Media
Issue Date
1943-12-24
Volume
5
Issue Number
38
Plaintext
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SECURITY
IN
UNITY OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' DTTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
V .
rii
Vol. V. NEW YORK, N,Y., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1943 No. 38
.. Warmest..
SEASON'S GREETINGS
To All Seamen
And Their Friends
., from ..
SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
(Atlantic & Gulf Dist.)
%
Relatives Praise Our
Gift Plans For SIU
Prisoners Of War
SIU plans for sending gifts to members of the union
. who are prisoners of war is meeting with enthusiastic
praise from these men's relatives. Sisters, wives and mothers
have written the union to tell us that a word from former
shipmates would probably do more for the morale of these
men than any other single act.
Not only are the relatives high
in their praise of this plan, but
are actively cooperating by sur
rendering to the union one of
their official prisoner of war
shipping labels, without which
no package could be sent.
Following are two letters just
received in H.Q. office which
show how the relatives feel.
Norfolk, Virginia
Dec. 18, 1943
Seafarers International Union
Of North America
My dear Mr. Hawk,
In answer to your letter of
Dec. 10th, f want to thank you
from the bottom of my heart for
your kind thought of my son
and I am sure a gift from the
(Continued on Page 4)
"We're Lucky the WLB Didn't Charge Us
Rent for This Peachy Air Raid Shelter"
Curran's Ghost Writer
Joins Lamentations On
SIU Stewards Contract
Joe Curran's ghost writer has now entered the lists to tilt at the Stewards De
partment supplementary agreement recently signed by the SIU and its contracted com
panies. In the column "Keep 'em Sailing," Curran's ghost writer charges that "the
Seafarers International Union is the instrument through which the companies are at
tempting to destroy the gains made by the seamen in the rank and file unions, chiefly
the National Maritime Union."
The ghost then goes on to
charge that under the new SIU
agreement, the stewards "are re
turned to the position of practic
ally galley slaves."
All this is part of the defensive
fireworks thrown up by the
NMU leaders in an effort to cov
er their failure to win for their
members, conditions comparable
to those of the SIU. By smearing
the SIU as a "shipowners agent,"
they hope to divert the rank and
file seaman's attention away from
the glaring differences between
the SIU and NMU contracts.
We have said before, and we
repeat now, the test of a union
is what it gets for its members
in the way of wages and working
conditions. Curran's ghost writer
can scream that the new SIU
contract is a "sell out," but the
fact remains that it is the best
stewards contract in the industry
for freight vessels carrying
troops and military personnel.
The SIU has always lead the
NMU in winning conditions for
the seamen — this stewards de
partment supplementary agree
ment being only the most recent
example.
Curran's ghost can scream and
rattle the chains, but its not go
ing to do Curran any good.
Printed below is the full text of
the SIU supplementary agree
ment, and every NMU man that
reads it will know immediately
that it is better than anything
that Curran ever got out of the
shipowners.
READ THIS CONTRACT-DECIDE FOR-YOURSELF
—rUniled Mine Workers Journal i
SUPPLEMENT AGREEMENT
— to —
AGREEMENT
between the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
— and —
ALCOA STEAMSmP COMPANY, INC.
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP COMPANY
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
EASTERN STEAMSHIP LINES, INC.
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
SEAS SHIPPING CO., INC.
SMITH & JOHNSON
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY LINES, Inc.
SOUTH ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES
Covering Increases in Manning Scale
or the
Payment of Additional Compensation On
Freighters When Carrying and Serving
(a) Augmented Gun Crews,
(b) Military Guards, Military Officials
and Other Persons Carried
As Passengers,
(c) Assignment of Troops.
1. When the crew including the Stewards
Department, Gun Crew and including Mil
itary Officials and other persons carried and
served as passengers, total between 64 per
sons and not more than 80 persons, a Galley
Utilityman will be carried in lieu of the
3d cook and one night cook and baker will
be added to the manning scale of the Stew
ards Department. The wages for the night
cook and baker to be $120.00 Base Wage,
$17.50 Emergency Increase — $137.50 total
wage.
The night cook and baker added to the
personnel under such circumstances will be
required to perform the major portion of his
work during the night hours doing the nec
essary cooking, baking bread, pies, cakes,
puddings, etc., in order to" take advantage
of the limited facilities of the gaUey and to
relieve the work of the day cooks as much
as possible.
2. When accommodations are not avail
able for carrying the additional night cook
and baker imder the conditions as set forth
in paragraph No. 1, then in lieu of carrying
the additional night cook and baker, two
(2) hours' overtime per day shall be paid to
each of the three (3) regular cooks for each
day such extra services are required to
serve the three (3) regular meals and per
forming the ordinary work incidental to the
duties of the Stewards Department.
3. (a) When crew, including the Stew
ards Department, Gun Crew, Military Offi
cials and other persons carried and served
as passengers exceed 80 persons one (1)
hour's overtime per day for each day such
extra services are performed will be allowed
each of the regular day cooks up to a total
of 90 persons and an additional hour's over
time for each of the day cooks per day such
work is performed will be allowed when the
number exceeds 90 and is not more than
100 persons.
(b) When the number of persons exclud
ing enlisted military personnel, other than
Gun Crew and excluding prisoners, exceeds
100, no additional overtime shall be paid to
the regular day cooks as provided in para
graph (a) above, but the following manning
scale khall be carried.
Manning Scsde Over 100 and
Not Exceeding 149 Persons.
Base Emergency
Rating Pay Increase Total
1 Steward $140.00 $17.50 $157.50
1 Chief Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Night Cook and
Baker 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Comb. 2d Cook
and Butcher 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Second Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Galley Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Night Cook and
Bakers Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
4 Messmen 70.00 17.50 87.50
2 Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Utility for each 12
persons over 100 .. 70.00 17.50 87.50
(Continued from Page 3)
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Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 24, 1943
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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 2 J, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Wasfdngton Rfp,
424 5th Street, N. Washin^o, D. &
m
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stono St SOwUnB Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 North Cay St. Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA........6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PL Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS ('J6) ..321 Chartres St Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA.. 423 East Platt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St. Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO 45 Ponce de Leon Puerto de Tiorra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway... Ft. Eauderdale 1601
WW*
PUBLICATION OFFICE;
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwling Green 9-8344
~ 267
AFL Demands High Wage
Standards And Shorter
Hours In Post War Era
Washington, D. C. — In two official pronouncements,
the American Federation of Labor served notice to the na
tion that it will not stand for wage cuts when the war ends.
President William Green appearing before the Tru
man Committee of the United States Senate, declared that
tiie economic safety of America^
requires shortening of working |
bours in the p.ost-war period;
without reduction of total earn-'
ings.
Secretary - Treasurer George,
Meany, speaking on the Ameri-*
can Forum of the Air, warned
that lowering of wage income
and consequent curtailment of
purchasing power would .bring
about a post-war depression.
Thus, a new and major post
war issue was projected into the
forefront of post-war discussion
—an issue on which the Ameri
can Federation of Labor is deter
mined to carry, on an aggressive
campaign in behalf of the na
tion's workers.
In his testimony before the
Truman Committee, Mr. Green
pointed out that by voluntarily
offering their no-strike pledge to
the Government for the duration
of the war and by acceding to
ilie economic stabilization pro
gram, American workers have
sacrificed their opportunities for
economic advancement during
war-time. He added:
"Workers have relied upon
working long hours to get income
to meet increased living costs.
While workers are denied the
right to increase wage rates to
accord with increased productiv
ity and employers' capacity to
pay, we shall endeavor to restore
equity by insisting that peace
time hours standards shall be es
tablished without reductions in
earnings.
fRtPOUT OI\
^ASHirVGTOIV
• BV MATFHIW DuSHANt* '
Mr. Meany expressed a similar
point of view over tbe radio for
um. He said:
"After the war ends, labor
wants good wages paid for the
work that labor performs; and
labor also wants the work-week
to be reduced sufficiently so as
to give work to everyone who
seeks a job. In proposing the
payment of high wages by indus
try after the war, labor is not
thinking of itself alone but of the
employer and the nation as a
whole. In order to keep our fac
tories running steadily, the Am
erican people must have the pur
chasing power to buy the prod
ucts of these factories. By this
time we should all realize that
low wages do not make for pros
perity in America. Wages were
low during the depression and
because wages were low purchas-
asing power was low and the
depression dragged on—^year af
ter year.
