Media
Issue Date
1943-12-10
Volume
5
Issue Number
36
Plaintext
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P^^BERSJjocf
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
^ SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
1
Vol. V. NEW YORK. N.Y.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 10. 1943 No. 36
Pilot Attack On SIU Reveals
Desperation Of Curran & Co.
Attention All Stewards
Department Men
Turn to page two for a complete analysis
of NMU, MCS and SIU Stewards Department
contracts on freight vessels. Read the facts
which prove that the SIU leads the industry
in winning conditions for your department.
Joe Curran and Company are headed for the skids! If anyone still doubts that there
is a deep rift between the Stalinist leadership of the NMU and the rank and file, let that
person get the December 3rd copy of the Pilot and read the hysterical charges hurled
against the SIU. In a front page story and in a long editorial on page two, the NMU
leadership accuses the SIU of being shipowners agents, of breaking down conditions in
the industry by signing "sweet-* ^ 'sweet
heart contracts" in the middle of
the night, and of generally sa
botaging the struggle of the sea
men for wages and conditions.
13ih STREET ON DEFENSIVE
This outburst by the Curran
regime is extremely significant
for it reveals the desperate
straits in which the 13th Street
boys find themselves within the
union. They hope to make the
SIU a "whipping boy" and di-
fRtPOWT on.
^ASHinGTOrV.
• BY MATT-MEW DBSHAME-*
V
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
Attended the meeting called
by Captain Edward Macauley,
Deputy Administrator of the
WSA. The proposed medical
examination will no doubt be
hooked up with the RMO, as Mr.
Marshall Dimock was chairman
of the meeting.
'Three doctors from the Public
Health Service outlined' what
they-felt should be the standards.
They were Drs. Blain, Fuller and
Ossoford.
' Dr. Ossoford and Dr. Blain
§eem to have a better and firmer
footing as to what form of an
examination would be better to
safeguard the, health of the crew.
Dr. Fuller from all indications is
out on some kind of an experi
mental expedition. One of his
statements was that a seaman
may be able to sail coastwise, or
to South Africa, but would not
be allowed to sail the North At
lantic. Upon being pressed for a
full statement on his reasons for
this, his answer wasn't a very
convincing one—asthma, etc.
Asked'iiim how a doctor would
know during the war just where
a ship was going, and how any
doctor would be qualified to de
termine what run a seaman could
sail on, that is if he had asthma,
or some other ailment, when the
Master of the vessel does not
know where his vessel .is bound
for. His answer on this question
was very vague, and did not
make any sense.
Brought up the old angle that
the shipowners used to blackball
men. The high blood pressure
angle, and whether seamen un
der their proposed examination,
would be barred from going to
sea if they had high blood pres
sure. He stated that in some
cases they would not be allowed
to sail.
Asked him how and what ef
fect high blood pressure would
have on any person who sails as
a bos'un, and did he know what
is required of a bos'un on a ship.
His answer from all indications,
implied that he must have the
physical qualifications and be ac
tive as a half back. Advised him
that any bos'un who is an ex
hibitionist and raves and rants
around a ship's deck, in most
cases would not know his job.
In regards to high blood pres
sure, the union has sent several
letters to Captain Macauley, and
they weren't answered for weeks
at a time. Upon receiving Harry
Lundeberg's letter protesting the
medical examination. Captain
Macauley immediately wired an
answer to H.L., and followed it
up with a letter, in addition he
gave a release to the press. He
certainly must have high blood
pi'essure, and although 1 would
not agree that he .should be fired
for hitting the ceiling on reading
the letter, he probably should be
relieved for his continually
bungling of the hiring practices
of the industry.
All the unions indicated that
they are opposed to any medical
examination that- would be used
to eliminate old-timers and mili
tant men from the industry. No
opposition was raised by any
union representative to seamen
being examined for venereal di
sease, or other communicable di
seases, but insisted that any sea
man who is turned down be
cause he has a commxmicable di
sease, measures shall be taken to
take care of him until he is
cured. Dr. Ossoford promised that
they shall be taken care of, and
advised the representatives that
the Public Health Service is go
ing to set up T-B wards for spe
cial treatment of merchant sea
men, in the port of New York
and San Francisco. When men
are nearly cured they hope that
the men will go to Fort Stanton
to get hardened up. All the ex
penses to go to Fort Stanton will
be paid by the U.S. Public Health
Service.
The proposed standards for the
medical examination are now go
ing to be further discussed with
Captain Macauley by the doctors
and they will be sent to all
unions for comments.
Received and am still receiv
ing wires on this matter, some of
the wires were not sent to Ad
miral Land. In the future all
telegrams should be sent to the
head of the government agency
involved in the dispute, copies
via air mail should be sent to me.
I am of the opinion that the
original standard on the medical
examination will be modified.
Brice Holcomb, who was for
merly a conciliator with the De
partment of Labor is now in
Washington representing the
Painters Union (AFL) in which
{Continued on Page 4)
vert the attention of the NMU
rank and file from the sell-outs
of their leaders. The storm of
rank and file resentment within
the NMU against the double
crossings they have received, has
reached such proportions that
Curran no longer has any hope
of crushing it—he can now only
struggle to divert its fury away
from himself and toward some
other group (in this case the
SIU).
That Curran and Company
have choosen the SIU as the fo
cal point of their diversionary
tactic shows the real desperation
of their case. For years the NMU
leadership has given the SIU the
silent treatment in the Pilot.
They hoped and prayed that
their members would forget that
there was ' such "an organization
as the SIU, and that they would
never, never compare the wages
and working conditions of the
two organizations. For Curran to
now challenge us on the ques
tions of wages and working con
ditions can only mean that the
beefing of his rank and file is so
great that he can no longer ig
nore the difference between the
NMU and SIU contracts, and
must attempt to explain away
our superior conditions with a
smear campaign against the SIU
as an organization and against
individual leaders of our union.
MISSING PORK CHOPS
But he's spitting into the wind.
The time is rapidly passing when
the NMU can be kept together
with Curran's crap and Stalin's
reputation. It's pork chops that
count in a trade union, and Joe
just can't serve them up.
Curran has dared to call our
contracts phoney and to charge
that the SIU is undermining
conditions on the waterfront.
OK, since he has called the game,
we intend to lay the facts on the
line. And when we get through,
Curran will wish that he had
"stood in bed."
The Pilot charges that the re
cently negotiated revisions in the
Stewards Department contract
between the SIU and its con
tracted companies, is a "sweet
heart contract" which was nego
tiated in the middle of the night
and is "dangerously lowering the •
standards" in the industrv.
I '
IT'S A SWEETHEART
The facts are: the SIU Stew
ards Department contracts are
the best in the industry, and the
new revisions mean even great
er improvements. If raising a
Steward's wage from $157.50 to
$212.50, if raising a Cook's wage
from $137.50 to $182.50, if rais
ing a Baker's wage from $122.58
to $152.50 constitutes a "sweet
heart contract," then brother:
"sweetheart contracts" are what
we want. «r-—
Curran has the guts (or stupid
ity) to call our contract "sweet
heart" when the Stewards on
NMU CI and C2 ships carrying
150 men or more are receiving
$147.50. SIU Stewards receive
$85 more per month than do
NMU Stewards, and he screams
that we are undermining the
waterfront conditions.
What we are doing is under
mining the NMU leadership—
that's why they scream!
ASKS OUR WAGE
The Pilot, in its page two edit
orial proclaims that SIU wages
and conditions are not acceptable
to the "rank and file of all sea
men's unions." The facts are that
not only, is the rank and file of
the NMU and MCS demanding
wages and conditions comparable
to ours, but the NMU leadership
itself has been forced to make
these demands. Curran's cam
paign for "equal pay for equal
work" is a campaign to win from
the War Labor Board the SIU
scale of wages and overtime pro
visions.
It's all down in black and
white. Turn to page 6 of the Dec.
