Media
Issue Date
1943-11-05
Volume
5
Issue Number
31
Plaintext
^J^AKERSJOCJ
OFFICIAL OEGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
11
VOL.V NEW YORK, N.Y.. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 5. 1943 No. 31
Chisel Of T orpedo Victims O K
By Nielsen MEET WITH FDR ON WAGE CRISIS
The squeeze between the sky-rocketing cost of living and frozen wages has reduced much of
labor's income to the point that it is difficult to purchase the necessities of life. The miners are
oh-strike, the railroad workers are threatening strike, and millions df other organized workers are
demanding that something be done 4o stop the empid'^^r - government offensive against their
^ standard of living. Pictured here are AFL. CIO and railroad leaders arriving at the White House
last week in the hopes of getting FDR to side with the workers. Front row (left to right): AFL
President William Green, President A. F. Whitney of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
New York Regional Director of WMC Anna Rosenberg, CIO President Philip Murray and Sec
retary-Treasurer of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers. ClO. Julius Emspak. Back
row (left to right): AFL Secretary-Treasurer George Meany, President Daniel Tobin of the In
ternational Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL, and President R. J. Thomas of the United Auto
Workers. CIO.
S.LU. LICKS SHIPOWNERS'
MOVE TO SHORT CIRCUIT
UNION'S SHIPPING HALLS
The latest maneuver of certain RMO port representatives in their constant war on
organized labor and grab for further jurisdiction, is a move to prevent shipowners from
transporting union seamen from one port to another when a shortage in any given port
holds up crewing of. a vessel. In the past all companies under contract to the SIU had
paid transportation for men when crews were not available in any given port. This
RMO month, however, certain
bureaucrats decided that they
would step in an eliminate this
practice. Their plans were dump
ed, however, by prompt action
of the SIU.. We won the beef
100%.
Some of the shipowners, in
collusion with the RMO, sud
denly announced last week that
they would not pay transporta
tion for SIU men, because they
would not be reimbursed by the
government for this money. For
several days last week a ship
was hung up in Norfolk for lack
of men, an(J full SIU replace
ments were waiting in our-Bal
timore hall to be transported to
the ship. But thinking more of
Smashing the union than of get
ting the .^hip sailing with its car
go of war supplies, the shipown
er played tough and refused
transportation. It was at , this
spot that the RMO stepped in
and offered to crew the ship
with their school boys.
The union immediately took
this beef to Washington and de
manded that these chiseling
RMO labor-baiters be set on
their heels. This was done—as
evidence the following telegram
received from Deputy WSA Ad
ministrator Macauley:
John Hawk,
Secretary-Treasurer,
Seafarers International Union
2 Stone* Street, New York City
Reurtel Oct. 23. Marshall Di-
mock states no instructions giyen
by RMO regarding reimburse
ment to operators for transporta
tion of men. In providing men to
prevent ship delays, RMO sup
plements unions and operators
and will do nothing to interfere
with provisions of contract or
established practices. The divis
ion of operations states that spe
cific authorization of such trans
portation is not required for
reimbursement of any expenses
so incurred by agents where it is
provided either by collective
bargaining agreement or was
previously established as the
customary practice and that they
always have and will continue
to advise agents accordingly in
accordance with Statements of
Policy signed in May, 1942.
EDWARD MACAULEY,
WSA, Washington, D.C.
FDR Again
Seizes Mines
Merchant seamen, hailed as heroes when they ship oui
but chiseled and exploited when torpedoed and forced t®
appeal to the shipowners for wages and subsistence pending
final pay off time, will continue to be shoyed around by
profit-mad employers if Erich Nielsen has his way. As-
•suming the authority of the Mar
itime War Emergency Board,
Nielsen this week rejected the
latest of a series of SIU demands
that wages and subsistence for
torpedoed men be continued af
ter repatriation and until the
pay off.
Nielsen is nothing more than
the office secretary of the MWEB,
but he acts as if he alone deter
mined the Board's anti-labor pol
icies. He announced pre-emptor-
ily on October 29, that "... we
do not believe that any change
... is called for with regard to
payment of repatriation benefits
after arrival in the United
States."
This Nielsen ukase was handed
down when it had been called to
his attention that an SIU crew
had been torpedoed, repatriated
back to New York, arriving here
on Sept. 26, and to this day has
not been paid off by the ship
owner. For well over a month
these men have been without
wages or subsistence and have
been forced to panhandle while
the shipowner liesurely waits for
"records to arrive."
Torpedoed seamen are denied
wages rightfully due them, forc
ed to beg, and Nielsen, with a
cramped, bureaucratic mind ill-
suited to his ego, does not
believe "any change is called
for!"
Nielsen's letter to the union
reads, in part;
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Presi
dent Roosevelt ordered Secretary
of the Interior Ickes to seize pos
session of the nation's coal mines
for the second time this year as
threats of a country-wide strike
by the United Mine Workers
Union reached a climax.
The President called upon
every miner "to return • to work
without a day's delay" while U.
M. W. officials pondered what ac
tion they would take on a War
Labor Board decision in the Il
linois field which was unsatisfac
tory to the workers.
The President acted under the
Connally-Smith War Labor Dis
putes Act which provides harsh
penalties for workers who re
fuse to go to work on properties
seized by the Government.
The American Federation of
Labor members on the War La
bor Board dissented from the
majority decision in a sharply
worded decision which charged
that the ruling had been dictated
by Economic Stabilization Direc
tor Vinson and War Mobilization
Director Byrnes.
The Illinois case hinged on an
agreement entered into between
the mine operators and the union
in that State. It was regarded as
a test case since for the first time
it included a provision with re
gard to portal-to-portal pay sat
isfactory to the union.
The WLB decision awarded an
$8.12V^ daily wage for an eight
and a half hour day but left the
portal-to-portal pay issue still up
in the air.
The opinion of the AFL mem
bers on the WLB said, in part:
"It is our considered judgment
that the miners should receive
$8.50 a day for each straight
time 8^2-hour day worked. For
the work week of 40 hours at
straight time and 11 hours at
time and a half, the total take-
home should be $56.50.
"This decision of the majority
adds another to the list of de
cisions which have not been de
termined on the basis of merit,
but rather by the attitude of the
individuals and government
agencies who dominate the ac
tions of the public members of
the Board."
"We are advised that of the
23 men repatriated after the
loss of this vessel. 9 have been
paid repatriation wage and
bonus in full. Of the remain
ing 14, payment of repatria-
(Conthmed on Page 4)
Christmas Packages For,
SIU Prisoners Of War
SIU men in Axis prison
camps are going to receive a
Christmas package froih their
union next month. This was
decided unanimously by the
membership up and down
the coast when it passed a
resolution of good cheer and
solidarity with the brothers
now imprisoned.
Secretary-Treasurer Hawk
is now making arrangements
with the American Red Cross
for the sending to each man
an 11 pound package Contain
ing food, toilet articles and
cigarettes. A full list of SIU
prisoners of war will be pub
lished next week.
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
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Pag* Two
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG - - - - - - President
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK ------- Secy-Treas*
P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City y
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep*
424 5 th Street, N. W., Washingtonr D. C.
• • •
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stone St BOwling Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 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
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St.., Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO..« 45 Ponce de Leon .Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway. . . Ft. Lauderdale 1601
" w yr .w .
PUBLICATION OFFICE;
RobM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwling Green 9-8346
>267
1944 SAMPLE BALLOT
SMikr«r^ btenudMua Unimi of Nortli Anerica
ATUUfiic ft atnr tsanacT
' M«.".HHnflvsscnot;oForncs!3
NOVEMBER -r'DECEMBER, IStS
INSTBIiCtlOfffi TO VOTEBS — In erdsr lo vol# lor a ecmdldal#, mark a cro#«
IX) to ToUag squaro lo Ui# I«ft ol nam#. U you vols lor a grsatsr numbsr your
vote tor such oiBcs wQl bs lavolld.
*OU MAY WBTIE THE NAME OF ANY MEMBER WHOSE NAME DOES NOT
APPEAR ON THE BAUOt IN THE BLANK UNE PROVIDED FOR THAT FUR-
FbBB UNDER EA(^ OPPICE;
IM not UM a l#ad pIBdl M BtoUag ih* banot BeSols morkdd «ftlb IMd PMKR
vMBaMbocounloft.
MARK YOUR BAIXOT WITH PEN AND INK OR INDEUBIE PStGU.
Labor Crisis—Product
Of Washington Double X
The worst labor crisis of the war is riow at hand. Sen
sational headlines on the coal miners' »nd the railway work
ers' wage disputes make that evident. But these large groups
of workers aren't the only ones affected. Unrest is preval
ent among workers all down the line.
If the Government is disturb-^
ed about this situation, as it is
and should be, it has only itself
to blame. We don't like to refer
to the Government as "it," but if
we get more personal what we
say is bound to be interpreted
politically and what we have to
say has no connection with poli
tics whatever. It is just a ques
tion of dollars and cents and bow
far they can be stretched. It's no
longer a question of bread and
butter—it's just bread.
The newspaper headlines don't
tell the real story and the news
paper editorials merely obscure
the facts. We intend to relate the
facts here—the events leading up
to what may he a tragedy.
The story begins immediately
after Pearl Harbor when organ
ized labor gave the nation its no-
strike pledge. The President
called a national conference of
public, labor and industry repre
sentatives to make that pledge
official and to decide upon an
agency which could settle any
and all disputes peaceably with
out interrupting production.
VOLUNTARY AT FIRST
As a result of this conference,
the National War Lahdf Board
was established. It was set Up
as a tri-partite body, with an
equal number of public, labor
and industry representatives. It
was empowered by Executive
Order to function as an indepen
dent agency of the Government.
It was directed to judge each
case on the merits and its de
cisions were to be final.
Labor voltmtarily agreed tc) go
along on this basis because it
was democratic and because it
promised a just determination of because no provision was made
any and all disputes that may
arise. Labor unions agreed not
to strike for any cause but to
submit their disputes to the
Soard for decision.
A year passed — an eventful
year during, which the machinery
of the Board was tested and
found adequate. Then the im
pact of inflation, with sharp rises
in the cost of living, began to
oppress the workers. Demands
for wage adjustments flooded the
Board. The workers were not
trying to profit from the war.
