http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/b7fbbcceb3e9b2fc66c69719a681f3df.PDF 954c403aafb96219ac5b74c8b6b3a9c9 PDF Text Text JOQ 1 OFFICIAL OBGAN OF TEE ATLANTIO AZTD OULF DISTBICT, SEAFABEBS' lOTEBNATIONAL UNION OF NOBTH AMEBICA VoL VI. NEW YORK. N. Y„ FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 17. 1944 No. 37 NMU OFFENSIVE AGAINST CLOSED SHOP BLOWS UP Anti-Labor Agenda Inspired Freeze 'em. Lift Their Papers, By NMU-Buried By The SIU Draft 'em - Cries Curran &'Co. Here is the original union busting agenda as drawn up by the RMO and later dropped like a hot potato when the opposition of the SIU was made plain. (See story in right hand column). The agenda is in bold face type, the SIU position as inserted in the record in Washington by brother Hawk, is in light face type. y• if V*' J f. < \M This is Ihe front oi x..e new SIU building at 51 Beaver Street in New York. A six story lime­ stone building, occupied entirely (except for the bar on the ground floor) by the union, this is the most modern set-up for a mari­ time labor union on any coast. Reading from the ground floor up: second floor windows open on the dispatching hall and the Dispatchers office; third floor windows open on the meeting hall; fourth floor windows open on the Steward's Hall and the Steward's Dispatcher's office; fifth floor windows open on the New York Agent's office and the Patrolmen's lounge; sixth floor -windows open on the bookkeep­ ing offices of the District head­ quarters. An industry-wide conference of shipowners, labor leaders and government bureaucrats sat solemnly in the De­ partment of Commerce building in Washington last Friday and listened to denunciations of the American seamen for demanding their union rights at sea and ashore. They heard •a hysterical plea to Selective Ser­ vice, the War Manpower Com­ General Proposals: mission and the Coast Guard to 1. Freer exchange of manpower information and manpower lift the old timers' papers and itself should prevail between the unions, companies, and the RMO. draft the new comers if they: 1. 1. We want to say catagorically that the Atlantic & Gulf happened to overstay by a day District of the Seafarers has no surplus of personnel. On the the pityfully short time ashore contrary, we have been forced to draw heavily on manpower now allowed them under RMO supplied by the RMO. An examination of the RMO records will regulations; 2. ever took a job substantiate this contention. What is more pertinent to this disEleven SIU-SUP ships receiv­ ashore for a few days; 3. refused ' cussion is to discover who is responsible for this manpower ed accolades this week from the to sail unorganized ships (under shortage, and what steps should be taken to correct it. government for the heroic role finky conditions and wages, of The RMO Itself is Tesponsibie'for the shortage of seamen. played in establishing the beach­ course). This shortage is directly due to the bureaucratic bottleneck cre­ head in the Normandy invasion. And who was it that was slan­ ated by the RMO, a bottleneck which has retarded the flow of These ships were manned by vol­ dering the seamen and demandshoreside workers onto the ships. Prior to September 21, 1942, unteer SIU-SUP crews which' jjjg f-gcist-like repressions? The when the unions had the right to recruit workers directly into maneuvered the ships into place'^he bureaucrats? the maritime industry, our Union was able to man- the ships off shore and sunk them to form gjj j|. "laboj- leaders" without recourse to any other agency. After that date, when a harbor breakwater. —Curran-Meyers-McKenzie and the RMO placed barriers in the way of our direct recruitment The SUP ship James W. Mar- Company! efforts, we experienced increasing difficulties in obtaining new shall received special mention in THE BLOODY SHIRT personnel to fill the jobs in the expanding industry. The RMO news releases issued this week Waving the bloody shirt of paforced all shoreside workers to pass through the funnel of its by the War Shipping Administra- ^ triotism, these NMU carpenters program, a program which set up elaborate training require­ tion. The Marshall had been hit Trojan Horse in the camp ments and thus reduced the number of men per month avail­ repeatedly off the Salerno beachlabor pressed upon the conferable to the ships; a program with such high physical entrance head, her hull was pock-marked g^gg g program, which if it had requirements that thousands of men not up to Army, Navy or by enemy fire and parts of her ^gg^ adopted, would have smashRMO standards, but fit for sea duty, were prevented from going had been gutted by raging flames. to sea. This RMO policy is directly responsible for the present She carried , the odor of a death ed the union hiring hall, the clos­ ed shop contracts, and would shortage of manpower. ship when the volunteer crew have placed the seamen at the The solution of this problem is not to jockey existing per­ boarded her and took the ship to mercy of the labor hating ship­ sonnel from one union to another, or from the unions into the England in the early spring. owners. Had Curran & Company government pools and back again, but rather is in smashing the There she was prepared for her been able to put it over, there RMO red tape which prevents shoreside workers from easily final task that was to open up would soon have been the biggest entering the industry. We, propose, specifically, that the unions the beaches in Europe. flourishing of crimps that the regain the right to recruit directly to their contracted ships. Another hero was the SIU ship coasts have seen since 1922. This would, in