"As to the second point: Labor
feels that it is far better to have
everyone working a, 35-hour or a
30-hour week when peace re
turns than to have some people
working 40 hours and millions of
others not working at all. In the
latter circumstances even those
who are employed are apprehen
sive and tend .to hold on to their
money instead of spending it for
the products that American in
dustry wants to manufacture and
sell, and which must be kept
tnqving into the hands of the
cqnsiimers if the post-war era is
to be an era of prosperity."
MEDICAL EXAMINATION:
Meeting on proposed medical
examination was again held on
December 15 th. Representatives
from the following maritime
unions attended: SUP- SIU,
MM&P, MEBA, MC&S, MFOW,
NMU, and ACA. There were
some representatives of the em
ployers also there, a peep was
heard from the Export Line saw
bones. At the last meeting a
statement was made that this
character would turn seamen
down for having bum teeth, but
he has a brother who is a den
tist and if you went to his
brother for treatment, .the Export
Line Doctor would OK the sea
man. Usual .denials by the Doc^,
but he stated that he did recom
mend Doctors to seamen who
would take care of their wives if
they were going to have a fu
ture Bosun.
Captain Edward Macauley,
WSA Deputy, started the meet
ing off by reading a prepared
statement, in which he stated
that it is not the intent of the
WSA to use the examinRtior^ to
eliminate old timers from the
industry, and that the purppse of
this examination was to safe
guard the safety and health ^f
the crew.
Marshall Dimoek then quoted
telegrams that Admiral- Land has
sent to unions who have protest
ed that they feel the examination
would be used as a blackball
system by company doctors.
Land's telegrams also stated that
these examinations would not be
used to blackball and eliminate
old-timers and militant seamen
from the industry.
It would seem that from the
statements made by Macauley
and Land that they are taking a
very deep interest in the safety
and health of the crews, and
that at last the seamen have
found some officials of govern
ment agencies who are going to
look after their interest, and phy
sical well being.
However, in the new proposal
that was submitted does not bear
out the statements that were
made by Macauley, and Dimoek.
WSA Medical circular No. 3
stated, "The competency or in
competency of any licensed o£B-
cer or certified seaman for duty,
will be judged on the standards
described in U.S. Coast Guard
Navigation and Vessel Inspection
Circular No. 26, which defines
the degree of defective vision ai^
color sense thai are acceptaUe
and lists as disqualifying epil
epsy. insanity, acute veneral di
sease, neurosyphilis, badly im
paired hearing, or other defo.cts
that would render the applicant
incompetent tp perform the or
dinary duties required of him at
sea. The presence of communic
able disease in a communicatee
stage, or louse infestation, will
consitute cause for disqualifica
tion until the disease is cured
without disqualifying sequelae,
or the applicant is satisfactorily
disuifested." '
It should be noted that the
author of the proposed' standard
for examination made an effort
to list certain diseases and im-
parments that would disqualify a
seaman. In the above proposal it
can readily be seen that they
have thrown the book at the sea
man, and could disqualify any
seanian that a company doctor
wished to blackball.
The proposed standard furth
er states, "If must be assumed
tilKaf the ability of an exparwneed
officer ox seaman to suceassfully
pursue 3iis vocation, as indicated
by repeated voyages, is prhna
facie evidence of the api^licants
ability io continue in the indvui-
itfy. unless disquMifying disease
ax condition has ariseta since the
bwt C<mt Gwu^d examination for
license or certifieate."
T^?.ere you have the clause th^
could ..disqualify any pierson who
has been gpinS ^ sea for a num
ber of years, ^d who through
the terrible conditions imder
which a sesnnan is compelled to
make a living. The lack of fresh
milk being supplied on board
vessel, which causes decay of
teeth by a small supply of cal
cium. Ukers of the stomach
through rotten garbage that
crews are fed, which is given the
misnomer of food. Polluted water
being brought on board a vessel
for drinking purposes by com
panies who are intent on saving
a few dollars. Ail the thousand
and one other ^uses that sea
men are subjected to by some
companies, which have proven to
lower a seaman's standards. No
proposals were made to correct
the causes that bring on the con
ditions that would disqualify the
seaman. A verbal statement was
made that the overhaul program
was intended to try and correct
some of the causes that would
lead up to a disqualification.
A person coming into the mar
itime industry is throughly ex
amined by a doctor, ami before
given a certifieate by the govern
ment which qualifies him to.
make a living in the industry, he
must be in good idiysical condi
tion. It is now proposed that af
ter a person has spent the great
est part of his life in that indus
try, and through usual industrial
diseases and other ailments pe
culiar to the iniiustry, the WSA
intends to disqualify that per
son because he cannot pass the
original examination that he
passed on coming into the indus
try.
No pension system is proposed
by the WSA which would take
care of any person who would be
disqualified. These people who
make statements to the press and
to union representatives that
they do not intend to eliminate
old-timers and others from the
industry, and that they need the
services of these old-timers, bold
ly submit a proposal which is
contrary to all their high pres
sured prepared statements, and
their mock phrases of the won
derful job that the seamen are
doing.
These pseudo guardians of
seamen's rights, health and safe
ty, were no where to be seen
when the seamen were not ot-
ganized into unions. They now
have branched out all over the
world under the banner of the
United Seamen's Service, a b^-
tard organization of the Wijr
Shipping Administration and.
controlled by them. And togeth
er these two organization arc
now professing that they are the
people who are to look after sea
men's welfare.
There were approximately
115,000 seamen in the o&shore
and coastwise trade in the mari
time UKiustry IWSA figures as of
September 1. 1949). and the WSA
proposes to pay the examining
Doctor Two Dollars per head for
every seaman that is examined.
The minimum that was proposed
by a group of doctors in a meet-^
ing held in New York on April
16th, 1942, was Fifteen Dollars, A
ship the size of the Mariposa,
that carries hundreds of men,
could make about ten trips a
year to England and return. A
rough estimate of what the com
pany would receive for their doc
tor's examining the crews would
be about twelve hundred dollars,
or one hundred and twenty thou
sand dollars per year. I am of
the opinion that no records can
be produced by any company
that will show that it cost them
that much in any one year io
examine the crews of their ves
sels.
Every union representative
that attended the meeting has
gone on record that their organi
zation is opposed to the proposed
standard for medical examina
tion, that was submitted at that
meeting.
Mr. Dimoek stated that there
will be no more meetings held,
and that beginning on the first of
the year the WSA will go ahead
with the examination but that
the proposals that were submit
ted will be modified.
Brother- John Hawk and the
SUP business agent from Nor
folk attended this meeting. This
was an educational meeting for
our SUP business agent, it is too
bad that the rank and file do not
have the time to attend some of
these WSA three ring circuses
that they call a meeting, it would
enlighten them as to the meth
ods and tactics that these people
adopt in trying to shakle seamen
with chatos, and then gloriously
praise the seamen in their press
releases.
Keep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
ATLANTIC AND GULF SBIPPING FOB
WEEKS OF NOV. mh TO DEC. 10th
SHIPPED
REGISTE^D
Q£CK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
721 602 567 1790
609 512 594 1715
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http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, December 24, 1943 THE SEAFARERS LOG
f. • (
Page Thre« ' "\
DeUnqueots To |1^0d.C3[ This SIU Contract
okserveRMORuieU Decldc FOF Yourself
By JOHN HAWK
Since the WSA pink and white j
Form No. 61 Aas replaced Form
No. 48 in handling draft defer
ments for seamen, we have had
a lai'ge number of men inducted
into the army. It seems that they
are paying little attention to
these new forms and to the RMO |
policy in general.
ynder the old set-up Card. No.
48 was sent into each local office
of the BMC, and from that office
sent on to Washington, D.C. This
has been changed in that now
all the new forms go directly to
Washington and the BMO set-up
is more efficient in cracking
down on delinquents. If you
have to overstay the shore time
allotted to you, you must con
tact the union Agent in your port
and have him explain the ex-
•tenuating circumstances to the
local RMO office. If you fail to
do this it is pretty likely that
ypu will be classified 1-A and be
army bound. In such cases there
is little that the union can do for
you. For your own welfare, as
well as the welfare of the union,
I urge all members to be most
careful in their observance of
these rules. We need the old-
timers and experienced men
aboard the ships — not in the
army.
