upgrading Courses Start Date Date of Completion FOWT March 27 May 22 May 19 July 22 Junior Engineer April 3 June 23 Welding February 20 March 20 March 10 April 7 Course � UPGRADING APPLICATION Name ________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Telephone _________________________ Deep Sea Member † Lakes Member Date of Birth ______________________ † Inland Waters Member † If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security # ______________________ Book # _________________________ Seniority _____________________________ Department _____________________ U.S. Citizen: Yes † No † Home Port _____________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty (120) days seatime for the previous year, one day in the last six months prior to the date your class starts, USMMD (z-card) front and back, front page of your union book indicating your department and seniority, and qualifying seatime for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. All OL, AB, JE and Tanker Assistant (DL) applicants must submit a U.S. Coast Guard fee of $140 with their application. The payment should be made with a money order only, payable to LMSS. COURSE BEGIN DATE END DATE ____________________________ _______________ _______________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________ ____________________________ _______________ _______________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held _____________________________________ LAST VESSEL: _____________________________________ Rating: ___________ _____________________________________________________________________ Date On: ___________________________ Date Off: ________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? † Yes † No If yes, class # __________________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? † Yes † No If yes, course(s) taken ___________________________________________________ Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement? † Yes † No Firefighting: † Yes † No CPR: † Yes † No Primary language spoken ________________________________________________ February 2006 SIGNATURE __________________________________ DATE ________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION TO: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189. The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qualified, of any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission, access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 2/06 Seafarers LOG 21 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 12:28 PM Page 22 Paul Hall Center Classes Able Seaman — Unlicensed Apprentice Water Survival Class 669 — Graduating from the water survival class are unlicensed apprentices from class 669. They are (in alphabetical order) Joseph Bianchi, Tyrell Blackburn, Russell Blanks, Karel Cain, Marcus Campbell, Catherine Clark, Joseph Craig, MacGregor Davis, Margery Earhart, Robert Godwin, Richard Guerra Jr., Christopher Hoffpauir, Benjamin Hulsey, Winter Meacham, Abdmutaali Muhammad, Winston Rankin, Philip Rhule, Christopher Sahagon, Gregory Simmons, Wilma-Joy Smith, Natalie Tremblay, Morgan Tury and Damion Vaughn. (Note: Not all are pictured.) ARPA— With instructor Mike Smith (far left) are Seafarers who completed the ARPA course Oct. 25. They are (in alphabetical order) José Boza, Rafael Clemente, John Daunoras, Robert Lutz Jr., Michael Murner and Neonito Sodusta. Receiving certificates for completion of the AB class ending Oct. 28 are (in no specific order) Duane Frosburg, Gill Sickles, Harold Harper, Ronald Whitlow, Samantha Ortiz, Hector Ortiz, Jeffrey Moore, Jonathan Ives, Felsher Beasley Jr., Christopher Keshlear, Billie Jo Munoz, Carlos Llanos, Richard Avila, Joshua Smith, Samuel Miller, Calvin Andrews Jr., Miles Partridge and William Hunt. Their instructor, Bernabe Pelingon, is at far right. Tanker