They merely sought to restore R
just relatiofiship between wages
and prices.
The Board, after considering
the facts, established the "Little
Steel" formula. It declared prices
had increased 15 per cent be
tween Jan. 1, 1941 and May,
1942. It agreed to increase wages
to a similar extent. When strict
application of this formula would
not be sufficient to render jus
tice, it provided several "outs"
for further adjustments.
Labor did not relish this medi
cine, this new-fangled idea of
Government regulation of wages,
hut it agreed to take it in order
to help prevent inflation and to
further the war effort.
ERRORS OF COMPULSION
But the "Little Steel" formula
did not stop inflation and in Oct
ober, 1942 Congress passed the
Economic Stabilization Act de
signed to stabilize wages and
prices at the levels prevailing on
Sept. 15, 1942. Former Supreme
Court Justice Byrnes was named
EdOnOmic Stabilization Director.
The new set-up was another
bitter pill for labor to swallow
) SECRETAHY-TREASURER
VeielerOae
• JOHN HAWK, Na 2212 •
BOSTON-AGBHT
VetofwOM
• JOHN MOGAN, No. 2l6 •
BOSTON - TOINT BATROLMAN
^ Vote lor One
• JOSEPH ED. LAPHAM, No, 247
) NEW YORE - AGENT )
VM* let We
• L. J. (BALDY) BOUINGEIl,No. G-300
• PAUL HALL, Na
• T&ANK WILUAMS, Na 6161
'
MEW YORX-ENOINE PATMOLMAM
Veto lor Ten
• JOB VOLPIAN^ No. 0-36
H . , •m
HEW YOAK-DECK-FAlItOldilAlf
~';Voto for Two
• toms GOFPIN. Na 4326
• JAMES P. SHEEHAN. No. G-306 •
NEW YORK - STEWABDS-PATBOLMAN
Veto i« Two
• MAURICE BURNS71NB, No. 22371
• JAOC COOPER CASE, No, 1140
• CLAUDE FISHER, No. 362
• WZOIAM HAMILTON, No. 3400
• FRED HART, Na 488 •
'm ., . . ...
PHEADELPRtA AGENT
VotoftwOM
• HARRY J, COLUNS. No • '
1 BALTfMORE-AGENT
V*to torOw '
• JOB PLANAGAM; N?- u:
• JOHN KUPTA. Ho. 42? .
• C. M. (New Orlw'i POOPRS. No, 0--2
M
BALTIMORE-PATROLMAN-DISPATCHER
Vet* tet Oaa
• * MATHEW UmH, No. 2294
MLTSUOHB - TOINT-PATROLHAN
Veto he Two • '
m MAX A. BECK, No. 937
NEW OHtEANS - }01Ht.t>AtROI#MAN
Veto for Two
• KBXFOtD R DiaCBY, No. 652
Q
tr w
JAMES T. McCAULLBY. No. 1
NOHFOLt-AOENT
Vort for Oao
•
G~
CHARLES C MARTIN. No. 1836
MARTIN TRAINOR, Na
• JAMES L TUCKER. No. 2209
"
licaiFOiX - lOHit-PATROLMAN
V«l* be T»»
r~i i>Aiit AMBXOSe. No. #71)
SAVANNAH-AOENt
VoHbrOM
t71 CHARUS B. MAtTIN, No. UN)
• JOHN P. RYAN, No. C-79
• JAMES P. SHARKEY, No. GA9
• CHARLES WAID. No. C-54
• THOMAS M.'WILHELM, Na 747}
TAMPA^AGENT
ydh ht oso
O L (JACK) PARKER. Na O-J60
• JAMES DiVITO, No. G-I83
• . TEDD R. TERRINGTON, Na 0-63 • ' •
GALVESTON-AGENT
Veto let OB# .
• RAY W. SWEENEY, No. G-20
• ' EDWARD R. WALUCB, No, G-237 •
BUt lUAH, PUERTO RICO - AODIT
Veto fer.OBe ^
• DANIEL Birrrs, No. 190 • f-
"if
RESOLUTION BALLOT |
FOREWORD
THE FOUOWINa RESOLUTION IS HOEEY SUB. >
MITTED, THRU A MAJOSnT VOTE OF THE
BRANCHES, TO THE BSMBERSHIP.
IN ACCORDANCE WltH TIS WORDINO OF TRE
BESOLunoH, rr is NECESSARY FOR THE MooBii'
OT TO VOTE ON THE HESOLUnON THHIJ Wt
MEDIUM OF A KEFHtENDUM VOTE: ^
t *
RESOLUTION \
WHEREAS: I< BCBI b»Rn the policy of the Agenle Cool^
#ae«* In (ho pott to faring boR^ to (h« mgns
fairiiMp c#r(aln and
WHEREAS: Theoa recommondotloiiB have provan to !>•*
banafldol to tha mojoritr ol tha maaabttifalp
' concarna<iimd
• STTELHY WHITE. No. G-36
MOBn£~ AGENT
Vet* <oe 0«»
a OLDEN BANKS. No C-I
MOBILE - JOWT PATROLMAN
Vol* lor Two
HtW OlftLEANS-AGENT
Vcrto for DM '
• C. 3 (BUCK) STEPHENS. Nii G-76
VTHEREASi Al Ihl# Urn# b«arlnq In —Rial
r#coDmi#ndafloD# ar# In oKl#rioia<liiliiaaal
•hlpplnq nil##, and i
WHEREAS: Wa. Ih# ag#nla a###n)Uad Ii#f# In eonil*. !
•nco qo on r#cord to add io Ih# ehipplbq '
nil## for warHni# condUoht. Ih«#lat# b# It
RESOLVH): TBat aach n>#p#cliT# port b# #mpow#t#d la 1
•#t a llm# Umil a# lo ifh#n a man ibdl
rapoit aboaid a •hip whan h# ban b##n dia.
paicbad. and b# II fiitlhat
RESOLVED: Thai whan th# Itana Ihnll la aal In Ih# nnUtm
porta, and a man who wai dlipalchad to a
ahip and who lalli lo ahow up wlRdn Rial ••(
Rma. that anolhai man ha dlipalchad lo Ria
diip In hla ploca. and ba II fnrthm
RESOLVED: Thai 11 a man la dnmk or od,
lo aall Iho ahlp. that ha ba
finad tha aum ol twanty-fiaa doRoM
Thia lo ba notatad In lha ramark column In
hia mambenhip book by Ri# aqani In Rl*
port whaia Ihli has occutrad. and ba n
flni^y
RESOLVED: Tbnl thla ba adoptad aa a wm-llma man.
sura with tha racommendaUon fliat II RS oa
tha ralarandum boUol at lha naxt qdaaMl
•lactlon. ^
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF ADOPtlNO
THE ABOVE RESOLUHON •
YES NO /
• 15' wiLOiANuPkBSS — UmoD AWr Ptfer ^
for adjusting wages to make up
for increased living costs be
tween May and September, 1942,
and because labor had lost con
fidence in the desire or ability of
OPA to hold prices down. But
again labor went along.
Last Spring it became evident
that the cost-of living was run
ning out of bounds. At the same
time Byrnes stripped the WLB of
power to make an;^ wage adjust
ments beyond the strict limita
tions of the "Little Steel" formu
la. When labor protested it was
promised that prices would be
"rolled back." We are still wait
ing for. that promise to be made
good.
Finally, the coal miners' wage
dispute began to assume critical
proportions. Word Was passed
confidentially" to AFL .repre
sentatives on the WLB that sac
rifices should be made in wage
cases involving AFL workers—
like the airframe and packing
house cases—in order to estab
lish a backlog of precedents with
which to "stop the coal miners."
This the AFL refused indignant
ly to consent to.
And how the truth is that the
WLB no longer operates as an
independent agency. Several of
its public members are directed
hov/ lo decide cases by Byrnes
and his successor Fred Vinson.
Since they hold the balance of
ATLANTIC AND GVlF SBIPPING POR
WEEK OF qCT0BER.18th TO 22nd
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
3S2 143 210 >61
1 Wo 198 210 838
•SttlPPfiD
li£dtSt£R&£>
M
power on the Board, it can n(>
longer be said that the WLB
judges e;.ch case on the merita
Such dictation is not consonant
with democracy. It is in direct
violation of the basic agreement
under which the W^B was set
up originally. Together with the
Government's failure to "hold'
the line" on prices, it is respon
sible for the nation's present la
bor crisis.
—Philip Pearl
'.i i.-., J -T (; ' i •! .Jwvi'-Uw'.'1^1..-.r ,1-j-
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Friday, Noveihbeif 5, 1943 tat SEAFARFRS LOG Pa^e Thfifd
Proposed S.LU. Constitutional Amendments
• '11
Here are the proposed Constitutional
changes just as they will appear on the ballot
;#hich will be handed to you when voting for
.1944 (5lficials. Ail of these changes were dis-
tussed and recommended by the Atlantic &
Gulf District Agents' Conference held in New
ilfork, May 28, 1943.
After voting for officials, mark your Con
stitutional ballot with an (X) in either of the
boxes at the bottom of the page. Make certain
to mark all ballot with either pen and ink or
indelible pencil. Ballots marked otherwise will
be void.
Page 9 — Article 3. Section 4 shall be amended to read
as follows:
Members more than Three, (3) months in arrears
in dues, assessments or unpaid fines, other than
during the period of strikes or lockouts shall for
feit all claims to benefits and all other rights and
privileges in the Union. He shall not stand sus
pended until six (6) -months in arrears in dues, as
sessments or unpaid fines.
This section shall not excuse any members for
being behind in dues or assessments while em
ployed.
Fage 11—Article f. Section 1 shall be amended to read
as follows:
Members more than one (1) year in arrears may
be reinstated through the concurrance of the
membership at a regular business meeting upon
payment of all dues, fines, and assessments for the
past twelve (12) months, from the date of such
re-instatement. Members so re-instated shall be
regarded as probationary members.
Page 13—Article 11. Section 1 shall be amended to read
as follows:
The officials at Headquarters shall consist of one
(1) Secretary-Treasurer and one (1) Assistant Sec
retary-Treasurer who shall be stationed at Dis-
, trict Headquarters at New York, N. Y.
