http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/130fcfb218db34ec9b23e005587bcdb0.pdf aa6841dc17efc557e5c3cbc02c8002c7 PDF Text Text JUNE 2019 VOLUME 81, NO. 6 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Crescent Boatmen Approve Contracts By overwhelming majorities, SIU crews employed by Crescent Towing have approved new two-year contracts featuring wage increases and other gains while maintaining all benefits. Voting took place in April aboard the boats and at fleet landings. The contracts are similar; one covers approximately 230 SIU boatmen working for Crescent in New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia, while the other covers 20 Seafarers based in Mobile, Alabama. Pictured aboard one of the boats in New Orleans are (standing, from left) Captain Delegate Terry Murley, SIU New Orleans Port Agent Chris Westbrook, David Clasen, Kyle McDermott, Viet Nguyen, Jamal Dix, Engine Delegate David Findley, Jamie Ortiz and (kneeling) Chip Kline. Page 3. Seventh Waterfront Classic Features Bountiful Catches, Camaraderie, Fellowship This year’s Seafarers Waterfront Classic proved successful on all fronts, from the weather to the catches, and from the fundraising to the camaraderie. The annual excursion raises donations for the American Military Veterans Foundation (AMMILVETS). Pictured at left is David Souders, AMMILVETS president, speaking at the seafood feast that followed the outing. The other photo includes (from left) Wayne Raley, SIU VP Contracts George Tricker (the event’s founder and main organizer), Andrea Gianni, Edivaldo Dos Santos, Dean Charbonnet and Gary Brunick. Overall, 125 anglers participated; they kept 134 fish and threw back hundreds more. Pages 12-14. Stewards Complete Recertification Course, Reflect on Union, School The Seafarers International Union’s newest class of recertified stewards offered insightful, often-poignant reflections during their respective graduation speeches May 6 in Piney Point, Maryland. The six graduates are pictured at left with family members, SIU officials and school personnel following last month’s membership meeting at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. Page 6. Jones Act Updates Pages 2, 5 New Tonnage Page 7 SPP Funding Notice Page 8 �Trump Tells Legislators: No Jones Act Waiver President’s Report Good News on Ex-Im Bank It didn’t receive as much publicity as many other recent stories originating in the nation’s capital, but a potentially key development for our industry occurred in early May when the U.S. Senate voted to confirm three board members to the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im). The immediate significance for the organization itself is that restoration of a quorum means the bank can authorize transactions larger than $10 million (which would be the vast majority of its dealings). It had been more than three years since the bank’s board had a quorum, which left it unable to approve larger projects – and which in turn stopped the bank from authorizing long-term financings. The Ex-Im Bank’s primary business is backing low-interest loans for the export of U.S.-made goods. As many Seafarers know, cargo generated by the bank is carried on American-flag ships, so that’s why the quorum restoration matters to us. But it also matters to our nation as a whole. Founded in 1934, the bank helps maintain good American jobs, and it generates significant money Michael Sacco for the U.S. Treasury. It’s an independent federal agency which, according to its mission statement, “promotes and supports American jobs by providing competitive and necessary export credit to overseas purchasers of U.S. goods and services. A robust Ex-Im can level the global playing field for U.S. exporters when they compete against foreign companies that receive support from their governments. Ex-Im also contributes to U.S. economic growth by helping to create and sustain hundreds of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. In recent years, 90 percent of the total number of the bank’s authorizations has directly supported small businesses. Since 2000, Ex-Im has provided $14.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury after paying for all of its administrative and program expenses.” Those numbers make it all the more maddening when opponents claim to see the bank as so-called corporate welfare and a drain of tax dollars. The facts simply do not support their argument, but it still took years for Washington to do the right thing. By the way, there are 60 or so other nations with similar institutions to promote their goods for export around the world, which somehow is rarely if ever acknowledged by critics. In that regard, the fights over Ex-Im remind me of the battles concerning the Jones Act, our nation’s freight cabotage law. Opponents attempt to conveniently overlook the fact that 91 other countries maintain some form of cabotage regulation. As with other political scrapes involving laws and programs that boost the U.S. Merchant Marine, our work supporting the Ex-Im Bank definitely isn’t finished. The bank’s charter is up for renewal in September, and it’s a safe bet it’ll only happen if the American maritime industry and other backers step up with grassroots mobilizations. For now, though, the recent confirmations are worth celebrating. As Ambassador Jeffrey D. Gerrish, Ex-Im chairman and president put it: “This is a great day for U.S. exporters, their workers, and their suppliers across the country. Ex-Im has nearly $40 billion worth of export deals in the pipeline that can move forward in support of hundreds of thousands of American jobs. The Senate’s bipartisan votes today renew opportunities for U.S. exporters to compete on a level playing field in markets and industries where China and other nations are aggressively supporting their exporters. With Ex-Im restored to full functionality, our exporters again have a fighting chance to win export sales on the fair basis of quality and price instead of on the availability of government-backed financing.” Recertified Stewards I occasionally encourage LOG readers to check out specific articles, and this is one of those times. Take a look at this month’s coverage of the newest class of recertified stewards, and see what they say about the SIU as well as the Paul Hall Center. You certainly don’t have to complete a recertification class in order to have informed opinions on the union or school, but those members generally are experienced and insightful. They speak from the heart, and they always leave me feeling energized and encouraged about our future. FEBRUARY 2014 VOLUME 76 o “No Jones Act waiver” was the message coming from six Senators and one Congressman as they left the White House following a meeting with President Trump on May 1. Several news organizations relayed the declaration after U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Kennedy (RLouisiana) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) as well as House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) met with the president after reports emerged a week earlier that some in the administration were considering an extended Jones Act waiver to move American LNG to domestic ports. The delegation advised the president that the Jones Act has strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. They said Congress would not support such a waiver of the nation’s freight cabotage law. “We thank President Trump for standing by the Jones Act and the hundreds of thousands of good American jobs associated with it,” noted SIU President Michael Sacco. “We also thank all the members of Congress who have remained steadfast in their support of the Jones Act.” According to Reuters, Cassidy told reporters, “He was going to oppose any changes to the Jones Act and any waivers. That’s what we went there hoping to get and that’s what we did get.” Cassidy also said in an online statement, “We cannot let the United States become dependent on foreign countries to transport energy and critical products within the United States. The Jones Act is essential to preserve our domestic shipping industry and protect our national and economic security.” Sullivan stated to Politico, “I would say he committed.” Kennedy stated, “After talking to President Trump, I am confident that he realizes how important the Jones Act is to Louisiana’s maritime industry and that no changes will be made. I made the case that the livelihood of Louisiana families is at stake. Louisiana is the greatest beneficiary of the Jones Act with thousands of jobs that depend on it. Our maritime industry is part of the lifeblood of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast economy. It would be foolish to push aside those jobs in favor of foreign made and foreign crewed ships.” A week before the meeting, Matt Woodruff, chairman of the American Maritime Partnership (to which the SIU is affiliated), stated, “The 650,000 Americans whose jobs depend on the domestic maritime industry would find it inconceivable that President Trump – who is committed to putting ‘America First,’ supporting U.S. jobs and manufacturing, and also just last month signed an executive order helping military veterans transition into the American maritime industry – would choose to favor foreign shipping interests over American workers. American maritime is the quintessential ‘America First’ industry and we are confident President Trump, who has championed and supported our American shipyards, mariners, and industrial base, would not start us down a path now that would cripple our national security.” Enacted in 1920, the Jones Act requires that cargo moving between domestic ports is carried aboard ships that are crewed, built, owned and flagged American. It enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress as well as consistently ardent backing from top U.S. military leaders because it is vital to national, economic and homeland security. A new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the nation’s freight cabotage law helps sustain nearly 650,000 American jobs while contributing $154 billion to the nation’s economic growth annually. Propeller Club Honors Richmond With ‘Salute to Congress’ Award Once again declaring himself “a strong supporter of the Jones Act” and “a strong believer of cargo preference,” U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-Louisiana) received the International Propeller Club of the United States annual Salute to Congress Award. During a dinner in northern Virginia on May 1, Richmond became the 35th elected official to be so honored. SIU attendees included President Michael Sacco, Executive Vice President Augie Tellez, SecretaryTreasurer David Heindel, Vice President Great Lakes Tom Orzechowski, Assistant Vice President Pat Vandegrift, Political and Legislative Director Brian Schoeneman, Senior Political Consultant Terry Turner and Consultant Lanier Avant. Richmond said that maritime’s “positive impact on the U.S. economy is real.” He noted that he helped create the Congressional Maritime Caucus (which he chairs) to raise awareness of the industry in Congress because “Democrats and Republicans come from every corner of the nation.” The five-term representative from New Orleans told the audience, “Any effort to chip away at the America First maritime policy is a step in the wrong direction. Maritime is imperative for the economic vitality of this nation.” Richmond also announced he is a proud sponsor of the effort to honor World War II merchant mariners with a congressional gold medal: “Now is the time for them to receive Congress’ highest honor.” The legislator received the 2018 Government Man of the Year Award from the Maritime Port Council of Greater New York/New Jersey and Vicinity. He addressed the 2013 Maritime Trades Department Convention. NO. 2 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Volume 81 Number 6 June 2019 The SIU online: www.seafarers.org The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published monthly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing Editor/Production, Jim Guthrie; Assistant Editor, Nick Merrill; Piney Point Photographer, Harry Gieske; Administrative Support, Jenny Stokes; Content Curator, Mark Clements. Copyright © 2019 Seafarers International Union, AGLIW. All Rights Reserved. The Seafarers International Union engaged an environmentally friendly printer for the production of this newspaper. Reversed to White Reversed to White 2 Seafarers LOG SIU President Michael Sacco (right) and Executive VP Augie Tellez (left) are pictured at the awards dinner with honoree U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-Louisiana). June 2019 �Pictured at the conclusion of negotiations for the New Orleans/Savannah agreement are (from left) Crescent Towing Marine Administrator Steven Reeg, Crescent VP Savannah Hays Clark, Crescent VP New Orleans Edward Pinner, SIU Port Agent Chris Westbrook, Crescent Executive VP Keith Kettenring, SIU Captain Delegate Terry Murley, Crescent Senior Consultant Tad Willcutt, SIU Wheelman/Deckhand Delegate Charles Hammesfahr, SIU Wheelman/Deckhand Delegate Kevin McDermott, SIU Engine Delegate David Findley and Crescent New Orleans Operations Manager Benjamin Morvant. Crescent Crews Ratify Two-Year Contracts SIU inland members employed by Crescent Towing have approved new two-year contracts featuring wage gains and other improvements while maintaining all benefits, including company contributions to the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. Voting took place in April aboard the boats and at fleet landings, and both agreements were approved by overwhelming majorities. The contracts are very similar. One agreement covers about 230 SIU boatmen working for Crescent in New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia, while the other covers 20 Seafarers based in Mobile, Alabama. All of the crews perform ship-docking operations aboard a total of 26 tugs. SIU New Orleans Port Agent Chris Westbrook headed up the union’s negotiating committees, assisted in Mobile by Port Agent Jimmy White. The rank-and-file delegates were as follows: in New Orleans, Captain Delegate Terry Murley, Engine Delegate David Findley, Wheelman/Deckhand Delegate Kevin McDermott, and Wheelman/ Deckhand Delegate Charles Hammesfahr. The Mobile team included members Captain Delegate Ronnie Walker, Engine Delegate Patrick McKibbon and Wheelman/Deckhand Delegate Josh Burns. The pacts include wage gains, and they maintain Core Plus health coverage along with pension benefits. Union negotiators obtained two additional vacation days for longer-term employees who are licensed, while making no concessions. Westbrook said the New Orleans/Savannah committee “was fantastic – one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They’ve all done it before, and they’re standup guys who spoke when needed and made good, legitimate points. There was a lot of substance to what they said, and some of the gains certainly are attributable to the expertise and experience of the rankand-file delegates. “With the Mobile committee, it was the same thing,” he continued. “They were terrific. Ronnie is a veteran of bargaining committees and he led the way; the other delegates were new but they also did a great job.” Westbrook further noted that the contracts feature strong incentives for unlicensed boatmen to upgrade. “Everything worked out great,” Walker said. “Chris and Jimmy did a good job. We got a good contract for the next couple years.” Murley stated, “We got what we thought was fair. Both sides came out happy.” Findley said the negotiations “were okay. There were a few little tight moments, but that’s to be expected. Chris is really good at what he does, and it’s great to have him. He was very focused.” The New Orleans and Savannah negotiations started April 1; contract ratification was complete April 11. In Mobile, bargaining started April 17, and ratification was finished April 23. Westbrook added that Crescent’s SIU crews are proud of their safety record. Last year, for example, they logged 750,000 man hours with only one lost-time injury (a minor one). “I think the contract packages reflect the experience and professionalism we have in this fleet,” he concluded. “They’re also doing a great job with the Subchapter M requirements that are coming online.” Bargaining committee members are pictured with other SIU boatmen as well as Port Agents Chris Westbrook and Jimmy White (standing fifth and sixth from left, respectively). The lineup, from left: Roy Saranthus Jr., Taylor Hurst, Roy Saranthus Sr., Mike Hurst, Westbrook, (kneeling) Jose Ojeda, White, Ronnie Walker, Matt Aucoin and R.J. Walker. Mobile committee members included (from left) Crescent VP Edward Pinner, SIU Captain Delegate Ronnie Walker, Crescent Marine Administrator Steven Reeg, SIU Engine Delegate Patrick McKibbon, SIU Port Agent Chris Westbrook, Crescent Executive VP Keith Kettenring, Crescent Senior Consultant Tad Willcutt, SIU Port Agent Jimmy White, Crescent Mobile Operations Manager Travis Stringfellow and SIU Wheelman/Deckhand Delegate Josh Burns. June 2019 Pictured from left aboard the Point Clear are Engine Delegate David Findley, Capt. Pat Cain and Engineer Jeff Adams. Seafarers LOG 3 �Attendees meet in the Maryland Room at the Paul Hall Center. Paul Hall Center Hosts Advisory Board Meeting Group Examines Latest Training Developments and More Both the SIU and its affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC) constantly strive for improvement – and there was plenty of progress to report during the most recent meeting of the school’s advisory board. The group gathered May 17 on the PHC’s Piney Point, Maryland, campus. Representatives from the union, PHC, Seafarers Plans, and SIU-contracted companies discussed several key topics and capped off the event with a detailed tour of the massively upgraded engine department training building. The agenda included formal addresses Tom Orzechowski PHC Acting VP from (in order) PHC Acting Vice President Tom Orzechowski; PHC Executive Chef John Hetmanski; Seafarers Plans Administrator Maggie Bowen; and SIU Plans Medical Director Dr. Eric Schaub. Many others joined in the discussions, however, including several company executives who asked questions and offered feedback, SIU Vice President Contracts George Tricker, PHC Director of Training Priscilla Labanowski and SIU Assistant Vice President Pat Vandegrift. SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez informally briefed the board on the union’s latest efforts to promote and protect the industry on Capitol Hill; later, SIU President Michael George Tricker SIU VP Contracts Maggie Bowen Seafarers Plans Administrator John Hetmanski PHC Executive Chef Honored in ‘The Big Apple’ The SIU was well-represented both on the dais and in the audience April 25 in New York City, during the Seafarers International House’s 19th annual Setting the Course awards banquet. This year’s honorees were (from left) SIU ITF East Coast Coordinator Ricky Esopa; Lois Zabrocky, president and CEO, International Seaways, Inc.; SIU VP Government Services Kate Hunt; and Bill Woodhour, president and CEO of SIU-contracted Maersk Line, Limited. They each received an “Outstanding Friend of Seafarers Award” for helping improve