our opinion, be the greatest single step forward Matt W. Ransom. This ship had That the NMU was unable to in the solution of personnel shortage. survived two explosions and af­ push through its program of re­ 2. War Manpower Commission should continue manpower con­ ter being abandoned was board­ pression against the seamen was trols over the Merchant Marine until the expiration of the emer­ ed by volunteer SIU crew and no reflection upon their ability gency. brought into England. There she to conduct backdoor maneuvers 2. At present the War Manpower Commission controls are was prepared for her role at with sympathetic shipowners and not a factor in the manning of our contracted ships. However, Normandy. bureaucrats, rather was it due to we would be opposed to the imposition of any new WMC con­ "The complete list of SIU-SUP, ^.jjg opposition of legitimate maritrols upon the seamen until the maritime unions have an op­ ships used- in the Normandy time unions and the Washington portunity to study any such new controls, and present their po­ breakwater follows: Matt W. Ran­ red tape and confusion which sition. Further, we would like clarification of the word "Emer­ som, Benjamin C o n t e e. West makes it difficult to get anything gency" as used in paragraph 2. We have always assumed that Nilus, Baialoide, James W. Mar­ lined up—even an anti-labor di­ WMC controls would be relaxed at the end of the war. Is not shall, Illinoian, Kentuckian, Al­ rective. the end of the war also the end of the "Emergency?" This point coa Leader, Kofresi, Pennsyl­ The first the SIU knew that the is not clear. We would, in general, be opposed to wartime labor vania and the Robin Gray. NMU was planning a new man­ controls being extended into peace time, irrespective of whether euver against the seamen, was or not some Washington bureaucrat might try to make us be­ the receipt on Nov. 3 of a notice lieve that peace was still a period of "Emergency." from Admiral Land that an "in­ 3. Selective Service ..ontrols should be tightened. dustry - wide conference" would 3. On this point we should like clarification. How is Selecbe held on November 10. Includ­ ' tive Service to "tighten" control over seamen? Already seamen ed in the letter from Land was are more rigidly controlled than any other civilian workers. the agenda (printed on page one What more controls are invisioned? If it is proposed that their of this issue of the LOG). This shore liberty be further restricted, we would oppose that. And was a straight union busting {Continued .on Page 4) (Continued on Page 4) More SIU Ships Honored For Role In Normandy J �fHE Pag® Two SEAFARERS LOG Friday. November 17. 1944 SEAFARERS LOG Published by the, SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliaied with the American Federation of Labor. HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ Vresident 105 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. JOHN HAWK - -- -- -- - Secy-Treas. P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York Gty MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep. 424 5th Street, N. W., "Washington, D. C. Directory of Branches BRANCH NEW YORK (4) BOSTON (10) BALTIMORE (2) PHILADELPHIA NORFOLK NEW ORLEANS (16)... CHARLESTON (9) SAVANNAH TAMPA lACKSONVILLE MOBILE SAN JUAN. 28 P.R.. PUERTO RICO.... GALVESTON ADDRESS 51 Beaver St 330 Atlantic Ave 1 4 North Gay St 6 North 6th St 25 Commercial PI 339 Chartres St 68 Society St 220 East Bay St 423 East Piatt St 920 Main St 7 St. Michael St 45 Ponce de Leon 219 20th .St.. PHONE HAnover 2-2784 Liberty 405 7 Cralvert 4539 Lombard 7651 Norfolk 4-1083 Canal 3336 ' Charleston 3-2930 Savannah 3-'728 Tampa MM-1323 Jacksonville 5-123 I Dial 2-1392 ^ San Juan 1885 Galveston 2-8043 USS Hollandia Club Soon To Be Opened PUBLICATION OFFICE: 51 BEAVER STREET HAnover 2-2784 New York, (4) N. Y. •267 MONEY DUE SS MARY M. DODGE Foster Thorpe. Oiler. 6 hrs; William Gossett. Oiler. 4 hrs; Charles Suttles. Oiler. 4 hrs; Comiels Couse. FWT. 55 hrs; G. Doring. FWT. 4 hrs; Edward O'Malley. FWT. 4 hrs; Nick Matko. Wiper. $30.00; G. Bach­ elor. Wiper. $30.00; C. Suttles. Oiler, $30.00; F. Thorpe. Oiler. $36.00; W. Gossett. FWT. $36.00; C. Cous. FWT. $36.00; E. O'Mally. FWT. $36.00. Collect at South At­ lantic SS Co. • * If SS OHEMAR M. Craz. $6.47; P. Senby. $1.34; F, O'Day. $8.06; Wm. Wild. $8.06; C. Casel. $4.70; L. McQuade. $5.37; E. McLean. $8.73; R. Thomas. $11.75; C. S. Eastman. $8.06; M. Filosa. $18.13; C. Southwick. $30.89; Dibonis. $8.73; O. C. Hill. $2.69; L. Barrow. $6.77; W. Reed. $2.69; E. Segal. $2.73. Col­ lect at Calmar SS Co. J.P.ShulerSays... When you are dispatched to a ship, you receive from the union dispatcher a printed card. On the back of this card is space for the department head to indicate whether he rejected or accepts you . . . and his reason therefore. Now these cards aren't for dec­ oration. They are being used 1o protect the membership from ca­ pricious acts by some brass-decorated bucko who might not like the way you part your hair. Therefore, make certain that when you get aboard a ship . . . the first thing you do is to have the department head sign your dispatching card. Otherwise you will have no proof that you came aboard, and you may not even collect a day's pay if the skipper suppenly claims you aren't on the payroll. Postwar Dreams SS DEL AIRES A. DeForest. Chief Cook; Rob­ ert Carlton. Night Cook and Ba­ ker; John More. 2nd Cook and Butcher; A. Kocaj. 