3 Pilot and you find Howard Mc-
Kenzie listing the NMU's wage
demands now pending before the
{Confhttied on Page 4)
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 22nd TQ 27th
SHIPPED
REGISTERED
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
370 200 295 865
281 218 - 257 754
•s-il
EI
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Page Two THE SEAFARERS L,0 G Friday, December'10, 1943 |
Read These Facts And Then Decide
Which One Really Gets Conditions
Here Are The Stewards Department Working Rules For Frieight Vessel^ 1
As Provided In The NMU, MCS, And SIU Contracts. YOU Figure Who Is . j
Fighting For [And Winning The Best] Conditions In The Stewards Dept.
Contract of the
National Maritime Union
Contract of the
Marine Cooks & Stewards
Standard Contract
Attantic & Gulf Dist.
Seafarers International Union
OVERTIME RATE
,85 pel- hour Cooks and Stewards 85
All Other Ratings 75
.90 per hour
HOURS OF WORK
On freight vessels the working day at sea or in
port shall not exceed eight hours in a spread of
twelve hours and when practicable shall be between
the hours of 6 A.M. and 6 P.M.; however, no addi
tional compensation for work shall be approved, or
paid, for the performance of regular routine duties
pertaining to the Stewards' Department unless or
dered to be performed outside regular scheduled
working hours (routine duties such as preparing and
serving three regular meals, cleaning of quarters,
galley, messrooms, stewards' refrigerator boxes, and
linen rooms). The provisions of this section relating
to hours of work shall apply to the chief steward.
The principle of the eight hour day in a spread
of twelve hours is recognized, and the manning scale
for the Stewards Department herein agreed to is
based upon this principle. It is further agreed no
overtime will be paid for serving the three regular
meals at regular hours or performing other ordinary
work incidental to duties of the Steward's Depart
ment work.
The hours of labor for the Stewards' Department
shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of thirteen (13)
hours while at sea and eight (8) hours in a spread of
twelve (12) hours while in port. This applies Iq
freight vessels.
.1.1
(The NMU calls for 8 hours •when "practicable**
The MCS endorses the "principle" of an 8 hour
day. The SlU contract has no such shipowner rr-
cape clauses and words—it is irott-clad.)
J t
SATURDAY AFTERNOONS,
SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS
In port all work performed on Saturday after
noons. Sundays, and holidays shall be paid for at
the overtime rate. If required to work Saturday
afternoons and to serve supper, they shall receive a
minimum of four hom-'s overtime and if required to
work Sundays and holidays and three regular meals
are served, they shall receive a minimum of eight
hours' overtime in addition to their regular wages.
If required to work outside of regular schedule
; after 6 P.M. on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and
-^^olidays they shall be paid according to the addi
tional hours worked. Should the ship sail before
6 P.M. on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and holi
days overtime shall be paid for the actual time
worked prior to sailing; however, only the minimum
number of men required to "perform the work will
be required to stay on board.
In home ports on the Pacific Coast, all work on
Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays, except
on days of arrival and departure shall be paid for
at the overtime rate.
The rules set forth in (a) of Section 2 shall also
apply in the Port of New York only to vessels in
the Inter-coastal North Atlantic Ti-ade; in the Port of
Baltimore only to all vessels engaged in the Inter-
coastal South Atlantic Trade which do not call at
the Port of New York; in the Port of New Orleans
only for all vessels engaged in the Gulf Trade; and
in the Port of Honolulu only to all vessels engaged
in the Pacific Coast Hawaiian Trade.
In lieu of overtime on Saturday afternoon and
Sundays in ports other than home ports on freight
ers, overtime will be paid for work on holidays
whether in port or at sea.
(a) The regular overtime rate shall be paid id
all members of the Stewards' Department for all
work on Sundays and Holidays and work in excess
of four (4) hours on Saturdays while the vessel is in
port.
(b) On freighters equipped to carry 12 passen
gers, the Stewards' Department may be reduced on
Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Holidays, and
only those men required to remain on duty for nor
mal freight ship requirements of the Company shall
receive overtime.
(c) On all freight vessels of the Company, ex
cept as provided in (b) of this section, the Stewards'
Department shall not be reduced on Saturdays, Sun
days and Holidays.
{The MCS contract provides overtime only in home '
ports—and then not on days of arrival or depart- I
lire. NMU and SIU receives overtime ht ALL i
ports.)
\IC
PAINTING
Stewards' Department emploj'-ees may be re
quired to do painting in all rooms and quarters, ex
cept firemen's and sailors' quarters. For this work,
personnel of Stewards' Department who actually en
gage in this work shall be paid extra compensation
at the rate of 70c per hour.
Members of the Steward's Department shall not
be required to paint staterooms or salons, but may
be required to paint such as crew's quarters, mess-
rooms, galley and salon floors and waterways. This
rule shall not prohibit employers carrying men to
do all such work.
No Overtime
Members of the Stewards' Department shall nol
be required to chip, sougee, scrape or paint, uplei|S.
the regular overtime rate shall be paid to members
actually engaged in performing the work, for the ag-
lual hours worked: however, spotting up with sougee
shall be done within the regulsur working hours.
I?: BAKING BREAD
All bread is to be made aboard ship by the sec-
ond-cook-and-baker. within his regular hours. No Provision
In Continental Ports of the United States bread
shall be supplied from shore when available for port
use and if not supplied two (2) hours' overtime shall
be paid to the Second Cook and Baker for eadi
batch of bread baked.
MEALS IN PORT
For lunches or meals served to officials, guests
or shore labor in port, regardless of number, the sum
of 30c for each meal served shall be paid and equally
distributed to the men actually engaged m the prep
aration and serving of same.
($1.20 for 4 meals)
For lunches or nieals served to officials and/or
guests numbering from three to not more than six
persons, one hour overtime shall be allowed to each
of those actually engaged. No extra compensation
for less than three guests at any one meal.
When the deck officer orders meals served to
longshoremen or other shore labor on board any
vessel the sum of thirty (30) cents for each meal
served to each long.shoreman shall be paid and shall
be equally distributed to the men in the Steward's
Department actually engaged in the work.
($1.20 for 4 meals, under second paragraph)
When extra meals are served to other than regu
lar members of the crew signed on articles, gun
crew, passenger and/or pilots when carried, over
time shall be paid to not exceeding three (3) mem
bers of the Stewards' Department at the rate of one
(1) hour each for every four (4) meals prepared and
served.
The amount of extra nieals served shall he to
taled and computed in accordance with paragraph
(a) of this section at the end of each voyage.
(SIU contract adds up to $2,70 paid for each 4
meals served.)
I''
i MIDNIGHT SUPPERS
Employees actually engaged in preparing and
i;!.. serving hot midnight suppers sh^I be paid two
hours' overtime for same.
No meals or coffee will be served to anyone
other than crew without written authority of the
Master or officer in charge. Cooks, Messmen or those
engaged in serving 9:00 p.m., 12:00 midnight or 3:00
a.m. hot lunches will be allowed three (3) hours'
overtime each for preparing and serving each liinch.
Two Messmen will serve 9i:00 p.m., .12:00 midnight
or 3:00 a.m. cold lunches and will be paid two (2)r
hours' overtime each for preparing and serving each
lunch.
Members of the Stewards' Department actually
engaged in serving hot midnight or 3 A.M' lunch
are to be allowed three (3) hours' overtime each for
preparing and serving same and when serving iundt
at nine (9) P.M., two (2) hours' overtime shall ba
paid for preparing and serving same. ,
(Continued on Page 3)
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S Friday, December 10, 18'£3 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three i
MORE FACTS ON NMU, MCS & SIU CONTRACTS
{Continued from Page 2)
CARRYING STORES
Members of the Stewards" Dep?-tment shall not
he required to carry on board heavy stores, provis
ions, and laundry. However, mernbers of the Stew
ards^ Department shall be required to carry on board
working stores within their regular working hours.
They shall also be required to stow away all stores
and provisions placed on board by a shore gang,
longshoremen, or the Deck Department and placed
convenient to refrigerator bdxes and storerooms,
without payment of additional compensation if per
formed in their regular hours of duty. They shall
"also stow away all laundry placed on board by long
shoremen or the Deck Department.
Members of the Steward's Department shall not
be required to carry heavy stores and provisions ex
cept laundry on board, hut all stores and pro\.'isiohs
shall be stowed by the Steward's Department.