Page 16—Article 13. Section 2-B to be amended to read
as- follows:
That he be a full member of the Seafarers' In
ternational Union of North America—Atlantic and
Gulf District for 2 years and in continuous good
standing fdt a period of one 1) year immediately
prior to the date of nomination.
There shall be added to Article 13 a hew section
known as Section 2-E which shall read as follows:
That he be an active and full book member and
show four months discharges for the current year
prior to date of nomination, this provision shall
not apply to officials and other office holders
working for the Union during current year.
Page 17—Article 13. Section 3-D shall be amended to
read as follows:
Be perforated at the upper edge and the per
forated stubs numbered consecutively beginning
with No. 1. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause
to be printed and shall forward to each BfancIT a
sufficient number of Ballots and numbered slotted
envelopes for the purpose of containing ballots
cast daiiy. A record shall be kept of the number
of the first and last ballot so forwarded. None but
official ballots shall be used in any General
Election.
Page 19 Article 13. Section 5 shall be amended to read
as folldws:
Members shall be entitled to vote upon present
ing their membership certificates showing that
they are in good standing, and have not previously-
voted at the same election. Members shall mark
their ballot with pen and ink, or indelible pencil
and shall signify their choice of candidates by
' marking a cross (X) in voting square opposite
names or by Writing in the blank line the name
of their choice if such name be not printed upon
the ballot. Lead pencils shall not be used m
marking ballots. When a member has marked his
ballot, he shall deliver it folded to the judge, who
after ascertaining that the member is entitled to
vote, shall tear off the numbered stub and deposit
the ballot. The committee shall then stamp the
niembefs' certificate of membership in the proper
column for the year and month of elecUon, such
stamp shall bear the word "voted the initials ot
the voting place and the date of the voting. If
the member is hqt entitled to vote, the ]udge shaU
void his ballot, the tellers shall count the ballots
as they are deposited and the clerks shall keep
record of the cpunt.
Page 19—Article 13. Section 6 shall be amended to
read as follows:
Balloting shall continue until every qualified
voter present has had an opportunity to vote. The
judge shall then count the num.berod stubs to
verify the count of the clerks and shall enclose
them in a sealed envelope in the Ballot Box. The
USED ballots shall then be placed' in an envelope
provided for the purpose and a slip of paper, also
specifically provided, shall be signed by each mem
ber of the committee on election and pasted on
the back of the envelope. The sealed envelope
shall then be placed in the ballot box; The ballot
box shall then be locked and sealed, and the key
thereof shall be sealed up in an envelope, also
specifically provided for that purpose on the back
of which each member of the committee on elec=
tion shall again sign his name. The envelope so
signed and sealed shall be given in charge of the
Secretary-Treasurer or Agent or some other mem
ber designated by the meeting; He shall then an
nounce to the meeting and the Secretary-Treasur
er, or Agent shall record in the minutes (a) The
number of ballots last distributed (b) The number
of ballots cancelled or destroyed and (c) The
number of ballots deposited. No candidate for
office shall be a member of the Committee on
Election.
Page 20-LArticle 13. Seciion 7 shall be amended io
read as follows:
• In the regular meeting held in Branches during
the second meeting in January, the Committee on
Election shall open the Ballot Box, count the num
ber of ballots therein contained and count the
number of votes for each candidate. The result
shall be noted in the Minutes. The committee shaU
then forward to Headquarters all used ballots
(i.e.. All ballots taken from the Ballot Box, in
cluding blank and disqualified ballots), together
with a copy of the tally sheets, under sealed cover,
marked "Ballots For Officers." In case no regular
meeting is held during such week, the Agent, in
the presence of the Committee on Election, or, in
their absence, before five other full members, shall
open the Ballot Box and count the ballots therein
contained (but shall not count and tally the votes)
and forward same to Headquarters in the manner
hereinbefore prescribed.
Page 22—Article 13. Section 11 shall have a new Sec
tion added to read as follows:
The total ballots cast at any Branch or any one
day shall be voided upon proof of any irregularity.
ASSISTANT SECREfTARY-TREASURER
Page 26—-Article 15. Section 4 shall be amended to
read as follows:
The Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Shall carry
on his activities and duties under the direction of
the Secretary-Treasurer. His duties shall be to
represent, the Secretary-Tredsurer, to aid and as
sist the Agents in the settlement of disputes, to
conduct negotiations and in the absence of the
Secretary-Treasurer to directly co-ordinate all or
ganizational wof-k in the absence of the Secretary-
Treasurer due to illness or other cause, the Assist
ant Secretary-Treasurer shaU assume the duties
of Secretary-Treasurer until his return to active
duty. »
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
Page 31—Article 18. Seqjtion 3 shall be amended to
read as follows:
In case a difficulty of an urgent nature arises
which requires to be acted upon immediately or
before a meeting can be held, the Agent and the
officials in the port involved and such members as
may be available, shall constitute an emergency
committee, this committee shall have power to
take such actions as may be necessary, but such
actions may be reviewed or changed by a major
ity vote of the membership at the regular branch
meeting.
The members of the En^jergency Committee must
have the same qualifications as provided for the
regularly elected officers. Provided, whenever a
quorum cannot be obtained for a regular meeting
at Headquarters. The Emergency Committee shall
have power to act upon such routine business as
may be transacted in such meetings.. The pro
ceedings of such Emergency Committee shall be
made part of the minutes of the next regular
meeting.
Further provided, whenever there is an urgent
necessity for action by the Union, the Agent shall
give notice of such necessity at least forty-eight
hours before the regular meeting, in order that a
supreme quorum may be obtained. If supreme
quorum is unobtainable at such meeting, then
such officers and such members of the union as are
available, may sit as an Executive Board; to deal
solely with questions for which the committee
was organized. The rules of the supreme quorum
shall apply to such committee, and it shall exer
cise all powers granted to a supreme quorum. The
proceedings of the committee, including the fact
that the effort to obtain supreme quorum had
failed, and any other records of the committee
transactions, shall be made part of the minutes of
the next regular meeting.
There shall be added to Article 18 a new section
to be known as:
NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE .
Page 32—Article 18. Section 4 shall read as follows:
The members elected to any Negotiating Com
mittee shall have the same qualifications as the
duly elected officials.
Page 32—Article 18. Section 4-A shall read as follows:
The Negotiating Committee shall consist of the
Secretary-Treasurer and/or the Assistant Secre
tary-Treasurer and/or any Agent that the Secre
tary-Treasurer may require to assist him and
three (3) members. The three (3) members shall
be elected at the Port wherein negotiations are
to be conducted and if possible shall be one mem
ber from each department.
Page 34—Article 19. Section 5 shall be amended to
read as follows:
Whenever a member is found guilty and sen
tenced the action is final upon ratification through
the next regular business meetings.
Page 37—Article 21. Section 4 shall be amended to'
read as follows: |
The original, duplicate and triplicate of each
receipt shall bear the name of the Union. The of
ficial title of the Officer by whom they are used
and shall specify the form of income receipted
for. Receipts for initiation fee, dues and assess
ments shall bear thereon their respective face
values and such face values must in no case be
erased or altered, the original receipt for initia
tion fee, properly filled out shall consitute the
certificate of probationary membership.
Page 43—Article 24. Section 8-B shall be amended fe
read as follows:
If a full member in good standing is buried by
relatives without such relatives duly notifying the
Union of such member's death before interment*
no benefit shall be paid by the Union. The funeral
benefit in any case shall not be more than or ex
ceed One hundred Dollars ($100.00).
Page 44—'Article 25. Seciion 1 shall be amended lo
read as follows:
Full members who enter a Hospital in good
standing, shall be entitled to Hospital supplies or
the equivalent thereof in cash not to exceed two
doUars per week ($2.00) for a period of no more
than fifty-two (52) consecutive weeks, provided
(1) he is a patient in a United States Marine Hos
pital or (2) while a patient in any other institu
tion for the cure of the sick except when confined
for mental alienation, provided such institutions*
are located at headquarters, or in any branch of
the Union, or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
Page 44—Article 25. Seciion 1-B shall have a new
Section added to read as follows:
Probationary members who enter Hospitals iri
good standing shall be entitled to Hospital sup
plies or the equivalent thereof in cash not to ex
ceed two (2) dollars per week. However, he shall
not receive in benefits (1) more monies than he
has paid into the Union, provided he is a patient
in a United States Marine Hospital or (2) while a
patient in any other institution for the cure of the
sick except when confined for mental alienation:
and provided such institutions are located at
headquarters, in any Branch of the Union or in
the immediate vicinity thereof.
Page 47—Article 27. Seciion I shall be amended io
read as follows:
Regular weekly meetings shall be held in each
Branch at 7 o'clock each Monday evening except
whenever Monday happens to fall on a holiday,
the meeting shall be held at the same hour of the
next day. All Branch Agents shall keep their
respective Branches open on every regular meet
ing night from 7 o'clock p.m. to 7:30 o'clock p.m.
for the purpose of obtaining a quorum.
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE ABOVE PRINTED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH WERE
HRAWN UP AND RECOMMENDED BY THE &ECENT ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT AGENTS CONFERENCE.
YES
yoting Period on These Amendments Shall Be the Same As Provided for the Election of Officers for 1944
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Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Fridair, November 5. 1943
Around The Ports
BALTIMORE
^KC-
Our curiosity was aroused re
cently by an item in the RMO
montiily report showing that 265
men were dispatched to Vessels
in the Port of Norfolk. Checking
this report further we found 5
chief stewards and a large num
ber of unrated men—messmen,
wipers, O.S.—were included in
the item. At the same time and
for the same period as the report
our shipping list listed 200 men
of all ratings plus men not reg
istered. During that period,
when we got orders from the
companies to send men to Nor
folk the or-iers were always for
A.B.'s, Oilers, Water-tenders, and
Cooks but with the other ratings
always omitted. Further check
showed that the RMO at Norfolk
relayed their order for the ma-"
jority of those assignments to the
RMO in New York while the
RMO and the companies were
fully aware that the men could
be obtained from either Balti
more or Philadelphia at consid
erable less cost. It is evident
that the companies and the RMO
are conniving with each othei" to
avoid getting replacements from
the Union and do so only when
they are stuck for rated men.