2nd Cook; C. Miller. Galley Utility, 15 hours payable to each man. Collect at Mississippi Shipping Office. SS ARTHUR PERRY Edward W. Robellard. J. R. Briggs. Everett Allan. Jr.. each have $8.33 coming. Collect at Colmar SS Co. Office. • » » SS LIVINGSTON H. Taylor has 26'/a hours com­ ing to him at the Bull Line Office. SS BENJAMIN WILLIAMS B. R. Andreassen. Bos.. $2.69; R. Nordberg. AB. $2.69; J. Camp­ bell. AB. $4.70; Theo. Burbine. AB. $39.90; D. R. Sartini. OS. $26.86; J. J. Maher, OS. $2.69; J. Johnson. OS. $6.71; A. Rruska. DM. $12.09; T. Kennalley. Stew­ ard. $24.95; G. Bono. Ch. Cook. $1.34; L. D. O'Rawe. N. Cook and Baker. $6.04; H. Edwards. 2nd Cook. $4.70; H. A. Broniegan. Utility. $2.69; G. Cavioti. MM. $10.74; A. Conray. Utility. $3.36; W. H. Lewis. Utility. $22.15. Albert Couroy. Joseph Cavioti. Henry Bronagen each have $137.20 coming. G. Bono. $26.60; W. Edwards. $26.60; L. D, O'Rawe, $26.80; W. H. Lewis. $26.60. One week linen money for men who had been at work since 6/1 to 6/7. • » » SS ROBERT M. T. HUNTER (Voya£<e No. 4). Rodney Kuschke, Messmw; Emil Struemph. Messman; James R. Kornofsky. Wiper; Dewey Rhea. Chief Cook. Collect at Savannah Office of South Atlantic SS Co. WILLIAn" F. TIBBERT You have 12 hours disputed overtime coming from the Water­ man outfit. See Captain Perkins in the New York office. Extending its services to Am­ erican merchant seamen supply­ ing General MacArthur's cam­ paign in the East Indies en route to the Philippines, United Sea­ men's Service, in cooperation with the War Shipping Admin­ istration, has begun construction of a residential club at Hollandia, on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea, it was announced last week. The Hollandia club is the sixth land club to be established by USS and WSA in the Southwest Pacific, and the 123rd facility in the USS worldwide chain. The other USS-WSA clubs in the area are at Noumea, New Cale­ donia; Sydney and Brisbane, Australia; and Finchaven and Milne Bay, New Guinea, and there is also the "USS Klang," 1,450-ton floating recreation club. To be known as the "USS Equator Club," the Hollandia unit is being built of ships' dun­ nage and lumber provided by the U. S. Army, and temporarily stocked with supplies transported from its neighbor USS clubs by the "Klang," the USS-WSA float­ ing club. Other supplies now being ship­ ped to Hollandia from the United States, at the request of Richard H. Van Esselstyn, USS regional director in the Southwest Pacific, include beer, candy, tobacco, cigars, toilet articles, a juke box, radio and two electric refrigera­ tors. The club is expected to open November 1st. CREW OF SS PHINEAS BAN­ NING: Any member knowing anything iibout the circumstances surrounding the death of Joseph B. Walton, or who knows about his condition prior to his death, or knows anything about what efforts were made to rescue him. please communicate with attor­ ney Sol Berenholtz, Court Square. Building. Baltimore, Md. —Justice NEWS HOT OUT OF THE GALLEY By "FRENCHY" MICHELET Food beefs are coming in in a strolling past the galley and steady stream. We are rapjdly there's the guy floured to the ears building up a good file of chisel­ with a cook book broke out in ing on the part of several port front of him and reading away stewards, and will present them like murder. We take one look to the Food Control Division of at him, another at No. 3 shelter the WSA at the next meeting of deck where Uncle Sam is plan­ the board. Meanwhile, we are ning on bunking 550 soliders, straightening out snarls in the then we break all records for steward department of some ship packing our other shirt and hit­ or other almost daily. Our. activ­ ting the dock! No profession on earth is more ities this week covered a broad fascinating than that of going to field — from persuading the port steward of the Calmar Line to sea for a living! After a few properly store the "Philip Thom­ n^onths on the beach we are as" to helping the Chief Steward are dreaming of far places again. of the Talisman lay out the work A few nights ago we dated a lit­ tle bird-brain jitterbug who evi­ for his department. Remember, if a Chief Steward dently never sleeps. After belly­ feels that he doesn't have every­ ing up to half the bars in Brook­ thing he needs for a voyage, why lyn and listening to a blow-byjust get to a phone and call blow account of what he said and "Frenchy" Michelet and we'll she said and they said ad infinit­ hustle down to the scow and take um, we got to thinking of all the an inventory. We know exactly time a guy wastes in local clip what you need for any length joints with dopey domestic voyage and if you don't have it dame.s when he could be in Sing­ aboard we'll guarantee you will apore or Rio with the real McCoy. have before the vessel puts to "We got to dreaming of the Gold­ en Key and Sloppy Joes; of sea! We are pleased to report that "Singapore" Sue and "Shanghi" we have a letter from Washing­ Sal; of the Dog and Duck and ton confirming the fact that all the Ship and Whale of "Dyna­ Moran deep-sea jobs with twelve mite" Nell and "Spanish" Marie grand - old establishments and men or more in the gun crew will now carry an additional man in ladies, ladies all! This week we are going to dis­ the steward department at 90 cuss ways that a steward might dollars base pay. best utilize the hundreds of We are thinking of fostering a pounds of chuck that he finds be-kind-to - poor-dumb -Stewards himself stuck with under the week. The poor guys are work­ ing under terrific handicaps these WSA directive regarding carcass days. We got another taste of the beef. situation several months ago The tastiest pot roasts are taken when we lyent aboard a scow as from the chuck. Have the deck Chief Steward with every inten­ engineer make you a rack to put tion of