N •
(a) Members of Ihe Stewards' Department
not be required to carry any stores or linen to or
from ihe dock, but when stores or linen or delivered
to storeroom doors, meat or chill box doors, they
shall place same in their respective places and over
time shall be paid for such work to all men required
to put in more than eight (8) hours' work that day.
(b) Daily supplies of provisions such as milk,
bread and vegetables shall,.be stored away without
the payment of overtime.
{Overtime is paid for ALL work under paragraph
(a) of the SIU contract because this is not coti~
sidered routine work.)
MANNING SCALE
There shall be no. change in the present man
ning scale of the Stewards' Department. On freight
ships in trades where occasional passengers are car-
fied, the members of the Stewards' Department serv
ing such passengers shall be compensated by .an
amount equal to five dollars ($5) per passenger for
the trip provided the trip does not exceed five days
in duration. In the event the trip exceeds five days
in duration then each member of the Stewards' De
partment engaged in serving the passengers shall
receive five dollars ($5) per passenger per trip. How
ever, the owner shall have the option of placing
-additional men in the Stewards' Department when
deemed necessary, and when so assigned no extra
compensation will be paid for such service to pas
sengers.
No Extra Compensation Provided,
If is agreed thai meals served passengers will
not be considered extra meals.
When passengers are carried it is agreed that if
one to three passengers inclusive are carried, one (1)
hour overtime per day will be paid to each of fou*
(4) members of the Stewards' Department (including
the Steward). If four (4) or more passengers are car
ried the payment shall be two (2) hours' overtime
per day.
This section does not apply to those freighters
regularly carrying passengers where the Stewards'
Department Personnel exceeds six (6) persons.
DELAYING OF MEALS
No Overtime No Overtime
When meal hours are delayed or shifted on ac
count of crew being occupied and unable to eat at
their regular meal hour, all necessary members of
the Stewards' Department will be paid at the regu
lar overtime rate for the time delayed.
LIGHTING STOVES
No Overtime No Overtime
On vessels which still have coal burning stoves
the man who starts the fires in the morning shall be
given one-half (Vi) hours' overtime each day.
CLEANING MEAT BOXES
No Overtime No Overtime
Overtime shall be paid to all members of the
Stewards' Department actually engaged in cleaning
meat box and chill boxes.
l|
^ il
SORTING LINEN
\ No Overtime No Overtime
Work performed by any member of the Stew
ards' Department, other than the regular routine
work as defined in this agreement, shall be paid for
at the regular overtime rate. This clause is added
due to the fact that the Stewards' Department has a
required amount of routine duty to perform within
their 8 hours. Sorting and counting linen, cleaning
spare rooms not occupied by crew or passengers,
shall be paid for at the regular overtime rate.
C\<-SHIFTING SHIP
No Overtime No Overtime
The day vessel arrives from sea at a port of call
shall be considered the day of arrival, and smy sub
sequent moves from thcd port occurring in inland
waters, bays and sounds, shall be considered as
shifting ship and overtime shall be pciid for Satur
day afternoons. Sundays and holidays.
WAGES — OFFSHORE
(ALL WAGES INCLUDE BASIC SCALE PLUS EMERGENCY INCREASES)
Chief Steward $147.50
Chief Cook 132.50
Second Cook 117.50
Mcssman 87.50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $152.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87,50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $157.58
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87.50
Utility 87.50
WAGES — COASTWISE
Chief Steward $140.00
Chief Cook 125.00
S^ond Cook 110.00
Messman 80.00
Crew Messman - 75.00
Chief Steward $152.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87.50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $157.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122J50
Messman 87.50
Utility 87.50
All provisions in the MCS and SIU contracts apply to both offshore and coastwise runs. However, the NMU gets overtime for
Saturday afternoon, Sundays and holidays on coastwise run only when the ship is in its home port — and not then on days of
arrival and departure. Hiese finky rules apply to all three departments. The NMU contract rea'ds as follows:
Recognizing the critical economic situation
which confronts the coastwise trade, and the absence
of any Governmental subsidy, it is distinctly under
stood and agreed that the following provisions shall
apply on "days of arrival" at all ports other than the
home port, on all vessels engaged exclusively in the
ynited States Atlantic Gulf and Puerto Rican coast
wise trade (that is, all such vessels not touching any
foreign ports).
V Seclion i. Days of Atxival. "\yhen "days of ar
rival" fall on Saturdays, Suntlays or holidays, the
watch on duty shall not be paid overtime for the
normal watch duties. In the Deck Depm-tment nor
mal duties sliall include gangway or anchor watch.
The boatswain and carpenter shall perform their
usual duties in connection with mooring and un
mooring between the hours of 8 A.M. and 5 P.M. on
such days of arrival without payment of overtime.
In the event of a vessel sailing on day of arrival,
the above conditions shall apply.
Section 2. The oiler on watch, if not required in
the engine room, shall oil and care for, the deck
machinery while cargo is being worked, on such
days of arrival, without payment of overtime.
Section 3. Working Hours, Stewards. The Stew
ards' Department personnel shall perform their nor
mal duties within eight hours on freight vessels, and
on passenger vessels if no passengers are on board,
without overtime, on such days of arrival except
that if passengers ai'e on board, all members of the
Stewards' Department shall woik their regular sea
schedule of hours without the payment of overtime;
provided, however, that no maintenance or repair
work shall be performed on Saturday afternoons,
Sundays or holidays of such days of arrival without
payment of overtime, and provided further, that aU
work performed by Deck or Engine personnel in
excess of regular eight hours and all work perform
ed in excess of regular hours of duty in Stewards*
Department, shall be paid for at the regular ov^-
time rate.
mi!: V-ki:;.!,:
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m
>age Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 10, 1943
Dushane's Report On Washingfton
he is a member. Made ieveral
decisions on SIU cases. Know
fhc membership wishes him luck
in his new job.
REPORT OF DECEMBER 8, 1943
December 15th is the final wine
up to compute and file your
amended income tax, if the tax
was under estimated from the
September 15th report made to
the Internal Revenue.
Internal Revenue penalizes a
person six per cent if they under
estimate their tax. If you can't
guess your tax within twenty
per cent, you will have to fish
out the penalty. Internal Rev
enue states that ignorance of the
law excuses no person. Listing
the four catergories of persons
who must file on or before De
cember 15, 1943.
' .1 Anyone who expects to have
during the calendar year 1943
more than $100 gross income
from a source outside of wages
which are subject to withholding
tax and who also expects suffici
ent gross income to require filing
an income tax return (S500 for a
single person, $1,200 for a mar
ried couple, or $624 for a married
person.)
2. Any single person expect
ing wages of more than $2,700
during the year.
3. Any married person or mar
ried couple expecting individual
ly or together more than $3,500
from wages during the year.
4. Any person who was re
quired to file an income tax re
turn for 1942 and expects their
wages in 1943 to be less than in
1942.
I know its a headache, but I
Just thought that a reminder
may help to eliminate the pay
ment of a penalty.
contain no clause regard
ing a medical examination, and
I am of the opinion that this is
a matter for them to take up
with the operators, as it effects
the SUP agreement, when they
supply men to the operators, and
a third party determines whether
a person dispatched to a vessel
can be employed. This seems to
be a violation of our agreements
There is one way that this
move may possibly be beat, a
brief submitted to the appropri
ations committee in Congress
may cut off the proposed revenue
that the WSA intends to pay the
Doctors for every examination.
The WSA is now drafting an ap
propriation for the coming year,
maybe Congressmen will see the
light, and cut the money bags of
the WSA.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Admiral Marshall Dimock of
the WSA, has sent me a notifica
tion that another meeting is go
ing to be held on December
Fifteenth, on further discussion
. of the WSA proposed Medical
exam.
Their second proposal also was
sent to me. In the first proposal,
any seaman who was turned
down by a Doctor could go to
the U.S. Public -Health service
for a re-examination—Under the
new proposal, "The case shall be
decided by the Public Health
Service Officer who has been ap
pointed as Port Medical Repre
sentative." At the last meeting
the majority of the opinion was
that in any examination for con-
tegious disease all the Doctors
should be from the U.S. Public
Health Service, and that they be
free from any entanglements
with the WSA.