mariners’ lives. The SIU was out in force for the event; attendees included President Michael Sacco, Executive VP Augie Tellez, Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel, VP Contracts George Tricker, VP Atlantic Coast Joseph Soresi, Asst. VP Pat Vandegrift, Port Agent Mark von Siegel, Safety Director Osvaldo Ramos, Patrolman Ray Henderson, Patrolman Edwin Ruiz, Seafarers Plans Administrator Margaret Bowen and SIU ITF Inspector Shwe Aung. 4 Seafarers LOG Sacco described some of the benefits of the improved training facilities. After Orzechowski briefly welcomed attendees, Hetmanski thoroughly reviewed the school’s various steward department classes. He explained the career path for mariners in that department and explained that training assessments at the school have become “a really big part” of the coursework. “Assessments are critical,” he said. No matter the specific class, though, Hetmanski said the school always emphasizes sanitation and safety. Concerning the new Culinary 2.0 classes for chief stewards and chief cooks, Hetmanski said that “all of the critiques (from students) have been extremely positive.” Dr. Eric Schaub SIU Plans Medical Director Bowen recapped training that recently had been provided to company personnel regarding utilization of their online portal. She showed examples of how to upload and access various shipping and medical documents and skills reports. Schaub discussed various requirements for vaccines and also touched on the company portal. He talked about how the medical department checks information on the portal and how they respond to various indicators in the documents. Tellez summarized recent developments in the fight to protect the Jones Act, a century-old maritime law that is vital to U.S. national, economic and homeland security. He also provided updates on the U.S. Maritime Security Program and the nation’s overall sealift capacity. Next, many of the board members visited the renovated machine shop (the improvements will be featured in an upcoming edition of the LOG). Union and school officials pointed out that the improvements are direct outcomes of past advisory board meetings. Labanowski added that around 2,000 hours were invested by school personnel during the past year-plus to redo some courses and add new ones while also identifying, acquiring and installing the best new equipment. Sacco said that the improvements further boost the value of hands-on training at the school, while individual PHC instructors gave demonstrations with some of the new gear and explained how it’s used in classes. Photo at left, from left: SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez, Keystone Shipping Executive Phil Fisher and SIU President Michael Sacco listen during the Paul Hall Center advisory board meeting. In the photo below, SIU President Michael Sacco (foreground, left) addresses board members during a tour and says the school’s practical training is invaluable. June 2019 �Bipartisan Coalition Voices Backing for Jones Act Legislators, Industry Leader, Cabinet Member All Favor U.S. Cabotage Law Strong bipartisan support for the nation’s freight cabotage law is continuing in the face of misguided attempts to weaken or repeal the critical statute. Legislators from both sides of the aisle, the head of a major industrial coalition, and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao all recently spoke in favor of the Jones Act. The law helps sustain nearly 650,000 American jobs and is vital for national, economic and homeland security. During a budget hearing in early April, Chao was asked about the Jones Act and whether it hampered hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. The secretary noted that damaged infrastructure – not a scarcity of cargo – was the problem. “Periodically, the Jones Act is blamed and criticized and there are attempts to get rid of it,” Chao stated. “I’ve been in government service now for such a long time, it comes up, and this has come up, for example, in Puerto Rico. But, the problem with distribution of cargoes is not the problem of – due to the Jones Act, the vessels or the cost. Rather, it was due to the lack of warehouses and the devastation of the roads so that once the cargoes were unloaded in Puerto Rico, they could not be distributed.” She was speaking to U.S. Rep. John Rutherford (R-Florida), another ardent Jones Act supporter who weeks later published an op-ed in The Hill. Therein, he wrote in part, “This pillar of maritime policy is to credit for successfully pro- tecting our maritime economy and our national security for nearly a century…. While the American maritime industry supports many high-paying, skilled-labor jobs, not every country offers the same opportunities to its workers. For example, China exploits labor to build vessels at a fraction of the American cost. If we allow these vessels to sail between U.S. ports, our domestic maritime industry would have the impossible task of competing with China’s cheap labor and subsidized manufacturing. Removing the market certainty that the Jones Act provides would decimate the American maritime industry, putting our national security in jeopardy.” Rutherford continued, “Without a strong domestic maritime industry, the U.S. would be forced to rely on countries like China to sell us vessels, ship military supplies, and transport fuel and goods between U.S. ports – like the strong supply chain between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. We must not overlook the importance of protecting these supply chains. By relinquishing control to foreign entities to build our vessels and transport our goods, we essentially auction our national security to the lowest bidder.” Around that same time in late April, maritime stalwart U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) posted an op-ed on the MarineLink website. Like Rutherford, Garamendi was responding to published reports indicating the White House was strongly considering a Jones Act waiver. Garamendi wrote, “I served as the top Democrat on the House Subcommittee of Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for six years. Through that experience I gained a firsthand understanding of how vital the Jones Act is for our nation. Repealing it would prioritize foreign shipping interests over American workers while undermining America’s national security and economic development. “The Jones Act is the lifeblood for a U.S. maritime trade that supports 650,000 jobs and almost [$150] billion in annual economic impact,” he continued. “If the Jones Act did not exist, the U.S. maritime industry would be sharply undercut by foreign shippers with lower labor protections, environmental requirements, and safety standards. Not only would we outsource marine transportation along our coasts and inland waterways to the cheapest foreign bidder, we would also hollow out a key component of American industrial might and eliminate jobs in American shipyards, which employ 110,000 people in 26 states.” Garamendi also described the law as “essential for our national security and our war fighting capacity. Our military relies on privately owned sealift capacity and highly trained merchant mariners to transport and sustain our armed forces during times of conflict.” Moreover, Michael P. Balzano, executive director of the National Industrial Base Workforce Coalition, in early May SIU Executive VP Tellez Named To Key DOT Maritime Committee The SIU will continue to be represented on a noteworthy maritime advisory committee. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao on April 24 announced the appointment of 29 members to the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). SIU Executive Vice President Augie Tellez, who first served on the committee beginning in 2011, again has been appointed as a member. Established in 2010, the MTSNAC “is made up of leaders from commercial transportation firms, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academia, and environmental groups that advise the Secretary on policies to ensure that the marine transportation system can respond to projected trade increases,” the DOT reported. “This advisory committee will help strengthen and modernize our nation’s maritime capabilities, as we work to improve our waterborne transportation systems and our country’s gateway ports.” said Secretary Chao. In a news release, the DOT further noted, “The MTSNAC is composed of members from public and private entities whose purpose is to guide the Secretary of Transportation on matters relating to marine transportation and its seamless integration with other segments of the transportation system. This includes the viability of the U.S. Merchant Marine. Committee members will serve two-year terms, with no more than two consecutive term reappointments.” “The insights, experience, and perspectives of these committee members are essential to federal transportation decision-making,” said Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby. “The MTSNAC is a strategic resource needed to strengthen and re-energize the maritime industry, and I look forward to their bold ideas and strong recommendations.” Finally, in making the announcement, the DOT said it “strives to select dynamic individuals with in-depth knowledge of their respective industries or government sectors. Members are nominated through a full and open process published in the Federal Register.” In addition to Tellez, the committee members are Gary Adams (Walmart Inc.), Lindsey Brock (NE Florida Regional Transportation Commission), David Cicalese (International Longshoremen’s Association), Berit Eriksson (Sailors’ Union of the Pacific), David C. Fisher (Port of Beaumont, Texas) Joe Gasperov (International Longshore and Warehouse Union), John Graykowski (Maritime Industry Consultants), Daniel Harmon (Texas Department June 2019 Augie Tellez SIU Executive VP of Transportation), Jared Henry (Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC), Robert Hughes (Cargill Inc.), Jim Kruse (Texas A&M – Transportation Institute), Paul C. LaMarre III (Port of Monroe, Michigan), Griff Lynch (Georgia Ports Authority), Brian Jones (Nucor Corporation), James Pelliccio (Port Newark Container Terminal), Bryan Ross (Missouri Department of Transportation), Gene Seroka (Port of Los Angeles), Scott Sigman (Illinois Soybean Association), Karl Simon (Environmental Protection Agency), Sean Strawbridge (Port of Corpus Christi Authority), Anne Strauss-Weider (North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority), Andrew Strosahl (The Lawrence Law Firm), Jack Sullivan (Matson Navigation Inc.), Capt. Richard Suttie (Center for Homeland Defense & Security), Robert Wellner (Liberty Global Logistics LLC), Thomas Wetherald (General Dynamics-NASSCO), Lisa Wieland (Massachusetts Port Authority), and Brian Wright (Owensboro Riverport Authority). penned a piece for the Washington Examiner that pointed out President Ronald Reagan’s support of the Jones Act. During Reagan’s 1980 campaign, Balzano served as his liaison with many unions. Balzano said Reagan “supported the Jones Act because he knew the national security consequences of losing the rest of the maritime fleet. In Reagan’s day, the Chinese did not have a merchant fleet or a navy. But now the Chinese carrying their own merchandised trade on their ships. They now have over 3,000 merchant vessels, all capable of carrying troops and military cargo, and a navy that includes aircraft carriers and submarines along with missiles that they claim can take out any of our warships. “The Chinese have converted atolls in the Philippine sea into mini aircraft landing strips and warned the U.S. to stay out of their newly claimed territorial waters,” he continued. “They are also building ports around the globe, increasing their ability to move throughout the oceans with impunity. Yet the number of U.S. merchant ships has fallen from the 500 that Reagan saw as a crisis to fewer than 100 ships today.” He concluded, “History tells us that wars are won or lost by a nation’s ability to put its boots on the ground. American boots in both World Wars were delivered by American ships…. Without a vibrant maritime industry, America will not be a global sea power in the 21st century. The loss of this industry will have consequences.” New AFL-CIO Report Reveals 275 Daily U.S. Worker Deaths in 2017 More than 5,000 working people were killed on the job in 2017, according to an annual report by the AFL-CIO. Released April 25, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2019,” stated that 5,147 working people were killed on the job and an estimated 95,000 died from occupational diseases in 2017. Each day, on average, 275 U.S. workers die from hazardous working conditions. According to the report, workplace violence is the third-leading cause of workplace death, accounting for 807 fatalities, including 458 homicides. For the third year in a row, workplace violence injuries increased, with nearly 29,000 workers suffering serious violence-related injuries due to assault on the job. The report found a small decrease in the overall rate of fatal job injuries in 2017 from the previous year – 3.5 per 100,000 from 3.6 per 100,000 workers. However, in recent years, there has been little overall change in the job fatality rate. Moreover, the most recent studies on the burden of occupational injuries and illnesses find that the toll of occupational disease deaths is much greater than previously estimated. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, the country’s top organized labor officer, expressed support for H.R.1309 – the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. The legislation, if passed, can be instrumental in preventing workplace violence, he said. This marks the 28th year that the AFL-CIO has produced its report with findings on the state of safety and health protections for working people within the United States. The report shows the highest workplace fatality rates are in Alaska, North Dakota, Wyoming, West Virginia and South Dakota. Other notable components of the report show that Latino workers continue to have an increased risk of dying on the job and that the number of Latino worker deaths increased in 2017 to 903 from 879. Deaths among older workers also increased; workers 65 or older have nearly three times the risk of dying on the job as workers overall. The construction, transportation and agriculture industries remain among the most dangerous. In 2017, 917 construction workers were killed—the highest total of any sector. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting was the most dangerous industry sector, with a fatality rate of 23 per 100,000 workers. Despite these disturbing findings, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) meager resources are declining. Currently, federal OSHA has only 752 inspectors—the lowest number since the early 1970s. It would take the agency 165 years to visit workplaces under its jurisdiction just once. Seafarers LOG 5 �Frank Ramones Recertified Steward Port of Oakland Rocky Dupraw Recertified Steward Port of Jacksonville Fakhruddin Malahi Recertified Steward Port of Oakland Angela Robertson Recertified Steward Port of Norfolk Ali Munsar Recertified Steward Port of Oakland Robert Owens Recertified Steward Port of Houston Six Stewards Ascend Ladder to Recertified Status Six SIU members recently achieved milestones in their respective careers by ascending the uppermost rung of the steward department’s upgrading ladder. They etched their names in SIU history May 6 during the union’s monthly membership meeting in Piney Point, Maryland, when they graduated from the Paul Hall Center’s (PHC) steward recertification program. Completing the three-week curriculum were: Rocky Dupraw, Fakhruddin Malahi, Ali Munsar, Robert Owens, Frank Ramones and Angela Robertson. Regarded as the school’s top steward department curriculum, the course covers a wide range of topics including computer technology, social responsibilities, leadership, Coast Guard updates, baking skills and other department-specific workshops on sanitation, nutrition and more. The course also offers insights on collective bargaining agreements, functions of the various departments within both the SIU and the Seafarers Plans, and the union’s affiliations with the Maritime Trades Department and its parent group, the AFL-CIO. In keeping with tradition, each of the newly minted recertified stewards addressed those in attendance at the membership meeting. During their presentations, they discussed their respective careers and offered valuable insights to the apprentices. They also expressed gratitude for the opportunities they have been afforded to enhance their skills, improve their lives and those of their families, and become better shipmates to their brothers and sisters aboard SIU-contracted vessels. Collectively, they also thanked the union leadership for its continued support, and the PHC vocational and hotel staffs for providing excellent instruction and accommodations, respectively. Following are highlights of the graduation speeches (in chronological order), supplemented in some cases by written comments submitted to the LOG. Frank Ramones Ramones was first to take the podium. A native of the Philippines, he signed on with the SIU in Honolulu and has been sailing since 1993. Currently, he sails out of the port of Oakland, California. “It is an honor and privilege to stand before you today,” Ramones said. “I am so honored to be a part of something so special. To be [selected to attend] recertification training is one of the greatest and sweetest moments of my life. “I just want to say thank you, Lord, for everything that you have done for me,” he continued. “Thank you for guiding me throughout my journey, and I know you will continue to guide me.” Ramones said that being a Seafarer has really changed his life. “It’s not just a profession, but also a way of life that demands a great deal of passion and service,” he said, adding that although he had encountered some minor setbacks along the way, ultimately, he was able to put everything into proper perspective and find true happiness in his career. “To the SIU, thank you for the opportunity that you gave me. I might not be who I am today if not for your endless support,” he said. Ramones sent a shout out to the officials in his home port of Oakland. “Thank you for believing in me and my talent,” he said. Turning to the PHC personnel, Ramones acknowledged the school administrators, faculty members and steward department chefs who helped him time and again during his training. “They never got tired of giving me their full support, sharing their techniques and imparting their knowledge,” Ramones said. “I want to thank Miss Jeri Draper, our computer 6 Seafarers LOG instructor, who also was very helpful and kind…. She brought out the best in me. “To the trainees, enjoy your stay but study hard, learn as a team and listen to your instructors while you are here,” he said. “Never be afraid to ask questions when you go on your first ship; one day you will be the best at your profession.” Ramones closed by reflecting on his early days as a Seafarer, and on his daughter. At a younger age, she “could not understand why I needed to go back to the ship; it