taking her to sea. We into the pot. Any scrap metal will were sitting at our desk growl­ do for this purpose. Season the ing over the requisition when in meat well and stuff it with plen­ comes a guy all dressed up in a ty of mashed garlic, quartered monkey suit and grid-braided to onions and stuffed olives. Now the elbows. He tel. us that he's fiour the meat and brown it thor­ the night cook and baker. Against oughly in bacon drippings. Put our better judgment we bounced the roast into a large pot on top him down to the galley to make of the rack and pour over it a mixture of 2 cans of tomatoes and a batch of biscuits. About a half hour later we are (Continued on Page 3) �Friday, November 17, 1944 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three NORFOLK You can take all of these fel­ lows' sea time in this war and, count the months on one or two Having just finished reading a fingers. Not only did they not | very interesting article in the sail the ships when the going was LOG about an ex-pie card from tough, but now to top it off, they the port of Norfolk getting home­ are doing everything in their sick to come back down to the power to sell down the line the Smithfield State, please allow me men who did sail the ships. to state that should any piecard When the hi.story of the mari-. who has served in this branch in a state of war, and that these and joined the Seafarers, for in her of ships that may pay off— ever become real honest-to-good- same prisoners had shot at and the Seafarers they always get a whether it is two or twenty-two! time industry for this war is writ­ ness homesick, then he should see had probably killed many of the break and also justice. Thanks And these men are prepared to ten in the future, then there is a psychiatrist at once, for his flower of American youth, and for the compliments brothers, handle any dispute that may no question but what these men's arise, even if it requires a week names will always be remember­ head needs examining and how. that they still despised all Am­ and keep up the good work. Quite a few members in the to pay one ship off! This makes ed as the phoniest of any so-call­ To be sure, some piecards who ericans and would, absolutely and have served the Seafarers Union positively, still do anything to Marine Hospital here, and we are it much better on the men for ed union men in any industry at in this port never had to hit the hurt us and retard the war move­ making it as often as we can, but no seaman likes to make a trip any time! In their effort to push bricks at 5:00 or 5:30 A.M. in ment. The skipper and the Chief at the present time being kept so and then come in and find out the party line and secure per­ the morning and wade through Engineer did not like that, and busy on tugs, ships in transit, at the pay-off that he has been manent "pie" for themselves, sleet, rain, and coal dust flying in hemmed and hawed around, and with their many many beefs, and given a good rooking on his these men are willing to sell their eyes, but we who have done the buckaroo skipper really got fighting some of these chiseling money earned. This can be pre­ down the river all conditions that so know just what Hell can be. I the jitters, for he began asking a company stooges, it is hard to do vented by full cooperation be­ seamen have fought and died for. know that the Secretary-Treas­ million questions of everyone so. But we manage somehow to tween union officials and all The membership of the NMU is not taking these things lying urer John Hawk can verify this about anything. The representa­ see that the brothers are looked crews. after. tive from: the Waterman outfit THE COMMIES ARE AT IT down and this can be testified to statement, as on his visit here a There isn't much more to say, came right out in the excitement AGAIN UP flERE!! Their latest by the steady trend of their few weeks past I had the pleas­ only that best wishes to all and said that the Waterman Line attempt in selling the member­ members applying in this port ure of arousing him from the , arms of Morpheus (sleep they had been working prisoners in brothers on the beach, on ships ship out to the shipowners smells for Seafarers membership. so bad, that even the Coast Guard As soon as the wartime re­ calls it now) and having him the engine room on all of their and those overseas. CARL M. ROGERS, Agent could not go for it. These bums, strictions on seamen are lifted, make the tugs with yours truly, vessels. The U.S. Shipping Com­ in their effort to get a better so they will not be constantly and he did avidly state, "Holy missioner and the Naval Intelli­ gence representative are witness­ strangle hold on the industry, are shoved around at such a rapid Jesus, the Indians never lost NEW YORK going so far as to beg the Coast rate that they cannot band to­ es to the above statement. nothing in oil, and they can liave Guard to revoke any seamen's gether as rank and file, then the the towboats to carry what oil Brothers, something should be This port's affairs are as usual, papers who stays on the beach days of these Commie stooges they have left as far as I am con­ done about this, for to the writer. cerned." Enough about, the tug­ Waterman is havipg prisoners do­ in first-class shape and every­ longer than is provided for in wiU definitely come to an end. Because the rank and file mem­ boats, brothers. ing all of the sougeeing and thing in New. York is well in the the NMU shipping rules. groove. Shipping and business is If this move was to come from bership in the NMU, if given a Once again, the port of Nor­ painting in the engine depart­ still very good and we have ship­ rank and file, bona fide seamen, half of an opportunity, will not folk is seething with action, as ment, stewards department and ped close to 2,000 men over the even then it would be hard to tolerate such things!!! every Waterman wagon that hits the deck department. REASONS: take, but coming from a bunch past two weeks. In addition, The beefs handled in this port here either comes in with a thou­ 1. To chisel overtime from the there are a hell of a lot more jobs of characters such as, Curran, over the past week, and the sand beefs (mostly legitimate) or unlicensed personnel. 