The WSA moving into the pic
ture and trying to compel sea
men to submit to a medical ex
amination, wherein the WSA
sets lip the standard for the exam.
This is contrary to the state
ment of policy signed between
the unions and the WSA. I am
of the opinion that the standards
to be set up is a matter for col
lective bargaining under the
terms of agreements held with
the operators, and I feel that the
WSA is duly bound to respect
the terms of the agreements re
garding the examination clause
in the Seafarers Atlantic and
G.ulf district. The SUP agree-
PILOT ATTACK
The December 3rd issue of the
Pilot carried an editorial, in
which yours truly was given a
paragraph. Usually a blast in
the Pilot is not worth the time
to c'^swer, especially when it
comes Tom Blacky Myers.
This article carried the same
old bunk about the SIU-SUP be
ing a shipowners set-up, and that
we curry favors with them. The
record shows that when the SIU
members struck the Robin Line
ships for an increase in War Risk
Bonuses, officials of the NMU
dispatched a crew" for one of
these vessels, and they sailed her
to South Africa and return.
The record also shows that
when the NMU crews had some
of their vessels tied up for an
increase in War bonuses, the
officials of the NMU, upon re
turning from a conference ih
Washington with officials of the
Maritime Commission, sold their
membership -a bill of goods on
the Maritime Commission's twen
ty-five per cent bonus. The
SIU-SUP crews were then re
ceiving thirty-three per cent War
risk bonus.
Another gander at the record
shows that these vultures in the
labor movement condemned the
SIU-SUP for striking ships for
an increase in War Bonuses.
However, after the National Me
diation Board granted us a War
Bonus of eighty dollars a month,
these misleaders of labor shout
ed to high heaven for stabiliza
tion on bonuses. That, my friends
led up to the present Maritime
War Emergency Board. This
board was advocated and pushed
by the NMU, and it owes its
birth and present powers to
them.
The record also shows that the
NMU supplied crews to the Ex
port Line when another of their
(CIO) affiliates, the MEBA,
struck the Export Line for an in
crease in Bonus. The NMU was
returned this favor by that com
pany, in that they were granted
the same bonuses that the SIU-
SUP was then receiving.
This editorial goes on to state,
"As Far as the NMU is concern
ed, conditions which might be
acceptable to the SIU are cer
tainly not acceptable to the rank
and file of all seamens' unions."
I suppose they mean that the
conditions now enjoyed by the
SIU-SUP, are not acceptable to
the NMU.
If that is the case, then the of
ficials of the NMU are again
blowing smoke up their member
ship alley. They now have
case before the National War La
bor Board. It is a request to the
board that they be granted the
same conditions that the SIU-
SUP are at present enjoying.
Will close this with a little in
formation to our new members
who do not know me, and may
be misled into believing the Pil
ot's bilge water. In the Fall of
nineteen hundred and thirty six
was storekeeper on the S.S.
Quirigia of the United Fruit
Company. This was the only
ship of that company that the
crew went out on strike in the
port of New York. Was out on
the picket line all during the
1936-1937 strike. Shipped out as
Bos'un Mate on the S.S. Presi
dent Garfield in April, 1937.
E. R. Wallace, SIU Agt., Gal
veston: Your Congressman may
send you the Congressional Rec
ord free. Subscriptions may be
sent to the Superintendent of
Documents, Government Print
ing Office, Washington, D.C. (One
dollar and fifty cents per month.
New England fishermen are
still out on strike against the
OPA's ceiling prices. Pat Mc-
Hugh is in town trying to
straighten things out. Looks as
though Triggs of the OPA, who
formerly was a fish buyer is set
on letting the fish buyers con
tinue to reap a harvest.
The NMU has been pressing
the WSA to get me to go along
with them to try and high pres
sure Congressman Rampsbeck
for action on unemployment in
surance for seamen. Advised the
WSA that I would not walk
across the street with the NMU
skunks. Will contact Congress
men on this bill with only AFL
representatives, and not with the
NMU representatives.
HENRY RUSSELL QUIRK
Get in touch with your sister.
Jessie Poiriei, 428 Pleasant St.,
Melrose.
« * »
LORIN F. HOUGHTON
Contact Attorney Ranny Drap
er, Bank of America Building,
Manrovia, California.
• • •
IRVING PAULSON
Communicate with Attorney
Richard Cantor, 51 Chambers
Street, New York City.
* * *
MIKE DIKUN
Your papers and discharges
have been turned into the Phila
delphia hall.
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ Presideni
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK - Secy-Treas,
P. O. Box 2f, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep.
424 Sth Street, N. W., Washington, D.C.
• w w
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
^ BOwUng Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2>......,I4 North Gay St Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA. ...;.. .6 North 6th St. Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS (16) ..309 Chartres St ...Canal 3336
S^AVANNAH 218 Eaet Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA .....423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 .So. Conception St Dial 2.l3Sa
PUERTO RICO. 45 Ponce da Icon....... .Puerto de TIerra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway... Ft. Lauderdale 1601
•W W V
PUBLICATION OFFICE:
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwIing Green 9-8346
•267
Pilot Attack On SIU
Reveals Desperation
{Continued from Page 1)
WLB. The NMU is asking for
wages and working rules which
have been part of the SIU con
tracts for years.
IN BLACK AND WHITE
Honor Roll
SS ROBIN DONCASTER $15.00
SS WM. MERIDITH
DECK DEPT 7.00
SS GEO.
WESTINGHOUSE 7.00
O. VALLEY .: 5.00
KEITH BRILL 4.00
L. REAVES 4.00
GEORGE BOOKS 2.00
R. W. JONES 2.00
J. PAPA 2.00
TOTAL $48.00
Curran and Company have put
on paper a lot of wild and loose
charges against the SIU—slan
derous, all of them. We don't in
tend to engage in an endless
campaign of character assassina
tion (the Stalinists would win in
such a fight anyway). What we
do propose is to put in black and
white a detailed analysis of the
SIU and NMU contracts, and to
show the rank and file members
of the NMU just what sort of a
rooking they are receiving.
In this issue, on page two and
three, we have analyzed the
NMU, MCS and SIU Stewards
Department contracts on freight
vessels. In future issues we shall
break down the contracts as they
apply to other departments. We
urge all seamen in all unions to
study these breakdowns and to
understand what they mean. No
amount of Curran bull will be
able to cover up the fact' that
the SIU leads the industry in
winning conditions for the sea
men.
PROPAGANDA NOT
ENOUGH
Some NMU rank and fliers
will no doubt begin to wonder
why it is that their outfit, with
all its high-power publicity and
propaganda departments, lags be
hind the SIU so badly in win
ning conditions aboard the ships.
It is because it takes more than
publicity and propaganda to bea^
the shipowners. It takes hone
and militant struggle on
beat
ncfA
tJ^e
waterfront, it takes picket lines,
it takes uncompromising opposi-'
tion to the shipowners and all
that they stand for. The NMU
propaganda machine serves the
political ends of the Stalinist
clique which runS the union, but
it, does not serve the economic
needs of the membership—a fact
they are rapidly coming to un
derstand.
We don't intend to shadow box
with Curran, we intend to place
in printers' ink an analysis of ouT^
conditions and his conditions.
The test of a union is what it
does for its members. Let the
seamen of all unions read the
facts and judge for themselves.
MONEY DUE
VINCENT COSTER: You have
50 hours overtime coming from
the Bull Line. -
• •
R. H. TAURIN has overtime
coming from the Calmar Line.
See patrolman Sheehan about if.
* # *
R. McLAURIN has overtime
coming from the New York of
fice of the Calmar Line.
* « •
Crew which paid off S.S. Alcoa
Voyager in Sept. 1943. has $10
linen money coming. Collect 17
Battery Place, New York City.