Recently we received an order
from our Norfolk hall for almost
two entire crews and began to
watch out for complications. We
were right in expecting compli
cations because about an hour af
ter receiving the order from
Norfolk the local Calmar agent
phoned in the same order but
witho'ut calling for the messmen,
O.S. and wipers. To make quite
sure, we checked with Norfolk
and upon being told the original
order was OK we advised Nor
folk not to accept any men from
the RMO for the two ships as we
were willing and able to supply
both crews as originally ordered.
The Calmar line refused to
change its order when contacted
and a deadlock'developed. How
ever, the issue was relayed' to
Secretary-Treasurer John Hawk
and he quickly convinced the
company that the union was
right.
However, the other company,
Mississippi, was still to be delt
with. The Norfolk Agent of this
company would not OK trans
portation. Meanwhile the RMO
was dispatching men to our Nor
folk hall for assignment to this
Mississippi ship, and our Nor
folk hall was promptly sending
them back to the RMO.
However, Brother John Hawk
was finally successful in obtain
ing transportation but the issue
is not entirely settled. Further
action is pending on this matter
as some companies are trying
to avoid the responsibility • of
paying transportation for men to
outporls and as we said before
they are working in conjunction
with the WSA on this issue - so
that the RMO can get rid of its
White Elephant of too many men.
Aside from the union's agree
ments with the companies there
are other major reasons why the
companies should live up to their
obligations and get their men
from the union. Experienced and
efficient crews are invaluable for
the normal operation of the ves
sel and especially in time of
danger or attack. Experience, in
dependence, and self discipline
keeps the morale of union men
high and this is a prime factor
in saving ships and keeping loss
of life down to a minimum. Our
men appreciate and accept the
responsibility of . being a vital
and indispensable part of our war
machine. They have been trust
ed with getting the troops and
the implements of war. over to
the-combat areas. They are do
ing that job and doing it well
and they are determined to carry
out their mission despite the op
position of shipowners and bu
reaucrats. As a question of ef
ficiency and cost we have only
to consider the saving in trans
portation expenses when the
companies secure replacements
from the nearest union hall in
stead of the unecessary long dis
tance transportation that has
been the practice lately. Our men
buy war bonds and help aU they
can when they are . ashore;
afloat or ashore they are doing
their best and better than their
best and it is the union's business
to see that no one hinders them.
JOSEPH FLANAGAN. Agent
CHISEL OF TORPEDO
VICTIMS IS UPHELD
SAVANNAH
Talking about dictators in Eu
rope, we have had quite a bit of
experience in the la.st few weeks
with dictators in Washington, in
regards to writing addendums to
our contract with the South At
lantic Steamship Line.
Due to the fact that this com
pany was alloted a Diesel-elec
tric ship, this required a change
in the classification in the man
ning of these vessels, whereby
our coptract with this company
would take care of this matter
and also make provisions for a
night cook and baker on ships
that they are operating that have
a manning scale of over 64.
After negotiating with the
company for about two weeks,
we finally agreed to certain ad
dendums and wage scale. Before
the ink got dry on this adden
dum, the WSA threw it out of
the'window on account <of the
wages being too high. We went
back to the company to renego
tiate addendums and evidently
the WSA had told the company
they could not go above wages
that were established in the in
dustry, although there were no
wages established for oilers on
Diesel jobs. They insisted that
they were going to pay wages
that were established on recp-
rocating engines and turbine
jobs. The company called up sev
eral shipping companies that
now operate Diesel-electric ships
and these companies all main
tained that the oiler must take
care of the donkey boiler with
out the payment of overlime or
increas'e in wages. We maintain
that the oiler on Diesel jobs have
additional duties and that he
should receive ten dollars extra
pay per month for this work. To
consummate this addendum the
company finally agreed to give
this oiler ten dollars extra with
the understanding that we take
it up with the powers in Wash
ington and if necessary take it to
the Labor Board.
Also the question of electri
cians is involved, in as much as
the WSA refuses the company
the power to negotiate a wage
{Continued from Page 1)
lion wage was tendered but
such tender was refused by the
men. Due to the fact that
these repatriaiees w6re repa=^
triated in 8 different groups,
the computation of repatriation
bonus has necessarily been a
highly complicated matter re
quiring checking with operat
ors of the various repatriation
vessels. We understand that
this check is being completed
as rapidly as possible in order
that repatriation bonus may be
paid shortly. We are further
advised that settlement in full
is not contingent on the return
of the Master, but will be made
as aforesaid as quickly as the
payroll can be made up. While
we regret that delays of this
character are sometimes neces
sary due to the complicated na
ture of making up the payroll,
we do not believe that any
change in the present Decision
is called for with regard to
payment of repatriation bene
fits after arrival in the United
States. This seems to be parti
cularly true in this case where
tender was made of the repa
triation wage notwithstanding
the delay in payment of repa
triation bonus."
Let's break down some of Mr.
Nielsen's Washington language
and see just what he is saying.
To begin with, he admits that 14
men arriving in this port over a
month ago, have not yet been
paid ^off. Part of his excuse is
that the bookkeeping involved is
"highly complicated." His second
excuse is that "payment of re
patriation wage was tendered
but such tender was refused by
the men."
In regard to the second part of
the Nielsen alibi, yes the men
were offered their repatriation
wage, but the bonus offer was
only up until the time they left
the torpedoed ship and not up
until the crew arrived in the first
U.S. port, which they are en
titled to receive. This is a matter
of several hundred dollars, which
perhaps is a drop in a bucket to
Nielsen or any MWEB member,
however, to seamen it is a lot of
blood-money.
But regardless of how much
money is involved, the seamen
feel that they shpuld at least be
paid in full before being asked to
ship out and subject themselves
to another torpedoeing.
Nielsen apparently believes
that once the men demand
the full observance of their
rights, they are entitled to no
more consideration.
As for the delays due to
"highly complicated" bookkeep
ing, it is outrageous to expect
torpedoed men to be the victim
of shipowner inefficiency. We
don't care how long it takes the
shipowners (working on a cost
plus basis) to get their records in
order, but we demand that the
torpedoed men not ^)e forced to
beg on the street, during this pro
cess.
This treatment of the torpe
doed men is not a question of
bureaucratic bungling, rather it
is a conscious union-busting pol
icy. For proof of this, contrast
how non-union and union men
are treated by the War Shipping
Administration. The RMO has a
fink hiring hall which has be^n
set up in competition with^the
union halls. In an effort to keep
the seamen away from the
unions, the RMO pays a standby
wage to all those who will enter
their pool and boycott the union
halls. The standby scale is as
follows;
OS, Messmen and Wipers
$ 6.00 per day.
Bosun, ^
AB, FOW 6.50 per day
Stewards,
Electrician 8.00 per daf
Mates and Engineers
9.00 per day
Skipper and Chief
Engineer 10.00 per day
The RMO is spending thous
ands upon thousands of dollars
in order to draw the seamen
away from the unions. Most of
those who register in the pool
are the green trainees fresh out
of the schools. These men, who
have never gone to sea, get $6
per day standby while experi
enced seamen who have been
torpedoed in delivering supplies
to the war front, are denied
wages and subsistence even to
the date of the pay off.
The WSA-RMO criteria for
maintaining men on the beach
seems to be whether or not he is
a union man. If he is a union
man—regardless of his contribu
tion to the war effort—to hell
with him! -
It is this attitude on the part
of the government agencies
which the stream-lined do-good
ers at the United Seamen's !^r-,
vice have refused to believe
existed. When the SIU con
fronted the USS in New Orleans
recently with the fact that tor
pedoed men were getting kicked
around • by the WSA, there was
general disbelief. Well, here are,
the facts right on the barrel
head. And no amount of charity
is going to satisfy these men who
have risked their very lives, only
to be treated as a bunch of
stumble bun^s.
Editors Mail
Somewhere in England
October 7, 1943
S.S. ( )
American-Hawaiian S.S. Co.
Editor:
This entire Black Gang goes
on record to place the following
resolution before the member
ship to be concurred on.
Be it resolved that the Union
make up individual pledge cards
to be signed by members and
permit men. These cards to be
put out bjt Patrolmen and
scale above $187.50 for chief
electricians and $137.50 for sec
ond electricians. The WSA in
dictating to the companies are
violating the Statements of Prin
ciples and Policies given to them
by this organization. This should
be brought to their attention im
mediately, whereby this unfair
practice ceases and gives the
unions and operators an oppor
tunity to negotiate addendums
to their contracts, because there
is no steamship company who
will pay more than they actually
have, to and they don't have to
be guided by the WSA.
Prospects for the next week or
so for shipping look good.
CHARLES WAID, Agent
Agents. The purpose of these
cards is to obtain the Veterans'
Status for Merchant Seamen.
These cards to be mailed to the
President of the U.S.A.
Below is a sample of the card
in mention:
Date
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The President of the U.S.
I being a bonafide Seaman
and a member of the SIU serv
ing our Country, the U.S.A.,
sailing merchant ships to all
war zones. Kindly ask you to
aid us in obtaining recognition
for all U.S. Merchant Seamen
with a status as "VETERANS
OF WAR."
Name
Rating
Also this Resolution be sent to
all Maritime Unions such as
SUP, MCS, NMU, SIU, MFOW,
and others. We realize that the
Status of VETERANS is essential
to all Merchant Seamen.
Let's take the initiative and
start the "Ball Rolling."
LOUIS NEIN,
(Editors note: the SIU Execu
tive Board is on record to peti
tion Congress to grant seamen
the status of veterans.)
MONEY DUE
Crew of S. S. Daniel Hugar
which paid off Cel. 13. 1943. has
linen money coming. Collect
Mississippi Line. New York.
Crew member Chamberlain has
his Log lifted and can collect
from New York office when he
gels his linen money.
KEEP CLEAR WITH YOUR DRAFT BOARD
By observing the following simple instructions you will
continue to receive deferment from military service. Fail
to observe these rules and you may wind up in the army.
WHEN SIGNING ON: Give the clerk or skipper all the
informatiorL necessary to fill out RMO Card No. 47 (Green
Card).
WHEN SIGNING OFF:,See that Card No. 48-A is ptop-
perly filled out by skipper or clerk.
Ship out before your allotted time ashore has expired.
If you have not yet filled out the Green Card, contact your
draft board and let them know that you are sailing.