2. To en­ to be filled. If shipping happens Stack, Myers, and McKenzie, it money due from each, will be "Captain Bligh" skippers. For in­ deavor to break up all overtime to be slow at this time in any of smells even worse, because these found under the "Money Due stance; The SS (name deleted) of clauses in the agreement that the guys are not going to sea under the outports, and some of you List" in this copy of the LOG. the Waterman came in and away Seafarers have with them, for it any conditions at any time. fellows would like to ship out at PAUL HALL, Agent to pay off, and the Waterman states in the agreement that no once, then grab yourself a hand outsider (mates, prisoners, stooges representative (with only $50.00 worth of authority to settle beefs) and etc.) will do any work that full of train and come on up this refused to discuss any payment of will tend to rob the unlicensed way, as we can strictly use all personnel of overtime. That is a hands. " overtime whatsoever. As predicted when balloting The skipper (Crackpot Bouett) crude way of putting it, but it started, the port of New York is had made prisoners paint out the means the same thing in other rolling up what will be an allBy BUNKER messrooms, officers rooms, pass­ words. (Art. 2 — Section 31 — time record for voting. In the ageways, and even had the set Waterman and Art. 1—Sec. 1.) first ten days of balloting in this prisoners working in the galley The tug Kaleen of the Southern branch, approximately 200 more and engine room. The man from Transportation came in with votes were cast than were cast Some lads who are now going to sea are as hot after overtime the Naval Intelligence was right quite a few beefs such as having during the entire election last as a Matthews County hound dog after a rabbit. They must lay there, and the skipper and Chief steam pipes running right next year in this branch. No doubt awake at night thinking up new ways to make it. Prize overtime Engineer admitted that they had to a guy's bunk, and one or two but what this figure will triple beef was the one submitted recently by a cook who wanted four worked in the engine room and were burned by same. The com­ before the election is over. This hours overtime every day for keeping a pot of coffee warm on the galley. I informed the said Lieu­ pany agreed to lag same. There is what you call "membership galley stove. tenant of the Naval Intelligence had been some chiseling that the interest." The fellows are paying In case you might have forgotten, overtime provisions were that the above came under "po­ company tried on the gang in more attention to the election of written into the agreements to prevent over-work and insure the tential sabotage" as we were still deck and engine departments, but their officials this year than ever eight-hour day . . . not as a way of making extra money. we caught it, and the company before. This is as it should be, In honor of the overtime brigade we offer this verse, with apol­ once again paid same. I think and it further guarantees a real ogies to the sea poet Mosefield. that by the time this tug hits here rank and file organization! I must go down io Ihe sea again once or twice more that we will To all of you fellows in the (Continued from Page 2) To some far distant clime. really have her straightened out, various ports who may have lost one of tomato paste, and let it not only in collecting dues, as­ your papers to the Coast Guard Where I can sit 'neath an awning simmer, tightly covered for sev­ sessments and etc., but seeing and are having a tough time And get paid for overtime. eral hours. that the men on her get a fair making "coffee and," and to all I long again for the care-free life Now add onions, peppers, car­ deal all around. The Bermuda of of you fellows who are compell­ When I can lay in my sack. rots, turnips and parsley and the same company hits here and ed to stay ashore for a period of And figure out how to get overtime cook until tender. By adding sev­ she's 100 per cent SIU and some time due to doctor's orders—the On my pay-off when I get back. eral dozen carrots you wiU not of the members who have re­ branch of New York has a setup only materially improve the cently joined the union .have stat­ now which should prove benefic­ I'm not at sea to chip and steer » roast, but will have a delicious ed that they wished that they ial regarding making a living I want no quarterdeck under my feet. vegetable dish besides. The ad­ had hit Norfolk a long time ago. while on the beach. Thanks to All I want is a watch below dition of several cups of rich To work on my overtime sheet. the efforts of J. P. Shuler and beef stock for the last half hour Doler Stone, two of the local pa­ of cooking will give you plenty Passport Deadline Is trolmen, we have managed to ob­ of rich gravy. Remember, never Extended Indefinitely A lot of screwy yarns come out of life at sea these days, but one tain work for any of our men use water in a pot roast or stew! who are forced, for one reason or of the best is about