» » »
The logging of the Steward's
Department of the S.S. Daniel
Willard has been reversed by the
Commissioner after a lengthy
trial. The men involved can col-
cct their extra meal money and
og refund from Calmar Line
Office. *
r v:; H; ?0|
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
P^^BERSJjocf
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
^ SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
1
Vol. V. NEW YORK. N.Y.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 10. 1943 No. 36
Pilot Attack On SIU Reveals
Desperation Of Curran & Co.
Attention All Stewards
Department Men
Turn to page two for a complete analysis
of NMU, MCS and SIU Stewards Department
contracts on freight vessels. Read the facts
which prove that the SIU leads the industry
in winning conditions for your department.
Joe Curran and Company are headed for the skids! If anyone still doubts that there
is a deep rift between the Stalinist leadership of the NMU and the rank and file, let that
person get the December 3rd copy of the Pilot and read the hysterical charges hurled
against the SIU. In a front page story and in a long editorial on page two, the NMU
leadership accuses the SIU of being shipowners agents, of breaking down conditions in
the industry by signing "sweet-* ^ 'sweet
heart contracts" in the middle of
the night, and of generally sa
botaging the struggle of the sea
men for wages and conditions.
13ih STREET ON DEFENSIVE
This outburst by the Curran
regime is extremely significant
for it reveals the desperate
straits in which the 13th Street
boys find themselves within the
union. They hope to make the
SIU a "whipping boy" and di-
fRtPOWT on.
^ASHinGTOrV.
• BY MATT-MEW DBSHAME-*
V
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
Attended the meeting called
by Captain Edward Macauley,
Deputy Administrator of the
WSA. The proposed medical
examination will no doubt be
hooked up with the RMO, as Mr.
Marshall Dimock was chairman
of the meeting.
'Three doctors from the Public
Health Service outlined' what
they-felt should be the standards.
They were Drs. Blain, Fuller and
Ossoford.
' Dr. Ossoford and Dr. Blain
§eem to have a better and firmer
footing as to what form of an
examination would be better to
safeguard the, health of the crew.
Dr. Fuller from all indications is
out on some kind of an experi
mental expedition. One of his
statements was that a seaman
may be able to sail coastwise, or
to South Africa, but would not
be allowed to sail the North At
lantic. Upon being pressed for a
full statement on his reasons for
this, his answer wasn't a very
convincing one—asthma, etc.
Asked'iiim how a doctor would
know during the war just where
a ship was going, and how any
doctor would be qualified to de
termine what run a seaman could
sail on, that is if he had asthma,
or some other ailment, when the
Master of the vessel does not
know where his vessel .is bound
for. His answer on this question
was very vague, and did not
make any sense.
Brought up the old angle that
the shipowners used to blackball
men. The high blood pressure
angle, and whether seamen un
der their proposed examination,
would be barred from going to
sea if they had high blood pres
sure. He stated that in some
cases they would not be allowed
to sail.
Asked him how and what ef
fect high blood pressure would
have on any person who sails as
a bos'un, and did he know what
is required of a bos'un on a ship.
His answer from all indications,
implied that he must have the
physical qualifications and be ac
tive as a half back. Advised him
that any bos'un who is an ex
hibitionist and raves and rants
around a ship's deck, in most
cases would not know his job.
In regards to high blood pres
sure, the union has sent several
letters to Captain Macauley, and
they weren't answered for weeks
at a time. Upon receiving Harry
Lundeberg's letter protesting the
medical examination. Captain
Macauley immediately wired an
answer to H.L., and followed it
up with a letter, in addition he
gave a release to the press. He
certainly must have high blood
pi'essure, and although 1 would
not agree that he .should be fired
for hitting the ceiling on reading
the letter, he probably should be
relieved for his continually
bungling of the hiring practices
of the industry.
All the unions indicated that
they are opposed to any medical
examination that- would be used
to eliminate old-timers and mili
tant men from the industry. No
opposition was raised by any
union representative to seamen
being examined for venereal di
sease, or other communicable di
seases, but insisted that any sea
man who is turned down be
cause he has a commxmicable di
sease, measures shall be taken to
take care of him until he is
cured. Dr. Ossoford promised that
they shall be taken care of, and
advised the representatives that
the Public Health Service is go
ing to set up T-B wards for spe
cial treatment of merchant sea
men, in the port of New York
and San Francisco. When men
are nearly cured they hope that
the men will go to Fort Stanton
to get hardened up. All the ex
penses to go to Fort Stanton will
be paid by the U.S. Public Health
Service.
The proposed standards for the
medical examination are now go
ing to be further discussed with
Captain Macauley by the doctors
and they will be sent to all
unions for comments.
Received and am still receiv
ing wires on this matter, some of
the wires were not sent to Ad
miral Land. In the future all
telegrams should be sent to the
head of the government agency
involved in the dispute, copies
via air mail should be sent to me.
I am of the opinion that the
original standard on the medical
examination will be modified.
Brice Holcomb, who was for
merly a conciliator with the De
partment of Labor is now in
Washington representing the
Painters Union (AFL) in which
{Continued on Page 4)
vert the attention of the NMU
rank and file from the sell-outs
of their leaders. The storm of
rank and file resentment within
the NMU against the double
crossings they have received, has
reached such proportions that
Curran no longer has any hope
of crushing it—he can now only
struggle to divert its fury away
from himself and toward some
other group (in this case the
SIU).
That Curran and Company
have choosen the SIU as the fo
cal point of their diversionary
tactic shows the real desperation
of their case. For years the NMU
leadership has given the SIU the
silent treatment in the Pilot.
They hoped and prayed that
their members would forget that
there was ' such "an organization
as the SIU, and that they would
never, never compare the wages
and working conditions of the
two organizations. For Curran to
now challenge us on the ques
tions of wages and working con
ditions can only mean that the
beefing of his rank and file is so
great that he can no longer ig
nore the difference between the
NMU and SIU contracts, and
must attempt to explain away
our superior conditions with a
smear campaign against the SIU
as an organization and against
individual leaders of our union.
MISSING PORK CHOPS
But he's spitting into the wind.
The time is rapidly passing when
the NMU can be kept together
with Curran's crap and Stalin's
reputation. It's pork chops that
count in a trade union, and Joe
just can't serve them up.
Curran has dared to call our
contracts phoney and to charge
that the SIU is undermining
conditions on the waterfront.
OK, since he has called the game,
we intend to lay the facts on the
line. And when we get through,
Curran will wish that he had
"stood in bed."
The Pilot charges that the re
cently negotiated revisions in the
Stewards Department contract
between the SIU and its con
tracted companies, is a "sweet
heart contract" which was nego
tiated in the middle of the night
and is "dangerously lowering the •
standards" in the industrv.
I '
IT'S A SWEETHEART
The facts are: the SIU Stew
ards Department contracts are
the best in the industry, and the
new revisions mean even great
er improvements. If raising a
Steward's wage from $157.50 to
$212.50, if raising a Cook's wage
from $137.50 to $182.50, if rais
ing a Baker's wage from $122.58
to $152.50 constitutes a "sweet
heart contract," then brother:
"sweetheart contracts" are what
we want. «r-—
Curran has the guts (or stupid
ity) to call our contract "sweet
heart" when the Stewards on
NMU CI and C2 ships carrying
150 men or more are receiving
$147.50. SIU Stewards receive
$85 more per month than do
NMU Stewards, and he screams
that we are undermining the
waterfront conditions.
What we are doing is under
mining the NMU leadership—
that's why they scream!
ASKS OUR WAGE
The Pilot, in its page two edit
orial proclaims that SIU wages
and conditions are not acceptable
to the "rank and file of all sea
men's unions." The facts are that
not only, is the rank and file of
the NMU and MCS demanding
wages and conditions comparable
to ours, but the NMU leadership
itself has been forced to make
these demands. Curran's cam
paign for "equal pay for equal
work" is a campaign to win from
the War Labor Board the SIU
scale of wages and overtime pro
visions.
It's all down in black and
white. Turn to page 6 of the Dec.