Familiarization/Assistant Cargo (DL) — Under the instruction of Jim Shaffer and Herb Walling (not shown), are graduates of the tanker assistant class ending Oct. 7. They are (in no specific order) Christopher Bryant, Arthur Rogers, Carl Taylor Jr., Nathan Elliott, Gilberto Baltazar, Cornelio Bartholome, Jesse Natividad Jr., Michael Lockhart, Patrick Chalmers, Albad Colon, Bryan Vallecillo, Christopher Bean, Gregory Ball and Michael Fields. Lifeboatman/Water Survival — Sept. 30 graduates of this class include (in alphabetical order) Duane Frosburg, Harold Harper, Jackie Jones, George Miller, Jeffrey Moore, Gill Sickles and Joseph Thomas. Their instructor, Bernabe Pelingon, stands aft. HAZWOPER — Upgrading Seafarers working aboard MTL vessels who completed the Confined Space Awareness portion of the HAZWOPER course Oct. 25 are (in no specific order) Sean DeBruler, William Palmer, Robert Bouton, Howard Clark, Robert Hoffman, William Harvell, Joe Kadak, Johnny Nilsen, Robert Mills, Darren Bates, Dale Wilson, Robert Joiner, Chris Valley, Bruce Walsh, Douglas Crawford, Kenneth Graybill III, Charlie Carlson and Bruce Comiskey. Their instructor, Jim Shaffer, is at far left. Computer Lab Classes Holding their certificates of achievement for courses recently completed in the computer lab are (above left photo) Yolanda Martinez and (above right photo, from the left) James W. Buckowski, Gregory L. White and Stephen M. Berschger. Their instructor, Rick Prucha, is in each of the photos. 22 Seafarers LOG Basic Auxiliary Plant Operations — Trainees in Phase III of the Unlicensed Apprentice Program completed the Basic Auxiliary Plant Operations course Oct. 7. They are (in no specific order) Arthur Sanders, Stravon Jordan, Franklin Rodgers, Kevin Tyson, Mikel Tittsworth, Gregory Holsey Jr., Jo-Vanio Sprauve, Richard Wright, Robert Newcomb II, Brandon Tanton, Clyde McArn, Francisco Ramilo, Howard Vick, Robert Minter, Aaron Dixon, Jo-Vanii Sprauve, Hussain Hafid and Jimmy McCall. February 2006 �34068p01_24.qxp 1/30/2006 12:46 PM Page 23 Paul Hall Center Classes Marine Electrician Refresher — Fast Rescue Boat — Oct. 28 was graduation day from the fast rescue boat class for Seafarers working aboard MTL vessels. They are (in alphabetical order) Willie Allen, Crispin Carino, William Jackson, Jimmy Saloom and Marc Tomuschat. Their instructor, Stan Beck, is at far left. Express Marine Wheelhouse — Pictured are Express Marine boatmen in the wheelhouse course ending Oct. 6. They are (in no specific order) Michael Daniels, Phil Inman, Thomas Crockett, Parran Keane, Tom Shaw, Mark Faust, Keith Kirkeide (management) and instructor Mike Smith (far right). Radar — The six Seafarers completing the radar course Oct. 18 are (in alphabetical order) Rafael Clemente, Romeo Codillero, John Daunoras, Michael Murner, Winston Restauro and Arthur Shaw. Their instructor, Mike Smith, is third from left. Express Marine Engineers/DEUs — Boatmen from Express Marine completed their engineeer/DEU training Oct. 6 from instructor Buzzy Andrews (far right back row). They are (in no specific order) Stan Davis, William Vanzyl, Jackie Pruitt, Albin Henries, Guy Ireland, Richard Hamilton, Stephen Murray, Ed Bishop, David Harris, Mark O’Neal and Larry Tribby. James Tyson and Richard Huffman passed the marine electrician refresher course Oct. 28. With them (at far left) is their instructor, Jay Henderson. Express Marine Culinary — With their instructor, Chef John Dobson (left), are boatmen from Express Marine who completed a culinary course Oct. 6. From the left are Dobson, Timothy Thomas, Colin Bridgman, Jerold Register and Tommy Horton. STOS — Receiving their STOS certificates of completion Aug. 12 are (in no specific order) James Gano, Jack Gainers, Chris Doucet, Cory Gardner, Patrick Guertin, Robert Hardesty, David Bennett, Graham Jones, Francis Gallagher Jr., James