the young Liberty ship gunnery officer who took The Slate Department For a delicious stew, sea.son another, to stay ashore. They his duties too seriously. He made up a list of battle stations and has officially announced the meat well with salt, pepper will work in standby gangs, and when he posted them on the bulletin board the old man blew his top. through the WSA that the and a liberal springling of chili be paid at the regular union scale The lieutenant had assigned himself to the bridge—to the old man be gave the noble duty of rolling bandages in the hospital aft. Npvember 15th deadline for powder. Flour lightly and brown of wages and overtime. seamen's passport has been in bacon drippings. Braize off a The Patrolmen here are con­ few cloves of garlic and plenty extended indefinitely. So tinuing giving the membership One of the first labor strikes in American history was a sailor's of chopped onions in drippings. many thousands of seamen first-class representation by set­ strike in 1803 in which seamen shipping out of the port of New York Now add a couple of cans of to­ had failed to receive their tling the largest percentage of refused to sail the ships in an attempt to get their wages raised from passport that the enforce­ matoes and tomato paste and all their disputes from trips at $10 to $14 a month. There was no union then, but their obstinacy in simmer for a half hour. Add the ment of the deadline would the pay-off. refusing to ship did some good, for wages were raised and a few meat and simmer for several have tied up many ships. As We would like to take this op­ years later seamen were making as much as $17 a month—good pay things now stand, all you hours more. Lastly add plenty of portunity to instruct all members 3 "or those days. have to have in order to sign diced vegetables and simmer 'til paying off in this port not to pay on is a receipt showing that Another sailor's strike occurred in Boston in 1837 to advance tender. off any ship until the Patrolmen you have applied for the wages to $16 a month. This strike failed, however, because plenty of give you the OK. We have • Next week we will continue passport. shellbacks were furnished by the crimps and otherwise signed on enough experienced Patrolmen our discussion for the best ways he outward bounders for ten and twelve dollars a month. here to properly cover any numto utilize chuck cuts. WHArS DOING Around the Ports FORE 'N AFT Out Of The Galley k "5 �Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG GURRAN'S OFFENSIVE BLOWS UP denials of jurisdiction, etc. Along " (Continued from Page I) agenda and so the SIU swung in­ would come Vincent to "clarify" to action. the issue and get the NMU line back on the track. More confu­ RANK 8E FILE ACTION {Continued from Page 1) sion from the bureaucrats and in passing, we should like to point out that under present con­ The SIU position (printed along Meyers would take a pitch, aided with the agenda on page 1) was trols, seamen receive a maximum of 30 days ashore, whereas fu.l^. discussed by tlje rmik and by Stack^nd Harris. It is im­ shoreside workers receive more than twice that amount Of lib­ file in the New York meml^ship possible fo report all the tortur­ erty from their jobs. meeting of November 6, and the ous arguments and slanders 4. Unions and operators should announce now that post-war meeting voted unanimously to against the seamen which were employment seniority rights will be based on wartime service. have brother John Hawk go to used by these labor fakers, but 4. The question of seniority rights in maritime is strictly a Washington and fight for the re­ here is the essence of their pro­ question of internal union policy. Any dictation on this question tention of their rights as union posals. by either the shipowners or the government would violate our men. 1. Demand for a government present closed shop contract and our Union hiring hall. Both our When the conference convened pool of all seamen. This pool contract and hiring hall have been guaranteed to us by the gov­ Friday morning it was obvious would dispatch men to all ships, ernment under the Statement of Principle and the Statement of that the Stalinists considered this organized and unorganized. (This Policy. We rest upon the validity of those two statements. We maneuver to be of major impor­ would mean the breaking wide have a rotary hiring system which guarantees democratic job tance for they had mobilized all open of the union hiring hall and opportunity to all our members, and we intend to retain that their supporters, not only those in the closed shop. It would mean system. the NMU, but those in other the end of organized labor on the 5. Trip cards should be supplied if desired by a new man with­ unions and in the various govern­ waterfront.) out charge for one voyage and dues not required in advance. ment bureaus. Present and speak­ 2. Selective Service should 5. We reject this paragraph in principle. Again we refer to ing for their union busting pro­ draft all seamen who overstay the Statement of Policy and Statement of Principle which guar­ gram were NMU President Joe their shore liberty. antees us our closed shop for the duration of the war. This means Curran, Vice Presidents Meyers, 3. The War Manpower Com­ that we retain job control of our contracted ships, and it is our and McKenzie, New York Agent mission should refuse to let any right to establish the conditions under which new men may sail Joe Stack, National Dispatcher seamen get a shore job at any our ships. We can assure you that the SIU is extremely lenient Walter Avellar, and Pan Ameri­ time. (In other