3 Pilot and you find Howard Mc-
Kenzie listing the NMU's wage
demands now pending before the
{Confhttied on Page 4)
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 22nd TQ 27th
SHIPPED
REGISTERED
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
370 200 295 865
281 218 - 257 754
•s-il
EI
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Page Two THE SEAFARERS L,0 G Friday, December'10, 1943 |
Read These Facts And Then Decide
Which One Really Gets Conditions
Here Are The Stewards Department Working Rules For Frieight Vessel^ 1
As Provided In The NMU, MCS, And SIU Contracts. YOU Figure Who Is . j
Fighting For [And Winning The Best] Conditions In The Stewards Dept.
Contract of the
National Maritime Union
Contract of the
Marine Cooks & Stewards
Standard Contract
Attantic & Gulf Dist.
Seafarers International Union
OVERTIME RATE
,85 pel- hour Cooks and Stewards 85
All Other Ratings 75
.90 per hour
HOURS OF WORK
On freight vessels the working day at sea or in
port shall not exceed eight hours in a spread of
twelve hours and when practicable shall be between
the hours of 6 A.M. and 6 P.M.; however, no addi
tional compensation for work shall be approved, or
paid, for the performance of regular routine duties
pertaining to the Stewards' Department unless or
dered to be performed outside regular scheduled
working hours (routine duties such as preparing and
serving three regular meals, cleaning of quarters,
galley, messrooms, stewards' refrigerator boxes, and
linen rooms). The provisions of this section relating
to hours of work shall apply to the chief steward.
The principle of the eight hour day in a spread
of twelve hours is recognized, and the manning scale
for the Stewards Department herein agreed to is
based upon this principle. It is further agreed no
overtime will be paid for serving the three regular
meals at regular hours or performing other ordinary
work incidental to duties of the Steward's Depart
ment work.
The hours of labor for the Stewards' Department
shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of thirteen (13)
hours while at sea and eight (8) hours in a spread of
twelve (12) hours while in port. This applies Iq
freight vessels.
.1.1
(The NMU calls for 8 hours •when "practicable**
The MCS endorses the "principle" of an 8 hour
day. The SlU contract has no such shipowner rr-
cape clauses and words—it is irott-clad.)
J t
SATURDAY AFTERNOONS,
SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS
In port all work performed on Saturday after
noons. Sundays, and holidays shall be paid for at
the overtime rate. If required to work Saturday
afternoons and to serve supper, they shall receive a
minimum of four hom-'s overtime and if required to
work Sundays and holidays and three regular meals
are served, they shall receive a minimum of eight
hours' overtime in addition to their regular wages.
If required to work outside of regular schedule
; after 6 P.M. on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and
-^^olidays they shall be paid according to the addi
tional hours worked. Should the ship sail before
6 P.M. on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and holi
days overtime shall be paid for the actual time
worked prior to sailing; however, only the minimum
number of men required to "perform the work will
be required to stay on board.
In home ports on the Pacific Coast, all work on
Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays, except
on days of arrival and departure shall be paid for
at the overtime rate.
The rules set forth in (a) of Section 2 shall also
apply in the Port of New York only to vessels in
the Inter-coastal North Atlantic Ti-ade; in the Port of
Baltimore only to all vessels engaged in the Inter-
coastal South Atlantic Trade which do not call at
the Port of New York; in the Port of New Orleans
only for all vessels engaged in the Gulf Trade; and
in the Port of Honolulu only to all vessels engaged
in the Pacific Coast Hawaiian Trade.
In lieu of overtime on Saturday afternoon and
Sundays in ports other than home ports on freight
ers, overtime will be paid for work on holidays
whether in port or at sea.
(a) The regular overtime rate shall be paid id
all members of the Stewards' Department for all
work on Sundays and Holidays and work in excess
of four (4) hours on Saturdays while the vessel is in
port.
(b) On freighters equipped to carry 12 passen
gers, the Stewards' Department may be reduced on
Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Holidays, and
only those men required to remain on duty for nor
mal freight ship requirements of the Company shall
receive overtime.
(c) On all freight vessels of the Company, ex
cept as provided in (b) of this section, the Stewards'
Department shall not be reduced on Saturdays, Sun
days and Holidays.
{The MCS contract provides overtime only in home '
ports—and then not on days of arrival or depart- I
lire. NMU and SIU receives overtime ht ALL i
ports.)
\IC
PAINTING
Stewards' Department emploj'-ees may be re
quired to do painting in all rooms and quarters, ex
cept firemen's and sailors' quarters. For this work,
personnel of Stewards' Department who actually en
gage in this work shall be paid extra compensation
at the rate of 70c per hour.
Members of the Steward's Department shall not
be required to paint staterooms or salons, but may
be required to paint such as crew's quarters, mess-
rooms, galley and salon floors and waterways. This
rule shall not prohibit employers carrying men to
do all such work.
No Overtime
Members of the Stewards' Department shall nol
be required to chip, sougee, scrape or paint, uplei|S.
the regular overtime rate shall be paid to members
actually engaged in performing the work, for the ag-
lual hours worked: however, spotting up with sougee
shall be done within the regulsur working hours.
I?: BAKING BREAD
All bread is to be made aboard ship by the sec-
ond-cook-and-baker. within his regular hours. No Provision
In Continental Ports of the United States bread
shall be supplied from shore when available for port
use and if not supplied two (2) hours' overtime shall
be paid to the Second Cook and Baker for eadi
batch of bread baked.
MEALS IN PORT
For lunches or meals served to officials, guests
or shore labor in port, regardless of number, the sum
of 30c for each meal served shall be paid and equally
distributed to the men actually engaged m the prep
aration and serving of same.
($1.20 for 4 meals)
For lunches or nieals served to officials and/or
guests numbering from three to not more than six
persons, one hour overtime shall be allowed to each
of those actually engaged. No extra compensation
for less than three guests at any one meal.
When the deck officer orders meals served to
longshoremen or other shore labor on board any
vessel the sum of thirty (30) cents for each meal
served to each long.shoreman shall be paid and shall
be equally distributed to the men in the Steward's
Department actually engaged in the work.
($1.20 for 4 meals, under second paragraph)
When extra meals are served to other than regu
lar members of the crew signed on articles, gun
crew, passenger and/or pilots when carried, over
time shall be paid to not exceeding three (3) mem
bers of the Stewards' Department at the rate of one
(1) hour each for every four (4) meals prepared and
served.
The amount of extra nieals served shall he to
taled and computed in accordance with paragraph
(a) of this section at the end of each voyage.
(SIU contract adds up to $2,70 paid for each 4
meals served.)
I''
i MIDNIGHT SUPPERS
Employees actually engaged in preparing and
i;!.. serving hot midnight suppers sh^I be paid two
hours' overtime for same.
No meals or coffee will be served to anyone
other than crew without written authority of the
Master or officer in charge. Cooks, Messmen or those
engaged in serving 9:00 p.m., 12:00 midnight or 3:00
a.m. hot lunches will be allowed three (3) hours'
overtime each for preparing and serving each liinch.
Two Messmen will serve 9i:00 p.m., .12:00 midnight
or 3:00 a.m. cold lunches and will be paid two (2)r
hours' overtime each for preparing and serving each
lunch.
Members of the Stewards' Department actually
engaged in serving hot midnight or 3 A.M' lunch
are to be allowed three (3) hours' overtime each for
preparing and serving same and when serving iundt
at nine (9) P.M., two (2) hours' overtime shall ba
paid for preparing and serving same. ,
(Continued on Page 3)
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S Friday, December 10, 18'£3 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three i
MORE FACTS ON NMU, MCS & SIU CONTRACTS
{Continued from Page 2)
CARRYING STORES
Members of the Stewards" Dep?-tment shall not
he required to carry on board heavy stores, provis
ions, and laundry. However, mernbers of the Stew
ards^ Department shall be required to carry on board
working stores within their regular working hours.
They shall also be required to stow away all stores
and provisions placed on board by a shore gang,
longshoremen, or the Deck Department and placed
convenient to refrigerator bdxes and storerooms,
without payment of additional compensation if per
formed in their regular hours of duty. They shall
"also stow away all laundry placed on board by long
shoremen or the Deck Department.
Members of the Steward's Department shall not
be required to carry heavy stores and provisions ex
cept laundry on board, hut all stores and pro\.'isiohs
shall be stowed by the Steward's Department.