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OFFICIAL OEGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
11
VOL.V NEW YORK, N.Y.. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 5. 1943 No. 31
Chisel Of T orpedo Victims O K
By Nielsen MEET WITH FDR ON WAGE CRISIS
The squeeze between the sky-rocketing cost of living and frozen wages has reduced much of
labor's income to the point that it is difficult to purchase the necessities of life. The miners are
oh-strike, the railroad workers are threatening strike, and millions df other organized workers are
demanding that something be done 4o stop the empid'^^r - government offensive against their
^ standard of living. Pictured here are AFL. CIO and railroad leaders arriving at the White House
last week in the hopes of getting FDR to side with the workers. Front row (left to right): AFL
President William Green, President A. F. Whitney of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
New York Regional Director of WMC Anna Rosenberg, CIO President Philip Murray and Sec
retary-Treasurer of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers. ClO. Julius Emspak. Back
row (left to right): AFL Secretary-Treasurer George Meany, President Daniel Tobin of the In
ternational Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL, and President R. J. Thomas of the United Auto
Workers. CIO.
S.LU. LICKS SHIPOWNERS'
MOVE TO SHORT CIRCUIT
UNION'S SHIPPING HALLS
The latest maneuver of certain RMO port representatives in their constant war on
organized labor and grab for further jurisdiction, is a move to prevent shipowners from
transporting union seamen from one port to another when a shortage in any given port
holds up crewing of. a vessel. In the past all companies under contract to the SIU had
paid transportation for men when crews were not available in any given port. This
RMO month, however, certain
bureaucrats decided that they
would step in an eliminate this
practice. Their plans were dump
ed, however, by prompt action
of the SIU.. We won the beef
100%.
Some of the shipowners, in
collusion with the RMO, sud
denly announced last week that
they would not pay transporta
tion for SIU men, because they
would not be reimbursed by the
government for this money. For
several days last week a ship
was hung up in Norfolk for lack
of men, an(J full SIU replace
ments were waiting in our-Bal
timore hall to be transported to
the ship. But thinking more of
Smashing the union than of get
ting the .^hip sailing with its car
go of war supplies, the shipown
er played tough and refused
transportation. It was at , this
spot that the RMO stepped in
and offered to crew the ship
with their school boys.
The union immediately took
this beef to Washington and de
manded that these chiseling
RMO labor-baiters be set on
their heels. This was done—as
evidence the following telegram
received from Deputy WSA Ad
ministrator Macauley:
John Hawk,
Secretary-Treasurer,
Seafarers International Union
2 Stone* Street, New York City
Reurtel Oct. 23. Marshall Di-
mock states no instructions giyen
by RMO regarding reimburse
ment to operators for transporta
tion of men. In providing men to
prevent ship delays, RMO sup
plements unions and operators
and will do nothing to interfere
with provisions of contract or
established practices. The divis
ion of operations states that spe
cific authorization of such trans
portation is not required for
reimbursement of any expenses
so incurred by agents where it is
provided either by collective
bargaining agreement or was
previously established as the
customary practice and that they
always have and will continue
to advise agents accordingly in
accordance with Statements of
Policy signed in May, 1942.
EDWARD MACAULEY,
WSA, Washington, D.C.
FDR Again
Seizes Mines
Merchant seamen, hailed as heroes when they ship oui
but chiseled and exploited when torpedoed and forced t®
appeal to the shipowners for wages and subsistence pending
final pay off time, will continue to be shoyed around by
profit-mad employers if Erich Nielsen has his way. As-
•suming the authority of the Mar
itime War Emergency Board,
Nielsen this week rejected the
latest of a series of SIU demands
that wages and subsistence for
torpedoed men be continued af
ter repatriation and until the
pay off.
Nielsen is nothing more than
the office secretary of the MWEB,
but he acts as if he alone deter
mined the Board's anti-labor pol
icies. He announced pre-emptor-
ily on October 29, that "... we
do not believe that any change
... is called for with regard to
payment of repatriation benefits
after arrival in the United
States."
This Nielsen ukase was handed
down when it had been called to
his attention that an SIU crew
had been torpedoed, repatriated
back to New York, arriving here
on Sept. 26, and to this day has
not been paid off by the ship
owner. For well over a month
these men have been without
wages or subsistence and have
been forced to panhandle while
the shipowner liesurely waits for
"records to arrive."
Torpedoed seamen are denied
wages rightfully due them, forc
ed to beg, and Nielsen, with a
cramped, bureaucratic mind ill-
suited to his ego, does not
believe "any change is called
for!"
Nielsen's letter to the union
reads, in part;
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Presi
dent Roosevelt ordered Secretary
of the Interior Ickes to seize pos
session of the nation's coal mines
for the second time this year as
threats of a country-wide strike
by the United Mine Workers
Union reached a climax.
The President called upon
every miner "to return • to work
without a day's delay" while U.
M. W. officials pondered what ac
tion they would take on a War
Labor Board decision in the Il
linois field which was unsatisfac
tory to the workers.
The President acted under the
Connally-Smith War Labor Dis
putes Act which provides harsh
penalties for workers who re
fuse to go to work on properties
seized by the Government.
The American Federation of
Labor members on the War La
bor Board dissented from the
majority decision in a sharply
worded decision which charged
that the ruling had been dictated
by Economic Stabilization Direc
tor Vinson and War Mobilization
Director Byrnes.
The Illinois case hinged on an
agreement entered into between
the mine operators and the union
in that State. It was regarded as
a test case since for the first time
it included a provision with re
gard to portal-to-portal pay sat
isfactory to the union.
The WLB decision awarded an
$8.12V^ daily wage for an eight
and a half hour day but left the
portal-to-portal pay issue still up
in the air.
The opinion of the AFL mem
bers on the WLB said, in part:
"It is our considered judgment
that the miners should receive
$8.50 a day for each straight
time 8^2-hour day worked. For
the work week of 40 hours at
straight time and 11 hours at
time and a half, the total take-
home should be $56.50.
"This decision of the majority
adds another to the list of de
cisions which have not been de
termined on the basis of merit,
but rather by the attitude of the
individuals and government
agencies who dominate the ac
tions of the public members of
the Board."
"We are advised that of the
23 men repatriated after the
loss of this vessel. 9 have been
paid repatriation wage and
bonus in full. Of the remain
ing 14, payment of repatria-
(Conthmed on Page 4)
Christmas Packages For,
SIU Prisoners Of War
SIU men in Axis prison
camps are going to receive a
Christmas package froih their
union next month. This was
decided unanimously by the
membership up and down
the coast when it passed a
resolution of good cheer and
solidarity with the brothers
now imprisoned.
Secretary-Treasurer Hawk
is now making arrangements
with the American Red Cross
for the sending to each man
an 11 pound package Contain
ing food, toilet articles and
cigarettes. A full list of SIU
prisoners of war will be pub
lished next week.
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Pag* Two
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG - - - - - - President
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK ------- Secy-Treas*
P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City y
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep*
424 5 th Street, N. W., Washingtonr D. C.
• • •
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stone St BOwling Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 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
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St.., Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO..« 45 Ponce de Leon .Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway. . . Ft. Lauderdale 1601
" w yr .w .
PUBLICATION OFFICE;
RobM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwling Green 9-8346
>267
1944 SAMPLE BALLOT
SMikr«r^ btenudMua Unimi of Nortli Anerica
ATUUfiic ft atnr tsanacT
' M«.".HHnflvsscnot;oForncs!3
NOVEMBER -r'DECEMBER, IStS
INSTBIiCtlOfffi TO VOTEBS — In erdsr lo vol# lor a ecmdldal#, mark a cro#«
IX) to ToUag squaro lo Ui# I«ft ol nam#. U you vols lor a grsatsr numbsr your
vote tor such oiBcs wQl bs lavolld.
*OU MAY WBTIE THE NAME OF ANY MEMBER WHOSE NAME DOES NOT
APPEAR ON THE BAUOt IN THE BLANK UNE PROVIDED FOR THAT FUR-
FbBB UNDER EA(^ OPPICE;
IM not UM a l#ad pIBdl M BtoUag ih* banot BeSols morkdd «ftlb IMd PMKR
vMBaMbocounloft.
MARK YOUR BAIXOT WITH PEN AND INK OR INDEUBIE PStGU.
Labor Crisis—Product
Of Washington Double X
The worst labor crisis of the war is riow at hand. Sen
sational headlines on the coal miners' »nd the railway work
ers' wage disputes make that evident. But these large groups
of workers aren't the only ones affected. Unrest is preval
ent among workers all down the line.
If the Government is disturb-^
ed about this situation, as it is
and should be, it has only itself
to blame. We don't like to refer
to the Government as "it," but if
we get more personal what we
say is bound to be interpreted
politically and what we have to
say has no connection with poli
tics whatever. It is just a ques
tion of dollars and cents and bow
far they can be stretched. It's no
longer a question of bread and
butter—it's just bread.
The newspaper headlines don't
tell the real story and the news
paper editorials merely obscure
the facts. We intend to relate the
facts here—the events leading up
to what may he a tragedy.
The story begins immediately
after Pearl Harbor when organ
ized labor gave the nation its no-
strike pledge. The President
called a national conference of
public, labor and industry repre
sentatives to make that pledge
official and to decide upon an
agency which could settle any
and all disputes peaceably with
out interrupting production.
VOLUNTARY AT FIRST
As a result of this conference,
the National War Lahdf Board
was established. It was set Up
as a tri-partite body, with an
equal number of public, labor
and industry representatives. It
was empowered by Executive
Order to function as an indepen
dent agency of the Government.
It was directed to judge each
case on the merits and its de
cisions were to be final.
Labor voltmtarily agreed tc) go
along on this basis because it
was democratic and because it
promised a just determination of because no provision was made
any and all disputes that may
arise. Labor unions agreed not
to strike for any cause but to
submit their disputes to the
Soard for decision.
A year passed — an eventful
year during, which the machinery
of the Board was tested and
found adequate. Then the im
pact of inflation, with sharp rises
in the cost of living, began to
oppress the workers. Demands
for wage adjustments flooded the
Board. The workers were not
trying to profit from the war.
They merely sought to restore R
just relatiofiship between wages
and prices.