Roy, Richard Crutchfield and Steven Sanderson. Tankerman (PIC) Barge — The nine Seafarers who took the Tankerman (PIC) Barge course ending Oct. 21 are (in no specific order) David Kennedy, James Buckowski, Michael Freeman, Carl Taylor Jr., Stephen Berschger, Frank Campos, Linnell Coleman, Doug Lewis and J. Stephen Lewis. Their instructor, Mitch Oakley, is fifth from right. Electrician — Basic Safety Training Classes STCW — NCL, Sept. 9: Amir Abubakar, Louis Bates, Arin Berthiaume, Mark Bickham, Ana Blankenship, James Brechtbill, Gregory Brown, DeWann Burton, Amber Carver, Rachel Cassell, Alicia Chambers, Justin Chandler, Anthony Chavez, Benjamin Clark, Christopher Colson, Maria-Elena Cordoba, Carrie Courtney, Christopher Crump, Jason Cullers, Rolando Delacruz, Gerren Duncan, Maryann Dymen, Kenneth Fleming and Katherine Flint. February 2006 STCW — NCL, Sept. 9: Donnell Foster, Todd Fuller, Charles Gentry, Julie Harrison, Darnell Herbert, Yohko Hiromatsu, Christophe Hudson, Joseph Hudson, Kerrin Johnson, Jamell Jones, Douglas Joseph, Mecia Kaczor, Zachary Kaili-Josue, Jacqueline Latham, Donna Leary, Gina Lee, Kristen Lew, Samuel Lewis, Alba Lopez, Antonia LouisWagner, Daniel Lowy and Kevin Mader. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Three Seafarers completed the electrician course Oct. 14. From the left are Jay Henderson (instructor) with Alton Hickman, Dave Goodpastor and Francis Quebedeaux. STCW — NCL, Sept. 9: Forest McClendon, Jeremy McKeever, Emmy Montoya, Meliton Orosco, Sherin Osman, Michelle Potts, Joseph Qumsieh, Justin Rasmusen, Darwin Reyes, Marsha Reyes, Michael Rinaldi, Miriam Rouse, Lorena Sanchez, Kalie Schlewitz, Zina Sigur, Rachel Smith, Nicholas Socket, Clevern Taylor III, Donald Thomas, Phillip Thomas, Michael Wedgley, Albert Weight and Steven West. Seafarers LOG 23 �34068p01_24x.qxp 2/1/2006 3:54 AM Page 24 February 2006 DUE ON APRIL 15 Applications for SIU Scholarship – page 20 Income Taxes — See Tax Tips for Seafarers on pages 12 and 13 Pride of America Brings New Jobs, Economic Benefits and Good Reviews For Seafarers, the NCL America cruise ship Pride of America signified new jobs even before its formal christening last June in New York. From its first days at sea en route to the ceremony, SIU members ably have filled the unlicensed positions aboard the new vessel, which can carry more than 2,100 passengers. Recertified Bosun Dan Marcus recently submitted the crew photos accompanying this story, and he also reported smooth sailing aboard the 921-foot ship, which cruises the Hawaiian Islands. Seafarers aren’t the only ones seeing the benefits of the Pride of America and its sister ship, the SIU-crewed Pride of Aloha, which also features a Hawaiian Island itinerary. Last July, Hawaii welcomed nearly 23,000 cruise ship passengers—an increase of 57 percent from July 2004, according to newspaper reports. When the Seafarers-contracted Pride of Hawaii joins NCL America’s fleet later this year, the vessels altogether will carry an The Seafarers-crewed Pride of America is estimated 8,000 passengers per week. the second ship in NCL America’s fleet. “Being able to welcome an additional thousands of people on a weekly basis will allow us to continue to grow our economy because we are almost at our capacity where our land-based accommodations are concerned,” Marsha Weinert, the state’s tourism liaison, told the Monterey County (Calif.) Herald. Such projections may have seemed anywhere from overly optimistic to outright impossible back in late 2001, when the deep-sea U.S.-flag cruise industry was halted by the attacks of September 11. But, according to NCL America President and CEO Colin Veitch, the restoration of this segment of the industry was made possible by the enactment of legislation introduced by Sen. Daniel Inouye (DHawaii): the Hawaii Cruise Ship Initiative. Speaking at the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department convention last summer, Veitch stated that the U.S.