N •
(a) Members of Ihe Stewards' Department
not be required to carry any stores or linen to or
from ihe dock, but when stores or linen or delivered
to storeroom doors, meat or chill box doors, they
shall place same in their respective places and over
time shall be paid for such work to all men required
to put in more than eight (8) hours' work that day.
(b) Daily supplies of provisions such as milk,
bread and vegetables shall,.be stored away without
the payment of overtime.
{Overtime is paid for ALL work under paragraph
(a) of the SIU contract because this is not coti~
sidered routine work.)
MANNING SCALE
There shall be no. change in the present man
ning scale of the Stewards' Department. On freight
ships in trades where occasional passengers are car-
fied, the members of the Stewards' Department serv
ing such passengers shall be compensated by .an
amount equal to five dollars ($5) per passenger for
the trip provided the trip does not exceed five days
in duration. In the event the trip exceeds five days
in duration then each member of the Stewards' De
partment engaged in serving the passengers shall
receive five dollars ($5) per passenger per trip. How
ever, the owner shall have the option of placing
-additional men in the Stewards' Department when
deemed necessary, and when so assigned no extra
compensation will be paid for such service to pas
sengers.
No Extra Compensation Provided,
If is agreed thai meals served passengers will
not be considered extra meals.
When passengers are carried it is agreed that if
one to three passengers inclusive are carried, one (1)
hour overtime per day will be paid to each of fou*
(4) members of the Stewards' Department (including
the Steward). If four (4) or more passengers are car
ried the payment shall be two (2) hours' overtime
per day.
This section does not apply to those freighters
regularly carrying passengers where the Stewards'
Department Personnel exceeds six (6) persons.
DELAYING OF MEALS
No Overtime No Overtime
When meal hours are delayed or shifted on ac
count of crew being occupied and unable to eat at
their regular meal hour, all necessary members of
the Stewards' Department will be paid at the regu
lar overtime rate for the time delayed.
LIGHTING STOVES
No Overtime No Overtime
On vessels which still have coal burning stoves
the man who starts the fires in the morning shall be
given one-half (Vi) hours' overtime each day.
CLEANING MEAT BOXES
No Overtime No Overtime
Overtime shall be paid to all members of the
Stewards' Department actually engaged in cleaning
meat box and chill boxes.
l|
^ il
SORTING LINEN
\ No Overtime No Overtime
Work performed by any member of the Stew
ards' Department, other than the regular routine
work as defined in this agreement, shall be paid for
at the regular overtime rate. This clause is added
due to the fact that the Stewards' Department has a
required amount of routine duty to perform within
their 8 hours. Sorting and counting linen, cleaning
spare rooms not occupied by crew or passengers,
shall be paid for at the regular overtime rate.
C\<-SHIFTING SHIP
No Overtime No Overtime
The day vessel arrives from sea at a port of call
shall be considered the day of arrival, and smy sub
sequent moves from thcd port occurring in inland
waters, bays and sounds, shall be considered as
shifting ship and overtime shall be pciid for Satur
day afternoons. Sundays and holidays.
WAGES — OFFSHORE
(ALL WAGES INCLUDE BASIC SCALE PLUS EMERGENCY INCREASES)
Chief Steward $147.50
Chief Cook 132.50
Second Cook 117.50
Mcssman 87.50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $152.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87,50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $157.58
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87.50
Utility 87.50
WAGES — COASTWISE
Chief Steward $140.00
Chief Cook 125.00
S^ond Cook 110.00
Messman 80.00
Crew Messman - 75.00
Chief Steward $152.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122.50
Messman 87.50
Crew Messman 82.50
Chief Steward $157.50
Chief Cook 137.50
Second Cook 122J50
Messman 87.50
Utility 87.50
All provisions in the MCS and SIU contracts apply to both offshore and coastwise runs. However, the NMU gets overtime for
Saturday afternoon, Sundays and holidays on coastwise run only when the ship is in its home port — and not then on days of
arrival and departure. Hiese finky rules apply to all three departments. The NMU contract rea'ds as follows:
Recognizing the critical economic situation
which confronts the coastwise trade, and the absence
of any Governmental subsidy, it is distinctly under
stood and agreed that the following provisions shall
apply on "days of arrival" at all ports other than the
home port, on all vessels engaged exclusively in the
ynited States Atlantic Gulf and Puerto Rican coast
wise trade (that is, all such vessels not touching any
foreign ports).
V Seclion i. Days of Atxival. "\yhen "days of ar
rival" fall on Saturdays, Suntlays or holidays, the
watch on duty shall not be paid overtime for the
normal watch duties. In the Deck Depm-tment nor
mal duties sliall include gangway or anchor watch.
The boatswain and carpenter shall perform their
usual duties in connection with mooring and un
mooring between the hours of 8 A.M. and 5 P.M. on
such days of arrival without payment of overtime.
In the event of a vessel sailing on day of arrival,
the above conditions shall apply.
Section 2. The oiler on watch, if not required in
the engine room, shall oil and care for, the deck
machinery while cargo is being worked, on such
days of arrival, without payment of overtime.
Section 3. Working Hours, Stewards. The Stew
ards' Department personnel shall perform their nor
mal duties within eight hours on freight vessels, and
on passenger vessels if no passengers are on board,
without overtime, on such days of arrival except
that if passengers ai'e on board, all members of the
Stewards' Department shall woik their regular sea
schedule of hours without the payment of overtime;
provided, however, that no maintenance or repair
work shall be performed on Saturday afternoons,
Sundays or holidays of such days of arrival without
payment of overtime, and provided further, that aU
work performed by Deck or Engine personnel in
excess of regular eight hours and all work perform
ed in excess of regular hours of duty in Stewards*
Department, shall be paid for at the regular ov^-
time rate.
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m
>age Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 10, 1943
Dushane's Report On Washingfton
he is a member. Made ieveral
decisions on SIU cases. Know
fhc membership wishes him luck
in his new job.
REPORT OF DECEMBER 8, 1943
December 15th is the final wine
up to compute and file your
amended income tax, if the tax
was under estimated from the
September 15th report made to
the Internal Revenue.
Internal Revenue penalizes a
person six per cent if they under
estimate their tax. If you can't
guess your tax within twenty
per cent, you will have to fish
out the penalty. Internal Rev
enue states that ignorance of the
law excuses no person. Listing
the four catergories of persons
who must file on or before De
cember 15, 1943.
' .1 Anyone who expects to have
during the calendar year 1943
more than $100 gross income
from a source outside of wages
which are subject to withholding
tax and who also expects suffici
ent gross income to require filing
an income tax return (S500 for a
single person, $1,200 for a mar
ried couple, or $624 for a married
person.)
2. Any single person expect
ing wages of more than $2,700
during the year.
3. Any married person or mar
ried couple expecting individual
ly or together more than $3,500
from wages during the year.
4. Any person who was re
quired to file an income tax re
turn for 1942 and expects their
wages in 1943 to be less than in
1942.
I know its a headache, but I
Just thought that a reminder
may help to eliminate the pay
ment of a penalty.
contain no clause regard
ing a medical examination, and
I am of the opinion that this is
a matter for them to take up
with the operators, as it effects
the SUP agreement, when they
supply men to the operators, and
a third party determines whether
a person dispatched to a vessel
can be employed. This seems to
be a violation of our agreements
There is one way that this
move may possibly be beat, a
brief submitted to the appropri
ations committee in Congress
may cut off the proposed revenue
that the WSA intends to pay the
Doctors for every examination.
The WSA is now drafting an ap
propriation for the coming year,
maybe Congressmen will see the
light, and cut the money bags of
the WSA.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Admiral Marshall Dimock of
the WSA, has sent me a notifica
tion that another meeting is go
ing to be held on December
Fifteenth, on further discussion
. of the WSA proposed Medical
exam.
Their second proposal also was
sent to me. In the first proposal,
any seaman who was turned
down by a Doctor could go to
the U.S. Public -Health service
for a re-examination—Under the
new proposal, "The case shall be
decided by the Public Health
Service Officer who has been ap
pointed as Port Medical Repre
sentative." At the last meeting
the majority of the opinion was
that in any examination for con-
tegious disease all the Doctors
should be from the U.S. Public
Health Service, and that they be
free from any entanglements
with the WSA.