{Continued from Page 1)
Manning Scale ISO
Persons and Over.
1 Steward $195.00 $17.50 $212.50
1 2d Steward
Storekeeper 130.00 17,50
1 Chef—Chief Cook 165.00 17.50
1 Baker 135.00 17.50
1 2d Cook 105.00 17.50
1 Third Cook 95.00 17.50
1 Butcher 100.00 17.50
1 GaUey Utility 70.00 ' 17.50
1 Baker's Utility .... 70.00 17.50
1 Pantryman 82.50 17.60
4 Messmen 70.00 17.50
2 UtUity 70.00 17.50
1 Utility for every 12
persons over 100 ..
147.50
182.50
152.5
122.50
112.5
117.50
87.50
87.50
100.00
87.50
87.50
Editors Mail
70,00 17.50 87.50
The Union agrees to allow the company
tile right to select persoimel for the follow
ing positions listed in the above manning
scale: Chief Steward, 2d Steward and Store
keeper, Baker, and Chef-Chief Cook. How
ever, employees of these ratings shall, in
any event, be cleared and dispatchec
through the offices of the Union.
4. (a) When the saloon messman is. called
upon to perform services to military officials
and other persons carried and served as
passengers in connection with making up
their rooms and waiting on tables in addi
tion to his regular duties and where the
number of military passengers is more than
two (2) and does not exceed (6), then one
(1) saloon messman and one (1) saloon util
ity man shall be allowed one (1) hour's
overtime each per day for each day such
extra services are performed. When the
number of military officials and/or other
persons carried and served as passengers ex
ceeds six (6) and does not exceed sixteen
(16) they shall be allowed two (2) horns'
overtime each per day for each day such
extra services are performed.
4. (b) When more than two (2) persons
and not more than ten (10) persons are car
ried and served as passengers in the crew
messroom or gun crew messroom, one (1)
hour's overtime each per day for each day
such extra services are performed shall be
allowed one messman and to one utility
man. When the number of persons exceeds
ten (10) and does not exceed twenty (20)
they shall be allowed two (2) hours' over
time each per day for each day such extra
services are performed,
5. When military officials and/or other
persons are carried and served as passen
gers, the Chief Steward shall receive addi
tional compensation for the extra duties
necessary for service to such passengers as
follows:
When the number of military officials
and/or other persons carried and served as
passengers is more than two (2) and does
not exceed six (6) persons, then the Chief
Editor,
Dear Sir:
I am at present attending I
school at Pier 73, East River, in |
order to receive an A.B. ticket.^
For this reason I am unable to
come down personally to see you.
There seems to be a general
opinion here that unionism does
not pay. Therefore, I would like
to have a copy of the most re
cent Union Agreement in your
possession. As a last resort, I
would appreciate a copy of anyj
agreement, (that is any date.) j
With this agreement in my pop-1
session I can, better base my ar
gument on the benefit of being j
an SIU member.
The general reason for not
joining the union seems to be the I time that they should pay the
fact that there is nothing to gain, penalty and not be allowed into
In a good many cases the argu-. the union.
ment seems to be that although j g new member of the
the men, who walked the I union. I joined in Baltimore in
lines during the Past strikes, 1943 I didn't attend a
gained their end, their is noth- J^Ja].itime School, having drawn
ing to be gained today. 'The fact pgp^^.^ fj.om the Customs
that these men, had their heads jjQugg jn February, 1940. Ship-
broken to better conditions, .^gg ygj.y slow in those days
means nothing. The main object j couldn't join the union. Nev-
seems to be to duck the initiation gj-theiess, I believe in unionism
and monthly dues. There is only ^ ^hg^
one way to break up this prac- u • „ *
tic=. I suggest that the union, '»"eht m the
when sending men aboard a ship schools at Sheephead Bay re
appoint one as a delegate to view gqrding unions, but I do feel
all books or trip cards aboard, that men that are going along
Those men that have shipped 11^^ union today should be
through fink organizations should . . . • . u x ^.
he riplaeed by union men if Protected m the luture.
available. Of course, I must ad-l Looking forward to receiving
mit ignorance of technicalities j an agreement, I remain,
Steward shall be allowed one (1) hour's
overtune per day for each day such passen
gers are on board. When the number of
notary officials and/or other persons car
ried and served as passengers exceeds six
(6) he shall be allowed two (2) hours' over
time per day for- each day such passengers
are on board. When the Steward is paid
the scale of wages provided in the manning
scale for vessels carrying 150 and over, this
section does not apply.
6. (a) When enlisted military personnel
are camed up to 550 and the military auth
orities do not furnish the necessary cooks,
etc., then there may be added to the Stew
ards Department personnel:
(1) Troop Cook
$120.00 Plus $17.50—$137.50
(1) Troop 2d Cook and Baker
$105.00 Plus $17.50—$122.50
(2) Utilitymen
$ 70,00 Plus $17.50—$ 87.50
The troop 2d Cook and Baker, and one util
ity man shall work at night time.
(b)-Pursuant to paragraph (a) when
troops have disembarked or prior to their
embarkation, the extra cooks and utility
men that were put on board to cook for
troops shall work in conjimction with the
crew cooks under the direction of the stew
ard. The two troop utility men shall work
as directed by the steward.
(c) No overtime shall be paid to the day
cooks as provided in paragraph No. 2 when
the above troop cooks are carried and no
troops are on board.
7. Working Hours at Sea and in Port.
The hours of labor for the Stewards Depart
ment shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of
thirteen (13^ hours while at sea and eight
(8) hours in a spread of twelve (12) hours
while in port.
8. Bi all ports Saturday afternoon, Sun
days and Holidays, prior to embarkation of
Military Officers and troops or after disem
barkation of Military Officers and troops,
the Steward shall be authorized to reduce
the number of men in his department. How
ever, the normal crew requirements shall be
kept on duty in order to feed properly and
serve the crew, gun crew and other persons
aboard.
9. It is imderstood that where this supple
ment agreement provides for overtime to
the Stewards Department personnel because
of carrying pd serving the additional per
sons as specified herein extra compensation
for serving extra meals as provided under
existing agreements is not to apply.
The terms and provisions hereof shall
not be binding and effective until all
the terms and provisions hereof shall
have been approved by the War Ship
ping Administration. Thereafter it
)
— to —
AGREEMENT j
between the 7
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
— and —
ALCOA' STEAMSHIP COMPANY, INC. '
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP COMPAlSrY
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
EASTERN STEAMSHIP LINES, INC.
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
SEAS SHIPPING COMPANY, INC.
SMITH & JOHNSON
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY LINES Inc
SOUTH ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES
Covering Manning Scale
For Vessels Carrying 4200 to 2000 Troops
Which Are Not Self-Sustained.
{Continued on Page 4)
that have arisen since the war.
Perhaps there are reasons why
this practice cannot be put into
effect. But—there will come a
time when these men will no
longer be able to ship from the
fink organizations. That is the
Respectfully yours,
PAUL H. REHERT.
fCeep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
WHArS DOING
Around the Ports
GALVESTON
The last war * * * remember?
Silk shirts, pink ones, green ones,
blue ones with white stripes. And
you bought silk stockings for the
girls to put on legs that had nev
er felt anything but cotton be
fore. Wrist watches, rings, brace
lets, hand-tailored suits and ten
dollar hats. The wages were not
the same as you are receiving in
this war. Then it happened.
1918 and the Armistice. The
war boom petered out, in ship
yard after yard the wheels turn
ed slower—slower, then stopped.
At that time we had what was
the U.S. Shipping Board, Sea-
service Bureau, that was where
the seamen were recruited. On
the East coast we had the East
ern & Gulf Sailors, Marine Fire
men, and Cooks and Stewards
Union, Sailors Union of the Paci
fic, Marine Firemen, Cooks &
Stewards on the Pacific Coast.
All affiliated with the A. F. of L.
they all stuck together, the ship
ping board knew of this fact, and
were not in the position to sup
ply finks on the ships right after
the war.
But things rolled along until
1921, crash—crash—^the shipown
ers along with the shipping board
had you out on strike pounding
the bricks. There were stew pots
in most union halls, and the men
were sleeping on the floors. Your
ring, watches and suits went into
Uncle Ben's, you were locked out
by the shipping board and the
shipowners. The NMU was not
even heard of in those days.