words, freeze on money required of trip card men, but we do not intend to can Director Christensen. Going them to the ships.) submit our policy to review by any outside organization. down the line on the NMU pro­ 4. The Coast Guard should lift 6. Officials with power to act should be so distributed that beefs gram of repression was Walter the men's papers for any infrac­ will be settled immediately upon termination of the voyage. Harris, New York Agent of the tion of the NMU sponsored re­ 6. With this paragraph we are in hearty accord. We should MFOW. Giving them more cau­ strictions. like to point out that the union maintains officials "with power tious support was Antonsen, Bal­ "It's time for the RMO to cen­ to act" in all the major ports. This cannot be said of the oper­ timore Agent of the Marine tralize hiring so as to force all ators. It would greatly expedite the payoffs of vessels if the Cooks & Stewards. seamen to live up to the rules," operators had such officials available in all the ports. shouted NMU Agent Joe Stack. FELLOW TRAVELERS 7. A "G.I. Bill of Rights" should be enacted for merchant sea­ Nor was the NMU without al­ "The War Manpower Commis­ men sailing the ships during wartime. (Reference: Letter from Ad­ lies among the government bu­ sion should refuse certificates of miral Land to Congressman Bland, August 23, 1944). reaucrats attending the confer­ availability to seamen for shore7. We are for a "GI Bill of Rights" in principle. However, ence. Present was fellow travel­ side work so as to keep the men there are certain objections we have to some of the provisions er Craig Vincent, New York RMO on the ships," said NMU Vice contained in Admiral Land's letter. These objections have been head, qnd several others of his President Meyers. made clear to Admiral Land in a letter from our International stripe. "The RMO should have access President, Harry Lundeberg. Since this body has, however, no The WSA-RMO was represent­ to all seamen so as to prevent authority to enact such a bill, we urge the body to use its in­ ed by Admiral Land, Captain them from avoiding the rules," fluence in obtaining a hearing before the next session of Con­ Macauley, H. Chase Stone and a said "No Coffee Time" Curran. gress on this matter. At that time we shall appear before the sprinkling of stooges and yes- "The Coast Guard could threaten appropriate Congressional committees with our proposals for men. General Hershey was pres­ to lift their papers if they don't the extension and amplification of Admiral Land's letter to Con­ ent for Selective Service; Paul stay on the ship." gressman Bland on this subject. McNutt appeared for the War THE DICTATOR 8. Discussion should be held on— Manpower Commission; Mr. Tay­ And then plaintively Curran a. continuous service with annual wage. lor and Mr. Kiggins spoke for the whined, "Our members complain This point should • be clarified. We would approve the shipowners, and the corners of increasing of the seamen's wages, but would oppose any plan the room was filled in by captains about belonging to a dictator or­ which might weaken the union's control of the jobs and its and admirals from the Coast ganization. We must have Uncle Sam step in and enforce the rules. other collective bargaining rights. Guard and the Navy. Walter Harris, New York Agent b. continuous articles on tankers operating in short trade BACK WATERING of the MFOW, went down the routes. When the meeting opened it line with Curran and Company We are opposed to continuous articles on any ship at any became clear that the original by saying, "I think that if the time, because we are opposed to forced labor. agenda as mailed to the SIU had Coast Guard threatened to lift Special Christmas Proposals: been ditched. It had apparently their papers, these men would 1. There should be extensive publicity and special messages to become too hot and the RMO of­ stay on the ships." seamen to persuade them to stay at sea over the holidays. ficials responsible for the meet­ Miserable words out of the 2. Operators and unions should extend office hours and have ing didn't want to run into a mouths of men supposed to lead facilities available until the ships are ready to sail, particularly dur­ head-on collision with the legiti­ labor. Craven and criminal be­ ing the holiday period. mate labor unions. So instead, trayal of the cause of labor to 3. Temporary use of skilled man in necessary jobs other than in the meeting was given the line meet the ends of a finky political deep sea shipping should be obtained for one trip during the holi­ that "this is merely a discu.ssion line. No shipowner, no admiral, days. meeting, a conference through no bureaucrat at this conference We have no opposition to sections 1 and 2. We should like which we l^ope to be able to was able to match the outpouring clarification of section 3. agree on plans for meeting the of anti-labor cries which issued 4. New articles should be opened at time of sign-off if ship is serious shortage of seamen dur­ from Curran and Company. No to proceed to loading berth within 3 days to encourage men to stay ing the Christmas period, and one was as blunt in demanding with the ship. immediately thereafter." chains for the seamen as the As to section 4, we feel that the procedure here outlined "Don't take certain parts c* the leaders of the NMU and the New would not keep the men aboard ship, at the end of the voyage, agenda too seriously," said Cap­ York Agent of the MFOW. but would have the opposite effect, forcing them to sign off and tain Macauley, then launching in­ But despite the NMU's careful get off the vessel at