The Board, after considering
the facts, established the "Little
Steel" formula. It declared prices
had increased 15 per cent be
tween Jan. 1, 1941 and May,
1942. It agreed to increase wages
to a similar extent. When strict
application of this formula would
not be sufficient to render jus
tice, it provided several "outs"
for further adjustments.
Labor did not relish this medi
cine, this new-fangled idea of
Government regulation of wages,
hut it agreed to take it in order
to help prevent inflation and to
further the war effort.
ERRORS OF COMPULSION
But the "Little Steel" formula
did not stop inflation and in Oct
ober, 1942 Congress passed the
Economic Stabilization Act de
signed to stabilize wages and
prices at the levels prevailing on
Sept. 15, 1942. Former Supreme
Court Justice Byrnes was named
EdOnOmic Stabilization Director.
The new set-up was another
bitter pill for labor to swallow
) SECRETAHY-TREASURER
VeielerOae
• JOHN HAWK, Na 2212 •
BOSTON-AGBHT
VetofwOM
• JOHN MOGAN, No. 2l6 •
BOSTON - TOINT BATROLMAN
^ Vote lor One
• JOSEPH ED. LAPHAM, No, 247
) NEW YORE - AGENT )
VM* let We
• L. J. (BALDY) BOUINGEIl,No. G-300
• PAUL HALL, Na
• T&ANK WILUAMS, Na 6161
'
MEW YORX-ENOINE PATMOLMAM
Veto lor Ten
• JOB VOLPIAN^ No. 0-36
H . , •m
HEW YOAK-DECK-FAlItOldilAlf
~';Voto for Two
• toms GOFPIN. Na 4326
• JAMES P. SHEEHAN. No. G-306 •
NEW YORK - STEWABDS-PATBOLMAN
Veto i« Two
• MAURICE BURNS71NB, No. 22371
• JAOC COOPER CASE, No, 1140
• CLAUDE FISHER, No. 362
• WZOIAM HAMILTON, No. 3400
• FRED HART, Na 488 •
'm ., . . ...
PHEADELPRtA AGENT
VotoftwOM
• HARRY J, COLUNS. No • '
1 BALTfMORE-AGENT
V*to torOw '
• JOB PLANAGAM; N?- u:
• JOHN KUPTA. Ho. 42? .
• C. M. (New Orlw'i POOPRS. No, 0--2
M
BALTIMORE-PATROLMAN-DISPATCHER
Vet* tet Oaa
• * MATHEW UmH, No. 2294
MLTSUOHB - TOINT-PATROLHAN
Veto he Two • '
m MAX A. BECK, No. 937
NEW OHtEANS - }01Ht.t>AtROI#MAN
Veto for Two
• KBXFOtD R DiaCBY, No. 652
Q
tr w
JAMES T. McCAULLBY. No. 1
NOHFOLt-AOENT
Vort for Oao
•
G~
CHARLES C MARTIN. No. 1836
MARTIN TRAINOR, Na
• JAMES L TUCKER. No. 2209
"
licaiFOiX - lOHit-PATROLMAN
V«l* be T»»
r~i i>Aiit AMBXOSe. No. #71)
SAVANNAH-AOENt
VoHbrOM
t71 CHARUS B. MAtTIN, No. UN)
• JOHN P. RYAN, No. C-79
• JAMES P. SHARKEY, No. GA9
• CHARLES WAID. No. C-54
• THOMAS M.'WILHELM, Na 747}
TAMPA^AGENT
ydh ht oso
O L (JACK) PARKER. Na O-J60
• JAMES DiVITO, No. G-I83
• . TEDD R. TERRINGTON, Na 0-63 • ' •
GALVESTON-AGENT
Veto let OB# .
• RAY W. SWEENEY, No. G-20
• ' EDWARD R. WALUCB, No, G-237 •
BUt lUAH, PUERTO RICO - AODIT
Veto fer.OBe ^
• DANIEL Birrrs, No. 190 • f-
"if
RESOLUTION BALLOT |
FOREWORD
THE FOUOWINa RESOLUTION IS HOEEY SUB. >
MITTED, THRU A MAJOSnT VOTE OF THE
BRANCHES, TO THE BSMBERSHIP.
IN ACCORDANCE WltH TIS WORDINO OF TRE
BESOLunoH, rr is NECESSARY FOR THE MooBii'
OT TO VOTE ON THE HESOLUnON THHIJ Wt
MEDIUM OF A KEFHtENDUM VOTE: ^
t *
RESOLUTION \
WHEREAS: I< BCBI b»Rn the policy of the Agenle Cool^
#ae«* In (ho pott to faring boR^ to (h« mgns
fairiiMp c#r(aln and
WHEREAS: Theoa recommondotloiiB have provan to !>•*
banafldol to tha mojoritr ol tha maaabttifalp
' concarna<iimd
• STTELHY WHITE. No. G-36
MOBn£~ AGENT
Vet* <oe 0«»
a OLDEN BANKS. No C-I
MOBILE - JOWT PATROLMAN
Vol* lor Two
HtW OlftLEANS-AGENT
Vcrto for DM '
• C. 3 (BUCK) STEPHENS. Nii G-76
VTHEREASi Al Ihl# Urn# b«arlnq In —Rial
r#coDmi#ndafloD# ar# In oKl#rioia<liiliiaaal
•hlpplnq nil##, and i
WHEREAS: Wa. Ih# ag#nla a###n)Uad Ii#f# In eonil*. !
•nco qo on r#cord to add io Ih# ehipplbq '
nil## for warHni# condUoht. Ih«#lat# b# It
RESOLVH): TBat aach n>#p#cliT# port b# #mpow#t#d la 1
•#t a llm# Umil a# lo ifh#n a man ibdl
rapoit aboaid a •hip whan h# ban b##n dia.
paicbad. and b# II fiitlhat
RESOLVED: Thai whan th# Itana Ihnll la aal In Ih# nnUtm
porta, and a man who wai dlipalchad to a
ahip and who lalli lo ahow up wlRdn Rial ••(
Rma. that anolhai man ha dlipalchad lo Ria
diip In hla ploca. and ba II fnrthm
RESOLVED: Thai 11 a man la dnmk or od,
lo aall Iho ahlp. that ha ba
finad tha aum ol twanty-fiaa doRoM
Thia lo ba notatad In lha ramark column In
hia mambenhip book by Ri# aqani In Rl*
port whaia Ihli has occutrad. and ba n
flni^y
RESOLVED: Tbnl thla ba adoptad aa a wm-llma man.
sura with tha racommendaUon fliat II RS oa
tha ralarandum boUol at lha naxt qdaaMl
•lactlon. ^
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF ADOPtlNO
THE ABOVE RESOLUHON •
YES NO /
• 15' wiLOiANuPkBSS — UmoD AWr Ptfer ^
for adjusting wages to make up
for increased living costs be
tween May and September, 1942,
and because labor had lost con
fidence in the desire or ability of
OPA to hold prices down. But
again labor went along.
Last Spring it became evident
that the cost-of living was run
ning out of bounds. At the same
time Byrnes stripped the WLB of
power to make an;^ wage adjust
ments beyond the strict limita
tions of the "Little Steel" formu
la. When labor protested it was
promised that prices would be
"rolled back." We are still wait
ing for. that promise to be made
good.
Finally, the coal miners' wage
dispute began to assume critical
proportions. Word Was passed
confidentially" to AFL .repre
sentatives on the WLB that sac
rifices should be made in wage
cases involving AFL workers—
like the airframe and packing
house cases—in order to estab
lish a backlog of precedents with
which to "stop the coal miners."
This the AFL refused indignant
ly to consent to.
And how the truth is that the
WLB no longer operates as an
independent agency. Several of
its public members are directed
hov/ lo decide cases by Byrnes
and his successor Fred Vinson.
Since they hold the balance of
ATLANTIC AND GVlF SBIPPING POR
WEEK OF qCT0BER.18th TO 22nd
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
3S2 143 210 >61
1 Wo 198 210 838
•SttlPPfiD
li£dtSt£R&£>
M
power on the Board, it can n(>
longer be said that the WLB
judges e;.ch case on the merita
Such dictation is not consonant
with democracy. It is in direct
violation of the basic agreement
under which the W^B was set
up originally. Together with the
Government's failure to "hold'
the line" on prices, it is respon
sible for the nation's present la
bor crisis.
—Philip Pearl
'.i i.-., J -T (; ' i •! .Jwvi'-Uw'.'1^1..-.r ,1-j-
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, Noveihbeif 5, 1943 tat SEAFARFRS LOG Pa^e Thfifd
Proposed S.LU. Constitutional Amendments
• '11
Here are the proposed Constitutional
changes just as they will appear on the ballot
;#hich will be handed to you when voting for
.1944 (5lficials. Ail of these changes were dis-
tussed and recommended by the Atlantic &
Gulf District Agents' Conference held in New
ilfork, May 28, 1943.
After voting for officials, mark your Con
stitutional ballot with an (X) in either of the
boxes at the bottom of the page. Make certain
to mark all ballot with either pen and ink or
indelible pencil. Ballots marked otherwise will
be void.
Page 9 — Article 3. Section 4 shall be amended to read
as follows:
Members more than Three, (3) months in arrears
in dues, assessments or unpaid fines, other than
during the period of strikes or lockouts shall for
feit all claims to benefits and all other rights and
privileges in the Union. He shall not stand sus
pended until six (6) -months in arrears in dues, as
sessments or unpaid fines.
This section shall not excuse any members for
being behind in dues or assessments while em
ployed.
Fage 11—Article f. Section 1 shall be amended to read
as follows:
Members more than one (1) year in arrears may
be reinstated through the concurrance of the
membership at a regular business meeting upon
payment of all dues, fines, and assessments for the
past twelve (12) months, from the date of such
re-instatement. Members so re-instated shall be
regarded as probationary members.
Page 13—Article 11. Section 1 shall be amended to read
as follows:
The officials at Headquarters shall consist of one
(1) Secretary-Treasurer and one (1) Assistant Sec
retary-Treasurer who shall be stationed at Dis-
, trict Headquarters at New York, N. Y.
Page 16—Article 13. Section 2-B to be amended to read
as- follows:
That he be a full member of the Seafarers' In
ternational Union of North America—Atlantic and
Gulf District for 2 years and in continuous good
standing fdt a period of one 1) year immediately
prior to the date of nomination.