Yes, it was a hard, hard strug
gle; wages went down, down, and
down. Conditions, there just
were none. Jobs? Well, it just
depended how well the company
or the herder of the shipping
board liked you. It took just 13
years to realize that we had
enough of this shipowner's crap.
On the picket lines men gave
up their lives, went to jail so
that we could come back again
and be treated as men, not as
dogs. We did pretty good, but
{Continued on Page 4)
shall be put info effect on each vessel
on the dale of next signing articles.
20 entered into November
29' 1943, between the Seafarers' Internation
al Umon of North America and
S. G. THEOBALD,
ALCOA STEAMSHIP CO., INC
W. A. KIGGINS, Jr.,
BULL STEAMSHIP CO.
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, ma
J. A. COATES,
EASTERN STEAMSHIP
LINES, mc.
H. L. LANFORD,
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., mC
J. J. CONDON,
SEAS SHIPPmG CO., mc.
J. E. FASICK, • ;
SMITH & JOHNSON
H. ANDERSON, '
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORP.
J. L. ALWINE,
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY
LINES, mc. ,
JULIAN STROBERT,
SOUTH ATLANTIC
STEAMSHIP LINES, INC. !
SEAFARERS' mTERNATIONAL
UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
JOHN HAWK
UUAUDE FISHER
FRANK WILLIAMS
Sui'PLEMENT AGREEMENT
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Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 24, 1943
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A
NEWS AROUND
THE SIU PORTS
{Continued from Page i)
not good enough until 1936. The
shipowner thought the time was
ripe again, but he judged wrong.
We come out on top again. He
did not have tb^shipping board
to give him a hand, most of the
men who ran the shipping board
were i^ewarded by shipping com
missioner, or deputy jobs. Alone,
the shipowner cannot beat us.
Hold on a minute brother . . .
did we miss it in '23, '34, '36 and
'37 when men walked the streets,
camped out, lived in huts and
shacks. Hold on once more
brother—this time chances are
we won't bounce back again on
top. Many seamen realize what
a close shave it was, and how
desperately near we were to
chaos and ruin. Must we come
down with another crash?
Must we ignore, not one nor
two nor three, but the lessons
taught us by history! Must we
head straight along the road to
ruin. It's beginning to happen
right here—now. You may ask
how. The WSA, RMO, and the
hatchet men in the NMU are out
to break you and your union.
Win, lose, or draw, the war will
end some day. No war has lasted
forever. Your union obtained all
of the benefits, good wages, that
you are enjoying today. So
brother put your shoulder to the
wheel and help exterminate
these parisites that seek to take
your gains and rights away from
you. Help keep the SIU and the
SUP on an even keel.
E. R. WALLACE. Agent
BOSTON
Hello everybody, also a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New
Year, if such is possible.
I see by the papers that (Fog
Horn) Macauley is blowing off
again and most everyone is ask
ing me what's the matter with
that bloke. By the looks of the
wire Foggy sent to Harry Lunde-
berg it is easily seen that he has
ho training in diplomacy and for
the life of me I can't see how
anyone with such a narrowmind-
ed brain could be appointed to
such an important public office.
Now he talks about preserving
the health of the seamen, etc.,"
and so on. Well, I've been beef
ing about getting the seamen that
sail the North Atlantic some
warm* clothes, such as helmets,
coats, and footwear and I am
told that unless they go to Rus
sia they are out of luck. I pre
sume that Foggy made that rul
ing, if not then I am subject to
correction. He also said some-
, thing about sailing the ships
without the co-operation of the
, SIU. Well maybe he is thinking
about shipping out and if he does
ship out he will go down in his
tory as the first public appointee
who ever did anything useful.
I suppose that if he reads this
he will get burned up but that
' for constructive criticism.
Now there's another public ap
pointee that should do something
useful by wising up his mother-
in-law about quitting as the sea
men don't go for stoolpidgeons
' and I know that if Old Andy
• could know that that kind of per-
' son was employed in any place
; bearing his good name he cer-
. • tainly would make it his busi-
Read This SIU Contract
{Continued from Page 3)
Base Emergency
Rating Pay Increase Total
1 Chief Steward .... $195.00 $17.50 $212.50
1 Second Steward .. 122.50 17.50 140.00
I Chqf
i Chiei Cook
165.00 17.50 n rtrk er rv I Chqf
i Chiei Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Second Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Third Cook 95.00 17.50 112.50
1 Galley Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Chief Baker 135.00 17.50 152.50
1 Second Baker—
to work nights .... 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Assistant Baker .. 95.00 17.50 112.50
1 Baker's Utility— '
to work nights .... 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Chief Butcher 100.00 17.50 117.50
1 Asst. Butcher 82.50 17.50 100.00
1 Chief Pantryman 82.50 17.50 100.00
1 Second Pantryman 75.00 17.50 92.50
1 Utility Pantryman 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Army Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Army Second
Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Army Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Storekeeper 80.00 17.50 97.50
1 Asst. Storekeeper. 75.00 17.50 92.50
1 Linen Keeper .,... 80.00 17.50 97.50
1 Second Cook—
to work nights .... 105.00 17.50 122.50
Messmen 70.00 17.50 87.50
Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
W aiter-Bedroom
Steward 70.00 17.50 87.50
1. The Union agrees to allow the com
pany the right to select personnel for the
following positions: Chief Steward, Chief
Baker, Second Steward, Chef and Store
keeper. However, employees of these ratings
shall, fn any event, be cleared and dis
patched through the offices of the Union.
2. One combinatior^ waiter and Bedroom
Steward for every 12 Officers carried. If 2
meals only served, one for every 15 officers.
Waiters and Bedroom Stewards are to work
as Utility Men when no troops are on board,
and their working hours shall be weekdays
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from
8 a.m, to 12 Noon. During these hours they
shall do general cleaning work and sougee-
ing in the Stewards Department with the
exception of the ice boxes without the pay
ment of overtime. When no troops are on
board if the vessel is short any regular
raessmen the Steward may assign waiter-
bedroom stewards to perform messmen
duties and in such cases "his hours shall be
the same as those for a messman.
3. Utility men assigned to Galley, Bake
Shop, Pantry and Army Galley shall sign
on as Utility Men and work as general util
ity men under the direction of the Steward
when troops are not on board.
4. When no troops are aboard, the Army
Cook and Army Second Cook shall be re
quired to assist the cooks in the main galley.
5. In all ports Saturday afternoon, Sun
days and Holidays, prior to embarkation of
Military Officers and troops or after disem-.
barkation of Military Officers and troops,
the Steward shall be authorized to reduce
the number of men in "his department. How
ever, an adequate number of men shall be
kept on duty in order to feed properly and
serve the crew, gun crew and other persons
aboard.
6. Working Hours at Sea and in Port. The
hours of labor for the Stewards Department
shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of thir
teen (13) hours while at sea and eight (8)
hours in a spread of twelve (12) hours while
in port.
j-^amirsg. this agrsawiii 7. If troops^-e sel.
ment does not apply.
The tei-ms and provisions hereof shall
not be binding and effective until all
the terms ari provisions hereof shall
have been approved hy the Wiwe ̂ hip
ping Administration. Thereafter it
shall be put into effect on each vessel
on the date of next signing articles.
This agreement is entered into November
29, 1943, between the Seafarers' lnternation«
al Union of North America and
S. C. THEOBALD,
ALCOA STEAMSHIP CO., INC.
W. A. KIGGINS, Jr.,
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP CO.
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
J. A. COATES,
EASTERN STEAMSHIP
LINES, INC.
H. L. LANFORD,
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
J. J. CONDON,
SEAS SHIPPING CO., INC.
J. E. FASICK, sr.
SMITH & JOHNSON ^:
H. ANDERSON,
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORP.'
J. L. ALWINE,
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY
LINES, INC. !
JULIAN STROBERT,
SOUTH ATLANTIC I
STEAMSHIP LINES, INC. j'
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL ;
UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
JOHN HAWK
CLAUDE FISHER ' j
FRANK WILLIAMS
ness to haunt them.
So once again a Merry and
Warm Christmas and a Happy
New Year to All.
JOHN MOGAN, Agent
SAVANNAH
Shipping in this port lately has
been very good. Have shipped
out everyone I could get my
hands on and could have used a
few more. Had two new ships
out this last week, one here and
one in Jacksonville and had a
West Coast ship in Charleston
that took a full deck crew. Have
been lucky in getting old-timers
for these ships and have had to
call WSA for only a very few
men.