tore me apart every time I had to say goodbye to her,” he shared. “Thanks to this union and your trust in me, she is now a degree holder. To all of you, I am grateful. God Bless everyone, Mahalo!” Rocky Dupraw Dupraw was a member of PHC Lifeboat Class 646 and went through the training program in 2003. He currently sails from the port of Jacksonville, Florida; however, he has also shipped out of the ports of Oakland and Piney Point. He thanked all hands at each of these ports for providing him with quality service while he was among their ranks. “I came through the training program when I was 24,” he told those in the audience. “My first ship was the El Yunque, my most recent was the John Page.” Dupraw added that to date, he had visited more than 35 countries while sailing aboard at least 25 union-contracted vessels. “I have come to realize the world is a beautiful place,” he said. Reflecting on his recertification training, Dupraw said that during the prior few weeks, he was afforded the opportunity to meet and sit down with all of the faces behind the names of people who currently occupy key positions at union headquarters and at the PHC. “And the one thing that I’ve noticed is everyone’s strong passion for the SIU,” he said. “It’s their love for labor that convinces me that we as a membership are in good hands. And it all starts with leadership. With that being said, I thank our executive board for dedicating their lives to the SIU. They fight for us daily, not only in Washington D.C., but also worldwide. That is why SPAD is so important. SPAD gives us a voice; it gives us a seat at the table to help push our agenda, which is protecting our jobs. A wise man once told me: If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Dupraw said that in addition to supporting SPAD, it’s also important for union members to get involved in their hiring halls’ local activities. “I want you to remember that it’s not what your union can do for your but what you can do for your union,” he said. Dupraw offered heartfelt words for the school’s instructors and staff. “Thank you for treating me like family,” he said. “Special thanks to the culinary department. These men and women have provided me with the recipe to be successful. “To the trainees, when you get on the ship, pay attention to details and learn your trade,” Dupraw said. “If there’s a question, ask! We are here to help. Educate yourselves, take your sea project seriously and come back and upgrade as often as you can. Remember, stay safe out there and enjoy the ride!” He also encouraged the trainees to regularly read the union’s official newspaper (Seafarers LOG) and attend union meetings. “This is where you get your best information,” he said. In closing, Dupraw once again acknowledged the union for giving him the opportunity to provide a better quality of life for himself and his family. He also sent a special recognition to someone near and dear to his heart: his wife. “Thanks to my wife for supporting me in my career,” he said. “It’s not easy being a sailor’s spouse.” Fakhruddin Malahi Malahi is home-ported in Oakland and joined the SIU in 1996. “I came from a [long] line of family members who were in unions,” Malahi said as he addressed the audience. “My uncles were in the SIU during the 1960s, 70s and 80s; they got me in the union. My father was also a union member, too. “I enjoy sailing,” Malahi continued. “I have been on most of the Asian runs and also to all West Coast ports. But more importantly, I like our union and what it has accomplished for its members and the jobs it has provided. I want to thank President Mike Sacco and the executive board for giving me this opportunity and for building a strong union.” He described the recertification program as “an eye-opening experience. I learned more about contracts, pensions, and the day-to-day operations of the union. I send my thanks the PHC staff and the instructors for all that they did for me. “I also found out about the importance of SPAD donations,” he said. “In a way, it’s the backbone of the union because our leadership uses it to help keep jobs and secure our futures.” Malahi advised the upgraders and apprentices to unfailingly give their best while at sea. “Always give all you got and continue to make the SIU a strong force in the maritime industry,” he concluded. Angela Robertson Robertson hails from the port of Norfolk, Virginia, and was a member of PHC Class 490. She signed on with the union in 1991 and previously has upgraded her skills on five occasions at the PHC. “I feel privileged to be a part of such a strong union – a union that gives me stability, strength and hope for the future,” she said upon taking the podium. “The SIU enabled me to provide a good way of life for my daughter, who has graduated from Norfolk State University.” Robertson told the audience that during her career, she has encountered a myriad of challenges. “Some of them I wanted to face, others I did not. I often told myself, I can do it, I can do it … and I did. It’s been a long road but I persevered,” she said, “carrying with me these three words: believe, achieve and succeed.” Robertson then expressed her gratitude to the union leadership and the PHC personnel: “To the instructors and staff, all of you have gone above and beyond. President Sacco, executive board members and port agents, all of your hard work and dedication to the union have never gone unnoticed. Thank You!” Commenting on her training, she said, “In the past three weeks, I’ve consumed so much knowledge. I will leave here today with a better understanding of how the union works. I look forward to sharing this knowledge with my shipmates. “To my daughter, you have been there from day one,” she added. “We shared a lot of laughs, tears and goodbyes. Your understanding heart never ceases to amaze me. Thank you! To my husband, thank you for taking my hand, for understanding me and joining the ride.” Robertson told the trainees to always believe in themselves: “Set your goals high, higher than one would ever think imaginable. Further educate yourselves and volunteer some of your free time to a good cause and donate to SPAD. “You are the future,” she concluded. “Remember, we stand strong as one!” Ali Munsar Munsar became a Seafarer in 2001, signing on in San Francisco. He sails out of the port of Oakland. His father was a Seafarer, as were eight other members of his family. Prior to being a member of his recertification class, Munsar upgraded his skills at the PHC on six previous instances. “The union has been important in my life,” he told his brothers and sisters in the audience. “It supports my family by allowing me to make a good living. With the help of the SIU, I have sailed around the world, which helped me to learn many new things.” Munsar had words of praise for the PHC’s instructors and staff for being there during his training. “I really want to thank all the instructors and all the staff at the school, including the library staff, for all the hard work that they do,” he stated. “Piney Point is an awesome maritime school for Seafarers and trainees because it gives them the opportunity to improve their lives for themselves and their families. “I also want to thank the union leadership for all the hard work they do on behalf of the membership,” he continued. “They protect our jobs and our industry.” In closing, he encouraged everyone in the audience to do their part to preserve the union by donating to SPAD and voting in national elections. He urged the trainees present to study hard while in school and to learn all they could from their instructors. Robert Owens Owens was the final recertified steward to address the audience. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, he signed on with the SIU in 1994 in the port of Mobile after a 10-year stint in the U.S. Navy. Home-ported in Houston, Owens resides in Ft. Worth, Texas. “I have been part of the SIU for 25 years and sailed the world twice over,” he said. “The union has been important in my life and has allowed me and my family to live a most beautiful life.” Reflecting on his career as a mariner, Owens acknowledged a number of people who made lasting contributions to him along the way. “I thank all who have given me the opportunity to grow as a mariner,” he said. “This includes Bonnie Johnson from manpower who first shipped me, to all the great instructors and staff who had a hand in my training and development, my union hall which has supported me and fellow brothers and sisters who have guided me along the way. “I also extend a heartfelt thank you to President Sacco and the union leadership for their hard work and dedication in keeping our union strong, and securing and protecting our jobs,” Owens added. Turning to his upgrading experience, Owens offered: “My steward recertification training was truly an eye-opening experience. It provided me with an in-depth perspective on how the union as a whole operates and the dedicated people who keep this well-oiled machine running. The information I received on contracts, medical benefits, pensions and the money purchase plan will prove invaluable when I return to the ship and interact with my shipmates.” Owens told the audience that while the union’s officials do a great job in all respects, they still need assistance from the rank-andfile. “The leadership needs our help,” he said. “We need to donate to SPAD so our leadership can continue to work for us. I’ve seen firsthand how SPAD donations keep both our jobs secure and our industry safe. I ask you to continue your SPAD donations.” In closing, Owens addressed the trainees. “To the apprentices, I challenge each of you to be the very best mariner you can be. Learn your job, carry your load and make the union proud. “It’s up to you to take our union to higher heights,” he concluded. “You are our future; you are the SIU!” June 2019 �Pasha Hawaii Marks Construction Milestones For LNG-Fueled Ohana Class Containerships SIU-contracted Pasha Hawaii recently celebrated construction milestones on two new Jones Act vessels that signify new jobs for Seafarers. Company and shipyard executives along with dignitaries on April 30 attended the ceremonial keel laying of the M/V George III and the cutting of the first steel plates for the M/V Janet Marie. The event took place at Keppel AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. Each LNG-fueled containership is 774 feet long. Both are slated for delivery next year, and will sail between Hawaii and the mainland United States. The ships, part of the Ohana Class, are named in honor of the late parents of The Pasha Group President and CEO George Pasha IV. “Construction of the new vessels continues to progress on schedule,” said Pasha. “These LNG-powered container- ships were designed to support the needs of shippers in the Hawaii trade lane, while minimizing environmental impact in the communities we serve. Adding George III and Janet Marie to our existing fleet will greatly enhance our service capabilities and on-time delivery, marking three generations of service to Hawaii.” The new vessels will operate fully on LNG from day one in service, substantially improving their environmental footprints. Energy savings will also be achieved with a state-of-the-art engine, an optimized hull form, and an underwater propulsion system with a highefficiency rudder and propeller, the company noted. “We are pleased to be able to support the Pasha Hawaii fleet with the design, engineering, and construction of the two new dual-fuel LNG containerships,” said Simon Lee, president of Keppel AmFELS. “Texas currently ranks third in the nation for domestic maritime jobs, and we are proud to support a thriving skilled workforce in our local community as a leading shipyard in the region. Our team will continue to execute this project safely and efficiently.” “The Maritime Administration supports the U.S maritime industry’s investment in the future by building Jones Act-compliant ships that run on cleanerburning liquid natural gas,” said U.S. Deputy Maritime Administrator Richard Balzano. “In addition, U.S.-built, U.S.owned and U.S.-crewed ships support America’s national and economic security. With LNG, the industry is also leaping over future regulatory barriers, responding to environmental challenges, and looking toward a more affordable and plentiful fuel.” “Today’s construction milestones at Keppel AmFELS are real evidence of the capability we have at shipyards across the U.S. to build any kind of ship,” said Matt Woodruff, chairman of the American Maritime Partnership, to which the SIU is affiliated. “These Jones Act ships being built at Keppel will be amongst the most modern, fuel-efficient containerships in the world, and are living and breathing proof that we have the know-how and the can-do spirit to keep America a global leader in shipbuilding innovation.” Pasha Hawaii is a wholly owned subsidiary of the family-owned global logistics and transportation company, The Pasha Group, one of the nation’s leading Jones Act shipping and integrated logistics companies, “and is proud to support U.S. shipyards,” the company said in announcing the recent milestones. Military Sealift Command Christens USNS Guam in Japan New jobs are on the way for SIU CIVMARS following the recent christening of a high-speed transport vessel. The U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) on April 27 christened the USNS Guam during a ceremony at Naha Military Port in Naha, Japan. Speakers included U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry B. Harris Jr.; Guam Rep. Michael San Nicholas; Lt. Gen. Eric M. Smith, commanding general, III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF); Rear Adm. Robert T. Clark, deputy commander of MSC; and Mrs. Bruni Bradley, a 25-year Navy veteran, the ambassador’s wife and the vessel’s sponsor. The vessel will carry SIU Government Services Division mariners. “The Navy has a glorious history of naming ships after heroes, epic battles and key places in the U.S., and this ship is no exception,” said Harris, who is also a retired Navy admiral. “Guam is the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific campaign (of World War II). “Although most of the greatest generation are no longer with us, we can hear their stories of duty, honor and courage,” Harris continued. “Their spirits walk among us, and with us, and call out to us. Today, we’ve answered their call with an innova- tive ship, which serves as a reminder of their heroism and a tribute to a beautiful place called Guam, U.S.A.” The ceremony concluded with the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle against the ship’s hull. The aluminum-hull catamaran, 373 feet long, was built in 2008 as a civilian fast ferry boat for the Hawaii Superferry company, capable of carrying more than 800 passengers and nearly 300 cars. It was acquired by the Navy from the Department of Transportation in 2012 and underwent renovations before it became operational in late 2017. The USNS Guam’s design allows for the ship to be fast, maneuverable and reconfigurable to fit a variety of military operations. The true value of the vessel, according to Smith, is this flexibility, which he described as “from supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; to transporting Marines, Sailors and equipment throughout the Indo-Pacific theater. This ship is vital to us,” he said. “It carries the most precious cargo that there is: The Marines and Sailors of the III MEF.” Earlier plans to christen the ship in Guam were thwarted by unforeseen typhoons in the region, which necessitated the venue change to Japan. Bruni Bradley, sponsor of the USNS Guam, breaks a bottle of champagne during the christening ceremony. (Photo by Grady T. Fontana) June 2019 Marines walk past the high-speed transport USNS Guam after the christening on April 27. (Photo by Grady T. Fontana) Vessel Reflags Under Stars and Stripes The Safmarine Mafadi, replacement ship for the Maersk Kentucky, recently reflagged in the Bahamas. The first SIU crew (pictured with several officers) included Bosun Keller Gilyard, ABs Kevin Penrose, Hermen Crisanto, Devon Pullins, Eric Hurt and Robert Mack, QMEDs Christopher Eason and Domenick Longmire, GUDE Braulio Ente Jr., Steward/Baker Edward Porter, Chief Cook Juan Poblete-Inostroza and SA Dagoberto Guevara. Thanks to vessel master Capt. Chris Zimmerman for the photo. Seafarers LOG 7 �SHBP Offers COBRA Continuation Coverage to Union Members The Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) is notifying you of the right to elect to purchase continuation of health coverage if you lose coverage, or experience a reduction in coverage due to certain qualifying events. This continuation of coverage is known as COBRA. Generally, if you are the employee, you will be eligible to purchase COBRA coverage for a certain period of time if you lost coverage because you did not have enough days of covered employment (unless the job was lost due to gross misconduct). If you are the family member of a covered employee, you may also elect COBRA for a certain period of time when the employee loses coverage; or if you are going to lose coverage because of a divorce or the death of the employee; or in the case of a child of an employee, the child reaches an age at which the Plan no longer considers him or her to be a “dependent child.” In the case of a divorce or the death of an employee, you must notify the Plan within 60 days of the divorce or death in order to be eligible to purchase continuation coverage. If you do not notify the Plan in a timely manner, you may not be eligible to receive further coverage. If you are the spouse or dependent child of an employee, you may also elect COBRA if you experience a reduction in coverage when the employee retires. When you retire, if you were eligible for benefits from the SHBP at the time of your retirement, you will be eligible to purchase COBRA continuation coverage for yourself and/or your family members, even if you are eligible for retiree health benefits. This will enable you and/or your family to continue to receive the same level of benefits that you had prior to your retirement for a certain period of time. If you meet the eligibility requirements for retiree health benefits, you will begin to receive those benefits when the COBRA period ends. For more information about continuation coverage rights under COBRA, please refer to the Plan’s “Guide to Your Benefits.” The guide is also available in PDF format on the SIU website, www. seafarers.org, under “Member Benefits-Seafarers Benefit Plans-Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan.” If you have questions regarding this notice or COBRA, contact the Plan at (800) 252-4674. Annual Funding Notice Seafarers Pension Plan Introduction This notice includes important information about the funding status of your multiemployer pension plan (the “Plan”). It also includes general information about the benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”), a federal insurance agency. All traditional pension plans (called “defined benefit pension plans”) must provide this notice every year regardless of their funding status. This notice does not mean that the Plan is terminating. It is provided for informational purposes