There shall be added to Article 13 a hew section
known as Section 2-E which shall read as follows:
That he be an active and full book member and
show four months discharges for the current year
prior to date of nomination, this provision shall
not apply to officials and other office holders
working for the Union during current year.
Page 17—Article 13. Section 3-D shall be amended to
read as follows:
Be perforated at the upper edge and the per
forated stubs numbered consecutively beginning
with No. 1. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause
to be printed and shall forward to each BfancIT a
sufficient number of Ballots and numbered slotted
envelopes for the purpose of containing ballots
cast daiiy. A record shall be kept of the number
of the first and last ballot so forwarded. None but
official ballots shall be used in any General
Election.
Page 19 Article 13. Section 5 shall be amended to read
as folldws:
Members shall be entitled to vote upon present
ing their membership certificates showing that
they are in good standing, and have not previously-
voted at the same election. Members shall mark
their ballot with pen and ink, or indelible pencil
and shall signify their choice of candidates by
' marking a cross (X) in voting square opposite
names or by Writing in the blank line the name
of their choice if such name be not printed upon
the ballot. Lead pencils shall not be used m
marking ballots. When a member has marked his
ballot, he shall deliver it folded to the judge, who
after ascertaining that the member is entitled to
vote, shall tear off the numbered stub and deposit
the ballot. The committee shall then stamp the
niembefs' certificate of membership in the proper
column for the year and month of elecUon, such
stamp shall bear the word "voted the initials ot
the voting place and the date of the voting. If
the member is hqt entitled to vote, the ]udge shaU
void his ballot, the tellers shall count the ballots
as they are deposited and the clerks shall keep
record of the cpunt.
Page 19—Article 13. Section 6 shall be amended to
read as follows:
Balloting shall continue until every qualified
voter present has had an opportunity to vote. The
judge shall then count the num.berod stubs to
verify the count of the clerks and shall enclose
them in a sealed envelope in the Ballot Box. The
USED ballots shall then be placed' in an envelope
provided for the purpose and a slip of paper, also
specifically provided, shall be signed by each mem
ber of the committee on election and pasted on
the back of the envelope. The sealed envelope
shall then be placed in the ballot box; The ballot
box shall then be locked and sealed, and the key
thereof shall be sealed up in an envelope, also
specifically provided for that purpose on the back
of which each member of the committee on elec=
tion shall again sign his name. The envelope so
signed and sealed shall be given in charge of the
Secretary-Treasurer or Agent or some other mem
ber designated by the meeting; He shall then an
nounce to the meeting and the Secretary-Treasur
er, or Agent shall record in the minutes (a) The
number of ballots last distributed (b) The number
of ballots cancelled or destroyed and (c) The
number of ballots deposited. No candidate for
office shall be a member of the Committee on
Election.
Page 20-LArticle 13. Seciion 7 shall be amended io
read as follows:
• In the regular meeting held in Branches during
the second meeting in January, the Committee on
Election shall open the Ballot Box, count the num
ber of ballots therein contained and count the
number of votes for each candidate. The result
shall be noted in the Minutes. The committee shaU
then forward to Headquarters all used ballots
(i.e.. All ballots taken from the Ballot Box, in
cluding blank and disqualified ballots), together
with a copy of the tally sheets, under sealed cover,
marked "Ballots For Officers." In case no regular
meeting is held during such week, the Agent, in
the presence of the Committee on Election, or, in
their absence, before five other full members, shall
open the Ballot Box and count the ballots therein
contained (but shall not count and tally the votes)
and forward same to Headquarters in the manner
hereinbefore prescribed.
Page 22—Article 13. Section 11 shall have a new Sec
tion added to read as follows:
The total ballots cast at any Branch or any one
day shall be voided upon proof of any irregularity.
ASSISTANT SECREfTARY-TREASURER
Page 26—-Article 15. Section 4 shall be amended to
read as follows:
The Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Shall carry
on his activities and duties under the direction of
the Secretary-Treasurer. His duties shall be to
represent, the Secretary-Tredsurer, to aid and as
sist the Agents in the settlement of disputes, to
conduct negotiations and in the absence of the
Secretary-Treasurer to directly co-ordinate all or
ganizational wof-k in the absence of the Secretary-
Treasurer due to illness or other cause, the Assist
ant Secretary-Treasurer shaU assume the duties
of Secretary-Treasurer until his return to active
duty. »
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
Page 31—Article 18. Seqjtion 3 shall be amended to
read as follows:
In case a difficulty of an urgent nature arises
which requires to be acted upon immediately or
before a meeting can be held, the Agent and the
officials in the port involved and such members as
may be available, shall constitute an emergency
committee, this committee shall have power to
take such actions as may be necessary, but such
actions may be reviewed or changed by a major
ity vote of the membership at the regular branch
meeting.
The members of the En^jergency Committee must
have the same qualifications as provided for the
regularly elected officers. Provided, whenever a
quorum cannot be obtained for a regular meeting
at Headquarters. The Emergency Committee shall
have power to act upon such routine business as
may be transacted in such meetings.. The pro
ceedings of such Emergency Committee shall be
made part of the minutes of the next regular
meeting.
Further provided, whenever there is an urgent
necessity for action by the Union, the Agent shall
give notice of such necessity at least forty-eight
hours before the regular meeting, in order that a
supreme quorum may be obtained. If supreme
quorum is unobtainable at such meeting, then
such officers and such members of the union as are
available, may sit as an Executive Board; to deal
solely with questions for which the committee
was organized. The rules of the supreme quorum
shall apply to such committee, and it shall exer
cise all powers granted to a supreme quorum. The
proceedings of the committee, including the fact
that the effort to obtain supreme quorum had
failed, and any other records of the committee
transactions, shall be made part of the minutes of
the next regular meeting.
There shall be added to Article 18 a new section
to be known as:
NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE .
Page 32—Article 18. Section 4 shall read as follows:
The members elected to any Negotiating Com
mittee shall have the same qualifications as the
duly elected officials.
Page 32—Article 18. Section 4-A shall read as follows:
The Negotiating Committee shall consist of the
Secretary-Treasurer and/or the Assistant Secre
tary-Treasurer and/or any Agent that the Secre
tary-Treasurer may require to assist him and
three (3) members. The three (3) members shall
be elected at the Port wherein negotiations are
to be conducted and if possible shall be one mem
ber from each department.
Page 34—Article 19. Section 5 shall be amended to
read as follows:
Whenever a member is found guilty and sen
tenced the action is final upon ratification through
the next regular business meetings.
Page 37—Article 21. Section 4 shall be amended to'
read as follows: |
The original, duplicate and triplicate of each
receipt shall bear the name of the Union. The of
ficial title of the Officer by whom they are used
and shall specify the form of income receipted
for. Receipts for initiation fee, dues and assess
ments shall bear thereon their respective face
values and such face values must in no case be
erased or altered, the original receipt for initia
tion fee, properly filled out shall consitute the
certificate of probationary membership.
Page 43—Article 24. Section 8-B shall be amended fe
read as follows:
If a full member in good standing is buried by
relatives without such relatives duly notifying the
Union of such member's death before interment*
no benefit shall be paid by the Union. The funeral
benefit in any case shall not be more than or ex
ceed One hundred Dollars ($100.00).
Page 44—'Article 25. Seciion 1 shall be amended lo
read as follows:
Full members who enter a Hospital in good
standing, shall be entitled to Hospital supplies or
the equivalent thereof in cash not to exceed two
doUars per week ($2.00) for a period of no more
than fifty-two (52) consecutive weeks, provided
(1) he is a patient in a United States Marine Hos
pital or (2) while a patient in any other institu
tion for the cure of the sick except when confined
for mental alienation, provided such institutions*
are located at headquarters, or in any branch of
the Union, or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
Page 44—Article 25. Seciion 1-B shall have a new
Section added to read as follows:
Probationary members who enter Hospitals iri
good standing shall be entitled to Hospital sup
plies or the equivalent thereof in cash not to ex
ceed two (2) dollars per week. However, he shall
not receive in benefits (1) more monies than he
has paid into the Union, provided he is a patient
in a United States Marine Hospital or (2) while a
patient in any other institution for the cure of the
sick except when confined for mental alienation:
and provided such institutions are located at
headquarters, in any Branch of the Union or in
the immediate vicinity thereof.
Page 47—Article 27. Seciion I shall be amended io
read as follows:
Regular weekly meetings shall be held in each
Branch at 7 o'clock each Monday evening except
whenever Monday happens to fall on a holiday,
the meeting shall be held at the same hour of the
next day. All Branch Agents shall keep their
respective Branches open on every regular meet
ing night from 7 o'clock p.m. to 7:30 o'clock p.m.
for the purpose of obtaining a quorum.
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE ABOVE PRINTED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH WERE
HRAWN UP AND RECOMMENDED BY THE &ECENT ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT AGENTS CONFERENCE.
YES
yoting Period on These Amendments Shall Be the Same As Provided for the Election of Officers for 1944
•^1
I
isE*'
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
r
1^'
C' : '*.' •
Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Fridair, November 5. 1943
Around The Ports
BALTIMORE
^KC-
Our curiosity was aroused re
cently by an item in the RMO
montiily report showing that 265
men were dispatched to Vessels
in the Port of Norfolk. Checking
this report further we found 5
chief stewards and a large num
ber of unrated men—messmen,
wipers, O.S.—were included in
the item. At the same time and
for the same period as the report
our shipping list listed 200 men
of all ratings plus men not reg
istered. During that period,
when we got orders from the
companies to send men to Nor
folk the or-iers were always for
A.B.'s, Oilers, Water-tenders, and
Cooks but with the other ratings
always omitted. Further check
showed that the RMO at Norfolk
relayed their order for the ma-"
jority of those assignments to the
RMO in New York while the
RMO and the companies were
fully aware that the men could
be obtained from either Balti
more or Philadelphia at consid
erable less cost. It is evident
that the companies and the RMO
are conniving with each othei" to
avoid getting replacements from
the Union and do so only when
they are stuck for rated men.