Hope things will stay this way
and 1 can continue to get old-
timers for the ships coming out
around here. As far as 1 know
right now 1 will have anpther
new ship coming out here around
the 24th of this month and will
be needing men with ratings in
all departments a? 1 have ship
ped everyone who was on the
beach here and don't have any
one registered at the present
time. Now would be a very good
chance for any of the members
who want to ship before the holi
days to do so, as 1 have, used all
available men from around this
port.
The weather here isn't so bad,
we have had a few cold days,
even had a little snow, but it is
warming up again and should be
pleasant again in a couple of
days. If shipping stays as good
as it has been lately no one will
have any trouble shipping out of
the Savannah port.
CHARLES WAID. Agent
Keep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
PORT EVERGLADES
The scandal mongers on the
radio tell us Captain Macauley
of the WSA has made the "state
ment that he is prepared to sail
the ships without union crews.
We find this very easy to believe,
in fact we have known that Cap
tain Macauley and his stooges in
the RMO have been preparing to
replace union crews with finks
for the past two years.
Macauley and some of the rest
of the chair warmers in Wash
ington find it difficult to explain
to the public why they continue
to spend the taxpayers' money
training men as seamen, when
the beach is full of unemployed
seamen of all ratings now. It is
true that in some sections there
is a shortage of seamen of certain
ratings, but it would be wiser
and less expensive for the WSA
to transport men from the over
stocked areas to the area where
the shortage exists, than it is to
take men that the armed forces
need and send them to school at
the expense of the government,
later to be put aboard ships in
the place of experienced and
qualified old-timers.
Many of the men in the mer
chant ships today could not pass
the physical examinations requir
ed by the Army and Navy but
are entirely able to perform the
duties of a seaman. If these men
are disqualified through a phoney
physical examination, -they will
be denied the right to serve their
country. And 1 dare to say that
the men of the seamen's unions
have proven over and over again
that they are not lacking on pa
triotism or guts either.
It is a curious wonder that the
union seamen were physically
able to saiil the ships during the
times when a lot more ships
sailed out of ports than ever
came back. Hundreds of the
union seamen can tell horrifying
Relatives Praise Our
Gift Plans For SIU
Prisoners Of War
{Continued from Page 1)
Union will be more than appre
ciated and above all to know his
old shipmates are thinking of
him.
As 1 am allowed one label
every sixty days 1 have used the
one sent me in November and
my next one will come to me
some time in January. However,
1 will be more than glad to sur
render same to you at that time.
1 am enclosing an information
circular from the Prisoner of
War Information Bureau.
If January is too late to send
your gift—please advise me as 1
am most anxious to use the label
just as soon as it arrives.
It may interest you to know
my son has been' a prisoner of
war now for nearly two years-
and he still writes a very cheer
ful and interesting letter. 1 am
sure if any of the boys would
care to write him he would be
delighted—as he says letters
from home help keep him alive.
Please find enclosed envelope
addressed to him in Germany.
Thanks,
Yours truly,
ETHEL RIGGINS
East Tallassee, Ala.
Dec. 17, 1943
Mr. Hawk,
Dear Mr. Hawk:
1 will be glad to surrender one
of my labels in regard to your
letter of Dec. tenth, and you
don't know how much 1 appreci
ate your letter,
And I am sure my brother
William E. Weaver will appreci
ate anything you all will send
and knowing you all are thinkin)
of him.
Inclosed you will find an offi
cial label to him. 1 will thanl
you all again for your kindness
Sincerely yours,
MARGARET HATCHETTT
tales of the convpyg that were
blasted to hell, and hundreds
more didn't live to teU the tale.
Yes, thousands were physically
qualified to take the ships out
when Hitler's "U" boats were
laying just off Long Island and
Diamond Shoal, waiting to stick
a fish in their bellies. They were
qualified to sail the ships when
there were no guns or escorts to
protect them from the enemy.
They were physically able to die
with their ships when the going
was tough, but now they are no
longer physically fit to do the
work that they have spent the
most of their lives doing and.
know better than anything else
in the world.
To force these men from the
sea would be a great injustice to
them, and would mean a great
loss to the industry. If they can
not go to sea they have only one
road open. They would have to
go to work ashore. A man that
has spent most of his life at sea
would be' as out of place as a
barn dance in a graveyard, if he
took a job ashore.
Surely, the government that
these men have served so well
during these past two years of
war can not permit one of its
agencies to take away their right
to make a living and to serve the
war effort, just because that
agency is headed by an egotistic
al and authority crazed labozt
baiter.
J. K. SHAUGHNESSY. Agent
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
-• - - - • SSSSSS&u
I't:"
SECURITY
IN
UNITY OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' DTTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
V .
rii
Vol. V. NEW YORK, N,Y., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1943 No. 38
.. Warmest..
SEASON'S GREETINGS
To All Seamen
And Their Friends
., from ..
SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
(Atlantic & Gulf Dist.)
%
Relatives Praise Our
Gift Plans For SIU
Prisoners Of War
SIU plans for sending gifts to members of the union
. who are prisoners of war is meeting with enthusiastic
praise from these men's relatives. Sisters, wives and mothers
have written the union to tell us that a word from former
shipmates would probably do more for the morale of these
men than any other single act.
Not only are the relatives high
in their praise of this plan, but
are actively cooperating by sur
rendering to the union one of
their official prisoner of war
shipping labels, without which
no package could be sent.
Following are two letters just
received in H.Q. office which
show how the relatives feel.
Norfolk, Virginia
Dec. 18, 1943
Seafarers International Union
Of North America
My dear Mr. Hawk,
In answer to your letter of
Dec. 10th, f want to thank you
from the bottom of my heart for
your kind thought of my son
and I am sure a gift from the
(Continued on Page 4)
"We're Lucky the WLB Didn't Charge Us
Rent for This Peachy Air Raid Shelter"
Curran's Ghost Writer
Joins Lamentations On
SIU Stewards Contract
Joe Curran's ghost writer has now entered the lists to tilt at the Stewards De
partment supplementary agreement recently signed by the SIU and its contracted com
panies. In the column "Keep 'em Sailing," Curran's ghost writer charges that "the
Seafarers International Union is the instrument through which the companies are at
tempting to destroy the gains made by the seamen in the rank and file unions, chiefly
the National Maritime Union."
The ghost then goes on to
charge that under the new SIU
agreement, the stewards "are re
turned to the position of practic
ally galley slaves."
All this is part of the defensive
fireworks thrown up by the
NMU leaders in an effort to cov
er their failure to win for their
members, conditions comparable
to those of the SIU. By smearing
the SIU as a "shipowners agent,"
they hope to divert the rank and
file seaman's attention away from
the glaring differences between
the SIU and NMU contracts.
We have said before, and we
repeat now, the test of a union
is what it gets for its members
in the way of wages and working
conditions. Curran's ghost writer
can scream that the new SIU
contract is a "sell out," but the
fact remains that it is the best
stewards contract in the industry
for freight vessels carrying
troops and military personnel.
The SIU has always lead the
NMU in winning conditions for
the seamen — this stewards de
partment supplementary agree
ment being only the most recent
example.
Curran's ghost can scream and
rattle the chains, but its not go
ing to do Curran any good.
Printed below is the full text of
the SIU supplementary agree
ment, and every NMU man that
reads it will know immediately
that it is better than anything
that Curran ever got out of the
shipowners.
READ THIS CONTRACT-DECIDE FOR-YOURSELF
—rUniled Mine Workers Journal i
SUPPLEMENT AGREEMENT
— to —
AGREEMENT
between the
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
— and —
ALCOA STEAMSmP COMPANY, INC.
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP COMPANY
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
EASTERN STEAMSHIP LINES, INC.
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
SEAS SHIPPING CO., INC.
SMITH & JOHNSON
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY LINES, Inc.
SOUTH ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES
Covering Increases in Manning Scale
or the
Payment of Additional Compensation On
Freighters When Carrying and Serving
(a) Augmented Gun Crews,
(b) Military Guards, Military Officials
and Other Persons Carried
As Passengers,
(c) Assignment of Troops.