and you are not required to respond in any way. This notice is required by federal law. This notice is for the plan year beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2018 (“Plan Year”). How Well Funded Is Your Plan The law requires the administrator of the Plan to tell you how well the Plan is funded, using a measure called the “funded percentage.” The Plan divides its assets by its liabilities on the Valuation Date for the plan year to get this percentage. In general, the higher the percentage, the better funded the plan. The Plan’s funded percentage for the Plan Year and each of the two preceding plan years is shown in the chart below. The chart also states the value of the Plan’s assets and liabilities for the same period. Funded Percentage Valuation Date Funded Percentage Value of Assets Value of Liabilities 2018 January 1, 2018 142.9% $1,634,843,633 $1,143,708,805 2017 January 1, 2017 133.6% $1,467,872,431 $1,098,922,827 2016 January 1, 2016 136.9% $1,424,697,469 $1,041,022,333 Year-End Fair Market Value of Assets The asset values in the chart above are measured as of the Valuation Date. They also are “actuarial values.” Actuarial values differ from market values in that they do not fluctuate daily based on changes in the stock or other markets. Actuarial values smooth out those fluctuations and can allow for more predictable levels of future contributions. Despite the fluctuations, market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan’s funded status at a given point in time. The asset values in the chart below are market values and are measured on the last day of the Plan Year. The chart also includes the year-end market value of the Plan’s assets for each of the two preceding plan years. The December 31, 2018 fair value of assets disclosed below is reported on an unaudited basis since this notice is required to be distributed before the normal completion time of the audit which is currently in progress. Fair Market Value of Assets December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 $1,547,000,000 $1,634,843,633 $1,467,872,431 Endangered, Critical, or Critical and Declining Status Under federal pension law, a plan generally is in “endangered” status if its funded percentage is less than 80 percent. A plan is in “critical” status if the funded percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). A plan is in “critical and declining” status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent (run out of money to pay benefits) within 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status or critical and declining status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Funding improvement and rehabilitation plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The plan sponsor of a plan in critical and declining status may apply for approval to amend the plan to reduce current and future payment obligations to participants and beneficiaries. The Plan was not in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status in the Plan Year. If the plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status for the plan year ending December 31, 2019, separate notification of the status has or will be provided. Participant Information The total number of participants and beneficiaries covered by the plan on the valuation date was 19,754. Of this number, 7,310 were current employees, 7,200 were retired and receiving benefits, and 5,244 were retired or no longer working for the employer and have a right to future benefits. Funding & Investment Policies Every pension plan must have a procedure to establish a funding policy for plan objectives. A funding policy relates to how much money is needed to pay promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to provide benefits from contributions by signatory employers under the terms of collective bargaining agreements between the Seafarers International Union of North America, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters and the employers. The Plan may receive the portion of the employers’ contributions made to the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan which the Trustees determine is necessary to provide for pension benefits based on the recommendation of the Plan’s Actuary. Investment objectives: Assets of the Plan shall be invested with sufficient diversification so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless it is clearly prudent under the then current circumstances not to do so. Plan assets shall be invested in a manner consistent with the fiduciary standards of ERISA and supporting regulations, and all transactions will be undertaken on behalf of the Plan in the sole interest of Plan participants and beneficiaries. Assets of the Plan shall be invested to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet benefit payment obligations and other Plan expenses. Investment Guidelines: With respect to any Investment Manager who is appointed by the Trustees, the Investment Manager is a bank (trust company), insurance company, or registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Full discretion, within certain guidelines, is granted to each Investment Manager with regard to the sector and security selection and the timing of any transactions. Asset Allocation: The Fund’s assets are invested in the following asset classes and maintained within the corresponding ranges. The Trustees make appropriate adjustments if one or more of the limits are breeched. Asset Class Domestic Equities Fixed Income and Cash Equivalents Real Estate Target 50% 40% 10% Range 40% - 60% 30% - 50% 0% - 20% Standards of Investment Performance: Each Investment Manager is reviewed regularly regarding performance, personnel, strategy, research capabilities, organizational and business matters and other qualitative factors that may affect its ability to achieve the desired investment results. Consideration will be given to the extent to which performance results are consistent with the goals and objectives set forth in the Investment Policy and/or individual guidelines provided to an Investment Manager. The Plan’s investment policy outlines prohibited investments as well as limits regarding the percentage of the fund that may be invested in any one company and industry. Minimum credit quality guidelines are established and provided to investment managers. No investment may be made which violates the provisions of ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code. 8 Seafarers LOG The Trustees review the Plan’s investment policy on a regular basis and make periodic changes when, based on all available information, it is prudent to do so. Under the Plan’s investment policy, the Plan’s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets: Asset Allocations 1. Cash (Interest-bearing and non-interest bearing) 2. U.S. Government securities 3. Corporate debt instruments (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. All other 4. Corporate stocks (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. Common 5. Partnership/joint venture interests 6. Real estate (other than employer real property) 7. Loans (other than to participants) 8. Participant loans 9. Value of interest in common/collective trusts 10.Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 11. Value of interest in master trust investment accounts 12. Value of interest in 103-12 investment entities 13. Value of interest in registered investment companies (e.g., mutual funds) 14. Value of funds held in insurance co. general account (unallocated contracts) 15. Employer-related investments: a. Employer Securities b. Employer real property 16. Buildings and other property used in plan operation 17. Other Percentage 0 16 6 0 0 24 0 1 0 0 37 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 For information about the plan’s investment in any of the following type of investments as described in the chart above – common/collective trusts, pooled separate accounts, master trust investment accounts, or 103-12 investment entities, contact: Margaret Bowen, Plan Administrator, at (301) 899-0675, or by writing to: Plan Administrator, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746 Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report Pension plans must file annual reports with the US Department of Labor. The report is called the “Form 5500.” These reports contain financial and other information. You may obtain an electronic copy of your Plan’s annual report by going to www.efast.dol.gov and using the search tool. Annual reports also are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling (202) 693-8673. Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan’s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. Annual reports do not contain personal information, such as the amount of your accrued benefit. You may contact your plan administrator if you want information about your accrued benefits. Your plan administrator is identified below under “Where To Get More Information.” Summary of Rules Governing Insolvent Plans Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans that become insolvent, either as ongoing plans or plans terminated by mass withdrawal. The plan administrator is required by law to include a summary of these rules in the annual funding notice. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for that plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan’s available resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at the level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan’s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notice of its status to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected, including loss of a lump sum option. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only benefits that you have earned a right to receive and that cannot be forfeited (called vested benefits) are guaranteed. There are separate insurance programs with different benefit guarantees and other provisions for single-employer plans and multiemployer plans. Your Plan is covered by PBGC’s multiemployer program. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan’s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC’s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant’s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $600, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant’s years of service ($600/10), which equals $60. The guaranteed amount for a $60 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $35.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit is $357.50 ($35.75 x 10). Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $17.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $177.50 ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In addition, the PBGC guarantees qualified preretirement survivor benefits (which are preretirement death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies before starting to receive benefit payments). In calculating a person’s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under a plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan’s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. For additional information about the PBGC and the pension insurance program guarantees, go to the Multiemployer Page on PBGC’s website at www.pbgc.gov/multiemployer. Please contact your employer or plan administrator for specific information about your pension plan or pension benefit. PBGC does not have that information. See “Where to Get More Information,” below. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact the Plan Administrator at: Seafarers Pension Plan, Attn: Margaret Bowen, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746; (301) 899-0675 For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor’s employer identification number or “EIN” is 13-6100329. June 2019 �Summary Annual Report for SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc. This is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., EIN 94-1431246, for the year ended July 31, 2018. The annual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Supplemental vacation pay benefits under the plan are provided by the SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., a Trust Fund. Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $1,198,443 as of July 31, 2018, compared to $839,931 as of August 1, 2017. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $358,512. This increase includes unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $14,185,579, including employer contributions of $14,153,683, realized losses of $938 from the sale of assets, earnings from investments of $31,146 and other income of $1,688. Plan expenses were $13,827,067. These expenses included $348,196 in administrative expenses and $13,478,871 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. Your Rights to Additional Information You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report: 1. An accountant’s report; 2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers; 3. Assets held for investment; and 4. Transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of SIU Pacific District Supplemental Benefits Fund, Inc., the plan’s administrator at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94107, telephone number (415) 7644990. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5.50 for the full annual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof. You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge. You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107 and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210. Summary Annual Report for SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund This is a summary of the annual report of the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, EIN 94-2430964, for the year ended June 30, 2018. The annual report has been filed with the Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Medical exam benefits paid under the plan are provided by the SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, a trust fund. Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $(108,229) as of June 30, 2018, compared to $(80,274) as of July 1, 2017. During the plan year the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $27,955. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $704,068, including employer contributions of $702,442, earnings from investments of $89, and other income of $1,537. Plan expenses were $732,023. These expenses included $218,366 in administrative expenses, and $513,657 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. Your Rights to Additional Information You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report: 1. An accountant’s report; 2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers; and 3. Assets held for investment. To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of SIU Pacific District Seafarers’ Medical Center Fund, the plan’s administrator, at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, telephone (415) 392-3611. The charge to cover copying costs will be $2.75 for the full annual report, or $.25 per page for any part thereof. You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administra- tor, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge. You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 730 Harrison Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, California 94107, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210. Annual Funding Notice - MCS Supplementary Pension Plan Introduction This notice includes important information about the funding status of your multiemployer pension plan (the “Plan”). It also includes general information about the benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”), a federal insurance agency. All traditional pension plans (called “defined benefit pension plans”) must provide this notice every year regardless of their funding status. This notice does not mean that the Plan is terminating. It is provided for informational purposes and you are not required to respond in any way. This notice is required by federal law. This notice is for the plan year beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2018 (“Plan Year”). Funded Percentage The law requires the administrator of the Plan to tell you how well the Plan is funded, using a measure called the “funded percentage.” The Plan divides its assets by its liabilities on the Valuation Date for the plan year to get this percentage. In general, the higher the percentage, the better funded the plan. The Plan’s funded percentage for the Plan Year and each of the two preceding plan years is shown in the chart below. The chart also states the value of the Plan’s assets and liabilities for the same period. Valuation Date Funded Percentage Value of Assets Value of Liabilities 2018 January 1, 2018 275.26% $6,668,926 $2,422,758 2017 January 1, 2017 164.79% $6,678,855 $4,053,069 2016 January 1, 2016 164.72% $6,692,948 $4,063,143 Fair Market Value of Assets The asset values in the chart above are measured as of the Valuation Date. They also are “actuarial values.” Actuarial values differ from market values in that they do not fluctuate daily based on changes in the stock or other markets. Actuarial values smooth out those fluctuations and can allow for more predictable levels of future contributions. Despite the fluctuations, market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan’s funded status at a given point in time. The asset values in the chart below are market values and are measured on the last day of the Plan Year. The chart also includes the year-end market value of the Plan’s assets for each of the two preceding plan years. The December 31, 2018 fair value of assets disclosed below is reported on an unaudited basis since this notice is required to be distributed before the normal completion time of the audit which is currently in progress. December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Fair Market Value of Assets $6,465,879 $6,843,579 $6,685,248 Participant Information The total number of participants and beneficiaries covered by the plan on the valuation date was 750. Of this number, 306 were current employees, 312 were retired and receiving benefits, and 132 were retired or no longer working for the employer and have a right to future benefits. Funding & Investment Policies Every pension plan must have a procedure to establish a funding policy for plan objectives. A funding policy relates to how much money is needed to pay promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to make contributions in accordance with the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement, but in no event less than the minimum amount annually as required by law. Pension plans also have investment policies. These generally are written guidelines or general instructions for making investment management decisions. The investment policy of the Plan is to provide a source of retirement income for its participants and beneficiaries while attaining an annual investment return of 6%. To preserve capital, some of the assets are invested in a general account with Prudential Life Insurance Company that pays a guaranteed rate of interest each year. Approximately 30% of the remainder of the Plan’s assets is invested in equity securities with the balance invested in fixed income securities. Under the Plan’s investment policy, the Plan’s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets: Asset Allocations 1. Cash (Interest bearing and non-interest bearing) 2. U.S. Government securities 3. Corporate debt instruments (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. All other 4. Corporate stocks (other than employer securities): a. Preferred b. Common 5. Partnership/joint venture interests 6. Real estate (other than employer real property) 7. Loans (other than to participants) 8. Participant loans 9. Value of interest in common/collective trusts 10. Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 11. Value of interest in master trust investment accounts 12. Value of interest in 103-12 investment entities 13. Value of interest in registered investment companies (e.g., mutual funds) 14. Value of funds held in insurance co. general account (unallocated contracts) 15. Employer-related investments: a. Employer Securities b. Employer real property 16. Buildings and other property used in plan operation 17. Other June 2019 Percentage 0 9 11 0 0 21 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 51 0 0 0 0 For information about the plan’s investment in any of the following types of investments common/collective trusts, pooled separate accounts, or 103-12 investment entities – contact Margaret Bowen, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746-4275, (301) 899-0675. Endangered, Critical, or Critical and Declining Status Under federal pension law, a plan generally is in “endangered” status if its funded percentage is less than 80 percent. A plan is in “critical” status if the funded percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). A plan is in “critical and declining” status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent (run out of money to pay benefits) within 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status or critical and declining status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Funding improvement and rehabilitation plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The plan sponsor of a plan in critical and declining status may apply for approval to amend the plan to reduce current and future payment obligations to participants and beneficiaries.The Plan was not in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status in the Plan Year. If the plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status for the plan year ending December 31, 2019, separate notification of the status has or will be provided. Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report Pension plans must file annual reports with the US Department of Labor. The report is called the “Form 5500.” These reports contain financial and other information. You may obtain an electronic copy of your Plan’s annual report by going to www.efast.dol.gov and using the search tool. Annual reports also are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling (202) 693-8673. Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan’s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. Annual reports do not contain personal information, such as the amount of your accrued benefit. You may contact your plan administrator if you want information about your accrued benefits. Your plan administrator is identified below under “Where To Get More Information.” Summary of Rules Governing Insolvent Plans Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans that become insolvent, either as ongoing plans or plans terminated by mass withdrawal. The plan administrator is required by law to include a summary of these rules in the annual funding notice. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for that plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan’s available resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at the level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan’s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notice of its status to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected, including loss of a lump sum option. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only benefits that you have earned a right to receive and that cannot be forfeited (called vested benefits) are guaranteed. There are separate insurance programs with different benefit guarantees and other provisions for single-employer plans and multiemployer plans. Your Plan is covered by PBGC’s multiemployer program. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan’s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC’s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant’s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $600, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant’s years of service ($600/10), which equals $60. The guaranteed amount for a $60 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $35.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit is $357.50 ($35.75 x 10). Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $17.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $177.50 ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In addition, the PBGC guarantees qualified preretirement survivor benefits (which are preretirement death benefits payable to the surviving spouse of a participant who dies before starting to receive benefit payments). In calculating a person’s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under a plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan’s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. For additional information about the PBGC and the pension insurance program guarantees, go to the Multiemployer Page on PBGC’s website at www.pbgc.gov/prac/multiemployer. Please contact your employer or plan administrator for specific information about your pension plan or pension benefit. PBGC does not have that information. See “Where to Get More Information,” below. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact the office of the Plan Administrator at:Margaret Bowen, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746; (301) 899-0675. For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor’s employer identification number or “EIN” is 51-6097856. Seafarers LOG 9 �The Oldest Tugboat Man in Baltimore Editor’s note: This article was written by Rafael Alvarez, who spent 20 years as a city desk reporter for the Baltimore Sun. The son of a longtime member of the SIU’s inland division (pensioner Manuel Alvarez, 85), he has published numerous books in addition to briefly sailing with the union. This piece first appeared in Chesapeake Bay Magazine; it is reprinted with the author’s permission, under its original headline. The subject, Bill Bobac, is an SIU pensioner. Back in ’56, when the Port of Baltimore was booming and jobs were plentiful, Bill Bobac worked his family’s waterfront gin mill at Pratt and Light, a place called Vann’s catercorner from the infamous Elmer’s Musical Bar. One day, a tugboat man walked in and asked if he could cash a check. Bobac agreed. The next week, the same guy – an engineer on boats owned by the Arundel Corporation –returned with his paycheck and had a few. “Those guys could get pretty lit up, and that’s putting it mildly,” said Bobac, a used-to-be tough guy from Steubenville, Ohio, who aged into an affable, quick-to-laugh cream-puff after years of running with men who had names ripped from pot-boilers: “Skinny” Keller, Marion “Mugsy” Mugavero, a Polish guy named “Dutchie,” and Georgie “Bullets.” Bobac gave the man his wages (taking a small cut for the courtesy) and it occurred to him that the boatman was making more docking ships and pulling barges than he did serving ’em up from dawn to dusk. “I asked if they were hiring and he said to go down to the pier on such-and-such a day and speak to so-and-so,” recalled Bobac, sharp of memory at 97. “They needed an oiler on the [tug] Choptank.” Over in Fairfield, where the Arundel tugs tied up near Maryland Drydock, Bobac dropped the name of the guy who’d given him the hot tip and was hired on the spot. “My first day in the engine room, the chief told me to oil a piece of equipment,” said Bobac, who’d never been aboard a tug before. “I told him I didn’t know what to do. He said, ‘I thought you worked down below before.’” To which Bobac replied, “No sir, I’m a bartender.” The engineer threw up his hands, muttered a few choice words and kept Bobac on with strong encouragement to join the deck department. Thus were seafaring careers launched in the days before the most casual scrutiny. Bobac picked up the fundamentals of the engine room – some of the technology hearkened to the First World War – and moved to the deck department. Over the next 30 years, he handled lines on the Patapsco River, the Chesapeake Bay and Retired SIU member Bill Bobac is pictured at home in Essex, Maryland. (Photo by Jim Burger) at sea with long runs to India, the Far East, and South Africa. Bobac’s time with Arundel, during which he saw a deckhand put ashore during an electrical storm near Matapeake for daring Christ to strike him dead by lightning, lasted until 1962, when he shipped out deep sea as a galley messman in the days when both officers and crew on U.S.-flagged ships were served their meals. Like many local tugboat men who came of age during World War II (Bobac served with the Army in the Pacific), he retired from the Baker-Whiteley towing company in 1984 when management busted union contracts that had governed tug labor in Baltimore since the mid-1950s. “My first boat with Baker-Whiteley was working as a fireman and water tender on a steam tug called the Britannia,” said Bobac, who has an oil painting of the coal-fired vessel (built at Sparrows Point in 1899) in his Essex apartment, a small museum of all things baseball, Roman Catholic, and seafaring. Along with a liquor decanter in the shape of Brooksie (“the human vacuum cleaner” at third on 33rd) and framed photos of the old B-W fleet tied up at the City Recreation Pier – the Holland, the Scandinavia, and the America among them – all with white dots on dark red stacks, he displays what was once ubiquitous in Crabtown, especially along the heavily Catholic waterfront, and now seldom seen. “When St. Patrick’s school closed down on Broadway [at Regester Street], I bought some of those big rosaries the nuns used to wrap around themselves,” he said, a flea market maven who still gets around pretty well with a walker, his daughter Betty Jo Shifflett, and the help of friends with automobiles. A favorite outing is just around the corner from his home at Schultz’s Crab House on Old Eastern Avenue for a nice, hot, roast beef with mashed potatoes. “Make sure it’s hot,” he tells the waitress every time. Baker-Whiteley was established on South Clinton Street in industrial Canton in 1876 as a coal company with mines in Pennsylvania. It is long gone, like the Britannia and the firm’s last moorings at the Recreation Pier, a dormant municipal property which in 2017 opened as a luxury hotel, the rooms costing more per night than a vintage tugboat man made in a month. Coming aboard the Baker-Whiteley tugs in 1964, Bobac befriended a crew of unforgettable characters that included my father. Among them was Simone Garayoa, a veteran of the Spanish Civil War (loyal to the Republic) who owned a bar next to Jimmy’s Diner on South Broadway with his wife, Agnes Karcz. If Simone didn’t know you, he wouldn’t unlock the door. Also, Jerome “Romey” Lukowski, a first mate born and raised at 1718 Thames Street in the “Seaman’s Cafe,” his mother’s boarding house. Romey was known to drink his fill at the Cat’s Eye late Saturday night and make it to Mass around the corner at St. Stanislaus the next morning. And Bobac’s best buddy, William H. Miller (the H stood for “Hollingsworth” but we called him “Mister Bill”), who hosted decades of summer cookouts and card parties at his shore home near Sparrows Point High School and, between work shifts, could be seen leaning on the mailbox at Thames and Ann Streets with other men who quenched mighty thirsts at a fabled tavern called Zeppie’s. “That mailbox,” said Bobac, “had everybody’s elbows on it at one time or another.” Today, no seafarers hang on that mailbox; still there in front of the Penny Black, which had been the John Stevens, which had been Zeppie’s, which had been the Five Point Tavern, which had been … who knows just what in an age when St. Stanislaus is a yoga studio. All but Bobac and my father – Manuel, a retired chief engineer, now 85 – have made their final departures. According to Seafarers International Union officials, Bobac is at or near the top of their most senior pensioners and easily the oldest tugboat man in Baltimore. Born near the end of the Harding Administration, he gives a rueful chuckle and says, “I’m just about the only one left….” Spotlight on Mariner Health Melanoma Kills Thousands Annually in United States Editor’s note: The following article was provided by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan Medical Department. There are several types of skin cancer, but melanoma is the most dangerous. In 2018 alone, 178,000 cases of the condition were diagnosed in the United States. These cancerous growths kill an estimated 9,320 people annually. Melanoma affects people of all colors and races, although those with light skin who sunburn easily have a higher risk. These cancerous growths develop when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells triggers mutations that cause the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. Melanoma normally occurs in the skin, but can also manifest itself in the mouth, intestines, or eyes. These cancers originate in the pigment-producing melanocytes in the innermost layer of the skin’s epidermis and often resemble moles; some in fact can develop from moles. The majority of melanomas are black or brown in color; however, they can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white. Melanoma is usually caused by intense, occasional by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or from tanning beds. The good news is that if recognized and treated early, melanoma is almost always curable. If it is not, the cancer then will advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes much harder to treat. If a mole is suspected of being mela- 10 Seafarers LOG noma, surgery to remove the affected tumor is normally the course of action that doctors will pursue. When a mole is removed, it will be sent to pathology where a diagnosis will be made. If the mole is determined to be melanoma, the doctor will assign a stage to it. This tells clinicians how quickly the cancer is progressing and spreading. The higher the stage the more serious the melanoma. The doctor will also examine the thickness and appearance of the tumor and assign a Tstage. Lymph nodes are the first thing to be affected whenever cancer spreads. These nodes are located all over the body and are part of the immune system. The doctor will also give these nodes an N-stage as to where the cancer is located and how many nodes are affected. If the cancer has spread, then immunotherapy, biologic therapy, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy may be used improve survival rates. The best way to guard against melanoma is to become a “skin detective.” Get to know your body and check it monthly to become aware if something is changing. Be on the alert when a mole that has looked the same for years starts to change. This can be in color, size, shape, symmetry, and the border around the area. Get checked by a doctor if you have concerns. Also, remember to use a good sunscreen when going outside and reapply often. It’s also a good practice to wear sunglasses that protect from UV light. Healthful Recipe Broiled Salmon w/ Roasted Grape & Tomato Relish Servings: 20 Ingredients 5 pounds salmon filet, whole side, skin on 1 2/3 cups red grapes 1 2/3 cups green grapes 1 cup onion, chopped small 1 2/3 cups grape tomatoes, cut in quarters 1 2/3 tablespoons kosher salt 1 cup olive oil, separated in halves ¼ cup Mrs. Dash seasoning Green onion, chopped for garnish Preparation Cut the salmon in 4 oz filets. Place the fish in 2” hotel pans evenly. Season the fish with the Mrs. Dash seasoning. Talk half of the olive oil and drizzle it over the fish evenly. Mix together the grapes, tomatoes, garlic, salt, onion, and the other half of the olive oil in a large bowl. Place the mixture onto a sheet pan. Roast the mixture in a 325-degree F oven for 20-35 minutes. Take out of the oven and place in a container and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside. Bake the salmon in 375-degree F oven for 15-20 minutes until flesh is flaky and internal temperature is 145 degrees F. Top the fish in the pans with the grape relish. Garnish the pans with fresh chopped green onions. Nutrition Information Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 248 calories; 15g fat (54.1% calories from fat); 23g protein; 5g carbohydrate; 1g dietary fiber; 59mg cholesterol; 548mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 lean meat; ½ vegetable; 0 fruit; 2 fat. Provided by Chef Robert “RJ” Johnson of the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education’s Lundeberg School of Seamanship. June 2019 �TALKING MARITIME WITH CONGRESSWOMAN – SIU Port Agent Todd Brdak (right) recently met with U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Michigan) (second from right) and others at the IBEW Local 58 training center in Warren, Michigan. Topics included the Jones Act, the Maritime Security Program, cargo preference and the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Maryland. Also pictured are Jason Dahl (left), director of the IBEW center, and Jeannette Bradshaw (second from left), IBEW Local 58 recording secretary/registrar. At Sea and Ashore with the SIU WELCOME ASHORE IN TACOMA – Bosun John McMurtray (left), pictured with Port Agent Warren Asp, picks up his first pension check at the hiring hall. ABOARD ALASKAN EXPLORER – SIU VP West Coast Nick Marrone (left in both photos) recently met with Seafarers aboard the Alaska Tanker Co. vessel in Richmond, California. In the photo at left above, he’s with SIU hawsepiper Detricke Kelly (center), currently sailing as first assistant engineer, and QE4 Kevin Kelly (Detricke’s brother, who recently earned his third assistant engineer license). ABOARD LIBERTY PASSION – Gathering for a snapshot in Freeport, Texas, just before a union meeting on the Liberty Maritime vessel are (from left) GUDE Brandon Reed, Recertified Bosun David Campbell and GUDE Eshrak Dewan. ABOARD LIBERTY PROMISE – Chief Cook James Cherico (right in photo at immediate right) serves up Japanese fried chicken (pictured in photo immediately above) to a fellow Seafarer aboard the Liberty Maritime vessel. June 2019 AT THE HALL IN PUERTO RICO – SA William Otero stopped by to register and brought his family. That’s his wife, Eunice Feliciano, at left, and welcome new addition Emma Otero Feliciano being held by dad. ABOARD MAGNOLIA STATE – Pictured from left aboard the Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning ship in Beaumont, Texas, are Recertified Bosun William Yurick, Paul Hall Center Apprentice Tyler Thompson and SIU Patrolman J.B. Niday. ABOARD NANCY FOSTER – SIU NOAA crew members are pictured on the research ship in North Charleston, South Carolina. From left are GVA Cody Higgins, AB Denek Salich, GVA Blair Cahoon, Junior Engineer Joseph Clark, Bosun Greg Walker and Second Cook Brent Townsend. According to the agency, the ship “supports fish habitat and population studies, seafloor mapping surveys, oceanographic studies, and maritime heritage surveys.” Seafarers LOG 11 �Seafarers Waterfront Classic: A Southern Maryland Tradition W hile the camaraderie and spirit of the Seafarers Waterfront Classic only grows larger each year, the actual fishing tournament is historically “feast or famine.” Thankfully, the seventh annual event - which took place on May 16 at the Seafarers-affiliated Paul Hall Center (PHC) in Piney Point, Maryland - was very much a bountiful day on the water, with 134 fish kept by the 125 participants. (Hundreds more fish were caught.) The outing, as in previous years, brought together event sponsors, maritime industry partners, SIU officials and members, PHC personnel and members of the American Military Veterans Foundation (AMMILVETS). Just after sunrise, 18 vessels left the docks, each fisherman hoping to land the biggest rockfish of the tournament. In the end, Nicholas Forsey (from Comprehensive Health Services) was named the winner of this year’s competition, landing a rockfish which weighed in at 11.7 pounds. Continued on next page AMA President Captain Bob Johnston and SIU President Michael Sacco Seafarers Plans Administrator Margaret Bowen manning the weigh-in station. She is also the event’s dock master. Tournament winner Nicholas Forsey from Comprehensive Health Services Pictured alongside the crew of the Shea-D-Lady: Wounded Warrior Joseph Kosty, Alan Sofge, Michael Cox, Jake Peters, Joe Bowen, Michael Glaser and Hank Toutain. 