-flag program is off to a great start “because we have a partnership” with maritime labor. “We have approached this partnership knowing that if it doesn’t work for you, it won’t work for us,” he declared. He added that while the NCL America fleet creates a substantial number of shipboard jobs, “The bulk of the new employment from this venture is not on ships. It’s on shore with taxi drivers, hotel workers, tour guides, airport workers, dockworkers—the kinds of jobs- that support the operation of a ship and entertain travelers when they come to take our OS Rogelio Jamora (left) and OS Riesel Pardilla cruises.” Less apparent but potentially of great importance to national security, the maritime jobs undeniably help strengthen U.S. national defense. The NCL America vessels help maintain a pool of welltrained U.S.-citizen mariners who can crew up military support ships in times of crisis. Those U.S. crews are prominently mentioned in promotions by Union Plus, a non-profit organization founded by the AFL-CIO to secure discounted goods and services for union members and their families. Through Union Plus, union members can receive reduced fares when booking cruises on NCL America ships. (The toll-free number for this benefit is 866 867-0593.) The company faced some initial growing pains in 2004, but since then has successfully refined its product—a fact not lost on professional and amateur critics alike. Both in the media and on internet message boards populated by passengers, the reviews nowadays Wiper Rolan Lagaac (left) and are decidedly favorable. Some of the OS German Nunez Unlicensed Apprentice Winston Rankin Recertified Bosun Dan Marcus is pictured magazine reviews point to the SIU-affiliaboard the Pride of America with ated Paul Hall Center as one reason Honolulu’s Aloha Tower in the background. why things have improved. In 2005, AB Maintenance Robert Marcus was the first bosun aboard the more than 3,000 students successfully Warren helps wash NCL America ship. completed the Paul Hall Center’s threedown the deck. week course given to prospective NCL America shipboard employees who fill hundreds of nonmarine positions. Left: Ordinary Seaman Leonard Gregg (left) and AB Maintenance Herbert Oquendo clean windows on the Pride of America. OS Yung Fan Haloski � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2000-2009 Description An account of the resource Volumes LXII-LXXI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Scanned Issues 1984-1988, 1994-Present, Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource February 2006 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES NAVY LEAGUE PRESIDENT URGES POLICY FOR STRONGER U.S. FLEET SIU OF CANADA PROTECTS JOBS MORE SHIPS DUE THIS YEAR ADDITIONAL NORTH SLOPE ACREAGE OPENED FOR SAFE OIL EXPLORATION PRESIDENT TO NOMINATE SANBORN FOR MARAD POST SIU-CREWED CAPE TRINITY RECOGNIZED FOR ACTIVE ROLE IN ENDURING FREEDOM TUG SINKING CLAIMS LIVES OF 3 MARINERS MSC BUYS 3 SIU-CONTRACTED SHIPS REPORT UNDERLINES U.S. HEALTH CARE WOES COSTS CONSUME 16 PERCENT OF NATION’S ECONOMIC OUTPUT REPORT REVEALS PROBLEMS APLENTY ON DOOMED RUNAWAY-FLAG SHIP USCG CONCLUDES CAPT. VIOLATED SAFETY PRACTICES SEAFARERS CREDITED BY GEN. SCHWARTZ TOTE’S NORTHERN LIGHTS SAILED IN OIF FOR 2 YEARS SIU-CREWED LUMMUS SUPPORTS U.S. TROOPS MORE SIU SNAPSHOTS FROM THE GREAT LAKES REMEMBERING A WAR HERO KATRINA CLAIMS LIFE OF SIU RETIREE ALBERTO ROCHA SEAFARERS WIN ‘FOOD IN A BOWL’ COOK-OFF UNION INDUSTRIES SHOW COMES TO CLEVELAND PRIDE OF AMERICA BRINGS NEW JOBS, ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND GOOD REVIEWS Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 02/01/2006 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. 68, No. 2 2006 Periodicals Seafarers Log