1. When the crew including the Stewards
Department, Gun Crew and including Mil
itary Officials and other persons carried and
served as passengers, total between 64 per
sons and not more than 80 persons, a Galley
Utilityman will be carried in lieu of the
3d cook and one night cook and baker will
be added to the manning scale of the Stew
ards Department. The wages for the night
cook and baker to be $120.00 Base Wage,
$17.50 Emergency Increase — $137.50 total
wage.
The night cook and baker added to the
personnel under such circumstances will be
required to perform the major portion of his
work during the night hours doing the nec
essary cooking, baking bread, pies, cakes,
puddings, etc., in order to" take advantage
of the limited facilities of the gaUey and to
relieve the work of the day cooks as much
as possible.
2. When accommodations are not avail
able for carrying the additional night cook
and baker imder the conditions as set forth
in paragraph No. 1, then in lieu of carrying
the additional night cook and baker, two
(2) hours' overtime per day shall be paid to
each of the three (3) regular cooks for each
day such extra services are required to
serve the three (3) regular meals and per
forming the ordinary work incidental to the
duties of the Stewards Department.
3. (a) When crew, including the Stew
ards Department, Gun Crew, Military Offi
cials and other persons carried and served
as passengers exceed 80 persons one (1)
hour's overtime per day for each day such
extra services are performed will be allowed
each of the regular day cooks up to a total
of 90 persons and an additional hour's over
time for each of the day cooks per day such
work is performed will be allowed when the
number exceeds 90 and is not more than
100 persons.
(b) When the number of persons exclud
ing enlisted military personnel, other than
Gun Crew and excluding prisoners, exceeds
100, no additional overtime shall be paid to
the regular day cooks as provided in para
graph (a) above, but the following manning
scale khall be carried.
Manning Scsde Over 100 and
Not Exceeding 149 Persons.
Base Emergency
Rating Pay Increase Total
1 Steward $140.00 $17.50 $157.50
1 Chief Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Night Cook and
Baker 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Comb. 2d Cook
and Butcher 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Second Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Galley Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Night Cook and
Bakers Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
4 Messmen 70.00 17.50 87.50
2 Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Utility for each 12
persons over 100 .. 70.00 17.50 87.50
(Continued from Page 3)
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Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 24, 1943
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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 2 J, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Wasfdngton Rfp,
424 5th Street, N. Washin^o, D. &
m
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stono St SOwUnB Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 North Cay St. Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA........6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PL Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS ('J6) ..321 Chartres St Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA.. 423 East Platt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St. Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO 45 Ponce de Leon Puerto de Tiorra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway... Ft. Eauderdale 1601
WW*
PUBLICATION OFFICE;
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwling Green 9-8344
~ 267
AFL Demands High Wage
Standards And Shorter
Hours In Post War Era
Washington, D. C. — In two official pronouncements,
the American Federation of Labor served notice to the na
tion that it will not stand for wage cuts when the war ends.
President William Green appearing before the Tru
man Committee of the United States Senate, declared that
tiie economic safety of America^
requires shortening of working |
bours in the p.ost-war period;
without reduction of total earn-'
ings.
Secretary - Treasurer George,
Meany, speaking on the Ameri-*
can Forum of the Air, warned
that lowering of wage income
and consequent curtailment of
purchasing power would .bring
about a post-war depression.
Thus, a new and major post
war issue was projected into the
forefront of post-war discussion
—an issue on which the Ameri
can Federation of Labor is deter
mined to carry, on an aggressive
campaign in behalf of the na
tion's workers.
In his testimony before the
Truman Committee, Mr. Green
pointed out that by voluntarily
offering their no-strike pledge to
the Government for the duration
of the war and by acceding to
ilie economic stabilization pro
gram, American workers have
sacrificed their opportunities for
economic advancement during
war-time. He added:
"Workers have relied upon
working long hours to get income
to meet increased living costs.
While workers are denied the
right to increase wage rates to
accord with increased productiv
ity and employers' capacity to
pay, we shall endeavor to restore
equity by insisting that peace
time hours standards shall be es
tablished without reductions in
earnings.
fRtPOUT OI\
^ASHirVGTOIV
• BV MATFHIW DuSHANt* '
Mr. Meany expressed a similar
point of view over tbe radio for
um. He said:
"After the war ends, labor
wants good wages paid for the
work that labor performs; and
labor also wants the work-week
to be reduced sufficiently so as
to give work to everyone who
seeks a job. In proposing the
payment of high wages by indus
try after the war, labor is not
thinking of itself alone but of the
employer and the nation as a
whole. In order to keep our fac
tories running steadily, the Am
erican people must have the pur
chasing power to buy the prod
ucts of these factories. By this
time we should all realize that
low wages do not make for pros
perity in America. Wages were
low during the depression and
because wages were low purchas-
asing power was low and the
depression dragged on—^year af
ter year.
"As to the second point: Labor
feels that it is far better to have
everyone working a, 35-hour or a
30-hour week when peace re
turns than to have some people
working 40 hours and millions of
others not working at all. In the
latter circumstances even those
who are employed are apprehen
sive and tend .to hold on to their
money instead of spending it for
the products that American in
dustry wants to manufacture and
sell, and which must be kept
tnqving into the hands of the
cqnsiimers if the post-war era is
to be an era of prosperity."
MEDICAL EXAMINATION:
Meeting on proposed medical
examination was again held on
December 15 th. Representatives
from the following maritime
unions attended: SUP- SIU,
MM&P, MEBA, MC&S, MFOW,
NMU, and ACA. There were
some representatives of the em
ployers also there, a peep was
heard from the Export Line saw
bones. At the last meeting a
statement was made that this
character would turn seamen
down for having bum teeth, but
he has a brother who is a den
tist and if you went to his
brother for treatment, .the Export
Line Doctor would OK the sea
man. Usual .denials by the Doc^,
but he stated that he did recom
mend Doctors to seamen who
would take care of their wives if
they were going to have a fu
ture Bosun.
Captain Edward Macauley,
WSA Deputy, started the meet
ing off by reading a prepared
statement, in which he stated
that it is not the intent of the
WSA to use the examinRtior^ to
eliminate old timers from the
industry, and that the purppse of
this examination was to safe
guard the safety and health ^f
the crew.
Marshall Dimoek then quoted
telegrams that Admiral- Land has
sent to unions who have protest
ed that they feel the examination
would be used as a blackball
system by company doctors.
Land's telegrams also stated that
these examinations would not be
used to blackball and eliminate
old-timers and militant seamen
from the industry.
It would seem that from the
statements made by Macauley
and Land that they are taking a
very deep interest in the safety
and health of the crews, and
that at last the seamen have
found some officials of govern
ment agencies who are going to
look after their interest, and phy
sical well being.
However, in the new proposal
that was submitted does not bear
out the statements that were
made by Macauley, and Dimoek.
WSA Medical circular No. 3
stated, "The competency or in
competency of any licensed o£B-
cer or certified seaman for duty,
will be judged on the standards
described in U.S. Coast Guard
Navigation and Vessel Inspection
Circular No. 26, which defines
the degree of defective vision ai^
color sense thai are acceptaUe
and lists as disqualifying epil
epsy. insanity, acute veneral di
sease, neurosyphilis, badly im
paired hearing, or other defo.cts
that would render the applicant
incompetent tp perform the or
dinary duties required of him at
sea. The presence of communic
able disease in a communicatee
stage, or louse infestation, will
consitute cause for disqualifica
tion until the disease is cured
without disqualifying sequelae,
or the applicant is satisfactorily
disuifested." '
It should be noted that the
author of the proposed' standard
for examination made an effort
to list certain diseases and im-
parments that would disqualify a
seaman. In the above proposal it
can readily be seen that they
have thrown the book at the sea
man, and could disqualify any
seanian that a company doctor
wished to blackball.
The proposed standard furth
er states, "If must be assumed
tilKaf the ability of an exparwneed
officer ox seaman to suceassfully
pursue 3iis vocation, as indicated
by repeated voyages, is prhna
facie evidence of the api^licants
ability io continue in the indvui-
itfy. unless disquMifying disease
ax condition has ariseta since the
bwt C<mt Gwu^d examination for
license or certifieate."