The WSA moving into the pic
ture and trying to compel sea
men to submit to a medical ex
amination, wherein the WSA
sets lip the standard for the exam.
This is contrary to the state
ment of policy signed between
the unions and the WSA. I am
of the opinion that the standards
to be set up is a matter for col
lective bargaining under the
terms of agreements held with
the operators, and I feel that the
WSA is duly bound to respect
the terms of the agreements re
garding the examination clause
in the Seafarers Atlantic and
G.ulf district. The SUP agree-
PILOT ATTACK
The December 3rd issue of the
Pilot carried an editorial, in
which yours truly was given a
paragraph. Usually a blast in
the Pilot is not worth the time
to c'^swer, especially when it
comes Tom Blacky Myers.
This article carried the same
old bunk about the SIU-SUP be
ing a shipowners set-up, and that
we curry favors with them. The
record shows that when the SIU
members struck the Robin Line
ships for an increase in War Risk
Bonuses, officials of the NMU
dispatched a crew" for one of
these vessels, and they sailed her
to South Africa and return.
The record also shows that
when the NMU crews had some
of their vessels tied up for an
increase in War bonuses, the
officials of the NMU, upon re
turning from a conference ih
Washington with officials of the
Maritime Commission, sold their
membership -a bill of goods on
the Maritime Commission's twen
ty-five per cent bonus. The
SIU-SUP crews were then re
ceiving thirty-three per cent War
risk bonus.
Another gander at the record
shows that these vultures in the
labor movement condemned the
SIU-SUP for striking ships for
an increase in War Bonuses.
However, after the National Me
diation Board granted us a War
Bonus of eighty dollars a month,
these misleaders of labor shout
ed to high heaven for stabiliza
tion on bonuses. That, my friends
led up to the present Maritime
War Emergency Board. This
board was advocated and pushed
by the NMU, and it owes its
birth and present powers to
them.
The record also shows that the
NMU supplied crews to the Ex
port Line when another of their
(CIO) affiliates, the MEBA,
struck the Export Line for an in
crease in Bonus. The NMU was
returned this favor by that com
pany, in that they were granted
the same bonuses that the SIU-
SUP was then receiving.
This editorial goes on to state,
"As Far as the NMU is concern
ed, conditions which might be
acceptable to the SIU are cer
tainly not acceptable to the rank
and file of all seamens' unions."
I suppose they mean that the
conditions now enjoyed by the
SIU-SUP, are not acceptable to
the NMU.
If that is the case, then the of
ficials of the NMU are again
blowing smoke up their member
ship alley. They now have
case before the National War La
bor Board. It is a request to the
board that they be granted the
same conditions that the SIU-
SUP are at present enjoying.
Will close this with a little in
formation to our new members
who do not know me, and may
be misled into believing the Pil
ot's bilge water. In the Fall of
nineteen hundred and thirty six
was storekeeper on the S.S.
Quirigia of the United Fruit
Company. This was the only
ship of that company that the
crew went out on strike in the
port of New York. Was out on
the picket line all during the
1936-1937 strike. Shipped out as
Bos'un Mate on the S.S. Presi
dent Garfield in April, 1937.
E. R. Wallace, SIU Agt., Gal
veston: Your Congressman may
send you the Congressional Rec
ord free. Subscriptions may be
sent to the Superintendent of
Documents, Government Print
ing Office, Washington, D.C. (One
dollar and fifty cents per month.
New England fishermen are
still out on strike against the
OPA's ceiling prices. Pat Mc-
Hugh is in town trying to
straighten things out. Looks as
though Triggs of the OPA, who
formerly was a fish buyer is set
on letting the fish buyers con
tinue to reap a harvest.
The NMU has been pressing
the WSA to get me to go along
with them to try and high pres
sure Congressman Rampsbeck
for action on unemployment in
surance for seamen. Advised the
WSA that I would not walk
across the street with the NMU
skunks. Will contact Congress
men on this bill with only AFL
representatives, and not with the
NMU representatives.
HENRY RUSSELL QUIRK
Get in touch with your sister.
Jessie Poiriei, 428 Pleasant St.,
Melrose.
« * »
LORIN F. HOUGHTON
Contact Attorney Ranny Drap
er, Bank of America Building,
Manrovia, California.
• • •
IRVING PAULSON
Communicate with Attorney
Richard Cantor, 51 Chambers
Street, New York City.
* * *
MIKE DIKUN
Your papers and discharges
have been turned into the Phila
delphia hall.
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ Presideni
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK - Secy-Treas,
P. O. Box 2f, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep.
424 Sth Street, N. W., Washington, D.C.
• w w
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
^ BOwUng Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2>......,I4 North Gay St Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA. ...;.. .6 North 6th St. Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS (16) ..309 Chartres St ...Canal 3336
S^AVANNAH 218 Eaet Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA .....423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 .So. Conception St Dial 2.l3Sa
PUERTO RICO. 45 Ponce da Icon....... .Puerto de TIerra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway... Ft. Lauderdale 1601
•W W V
PUBLICATION OFFICE:
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwIing Green 9-8346
•267
Pilot Attack On SIU
Reveals Desperation
{Continued from Page 1)
WLB. The NMU is asking for
wages and working rules which
have been part of the SIU con
tracts for years.
IN BLACK AND WHITE
Honor Roll
SS ROBIN DONCASTER $15.00
SS WM. MERIDITH
DECK DEPT 7.00
SS GEO.
WESTINGHOUSE 7.00
O. VALLEY .: 5.00
KEITH BRILL 4.00
L. REAVES 4.00
GEORGE BOOKS 2.00
R. W. JONES 2.00
J. PAPA 2.00
TOTAL $48.00
Curran and Company have put
on paper a lot of wild and loose
charges against the SIU—slan
derous, all of them. We don't in
tend to engage in an endless
campaign of character assassina
tion (the Stalinists would win in
such a fight anyway). What we
do propose is to put in black and
white a detailed analysis of the
SIU and NMU contracts, and to
show the rank and file members
of the NMU just what sort of a
rooking they are receiving.
In this issue, on page two and
three, we have analyzed the
NMU, MCS and SIU Stewards
Department contracts on freight
vessels. In future issues we shall
break down the contracts as they
apply to other departments. We
urge all seamen in all unions to
study these breakdowns and to
understand what they mean. No
amount of Curran bull will be
able to cover up the fact' that
the SIU leads the industry in
winning conditions for the sea
men.
PROPAGANDA NOT
ENOUGH
Some NMU rank and fliers
will no doubt begin to wonder
why it is that their outfit, with
all its high-power publicity and
propaganda departments, lags be
hind the SIU so badly in win
ning conditions aboard the ships.
It is because it takes more than
publicity and propaganda to bea^
the shipowners. It takes hone
and militant struggle on
beat
ncfA
tJ^e
waterfront, it takes picket lines,
it takes uncompromising opposi-'
tion to the shipowners and all
that they stand for. The NMU
propaganda machine serves the
political ends of the Stalinist
clique which runS the union, but
it, does not serve the economic
needs of the membership—a fact
they are rapidly coming to un
derstand.
We don't intend to shadow box
with Curran, we intend to place
in printers' ink an analysis of ouT^
conditions and his conditions.
The test of a union is what it
does for its members. Let the
seamen of all unions read the
facts and judge for themselves.
MONEY DUE
VINCENT COSTER: You have
50 hours overtime coming from
the Bull Line. -
• •
R. H. TAURIN has overtime
coming from the Calmar Line.
See patrolman Sheehan about if.
* # *
R. McLAURIN has overtime
coming from the New York of
fice of the Calmar Line.
* « •
Crew which paid off S.S. Alcoa
Voyager in Sept. 1943. has $10
linen money coming. Collect 17
Battery Place, New York City.
» » »
The logging of the Steward's
Department of the S.S. Daniel
Willard has been reversed by the
Commissioner after a lengthy
trial. The men involved can col-
cct their extra meal money and
og refund from Calmar Line
Office. *
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