Recently we received an order
from our Norfolk hall for almost
two entire crews and began to
watch out for complications. We
were right in expecting compli
cations because about an hour af
ter receiving the order from
Norfolk the local Calmar agent
phoned in the same order but
witho'ut calling for the messmen,
O.S. and wipers. To make quite
sure, we checked with Norfolk
and upon being told the original
order was OK we advised Nor
folk not to accept any men from
the RMO for the two ships as we
were willing and able to supply
both crews as originally ordered.
The Calmar line refused to
change its order when contacted
and a deadlock'developed. How
ever, the issue was relayed' to
Secretary-Treasurer John Hawk
and he quickly convinced the
company that the union was
right.
However, the other company,
Mississippi, was still to be delt
with. The Norfolk Agent of this
company would not OK trans
portation. Meanwhile the RMO
was dispatching men to our Nor
folk hall for assignment to this
Mississippi ship, and our Nor
folk hall was promptly sending
them back to the RMO.
However, Brother John Hawk
was finally successful in obtain
ing transportation but the issue
is not entirely settled. Further
action is pending on this matter
as some companies are trying
to avoid the responsibility • of
paying transportation for men to
outporls and as we said before
they are working in conjunction
with the WSA on this issue - so
that the RMO can get rid of its
White Elephant of too many men.
Aside from the union's agree
ments with the companies there
are other major reasons why the
companies should live up to their
obligations and get their men
from the union. Experienced and
efficient crews are invaluable for
the normal operation of the ves
sel and especially in time of
danger or attack. Experience, in
dependence, and self discipline
keeps the morale of union men
high and this is a prime factor
in saving ships and keeping loss
of life down to a minimum. Our
men appreciate and accept the
responsibility of . being a vital
and indispensable part of our war
machine. They have been trust
ed with getting the troops and
the implements of war. over to
the-combat areas. They are do
ing that job and doing it well
and they are determined to carry
out their mission despite the op
position of shipowners and bu
reaucrats. As a question of ef
ficiency and cost we have only
to consider the saving in trans
portation expenses when the
companies secure replacements
from the nearest union hall in
stead of the unecessary long dis
tance transportation that has
been the practice lately. Our men
buy war bonds and help aU they
can when they are . ashore;
afloat or ashore they are doing
their best and better than their
best and it is the union's business
to see that no one hinders them.
JOSEPH FLANAGAN. Agent
CHISEL OF TORPEDO
VICTIMS IS UPHELD
SAVANNAH
Talking about dictators in Eu
rope, we have had quite a bit of
experience in the la.st few weeks
with dictators in Washington, in
regards to writing addendums to
our contract with the South At
lantic Steamship Line.
Due to the fact that this com
pany was alloted a Diesel-elec
tric ship, this required a change
in the classification in the man
ning of these vessels, whereby
our coptract with this company
would take care of this matter
and also make provisions for a
night cook and baker on ships
that they are operating that have
a manning scale of over 64.
After negotiating with the
company for about two weeks,
we finally agreed to certain ad
dendums and wage scale. Before
the ink got dry on this adden
dum, the WSA threw it out of
the'window on account <of the
wages being too high. We went
back to the company to renego
tiate addendums and evidently
the WSA had told the company
they could not go above wages
that were established in the in
dustry, although there were no
wages established for oilers on
Diesel jobs. They insisted that
they were going to pay wages
that were established on recp-
rocating engines and turbine
jobs. The company called up sev
eral shipping companies that
now operate Diesel-electric ships
and these companies all main
tained that the oiler must take
care of the donkey boiler with
out the payment of overlime or
increas'e in wages. We maintain
that the oiler on Diesel jobs have
additional duties and that he
should receive ten dollars extra
pay per month for this work. To
consummate this addendum the
company finally agreed to give
this oiler ten dollars extra with
the understanding that we take
it up with the powers in Wash
ington and if necessary take it to
the Labor Board.
Also the question of electri
cians is involved, in as much as
the WSA refuses the company
the power to negotiate a wage
{Continued from Page 1)
lion wage was tendered but
such tender was refused by the
men. Due to the fact that
these repatriaiees w6re repa=^
triated in 8 different groups,
the computation of repatriation
bonus has necessarily been a
highly complicated matter re
quiring checking with operat
ors of the various repatriation
vessels. We understand that
this check is being completed
as rapidly as possible in order
that repatriation bonus may be
paid shortly. We are further
advised that settlement in full
is not contingent on the return
of the Master, but will be made
as aforesaid as quickly as the
payroll can be made up. While
we regret that delays of this
character are sometimes neces
sary due to the complicated na
ture of making up the payroll,
we do not believe that any
change in the present Decision
is called for with regard to
payment of repatriation bene
fits after arrival in the United
States. This seems to be parti
cularly true in this case where
tender was made of the repa
triation wage notwithstanding
the delay in payment of repa
triation bonus."
Let's break down some of Mr.
Nielsen's Washington language
and see just what he is saying.
To begin with, he admits that 14
men arriving in this port over a
month ago, have not yet been
paid ^off. Part of his excuse is
that the bookkeeping involved is
"highly complicated." His second
excuse is that "payment of re
patriation wage was tendered
but such tender was refused by
the men."
In regard to the second part of
the Nielsen alibi, yes the men
were offered their repatriation
wage, but the bonus offer was
only up until the time they left
the torpedoed ship and not up
until the crew arrived in the first
U.S. port, which they are en
titled to receive. This is a matter
of several hundred dollars, which
perhaps is a drop in a bucket to
Nielsen or any MWEB member,
however, to seamen it is a lot of
blood-money.
But regardless of how much
money is involved, the seamen
feel that they shpuld at least be
paid in full before being asked to
ship out and subject themselves
to another torpedoeing.
Nielsen apparently believes
that once the men demand
the full observance of their
rights, they are entitled to no
more consideration.
As for the delays due to
"highly complicated" bookkeep
ing, it is outrageous to expect
torpedoed men to be the victim
of shipowner inefficiency. We
don't care how long it takes the
shipowners (working on a cost
plus basis) to get their records in
order, but we demand that the
torpedoed men not ^)e forced to
beg on the street, during this pro
cess.
This treatment of the torpe
doed men is not a question of
bureaucratic bungling, rather it
is a conscious union-busting pol
icy. For proof of this, contrast
how non-union and union men
are treated by the War Shipping
Administration. The RMO has a
fink hiring hall which has be^n
set up in competition with^the
union halls. In an effort to keep
the seamen away from the
unions, the RMO pays a standby
wage to all those who will enter
their pool and boycott the union
halls. The standby scale is as
follows;
OS, Messmen and Wipers
$ 6.00 per day.
Bosun, ^
AB, FOW 6.50 per day
Stewards,
Electrician 8.00 per daf
Mates and Engineers
9.00 per day
Skipper and Chief
Engineer 10.00 per day
The RMO is spending thous
ands upon thousands of dollars
in order to draw the seamen
away from the unions. Most of
those who register in the pool
are the green trainees fresh out
of the schools. These men, who
have never gone to sea, get $6
per day standby while experi
enced seamen who have been
torpedoed in delivering supplies
to the war front, are denied
wages and subsistence even to
the date of the pay off.
The WSA-RMO criteria for
maintaining men on the beach
seems to be whether or not he is
a union man. If he is a union
man—regardless of his contribu
tion to the war effort—to hell
with him! -
It is this attitude on the part
of the government agencies
which the stream-lined do-good
ers at the United Seamen's !^r-,
vice have refused to believe
existed. When the SIU con
fronted the USS in New Orleans
recently with the fact that tor
pedoed men were getting kicked
around • by the WSA, there was
general disbelief. Well, here are,
the facts right on the barrel
head. And no amount of charity
is going to satisfy these men who
have risked their very lives, only
to be treated as a bunch of
stumble bun^s.
Editors Mail
Somewhere in England
October 7, 1943
S.S. ( )
American-Hawaiian S.S. Co.
Editor:
This entire Black Gang goes
on record to place the following
resolution before the member
ship to be concurred on.
Be it resolved that the Union
make up individual pledge cards
to be signed by members and
permit men. These cards to be
put out bjt Patrolmen and
scale above $187.50 for chief
electricians and $137.50 for sec
ond electricians. The WSA in
dictating to the companies are
violating the Statements of Prin
ciples and Policies given to them
by this organization. This should
be brought to their attention im
mediately, whereby this unfair
practice ceases and gives the
unions and operators an oppor
tunity to negotiate addendums
to their contracts, because there
is no steamship company who
will pay more than they actually
have, to and they don't have to
be guided by the WSA.
Prospects for the next week or
so for shipping look good.
CHARLES WAID, Agent
Agents. The purpose of these
cards is to obtain the Veterans'
Status for Merchant Seamen.
These cards to be mailed to the
President of the U.S.A.
Below is a sample of the card
in mention:
Date
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The President of the U.S.
I being a bonafide Seaman
and a member of the SIU serv
ing our Country, the U.S.A.,
sailing merchant ships to all
war zones. Kindly ask you to
aid us in obtaining recognition
for all U.S. Merchant Seamen
with a status as "VETERANS
OF WAR."
Name
Rating
Also this Resolution be sent to
all Maritime Unions such as
SUP, MCS, NMU, SIU, MFOW,
and others. We realize that the
Status of VETERANS is essential
to all Merchant Seamen.
Let's take the initiative and
start the "Ball Rolling."
LOUIS NEIN,
(Editors note: the SIU Execu
tive Board is on record to peti
tion Congress to grant seamen
the status of veterans.)
MONEY DUE
Crew of S. S. Daniel Hugar
which paid off Cel. 13. 1943. has
linen money coming. Collect
Mississippi Line. New York.
Crew member Chamberlain has
his Log lifted and can collect
from New York office when he
gels his linen money.
KEEP CLEAR WITH YOUR DRAFT BOARD
By observing the following simple instructions you will
continue to receive deferment from military service. Fail
to observe these rules and you may wind up in the army.
WHEN SIGNING ON: Give the clerk or skipper all the
informatiorL necessary to fill out RMO Card No. 47 (Green
Card).
WHEN SIGNING OFF:,See that Card No. 48-A is ptop-
perly filled out by skipper or clerk.
Ship out before your allotted time ashore has expired.
If you have not yet filled out the Green Card, contact your
draft board and let them know that you are sailing.
. , 'v-v;
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