T^?.ere you have the clause th^
could ..disqualify any pierson who
has been gpinS ^ sea for a num
ber of years, ^d who through
the terrible conditions imder
which a sesnnan is compelled to
make a living. The lack of fresh
milk being supplied on board
vessel, which causes decay of
teeth by a small supply of cal
cium. Ukers of the stomach
through rotten garbage that
crews are fed, which is given the
misnomer of food. Polluted water
being brought on board a vessel
for drinking purposes by com
panies who are intent on saving
a few dollars. Ail the thousand
and one other ^uses that sea
men are subjected to by some
companies, which have proven to
lower a seaman's standards. No
proposals were made to correct
the causes that bring on the con
ditions that would disqualify the
seaman. A verbal statement was
made that the overhaul program
was intended to try and correct
some of the causes that would
lead up to a disqualification.
A person coming into the mar
itime industry is throughly ex
amined by a doctor, ami before
given a certifieate by the govern
ment which qualifies him to.
make a living in the industry, he
must be in good idiysical condi
tion. It is now proposed that af
ter a person has spent the great
est part of his life in that indus
try, and through usual industrial
diseases and other ailments pe
culiar to the iniiustry, the WSA
intends to disqualify that per
son because he cannot pass the
original examination that he
passed on coming into the indus
try.
No pension system is proposed
by the WSA which would take
care of any person who would be
disqualified. These people who
make statements to the press and
to union representatives that
they do not intend to eliminate
old-timers and others from the
industry, and that they need the
services of these old-timers, bold
ly submit a proposal which is
contrary to all their high pres
sured prepared statements, and
their mock phrases of the won
derful job that the seamen are
doing.
These pseudo guardians of
seamen's rights, health and safe
ty, were no where to be seen
when the seamen were not ot-
ganized into unions. They now
have branched out all over the
world under the banner of the
United Seamen's Service, a b^-
tard organization of the Wijr
Shipping Administration and.
controlled by them. And togeth
er these two organization arc
now professing that they are the
people who are to look after sea
men's welfare.
There were approximately
115,000 seamen in the o&shore
and coastwise trade in the mari
time UKiustry IWSA figures as of
September 1. 1949). and the WSA
proposes to pay the examining
Doctor Two Dollars per head for
every seaman that is examined.
The minimum that was proposed
by a group of doctors in a meet-^
ing held in New York on April
16th, 1942, was Fifteen Dollars, A
ship the size of the Mariposa,
that carries hundreds of men,
could make about ten trips a
year to England and return. A
rough estimate of what the com
pany would receive for their doc
tor's examining the crews would
be about twelve hundred dollars,
or one hundred and twenty thou
sand dollars per year. I am of
the opinion that no records can
be produced by any company
that will show that it cost them
that much in any one year io
examine the crews of their ves
sels.
Every union representative
that attended the meeting has
gone on record that their organi
zation is opposed to the proposed
standard for medical examina
tion, that was submitted at that
meeting.
Mr. Dimoek stated that there
will be no more meetings held,
and that beginning on the first of
the year the WSA will go ahead
with the examination but that
the proposals that were submit
ted will be modified.
Brother- John Hawk and the
SUP business agent from Nor
folk attended this meeting. This
was an educational meeting for
our SUP business agent, it is too
bad that the rank and file do not
have the time to attend some of
these WSA three ring circuses
that they call a meeting, it would
enlighten them as to the meth
ods and tactics that these people
adopt in trying to shakle seamen
with chatos, and then gloriously
praise the seamen in their press
releases.
Keep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
ATLANTIC AND GULF SBIPPING FOB
WEEKS OF NOV. mh TO DEC. 10th
SHIPPED
REGISTE^D
Q£CK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
721 602 567 1790
609 512 594 1715
-
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, December 24, 1943 THE SEAFARERS LOG
f. • (
Page Thre« ' "\
DeUnqueots To |1^0d.C3[ This SIU Contract
okserveRMORuieU Decldc FOF Yourself
By JOHN HAWK
Since the WSA pink and white j
Form No. 61 Aas replaced Form
No. 48 in handling draft defer
ments for seamen, we have had
a lai'ge number of men inducted
into the army. It seems that they
are paying little attention to
these new forms and to the RMO |
policy in general.
ynder the old set-up Card. No.
48 was sent into each local office
of the BMC, and from that office
sent on to Washington, D.C. This
has been changed in that now
all the new forms go directly to
Washington and the BMO set-up
is more efficient in cracking
down on delinquents. If you
have to overstay the shore time
allotted to you, you must con
tact the union Agent in your port
and have him explain the ex-
•tenuating circumstances to the
local RMO office. If you fail to
do this it is pretty likely that
ypu will be classified 1-A and be
army bound. In such cases there
is little that the union can do for
you. For your own welfare, as
well as the welfare of the union,
I urge all members to be most
careful in their observance of
these rules. We need the old-
timers and experienced men
aboard the ships — not in the
army.
{Continued from Page 1)
Manning Scale ISO
Persons and Over.
1 Steward $195.00 $17.50 $212.50
1 2d Steward
Storekeeper 130.00 17,50
1 Chef—Chief Cook 165.00 17.50
1 Baker 135.00 17.50
1 2d Cook 105.00 17.50
1 Third Cook 95.00 17.50
1 Butcher 100.00 17.50
1 GaUey Utility 70.00 ' 17.50
1 Baker's Utility .... 70.00 17.50
1 Pantryman 82.50 17.60
4 Messmen 70.00 17.50
2 UtUity 70.00 17.50
1 Utility for every 12
persons over 100 ..
147.50
182.50
152.5
122.50
112.5
117.50
87.50
87.50
100.00
87.50
87.50
Editors Mail
70,00 17.50 87.50
The Union agrees to allow the company
tile right to select persoimel for the follow
ing positions listed in the above manning
scale: Chief Steward, 2d Steward and Store
keeper, Baker, and Chef-Chief Cook. How
ever, employees of these ratings shall, in
any event, be cleared and dispatchec
through the offices of the Union.
4. (a) When the saloon messman is. called
upon to perform services to military officials
and other persons carried and served as
passengers in connection with making up
their rooms and waiting on tables in addi
tion to his regular duties and where the
number of military passengers is more than
two (2) and does not exceed (6), then one
(1) saloon messman and one (1) saloon util
ity man shall be allowed one (1) hour's
overtime each per day for each day such
extra services are performed. When the
number of military officials and/or other
persons carried and served as passengers ex
ceeds six (6) and does not exceed sixteen
(16) they shall be allowed two (2) horns'
overtime each per day for each day such
extra services are performed.
4. (b) When more than two (2) persons
and not more than ten (10) persons are car
ried and served as passengers in the crew
messroom or gun crew messroom, one (1)
hour's overtime each per day for each day
such extra services are performed shall be
allowed one messman and to one utility
man. When the number of persons exceeds
ten (10) and does not exceed twenty (20)
they shall be allowed two (2) hours' over
time each per day for each day such extra
services are performed,
5. When military officials and/or other
persons are carried and served as passen
gers, the Chief Steward shall receive addi
tional compensation for the extra duties
necessary for service to such passengers as
follows:
When the number of military officials
and/or other persons carried and served as
passengers is more than two (2) and does
not exceed six (6) persons, then the Chief
Editor,
Dear Sir:
I am at present attending I
school at Pier 73, East River, in |
order to receive an A.B. ticket.^
For this reason I am unable to
come down personally to see you.
There seems to be a general
opinion here that unionism does
not pay. Therefore, I would like
to have a copy of the most re
cent Union Agreement in your
possession. As a last resort, I
would appreciate a copy of anyj
agreement, (that is any date.) j
With this agreement in my pop-1
session I can, better base my ar
gument on the benefit of being j
an SIU member.