12 Seafarers LOG Tournament fishers aboard the Fin Finder II: SIU Assistant Vice President Pat Vandegrift, Wounded Warrior Joseph Steele, James Snyder, Tracy Singleton, Kristina Powell, Shawna Cutler and Nicholas Forsey. June 2019 June 2019 For more photos, see next page Seafarers LOG 13 �Crowley’s Lee Egland displays his catch. AMMILVETS President David Souder (left) receives an award from SIU Assistant Vice President Kris Hopkins. GCR’s Dean Charbonnet holds up his biggest catch of the day. Anglers Land 134 Keepers During Annual Classic Continued from Page 13 “This year’s event checked all the boxes: great weather, awesome catch, and the privilege of spending the day with 12 of our heroes,” said SIU Vice President Contracts George Tricker, founder and chairman of the Seafarers Waterfront Classic. “Special thanks to our steward department, who blew people away from the moment they showed up until the day they left.” The day’s catch did include 14 catfish, which were larger but ultimately disqualified from bringing home the top prize. The award ceremony and dinner featured an art auction, with paintings from Nick Grassia that were graciously Ed Washburn holds up a massive (but disqualified) catfish. AB Joe Bowen displays his catch. 14 Seafarers LOG gifted to the PHC. AMMILVETS President David Souders, who won a few awards himself this year, expressed his gratitude to the event organizers, and explained how valuable support programs like the fishing tournament are to the veterans: “Since our founding, we’ve seen how important these programs and events are to our members. These programs are really needed. We’ve watched some of these [individuals] change their lives, back from a place where they were kind of closed off and not really wanting to do anything. Some had kind of given up on themselves, and were at that stage in life, and they are here today; they’ve come back around thanks to programs Crowley’s Kristy Benard shows off her catch. like this. And I really want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart. We all do.” After the awards ceremony, guests were treated to a delicious seafood feast prepared by SIU steward department members and staff at the PHC, showcasing their talents and the freshness of the day’s catch (along with tasty side dishes). Diners described it as an extravaganza, and noted the many different, scrumptious ways the fish were prepared. “This was a great year for the Seafarers Waterfront Classic,” said SIU Assistant Vice President Kris Hopkins, who helps to plan and orchestrate the annual event every year. “We have Recertified Bosun Ken Steiner holds up a rockfish. to thank the SIU leadership and all of the organizers that help make this very important event become a reality. Not enough can be said in relation to headquarters, the Paul Hall Center leadership and crew, and the many participants that get involved to help support the American Military Veterans and their members. It’s an honor for me to be involved in this extremely worthy cause and perform a small part in supporting our veterans.” “The weather was fantastic, and the fish were bountiful,” said Acting PHC Vice President Tom Orzechowski. “but the camaraderie was the best of all. It’s all for a great cause, and we were happy to host the event for its seventh year.” Maersk’s Marcus Logan poses next to his largest catch of the day. PHC employees David Hammett (right) and David Aud work diligently to prepare the fish for cooking. Joseph Soresi SIU VP Atlantic Coast Wounded Warrior Joseph Steele June 2019 �Notice/Reminder Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea Culinary 2.0 Training Still Available at Paul Hall Center As previously reported, the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education continues to offer Culinary 2.0 classes designed to help students boost their skills while complying with a new rule that takes effect next year. Completing the coursework also is intended to aid individual shipping opportunities. Shipping Rule 5.A.(6), which will go into effect January 1, 2020, states, “Within each class of seniority in the Steward Department, priority shall be given to those seamen who possess an advanced Culinary 2.0 certificate from the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, in the event such program is being offered and that the seaman is registered in Group I, Steward Department.” While every new member of the steward department who completes their apprenticeship at the Paul Hall Center’s Lundeberg School of Seamanship will have successfully passed Culinary 2.0, it’s important to remember that those already sail- ing as chief cooks and chief stewards must also take the coursework in order to exercise preference and priority beginning next year (unless they have received training after January 1, 2017 at the Piney Point, Maryland-based campus). For those seamen currently employed as permanent stewards aboard commercial vessels, they must attend Culinary 2.0 in order to maintain their current employment status. For those already sailing as chief cooks and chief stewards, there are two new revalidation courses that have been designed to ensure a consistent level of culinary training and efficiency: Orientation/Assessment Chief Steward 2.0 and Orientation/ Assessment Chief Cook 2.0. The courses are being offered regularly, but spaces are limited, so members are encouraged to plan ahead and enroll as soon as possible. For more information, contact your port agent and/ or the school’s admissions office. June & July Membership Meetings Piney Point.............................................Monday: June 3, July 8 Algonac....................................................Friday: June 7, July 12 April 16, 2019 - May 15, 2019 Total Registered All Groups B Total Shipped All Groups B C Trip Reliefs 1 1 3 1 0 2 0 12 6 4 0 1 11 3 1 0 0 3 0 4 53 Deck Department 6 3 1 2 0 1 13 9 1 2 9 4 6 3 41 15 25 17 26 5 1 0 8 2 9 13 9 3 3 4 2 0 4 7 23 11 1 0 27 14 215 115 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 9 4 1 1 2 4 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 31 0 0 7 10 2 2 3 12 14 8 1 5 12 2 1 0 3 3 2 12 99 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 5 17 Engine Department 0 0 1 0 2 4 11 7 0 1 1 3 4 1 10 7 19 15 5 7 2 0 2 0 5 9 5 1 2 2 5 0 2 1 11 4 1 1 11 7 99 70 4 0 2 12 1 4 9 24 19 12 0 6 20 15 2 5 2 9 2 18 166 1 0 0 4 2 1 0 3 9 2 1 4 13 3 0 3 3 2 0 7 58 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 1 2 25 8 3 1 3 2 4 3 16 19 11 1 0 12 15 2 1 1 9 1 14 126 3 1 3 3 1 4 3 3 17 2 1 0 25 5 0 1 0 2 1 10 85 GRAND TOTAL: 633 423 163 Port A Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 20 1 4 13 2 10 7 51 33 29 2 12 27 11 7 4 9 34 1 26 303 9 3 3 10 1 5 2 17 22 9 1 4 12 3 0 5 7 13 0 14 140 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS 1 0 6 11 1 2 5 17 18 12 2 3 15 6 1 2 8 15 1 13 139 Algonac Anchorage Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Guam Harvey Honolulu Houston Jacksonville Jersey City Joliet Mobile Norfolk Oakland Philadelphia Piney Point Puerto Rico Tacoma St. Louis Wilmington TOTALS C Baltimore............................................Thursday: June 6, July 11 Guam.................................................Thursday: June 20, July 25 Honolulu................................................Friday: June 14, July 19 Houston.................................................Monday: June 10, July 15 Jacksonville.........................................Thursday: June 6, July 11 Joliet..................................................Thursday: June 13, July 18 Mobile...........................................Wednesday: June 12, July 17 New Orleans.........................................Tuesday: June 11, July 16 Jersey City..............................................Tuesday: June 4, July 9 Norfolk................................................Thursday: June 6, July 11 Oakland.............................................Thursday: June 13, July18 Philadelphia....................................Wednesday: June 5, July 10 Port Everglades.................................Thursday: June 13, July 18 San Juan..............................................Thursday: June 6, July 11 St. Louis.................................................Friday: June 14, July 19 Tacoma..................................................Friday: June 21, July 26 Wilmington...............................................Monday: June 17, July 22 Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m ATTENTION SEAFARERS Contribute To The Seafarers Political Activities Donation SPAD SPAD Works For You. June 2019 Registered on Beach A All Groups B C 1 2 1 11 0 2 0 23 19 12 0 6 9 8 1 2 5 19 0 16 137 27 4 4 27 4 14 21 106 54 60 4 14 35 17 4 5 13 62 4 42 521 12 1 3 19 0 7 4 35 35 19 4 6 21 7 2 7 6 20 3 17 228 3 3 2 5 0 4 1 18 7 8 3 3 23 4 1 0 2 5 2 13 107 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 11 0 0 2 6 0 2 1 7 11 3 0 2 6 1 2 2 3 6 0 6 60 2 0 10 13 1 5 17 26 23 18 1 4 21 14 5 0 14 25 1 21 221 0 0 4 13 2 3 4 17 29 9 2 9 21 4 3 1 5 6 5 15 152 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 1 1 1 2 4 2 0 0 0 3 1 11 32 Steward Department 3 0 0 0 1 1 15 7 1 2 4 2 6 2 11 5 9 3 10 3 1 2 0 1 14 9 5 4 1 0 4 2 1 3 9 1 2 0 15 5 112 52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 8 0 2 3 6 7 5 0 0 9 3 1 0 2 8 0 6 60 5 1 3 14 2 9 16 34 32 19 0 9 23 31 4 2 5 20 4 29 262 1 0 1 6 1 0 4 9 17 2 0 3 15 4 0 2 9 6 1 22 103 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 2 1 1 0 0 4 0 2 21 Entry Department 2 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 6 12 2 14 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 12 2 7 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 8 0 1 0 9 18 85 3 0 3 2 2 0 3 3 12 5 0 0 11 3 0 2 1 10 0 4 64 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 5 4 0 0 5 3 1 4 1 4 0 0 36 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 5 2 0 1 0 5 1 0 1 11 1 12 50 9 5 1 8 1 3 8 21 46 26 1 1 23 17 2 1 0 15 0 38 226 13 3 3 3 0 5 4 18 59 15 1 2 46 11 0 3 1 18 2 22 229 111 293 1,054 709 389 A 444 322 Seafarers LOG 15 �Seafarers International Union Directory Michael Sacco, President Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer George Tricker, Vice President Contracts Tom Orzechowski, Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast Kate Hunt, Vice President Government Services HEADQUARTERS 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746 (301) 899-0675 ALGONAC 520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4988 ANCHORAGE 721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 561-4988 BALTIMORE 2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224 (410) 327-4900 GUAM P.O. Box 3328, Hagatna, Guam 96932 Cliffline Office Ctr. Bldg., Suite 103B 422 West O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam 96910 (671) 477-1350 HONOLULU 606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 (808) 845-5222 HOUSTON 625 N. York St., Houston, TX 77003 (713) 659-5152 JACKSONVILLE 5100 Belfort Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 281-2622 JERSEY CITY 104 Broadway, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 434-6000 JOLIET 10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432 (815) 723-8002 MOBILE 1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 (251) 478-0916 NEW ORLEANS 3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058 (504) 328-7545 Inquiring Seafarer This month’s question was answered by students who’d just completed either the Orientation/Assessment Chief Cook 2.0 class or the Orientation/Assessment Chief Steward 2.0 class (both part of the Culinary 2.0 curriculum) at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. Question: What did you think of the class? Carlos Diaz Chief Cook It was very, very good. It’s basically retraining us and refreshing our skills. I especially liked the time-management lessons, which are part of the curriculum. On a scale of one to 10, it’s a 10. I liked it. Thalis Ealy Recertified Steward It was wonderful. The leadership aspect of it was what I liked. It measured up to my expectations fairly well. I would recommend it – learning is essential to job productivity. Ryan Gallano Chief Cook I think it’s very helpful and necessary. Especially in the steward department, we have to be on the computer, and sometimes older stewards and cooks don’t know how to use them, so this training is good. The leadership component is also very helpful for us – managing the department. Gerald Kirtsey Recertified Steward I thought I came up here and already knew it all, and I found out I didn’t. It boosted me and gave me motivation. This helped me take a step back, learn, and now I’m refreshed and ready to go again. It’s a wonderful class. Darryl McCoy Chief Cook I really liked it. In fact, I loved every minute of it. I learned how to use the computer – I wasn’t very computer-savvy. I also learned some things in the kitchen. I especially liked the leadership class. Overall, it was good and I needed it. Just Self Recertified Steward It was awesome. It was informative, and I’m definitely going to benefit from it. I especially liked the Word, Excel and managerial skills parts. The class met my expectations if not went beyond. It was challenging but good. Karen Smith Chief Cook It was very well put together. I enjoyed it. It helps all the cooks when they want to upgrade to steward – gives you a lot of insight into what’s next. Learning computers was a highlight. Overall, if you had a problem or needed more information, the instructors would go into great detail. Samuel Sinclair Chief Steward I thought it was outstanding, and I’m not trying to sugarcoat it for anybody or anything. It reinvigorated my passion for the job. The class reintroduced me to the fact that I’m a leader, and my position is important to the company and the union. Pic From The Past NORFOLK 115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 622-1892 OAKLAND 1121 7th St., Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-2360 PHILADELPHIA 2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 336-3818 PINEY POINT P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674 (301) 994-0010 PORT EVERGLADES 1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 522-7984 SAN JUAN 659 Hill Side St., Summit Hills San Juan, PR 00920 (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 This 1979 photo was taken aboard the self-propelled hopper dredge Manhattan Island, not far from the stretch of land it was named after. Pictured from left are ABs Jack Wolos, Mark Jahn, Harry Daniels, Frank Rediker and Tan Ahjoon. If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he or she would like to share with other Seafarers LOG readers, please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be returned, if so requested. High-resolution digital images may be sent to webmaster@seafarers.org 16 Seafarers LOG June 2019 �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 Goose Creek, South Carolina. LUIS ALVAREZ DONALD DEFLORIO Brother Luis Alvarez, 72, became a member of the union in 1994. He initially shipped aboard the Independence and sailed in both the deck and engine departments. Brother Alvarez upgraded on several occasions at the unionaffiliated Paul Hall Center. He last sailed on the Alliance Norfolk, and settled in Jacksonville, Florida. Brother Donald Deflorio, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1992, initially sailing on the Jack Lummus. He was a deck department member and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center on multiple occasions. Brother Deflorio last sailed aboard the El Faro, in 2002. He resides in Randolph, Vermont. ILARIA AMAYA Sister Ilaria Amaya, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1998 when she sailed aboard the Gem State. She upgraded on multiple occasions at the maritime training center located in Piney Point, Maryland. A steward department member, Sister Amaya last sailed on the Maersk Virginia. She makes her home in Bronx, New York. JARED BLAVAT Brother Jared Blavat, 65, started his SIU career in 1990 when he shipped on the USNS Altair. He was a deck department member and upgraded often at the Piney Point school. Brother Blavat most recently sailed aboard the Alliance Fairfax. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida. DAN BUCKLEY Brother Dan Buckley, 66, embarked on his SIU career in 1971, first sailing aboard the Western Hunter. He primarily sailed in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school within his first year. Brother Buckley last sailed on the Liberty Wave. He calls Metairie, Louisiana, home. RICHARD BUTCH Brother Richard Butch, 65, became an SIU member in 1972 when he shipped on the Detroit. An engine department member, he upgraded his skills on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Butch concluded his career aboard the USNS Chesapeake. He is a San Francisco resident. RODRIGO CASTILLO Brother Rodrigo Castillo, 66, donned the SIU colors in 2005. He was a member of the engine department and first sailed on the Pride of Aloha. Brother Castillo most recently shipped aboard the Pacific Collector. He lives in June 2019 KASHMIR DHILLON Brother Kashmir Dhillon, 64, joined the Seafarers in 1989, first shipping aboard the Independence. An engine department member, he upgraded his skills on multiple occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Dhillon last sailed on the Cape Mohican. He makes his home in Fairfield, California. JAMES EMIDY Brother James Emidy, 65, started sailing with the union in 1974 when he worked on the Eagle Traveler. He primarily sailed in the engine department and upgraded on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Emidy concluded his career on the Maersk Iowa and lives in South Kingston, Rhode Island. EUFEMIANO GOMES Brother Eufemiano Gomes, 66, joined the SIU in 2001 during the NMU/SIU merger. His first SIU vessel was the Maersk Maine and he sailed in the engine department. Brother Gomes upgraded often at the unionaffiliated Piney Point school. He last sailed on the Maersk Iowa before settling in North Bergen, New Jersey. JULIO GUITY Brother Julio Guity, 65, began his career with the Seafarers in 1990, first sailing on the USNS Bellatrix. The steward department member upgraded on multiple occasions at the maritime training facility located in Piney Point, Maryland. Brother Guity’s last vessel was the Horizon Navigator. He calls Bronx, New York, home. WALTER HOLTON Brother Walter Holton, 62, joined the SIU in 2001, initially sailing with Crowley Towing and Transportation. He was a member of the deck department and concluded his career on the Maersk Memphis. Brother Holton resides in Jacksonville, Florida. WALTER LAUX Brother Walter Laux, 71, became an SIU member in 1991 when he shipped on a Pacific Gulf Marine vessel. He sailed in both the engine and deck departments and in 2001 upgraded at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Laux most recently shipped aboard the Cape Kennedy. He is a resident of Kenner, Louisiana. JOSE LIWAG Brother Jose Liwag, 65, signed on with the SIU in 1994, first sailing aboard the Global Sentinel. An engine department member, he upgraded on numerous occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Liwag’s final ship was the USNS Charlton. He calls Riverview, Florida, home. MELITON OROSCO Brother Meliton Orosco, 65, joined the SIU in 2007. He first shipped on the Pride of America, and upgraded at the Paul Hall Center in 2009. Brother Orosco was an engine department member and sailed on the same vessel for the majority of his career. He resides in Honolulu. RODOLFO VECINO Brother Rodolfo Vecino, 68, joined the union in 1996, first sailing aboard the USNS Algol. He primarily worked in the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school on multiple occasions. Brother Vecino last sailed on the Honor and lives in Bridge City, Louisiana. GARY RHYNE Brother Gary Rhyne, 65, became a member of the union in 1978 when he sailed on the McKee Sons. A member of the deck department, he upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Rhyne last shipped aboard the Long Lines. He resides in Arbutus, Maryland. GREAT LAKES RANDY FRANK Brother Randy Frank, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1989, initially sailing on the Sam Laud. An engine department member, he concluded his career on the American Mariner. Brother Frank makes his home in Alpena, Michigan. JAMES HABERMEHL Brother James Habermehl, 64, joined the SIU in 1973 and first sailed aboard the J.B. Ford. He sailed in the engine department and most recently shipped on the Alpena. Brother Habermehl resides in Lachine, Michigan. INLAND LEROY ADAWAY Brother Leroy Adaway, 62, joined the SIU in 1998 when he worked with Penn Maritime. He was a member of the deck department and upgraded at the Piney Point school in 2006. Brother Adaway remained with the same company for the duration of his career. He lives in Zavalla, Texas. NICHOLAS CANETTI Brother Nicholas Canetti, 62, embarked on his career with the SIU in 1978, initially sailing on an Amherst Shipping vessel. He upgraded on multiple occasions at the Paul Hall Center and sailed in the deck department. Brother Canetti concluded his career with Crowley Towing. He resides in San Pedro, California. JAMES JONES Brother James Jones, 71, started his SIU career in 2008, first working for Seabulk Tankers. He sailed in the engine department, most recently aboard Seabulk Towing’s Energy Hercules. Brother Jones makes his home in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. DONALD MCQUAID Brother Donald McQuaid, 62, signed on with the Seafarers in 1979, initially sailing with Dixie Carriers. He shipped in the engine department and last sailed with Moran Towing of Texas. Brother McQuaid settled in Land O’ Lakes, Florida. BRUCE MESGER Brother Bruce Mesger, 63, became an SIU member in 1978 when he worked for American Barge Lines. A steward department member, he upgraded on several occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Mesger most recently sailed on the Innovation. He lives in Bradenton, Florida. JACQUES MOUTTET Brother Jacques Mouttet, 61, joined the SIU in 1988, sailing first with G&H Towing. A deck department member, he upgraded on multiple occasions at the union-affiliated Paul Hall Center. Brother Mouttet was employed with the same company for the duration of his career. He resides in Corpus Christi, Texas. SANTOS REYES Brother Santos Reyes, 67, joined the union in 1980 when he worked for G&H Towing. He sailed in both the deck and engine departments and upgraded on multiple occasions at the Piney Point school. Brother Reyes was employed by the same company for his entire career. He makes his home in Houston. RICHARD WEAVER Brother Richard Weaver, 69, began sailing with the SIU in 2000, initially working for Riverboat Services. A deck department member, he upgraded often at the Paul Hall Center. Brother Weaver most recently sailed on the Legacy. He calls Marathon, Florida, home. ERNEST ZEPEDA Brother Ernest Zepeda, 65, joined the Seafarers in 1970, first shipping on the Houston. He was a deck department member and upgraded on multiple occasions at the Piney Point school. He most recently sailed aboard a G&H Towing vessel before settling in La Marque, Texas. Seafarers LOG 17 �Final Departures DEEP SEA FLOYD BISHOP Pensioner Floyd Bishop, 66, passed away April 3. He began his career with the SIU in 1971, initially sailing aboard the Trans Hawaii. Brother Bishop shipped in the steward department and last sailed on the Sulphur Enterprise. He became a pensioner in 2017 and resided in Wilmer, Alabama. THOMAS BROOKS Brother Thomas Brooks, 68, died March 8. He joined the union in 1999 when he sailed with Moran Towing of Texas. Brother Brooks was a deck department member and most recently sailed on the Texas. He was a Miami resident. JON DILLON Pensioner Jon Dillon, 58, passed away April 28. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1985, when he shipped with Orgulf Transportation. Brother Dillon was a deck department member and last sailed aboard the Isla Bella. He became a pensioner in 2018 and resided in Brooksville, Florida. MICHAEL EARHART Pensioner Michael Earhart, 65, died March 25. He signed on with the SIU in 1990, initially sailing on the Independence. Brother Earhart was a deck department member and concluded his career on the Pacific Collector. He retired in 2018 and settled in Yacolt, Washington. JOHN EMRICH Pensioner John Emrich, 74, passed away April 18. Initially sailing with Buckeye Steamship, Brother Emrich joined the SIU in 1968. He sailed in the deck department, most recently aboard the Horizon Consumer. Brother Emrich went on pension in 2007 and made his home in Whittier, California. EDWARD KING Pensioner Edward King, 81, died April 9. Born in Maryland, he became an SIU member in 1972. Brother King was a deck department member and first shipped on the Van Horizon. He last sailed aboard the Atlantic Guardian before retiring in 2003. Brother King lived in Pikesville, Maryland. 18 Seafarers LOG NORBERTO PRATS Pensioner Norberto Prats, 84, passed away December 21. He signed on with the SIU in 1968 when he shipped on the Merrimac. A deck department member, Brother Prats concluded his career on the Expedition. He became a pensioner in 2004 and was a resident of Ponce, Puerto Rico. RAYMONDE REGNIER Pensioner Raymonde Regnier, 94, passed away April 30. She embarked on her career with the SIU in 1978 when she worked for States Steamship. Sister Regnier was a steward department member. She last sailed on the President Madison before retiring in 1992. Sister Regnier made her home in Tempe, Arizona. JULIO ROMAN Pensioner Julio Roman, 77, died April 20. Brother Roman began shipping with the Seafarers in 1979, initially sailing on the President Pierce. He was a steward department member and most recently sailed aboard the Cape Jacob. Brother Roman retired in 2013 and lived in Federal Way, Washington. KENNETH STERNER Pensioner Kenneth Sterner, 91, passed away April 10. He joined the union in 1980 when he sailed on the Consumer. Brother Sterner was a deck department member and last sailed on the Senator. He began collecting his pension in 1993 and settled in Pompano Beach, Florida. passed away April 19. He became an SIU member in 1953, first sailing on the Ames Victory. Brother Todora was a member of the deck department. His last vessel was the OMI Leader. He became a pensioner in 1993 and settled in Garland, Texas. STEPHEN TREECE Pensioner Stephen Treece, 67, died April 30. Brother Treece joined the SIU in 1971 when he shipped on the Paul H. Townsend. He primarily sailed in the engine department and concluded his career on the Charleston Express. Brother Treece went on pension in 2014 and resided in Houston. GREAT LAKES FRANCIS BELLANT Pensioner Francis Bellant, 81, passed away April 22. Brother Bellant signed on with the union in 1961. He was a member of the deck department and last sailed with Luedtke Engineering. Brother Bellant retired in 1999 and lived in St. Paul, Minnesota. INLAND JIMMY BANNISTER Pensioner Jimmy Bannister, 62, died April 21. He embarked on his career with the SIU in 1977, working for Dravo Basic Materials. A member of the deck department, Brother Bannister remained with the same company until his retirement in 1990. He called Uriah, Alabama, home. CLORA DOOM Pensioner Clora Doom, 87, passed away March 27. She started her career with the Sea- farers in 1987. Sister Doom primarily sailed in the steward department, and worked for Orgulf Transportation for the duration of her career. She became a pensioner in 1998 and resided in Paducah, Kentucky. TIMOTHY PICKERING Brother Timothy Pickering, 42, died April 13. He began sailing with the SIU in 2017 when he worked for Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning. Brother Pickering shipped in the deck department and continued to sail with the same company for his entire SIU career. He was a resident of Salem, Massachusetts. MAURICE BOWIE Pensioner Maurice Bowie, 66, passed away April 25. He joined the SIU in 2001 during the SIU/NMU merger. A steward department member, Brother Bowie’s first vessel was the Chesapeake Bay. He last shipped on the Maersk Nebraska before retiring in 2009. Brother Bowie was a resident of New Orleans. JOHN HARDEE Pensioner John Hardee, 92, died March 11. Brother Hardee was born in North Carolina and became a pensioner in 1990. He lived in Norfolk, Virginia. PAUL PONT Pensioner Paul Pont, 71, passed away May 8. He joined the union in 1970, first working for Interstate Oil. Brother Pont worked in the deck department and sailed with the same company for the majority of his career. He went on pension in 2013 and made his home in Williston, Florida. MOISES JOHNSON Pensioner Moises Johnson, 87, passed away April 5. He was an NMU member before the 2001 SIU/NMU merger. Brother Johnson was a deck department member and last sailed aboard the Maersk Maine. He went on pension in 2003 and settled in New York. WENCESLAO VAZQUEZ Pensioner Wenceslao Vazquez, 77, died May 1. He signed on with the SIU in 1976 and primarily sailed in the deck department. Brother Vazquez worked for Crowley Puerto Rico Services for the duration of his career before retiring in 1998. He called Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, home. In addition to the foregoing individuals, the following union members have also passed away. Insufficient information was available to develop summaries of their respective careers. NMU GEORGE BERGER Pensioner George Berger, 89, died February 19. Brother Berger was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. He became a pensioner in 1995 and lived in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Name Age Antalan, Raymond 74 Arce, Dagoberto 82 Arroyo, Roosevelt 82 Flynn, Willie 93 Huertas, Felipe 80 Hughes, Wade 80 Lopez, Justo 88 Melendez, Francisco 85 Merren, Richard 95 Mitchell, Willie 78 Moody, Arthur 93 Perez, Ricardo 84 Powery, William 83 Royere, Thomas 92 Santos, Marshall 97 Stephens, Paul 88 Torres, David 92 Young, Lee 103 Yung, Vee 96 DOD 04/29/2019 04/19/2019 03/24/2019 05/10/2019 05/11/2019 04/29/2019 04/13/2019 03/30/2019 05/05/2019 04/15/2019 04/01/2019 04/12/2019 04/28/2019 04/26/2019 11/15/2018 04/22/2019 05/11/2019 04/22/2019 04/03/2019 Aboard Kaimana Hila WALTER STEVENS Pensioner Walter Stevens, 92, died May 10. Brother Stevens began his career with the SIU in 1956, first working with Ore Navigation. He sailed in the engine department and concluded his career aboard the Navigator. Brother Stevens went on pension in 1994 and was a resident of Arnold, Maryland. CHARLES TODORA Pensioner Charles Todora, 91, Matson’s union-built containership Kaimana Hila is one of the newest vessels in the SIU-crewed fleet. Pictured from left to right aboard the vessel on the West Coast are ACU Saleh Sewileh, Recertified Steward Stephen Valencia and Chief Cook Alberto Insong. June 2019 �Digest of Shipboard Union Meetings HOUSTON (USS Transport), January 1 – Chairman Carlos Arauz, Secretary Fausto Aranda, Educational Director William Mercer, Deck Delegate Terrance Jones, Engine Delegate Noel Magbitang. Chairman thanked steward department for good food and variety of menu options. Secretary praised crew for a job well done. Educational director reminded members to check documents and upgrade at the Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New TVs for all rooms and Wi-Fi now available. HOUSTON (USS Transport), February 1 – Chairman Carlos Arauz, Secretary Bruce Johnson, Educational Director Jorge Lawrence, Deck Delegate Terrance Jones, Engine Delegate Noel Magbitang. Chairman reminded crew to keep ship clean and advised members to check credentials for expiration. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Steward department was thanked for a job well done. HOUSTON (USS Transport), March 1 – Chairman Carlos Arauz, Secretary Fausto Aranda, Educational Director Jorge Lawrence, Deck Delegate Terrance Jones. Crew requested to remove the required Anderson Kelly physical. Chairman encouraged members to attend upgrading courses at the Piney Point school. He reminded everyone to keep documents up to date. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New refrigerator and new furniture aboard ship. Bosun thanked crew for keeping ship clean. 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. CAPE WRATH (Crowley), March 10 – Chairman William Dowzicky, Secretary Robert Brown, Educational Director Timothy Chestnut, Deck Delegate William Howell, Engine Delegate James Corprew. Chairman discussed schedule and upcoming payoff. He reminded C-card members that they are only guaranteed 60 days or one foreign voyage. Crew discussed changes to 2019 medical benefit. Members are keeping up with common areas. Educational director urged crew to upgrade as often as possible at the Paul Hall Center. He provided contact information to members needing assistance with course registration. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew went over details for GUDE position and GVA. GUDE has work availability in deck or engine department. GVA has work availability in any of three departments. Members were directed to fill out stateroom forms when broken items are in need of repair. Vote of thanks given to steward department for providing good meals. Next Port: Kuwait. GOLDEN STATE (Crowley), March 17 – Chairman Philip McGeoghegan, Secretary Michael Carello, Steward Delegate Terry Fowler. Ship vent systems need to be cleaned and house floor in need of repair. No Wi-Fi available for stateside crew. Great food on board. Secretary discussed tax forms. Educational director recommended members upgrade at Piney Point and keep documents in order. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Chairman went over importance of Jones Act. Crew requested increase in both vacation and pension benefits. Members asked for TVs and refrigerators in staterooms. Crew discussed policy regarding “in lieu of day off” pay. EL COQUI (Crowley), March 31 – Chairman Abel Vazquez Torres, Secretary Juan Vallejo Hernandez, Educational Director Rodney Passapera-Barbosa, Deck Delegate Kemer Rojas, Engine Delegate Christian Rosado, Steward Delegate Bryan Alvarez. Crew discussed old business including vacation extension and Wi-Fi access. Chairman reiterated importance of safety and keeping documents up to date. He thanked steward department for great food. Members gave thanks to Executive Vice President Augustin Tellez and Port Agent Amancio Crespo for their work on Capitol Hill. Educational director encouraged crew to enhance their careers by upgrading at Paul Hall Center. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Members proposed changes for future negotiations, to include additional compensation for shared bathrooms and rooms. OVERSEAS MARTINEZ (OSG), April 19 – Chairman Billy Hill Jr., Secretary Carlos Sanchez, Educational Director John Groom. Chairman reminded members to leave clean rooms for oncoming crew and advised everyone to donate to SPAD. He emphasized importance of taking breaks and staying hydrated as warm weather approaches. A job well done by steward department with getting Welcome Ashore In Mobile Seafarer Steve Woods (left) picks up his first pension check at the hall in Mobile, Alabama (he’s pictured with Port Agent Jimmy White). Woods, an engineer, sailed with Crescent Towing from 1996 through March of this year. ship in order. Secretary reminded crew to bring all dishes back to galley. Educational director urged members to upgrade. No beefs or disputed OT reported. New pillows and DirecTV boxes received. Crew waiting for delivery of correct fans. Members request an increase in dental and vision benefits. Next Port: Tampa, Florida. INDEPENDENCE II (TOTE), April 21 – Secretary Christopher Amigable, Educational Director Ricardo Fuentes, Steward Delegate Thomas Cyrus. Payoff scheduled at sea. Secretary thanked crew for helping keep mess hall and lounge clean. He reminded members to put away any used items. Educational director urged members to upgrade at Piney Point and to contribute to SPAD. Members requested Wi-Fi and pay raise. Vote of thanks to steward department for a job well done. Next Port: Baltimore. LIBERTY PRIDE (Liberty Maritime), April 23 – Chairman David Martinez, Deck Delegate Wilfredo Guerrero, Engine Delegate Marcus Lopez, Steward delegate Gladiz David. Chairman reminded crew to work safely. He noted the union’s effort securing and maintaining jobs for members and encouraged crew to contribute to SPAD. Chairman discussed difficulties securing LNG-related certifications from Coast Guard. No beefs or disputed OT reported. Crew requested new mattresses. AB reported fume from A/C vent in his room. Know Your Rights FINANCIAL REPORTS. The Constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership’s money and union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by certified public accountants every year, which is to be submitted to the membership by the secretary-treasurer. A yearly finance committee of rank-and-file members, elected by the membership, each year examines the finances of the union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by contracts between the union and the employers. Members should get to know their shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all union halls. If members believe there have been violations of their shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the union and the employers, they should notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt June 2019 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. Seafarers LOG 19 �Paul Hall Center Upgrading Course Information The following is a schedule of courses at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland, for the next several months. All programs are geared toward improving the job skills of Seafarers and promoting the American maritime industry. Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010. Title of Course Start Date Date of Completion Gap Closing Courses Leadership & Managerial Skills June 29 June 22 August 17 October 12 AB to Mate Modules July 19 September 13 November 8 Modules must be taken in order. Those who are not in the mates program cannot apply for these courses. Contact the Admissions Office for further details. ARPA September 28 October 4 Bosun Recertification July 20 August 5 Crane Familiarization October 5 October 11 ECDIS September 21 November 16 September 27 November 22 Fast Rescue Boat July 20 August 17 July 26 August 23 GMDSS July 20 August 31 August 2 September13 Lifeboat June 29 July 27 August 24 September 21 October 19 November 16 July 12 August 9 September 6 October 4 November 1 November 29 Radar Observer September 14 September 27 Radar Renewal (one day) Contact the PHC Admissions Office RFPNW July 20 September 14 November 9 August 16 October 11 December 6 September 7 September 27 100 Ton Master Engine Department Upgrading Courses Advanced Refer Containers July 13 July 26 UPGRADING APPLICATION Name ________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Telephone (Home)_________________________ (Cell)_________________________ Date of Birth __________________________________________________________________ Deep Sea Member o Lakes Member o Inland Waters Member o If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be processed. Social Security #_______________________ Book #_________________________________ Seniority_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Home Port____________________________________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? o Yes o No If yes, class # and dates attended __________________________________________________ Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? oYes o No _____________________________________________________________________________ With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty-five (125) days seatime for the previous year, MMC, TWIC, front page of your book including your department and seniority and qualifying sea time for the course if it is Coast Guard tested. Must have a valid SHBP clinic through course date. I authorize the Paul Hall Center to release any of the information contained in this application, or any of the supporting documentation that I have or will submit with this application to related organizations, for the purpose of better servicing my needs and helping me to apply for any benefits which might become due to me. 20 Seafarers LOG Start Date Date of Completion Engine Department Upgrading Courses BAPO July 20 September 14 November 9 August 16 October 11 December 6 Engineroom Resource Management June 22 June 28 FOWT June 22 August 17 July 19 September 13 Junior Engineer June 22 September 28 August 16 November 22 Machinist June 29 July 19 Marine Electrician August 10 October 4 Marine Refer Tech July 13 August 23 Pumpman July 20 July 26 Welding July 20 August 17 August 9 September 6 July 5 Deck Department Upgrading Courses Able Seafarer Deck Title of Course Steward Department Courses Advanced Galley Operations June 22 July 19 Certified Chief Cook Modules run every other week. The next class will start June 10. Chief Steward July 27 September 13 Galley Operations July 20 August 16 Orientation/Assessment Chief Cook 2.0 June 22 July 20 June 28 July 26 Orientation/Assessment Chief Steward 2.0 June 15 July 6 June 21 July 12 Safety Upgrading Courses Basic Training/Basic FF July 6 July 20 Basic Training Revalidation July 26 July 26 Basic Training/Adv. FF Revalidation June 22 June 28 Combined Basic/Advanced Firefighting August 17 August 23 Government Vessels June 22 June 28 Medical Care Provider August 24 August 30 Tank Ship Familiarization - DL July 27 August 2 Tank Ship Familiarization - LG July 20 July 26 COURSE ____________________________ ____________________________ START DATE _______________ _______________ DATE OF COMPLETION ________________________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ ____________________________ _______________ ________________________ LAST VESSEL: ___________________________________ Rating: ____________________ Date On: _______________________________ Date Off:____________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE______________________ NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point. Not all classes are reimbursable. Return completed application to: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education Admissions Office, 45353 St. George Ave., Piney Point, MD 20674; 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, or 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. 6/19 June 2019 �Paul Hall Center Classes Apprentice Water Survival Class 847 – Graduated February 22 (photo at left, in alphabetical order): Leonard DeLeon, Jessina Fernandez, Christopher Fisher, Austan Fryar, Dakota Guthrie, Michael Howard Hutton, Frankinns Joseph, Timothy McDonald, Noah McHenry, Sheldon Mitchell, Joshua Rivers, Charles Sassone, William Storey II, Rhendall Thatcher, Daniel Ursitti, Montrell Wiggins and Arkala Williams. Important Notice To All Students Students who have registered for classes at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, but later discover for whatever reason - that they can’t attend, should inform the admissions department immediately so arrangements can be made to have other students take their places. Water Survival – Graduated January 25: Jerome Aninion (above, left) and Nahun Moises Bernardez Bernard. Water Survival – Graduated February 22: Jamila King (above, left) and Ana Marie Chona Razon Calma. Crane Familiarization – Graduated February 15 (above, in alphabetical order): Marcos Humberto Arriola, Paul D’ugo, Emmanuel Kwesi Atta Essien, Rolando Guity, Reynaldo Bermudez Lacayo and Trevor Patterson. Class instructor Stan Beck is at the far left. (Note: Not all are pictured.) Machinist – Graduated January 25: Dean Parks (above, left) and Eddie Solichin (center). Instructor Keith Adamson is at the right. UA to AS-Deck – Graduated February 1 (above, in alphabetical order): Jamil Andre Centeno-Rosario, Julien Kei Charlet, Jeffery Gullett Jr., Daniel Afran Mensah, Samuel Moore, Devon Pullins, Alton Robinson, Dzmitry Sasnouski, Chauncey Wilkerson and Javaris Wright. Government Vessels – Graduated January 11 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Paul Adams, Ali Nagi Alhadad, Jerome Verdon Aninion, Arles Ballestero, Christopher Bean, William Cassell III, Roni Anival Castillo, Rubenia Marina Flores, Carlos Enrique Gibbons, Arvin Tarroza Heras, Nathaniel Hunter, Adam Middaugh, Tracy Mitchell Jr., Primus Nkemnyi, Luisa Oben, Erwin Renon, Lamont Robinson, Denyse Sineath, Lucica Ulianov and Richard Wright. Class instructor Tom Truitt is at the far left. (Note: Not all are pictured.) June 2019 Seafarers LOG 21 �Paul Hall Center Classes UA to FOWT – Graduated February 1 (above, in alphabetical order): Nicolas Brailsford, Caleb Donovan, Tianna Evans, Christian Fredrick, Raphael Henson, Daryl Hicks, Michael Lane, Eli Lopez, Montel Chevez MacKey, William Means, Eddie O’Bannon III, Shawn Smith, Thomas Tooke, Kevin Willis and Shawn Yancey Jr. Pumpman – Graduated February 1 (above, in alphabetical order): Michael Durango, Dean Parks and Eddie Solichin. Keith Adamson, their instructor, is at the far right. Medical Care Provider – Graduated March 1: Carlton Banks (above, left) and James Ross. Instructor John Thomas is at the right. Basic Training (Advanced Firefighting Revalidation) – Graduated January 18 (above, in alphabetical order): Keithley Andrew, Ryan Armstrong, Frederick Cleare, Douglas Crockett Jr., Oleg Derun, Robert Gratzer, Ronel Guerzon, Basil Messer Jr., Earnest Paulk III, Tyler Purdy, James Robinson, Igor Vasilevich Yakunkov and William Ziadeh. Instructor Joseph Zienda is at the far left. Basic Training (Basic Firefighting) – Graduated February 8 (above, in alphabetical order): Jarrett Andrews Jr., Rex Bolin, Thomas Andres Caballero, Samuel Calder Jr., Farook Mohamed Essa, Denando Ewings, Ruthellen McDonough, Foaad Mousa Saleh, Kassem Mohamed Saleh, Jose Benjie Santos and Elston Sintok Yu-Mateo. Basic Training (Basic Firefighting) – Graduated March 1 (above, in alphabetical order): Thommie Hampton, Andrea Hargrove, Bernadette Hill, Carlicia Jones, Vrysalyn Semetara Joy, Raymond Lackland, Miriam Merluzzo and Tyler Unkle. Class instructor Mike Roberts is at the far right. Government Vessels – Graduated February 22 (photo at right, in alphabetical order): Abdulaziz Mohamed Nagi Alsinai, Kofi Asamani, Fontaine Barber, Deirick Coltrane II, Reginald Dillard, Harold Gerber II, Abdulla Ginah, Andrea Hargrove, James Hill, Leportre Jasper, Alexander Karre, Stephen Martin, Waleed Yahya Mohsin, Waverly Moore, Mark Pearson, Randy Pearson, Joey Roberts, German Teodosio, Robert Wagner Jr., William White III and Michele Woodley. 22 Seafarers LOG June 2019 �Paul Hall Center Classes Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated January 18 (above, in alphabetical order): Kirk Fisher, Sharon Hoffman, Mark Keller, Adele Messina and Nathaniel Simmons Jr. Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated February 1: John Val Raz Teodosio. Chief Steward 2.0 – Graduated January 11 (above, from left to right): Jeffrey Beasley, Charles Brooks and Christopher Bacalso Amigable. Chief Cook 2.0 – Graduated February 15: Michele Woodley and Danilo Malcaba Florendo. Advanced Galley Operations – Graduated February 1 (above, from left to right) Jack Boscia, Bryan Onill Alvarez and Casey Pearson. Galley Operations – Graduated March 1 (above, from left to right) Diosdado Variacion Abugotal Jr., Gervacio Francisco Antonio Simon and Marcelino Pabito. June 2019 Certified Chief Cook (Module 6) – Graduated January 11 (above, from left to right) Walter Lent and Michael Poblete Certified Chief Cook (Module 1) – Graduated January 25 (above, in alphabetical order): Erwin Raphael Saludares Asinas, Zoe Felton, Dustin Haney, Aaron HeltonCox, Arturo Montoya and Dominique Villanueva-Kaaiahua. Certified Chief Cook (Module 2) – Graduated February 8 (above, from left to right): Andres Brown, Dijon Cuffee and James Fisher. Seafarers LOG 23 �JUNE 2019 VOLUME 81, NO. 6 Paul Hall Center Class Photos Pages 21-23 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S E A F A R E R S I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I O N AT L A N T I C , G U L F, L A K E S A N D I N L A N D W AT E R S , A F L- C I O Father-Son Teams Learn Aboard Freedom Star Apprentices Randy Slue and Christian Kalinowski recently experienced a unique period of training at the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, when their fathers arrived at the school to work alongside them. QMED Randy Slue and SIU hawsepiper Third Mate Christopher Kalinowski (currently a member of the Seafarers-affiliated American Maritime Officers union) joined their sons aboard the Freedom Star - the school’s dedicated training ship - for a fast cruise, which is defined by the U.S. Navy as “a simulated underway period that prepares the crew for life at sea.” The four mariners used the time aboard the ship well, as both an opportunity to learn and a chance to visit with family. “Because we weren’t able to go out on the [planned voyage], we did a lot more instruction, line handling and such,” said Christopher. “At night, [my son] was on watch, so I spent that with him. And then we bunked together, so we caught up during those times as well. I was very fortunate for this time with him.” Randy was also thankful for the experience, saying, “I tried to give him (his son) a little advice on things to look out for on the job, stuff like that. We caught up as we worked on the ship, made sure he was getting along at the school and all that. It was nice to spend some time with him.” The sons also praised the experience of working aboard the training vessel, remarking on the value of learning on a real ship as opposed to exclusively in classrooms and on simulators. Christian said, “Being able to feel fresh air was a bonus. Feeling how hot an engine actually is was cool, it’s not really reflected in the simulators. It was much more realistic working aboard the Freedom Star.” Both second-generation mariners spoke of their fathers as inspirations for their career decisions. The younger Randy explained his reasons for following in his father’s footsteps, saying, “The stories From left: Apprentice Randy Slue, QMED Randy Slue, Third Mate Christopher Kalinowski and Apprentice Christian Kalinowski. he used to tell me when he got home really got me excited. He would tell me about his trips to Japan, and throughout Europe and all kinds of other countries. He showed me pictures and stuff from his travels, and told me what a great career it would be.” His father, who joined the SIU in 2003, remarked on his son’s path to becoming a mariner: “I’m pretty excited that he decided to do this. He made the decision all on his own, and I’m proud of him. The only thing I pushed him towards was getting a career instead of a job, something long-term. He came up with the plan, and he’s followed through. I was supportive of him no matter what, obviously, but he came to the decision on his own.” Christian was similarly inspired by his father’s career, and also hadn’t been pushed towards a life on the water by his father. Christopher praised his son’s decision, saying, “I’m extremely proud of him. He has become a man of great work ethic, and it’s almost comical how identical his footsteps are to mine. I was in lifeboat class number 500 as a trainee, and he’s following right behind me.” The older mariners also observed the many improvements to the school since they first trained at the facility in Piney Point, Maryland. “I was impressed with the Freedom Star,” said Christopher. “It’s a functional, sea-based platform, and when they do go out on a cruise, the things the trainees can do out there, they really won’t be able to do until much later in their career. It’s a great platform for teaching…. Not only did I get a look at the curriculum on the Freedom Star, I got to peek in at the simulators, and they are really something. It’s world’s different from when I trained here.” Randy was also impressed by the training vessel: “I think it’s awesome,” he said. “I think that it is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience with the instructors. You can get ignored sometimes when you’re working out at sea, and not receive the best on-the-job training, but on the Freedom Star, you really get a chance to get that quality training time on a ship.” The apprentices reflected on the advice their fathers had given them in preparation for attending the school, and how that advice had compared to the current facility and curriculums. “Everything that he really told me about it was to prepare me for the lifestyle and environment,” said Randy. “I knew it was going to be military-like, and I was ready for that, so I wasn’t too surprised. He prepared me before I even applied, while I was still in high school, so I was mentally ready for the training here. What stuck with me was that he said to stay focused, and not worry about what other people say. Know what you’re there for, and work hard to achieve your goals.” Christian recalled his father’s advice to him: “He told me to keep your head low, and said that people will try to shake you up, but just work hard and you’ll get through. He was here in the ’90s, class 500, but my dad was right on. It’s not as crazy as he said it was, but it’s certainly changed over the years. He had prepared me for barracks and spigot showers, but it’s way nicer than that nowadays. A lot has changed here since the ’90s.” Both apprentices emphasized their excitement to finish their training and travel the world. Randy expressed his desire to upgrade his skills and climb the ladder to third engineer, whereas Christian’s plan includes upgrading his deck department skills while sailing on as many different types of vessels as he can. “I’d really love to travel with my pops on a ship, if we can get on a ship together,” said Randy. “He’s really taught me a lot, even in the short time we worked together onboard the Freedom Star. I’ll always appreciate this time with him.” Apprentice Randy Slue (left in photo above) is pictured aboard the Freedom Star with his father QMED Randy Slue. In photo at left, Third Mate Christopher Kalinowski (second from left) and Apprentice Christian Kalinowski (right) are pictured with other mariners at the school. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 2010-2019 Description An account of the resource Volumes LXXII-LXXXI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seafarers Log Digital Copies Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-2019 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource June 2019 Description An account of the resource Headlines: CRESCENT BOATMEN APPROVE CONTRACTS SEVENTH WATERFRONT CLASSIC FEATURES BOUNTIFUL CATCHES, CAMRADERIE, FELLOWSHIP TRUMP TELLS LEGISLATORS: NO JONES ACT WAIVER PROPELLER CLUB HONORS RICHMOND WITH 'SALUTE TO CONGRESS' AWARD CRESCENT CREWS RATIFY TWO-YEAR CONTRACTS PAUL HALL CENTER HOSTS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING BIPARTISAN COALITION VOICES BACKING FOR JONES ACT SIU EXECUTIVE VP TELLEZ NAMED TO KEY DOT MARITIME COMMITTEE NEW AFL-CIO REPORT REVEALS 275 DIALY U.S. WORKER DEATHS IN 2017 SIX STEWARDS ASCEND LADDER TO RECERTIFIED STATUS PASHA HAWAII MARKS CONSTRUCTION MILESTONES FOR LNG-FUELED OHANA CLASS CONTAINERSHIPS MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND CHRISTENS USNS GUAM IN JAPAN THE OLDEST TUGBOAT MAN IN BALTIMORE MELANOMA KILLS THOUSANDS ANNUALLY IN UNITED STATES SEAFARERS WATERFRONT CLASSIC: A SOUTHERN MARYLAND TRADITION ANGLERS LAND 134 KEEPERS DURING ANNUAL CLASSIC FATHER-SON TEAMS LEARN ABOARD FREEDOM STAR 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 06/01/2019 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. 81, No. 6