once. Here are the reasons. After a man is to vague generalities about the preparatibn for the conference, on a deep sea voyage, there are usually a number of problems at "crisis in manpower." despite its allies in the govern­ home which require his attention. These problems may take The fact that their original ment and the MFOW, its de­ him only a few days, but if he is immediately faced with a new agenda had been ditched didn't mands that the seamen be chain­ set of foreign articles at the time of unloading, he will not have discourage the NMU, and as soon ed were ignored and the confer­ . time to see his family and determine what time ashore is needed as the WSA - RMO bureaucrats ence degenerated into a bull ses­ to arrange his personal affairs. Not knowing these facts, he will had beat their gum about short­ sion. tend to play safe and not take a chance on new articles at once, age of seamen, Currani and Mey­ The SIU can take major predit ers took over the meeting to press for scuttling the NMU's anti-la­ but would sign off and later take a new ship. On the other hand, if allowed to stay on the ship without their demands. bor proposals. Brother John new articles until immediately prior to its next deep sea trip, Hawk inserted into the record A FAST INFIELD he will often be able to arrange his shore duties without get­ First Curran would make a the entire SIU position for all to ting off the ship, and thus eliminate the necessity of a replace­ suggestion on how to freeze the see. Furthermore, he pointed out ment. We are of the opinion that the most economical use of men to their ships, and then the to the conference that if the ship­ manpower will result if deep sea articles are signed 3 days be­ discussion would bog down in a owners wanted the men to stay fore the sailing of a ship for a foreign port. lot of government red tape and on the ships longer, they'd best The Union Busting Agenda accomplish this by paying them living wages . . . not by threaten­ ing them with everything from the Army to lifting their papers. "Last year the Maritime War Emergency Board, the chairman of which is also the Deputy Ad­ ministrator of the War Shipping Administration (Captain Edward Macauley), cut the bonus," said Hawk. "We warned at the time this might drive many old timers ashore where they could make a decent living. But our warning was unheeded. And now the WSA comes along and complains about the shortage of seamen. And on top of this we don't know if even now the Maritime War Emer­ gency Board may not be consid­ ering further cuts in the bonus." PORK CHOPS At this point Stack lipped in with the remark that the NMU wasn't "interested in the bonus," but rather in base pay. This amounted to an attempt on Stack's part to score a parliamen­ tary point at the expense of the seamen. For the bonus is part of their take home wage, and they are vitally concerned about it. The NMU would kick it over­ board in return for government favors on shipping rules. Nor is the NMU even fighting for an in­ crease in base pay. The SIU has eleven cases before the WLB-de­ manding 26% increase in base pay. The NMU has no cases be­ fore the board — it is too busy with its political maneuvers to fight for pork chops. Once the government bureau­ crats and the shipowners were aware that the NMU was not free to sell the seamen into slavery, that a large section of organized maritime labor would fight for its rights, it did a juggling act with the hot issues and finally let them slip out of sight entirely. General Hershey of Selective Service announced bluntly that he would not amend his regula­ tions just in order to enforce the shippiilg rules demanded by the NMU. Paul McNutt, Chairman of the War Manpower. Commis­ sion, reiterated time and again that his agency was a "voluntary, cooperative one" and had noauthority to penalize the seamen for failing to live up to NMU sponsored rules. FACE SAVING The only thing approaching concrete action was the decision of the conference to refer to the "proper WSA officials" the NMU face-saving proposal that all sea­ men receive standby pay be­ tween trips. The SIU informed the conference that any change in wages was a question of col­ lective bargaining and as such should be handled between the unions and the shipowners. But even though the confer­ ence turned info a bull session without direction or program, much can be learned from it. It proves again that the NMU lead­ ership acts as shipowner agents on the waterfront. They fought for proposals that would have smashed the unions, that would have left the seamen defenseless at the very moment the shipown­ ers are preparing for a post war anti-labor offensive. If that isn't acting as an agent of the shipowner . . . then what is? ! i ^4 � 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 1939-1949 Description An account of the resource Volumes I-XI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. BCC The name(s) and email address(es) of the person to whom the email was blind carbon copied. 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Title A name given to the resource November 17, 1944 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 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. VI, No. 37 Description An account of the resource Headlines: NMU OFFENSIVE AGAINST CLOSED SHOP BLOWS UP ANTI-LABOR AGENDA INSPIRED BY NMU-BURIED BY THE SIU FREEZE 'EM, LIFT THEIR PAPERS, DRAFT 'EM-CRIES CURRAN & CO. MORE SIU SHIPS HONORED FOR ROLE IN NORMANDY Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 11/17/1944 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1944 Periodicals Seafarers Log