The general reason for not
joining the union seems to be the I time that they should pay the
fact that there is nothing to gain, penalty and not be allowed into
In a good many cases the argu-. the union.
ment seems to be that although j g new member of the
the men, who walked the I union. I joined in Baltimore in
lines during the Past strikes, 1943 I didn't attend a
gained their end, their is noth- J^Ja].itime School, having drawn
ing to be gained today. 'The fact pgp^^.^ fj.om the Customs
that these men, had their heads jjQugg jn February, 1940. Ship-
broken to better conditions, .^gg ygj.y slow in those days
means nothing. The main object j couldn't join the union. Nev-
seems to be to duck the initiation gj-theiess, I believe in unionism
and monthly dues. There is only ^ ^hg^
one way to break up this prac- u • „ *
tic=. I suggest that the union, '»"eht m the
when sending men aboard a ship schools at Sheephead Bay re
appoint one as a delegate to view gqrding unions, but I do feel
all books or trip cards aboard, that men that are going along
Those men that have shipped 11^^ union today should be
through fink organizations should . . . • . u x ^.
he riplaeed by union men if Protected m the luture.
available. Of course, I must ad-l Looking forward to receiving
mit ignorance of technicalities j an agreement, I remain,
Steward shall be allowed one (1) hour's
overtune per day for each day such passen
gers are on board. When the number of
notary officials and/or other persons car
ried and served as passengers exceeds six
(6) he shall be allowed two (2) hours' over
time per day for- each day such passengers
are on board. When the Steward is paid
the scale of wages provided in the manning
scale for vessels carrying 150 and over, this
section does not apply.
6. (a) When enlisted military personnel
are camed up to 550 and the military auth
orities do not furnish the necessary cooks,
etc., then there may be added to the Stew
ards Department personnel:
(1) Troop Cook
$120.00 Plus $17.50—$137.50
(1) Troop 2d Cook and Baker
$105.00 Plus $17.50—$122.50
(2) Utilitymen
$ 70,00 Plus $17.50—$ 87.50
The troop 2d Cook and Baker, and one util
ity man shall work at night time.
(b)-Pursuant to paragraph (a) when
troops have disembarked or prior to their
embarkation, the extra cooks and utility
men that were put on board to cook for
troops shall work in conjimction with the
crew cooks under the direction of the stew
ard. The two troop utility men shall work
as directed by the steward.
(c) No overtime shall be paid to the day
cooks as provided in paragraph No. 2 when
the above troop cooks are carried and no
troops are on board.
7. Working Hours at Sea and in Port.
The hours of labor for the Stewards Depart
ment shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of
thirteen (13^ hours while at sea and eight
(8) hours in a spread of twelve (12) hours
while in port.
8. Bi all ports Saturday afternoon, Sun
days and Holidays, prior to embarkation of
Military Officers and troops or after disem
barkation of Military Officers and troops,
the Steward shall be authorized to reduce
the number of men in his department. How
ever, the normal crew requirements shall be
kept on duty in order to feed properly and
serve the crew, gun crew and other persons
aboard.
9. It is imderstood that where this supple
ment agreement provides for overtime to
the Stewards Department personnel because
of carrying pd serving the additional per
sons as specified herein extra compensation
for serving extra meals as provided under
existing agreements is not to apply.
The terms and provisions hereof shall
not be binding and effective until all
the terms and provisions hereof shall
have been approved by the War Ship
ping Administration. Thereafter it
)
— to —
AGREEMENT j
between the 7
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
— and —
ALCOA' STEAMSHIP COMPANY, INC. '
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP COMPAlSrY
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
EASTERN STEAMSHIP LINES, INC.
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
SEAS SHIPPING COMPANY, INC.
SMITH & JOHNSON
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY LINES Inc
SOUTH ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES
Covering Manning Scale
For Vessels Carrying 4200 to 2000 Troops
Which Are Not Self-Sustained.
{Continued on Page 4)
that have arisen since the war.
Perhaps there are reasons why
this practice cannot be put into
effect. But—there will come a
time when these men will no
longer be able to ship from the
fink organizations. That is the
Respectfully yours,
PAUL H. REHERT.
fCeep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
WHArS DOING
Around the Ports
GALVESTON
The last war * * * remember?
Silk shirts, pink ones, green ones,
blue ones with white stripes. And
you bought silk stockings for the
girls to put on legs that had nev
er felt anything but cotton be
fore. Wrist watches, rings, brace
lets, hand-tailored suits and ten
dollar hats. The wages were not
the same as you are receiving in
this war. Then it happened.
1918 and the Armistice. The
war boom petered out, in ship
yard after yard the wheels turn
ed slower—slower, then stopped.
At that time we had what was
the U.S. Shipping Board, Sea-
service Bureau, that was where
the seamen were recruited. On
the East coast we had the East
ern & Gulf Sailors, Marine Fire
men, and Cooks and Stewards
Union, Sailors Union of the Paci
fic, Marine Firemen, Cooks &
Stewards on the Pacific Coast.
All affiliated with the A. F. of L.
they all stuck together, the ship
ping board knew of this fact, and
were not in the position to sup
ply finks on the ships right after
the war.
But things rolled along until
1921, crash—crash—^the shipown
ers along with the shipping board
had you out on strike pounding
the bricks. There were stew pots
in most union halls, and the men
were sleeping on the floors. Your
ring, watches and suits went into
Uncle Ben's, you were locked out
by the shipping board and the
shipowners. The NMU was not
even heard of in those days.
Yes, it was a hard, hard strug
gle; wages went down, down, and
down. Conditions, there just
were none. Jobs? Well, it just
depended how well the company
or the herder of the shipping
board liked you. It took just 13
years to realize that we had
enough of this shipowner's crap.
On the picket lines men gave
up their lives, went to jail so
that we could come back again
and be treated as men, not as
dogs. We did pretty good, but
{Continued on Page 4)
shall be put info effect on each vessel
on the dale of next signing articles.
20 entered into November
29' 1943, between the Seafarers' Internation
al Umon of North America and
S. G. THEOBALD,
ALCOA STEAMSHIP CO., INC
W. A. KIGGINS, Jr.,
BULL STEAMSHIP CO.
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, ma
J. A. COATES,
EASTERN STEAMSHIP
LINES, mc.
H. L. LANFORD,
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., mC
J. J. CONDON,
SEAS SHIPPmG CO., mc.
J. E. FASICK, • ;
SMITH & JOHNSON
H. ANDERSON, '
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORP.
J. L. ALWINE,
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY
LINES, mc. ,
JULIAN STROBERT,
SOUTH ATLANTIC
STEAMSHIP LINES, INC. !
SEAFARERS' mTERNATIONAL
UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
JOHN HAWK
UUAUDE FISHER
FRANK WILLIAMS
Sui'PLEMENT AGREEMENT
I
1|
n
f]
rl
r
• f
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, December 24, 1943
Kfc
it
A
NEWS AROUND
THE SIU PORTS
{Continued from Page i)
not good enough until 1936. The
shipowner thought the time was
ripe again, but he judged wrong.
We come out on top again. He
did not have tb^shipping board
to give him a hand, most of the
men who ran the shipping board
were i^ewarded by shipping com
missioner, or deputy jobs. Alone,
the shipowner cannot beat us.
Hold on a minute brother . . .
did we miss it in '23, '34, '36 and
'37 when men walked the streets,
camped out, lived in huts and
shacks. Hold on once more
brother—this time chances are
we won't bounce back again on
top. Many seamen realize what
a close shave it was, and how
desperately near we were to
chaos and ruin. Must we come
down with another crash?
Must we ignore, not one nor
two nor three, but the lessons
taught us by history! Must we
head straight along the road to
ruin. It's beginning to happen
right here—now. You may ask
how. The WSA, RMO, and the
hatchet men in the NMU are out
to break you and your union.
Win, lose, or draw, the war will
end some day. No war has lasted
forever. Your union obtained all
of the benefits, good wages, that
you are enjoying today. So
brother put your shoulder to the
wheel and help exterminate
these parisites that seek to take
your gains and rights away from
you. Help keep the SIU and the
SUP on an even keel.
E. R. WALLACE. Agent
BOSTON
Hello everybody, also a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New
Year, if such is possible.
I see by the papers that (Fog
Horn) Macauley is blowing off
again and most everyone is ask
ing me what's the matter with
that bloke. By the looks of the
wire Foggy sent to Harry Lunde-
berg it is easily seen that he has
ho training in diplomacy and for
the life of me I can't see how
anyone with such a narrowmind-
ed brain could be appointed to
such an important public office.
Now he talks about preserving
the health of the seamen, etc.,"
and so on. Well, I've been beef
ing about getting the seamen that
sail the North Atlantic some
warm* clothes, such as helmets,
coats, and footwear and I am
told that unless they go to Rus
sia they are out of luck. I pre
sume that Foggy made that rul
ing, if not then I am subject to
correction. He also said some-
, thing about sailing the ships
without the co-operation of the
, SIU. Well maybe he is thinking
about shipping out and if he does
ship out he will go down in his
tory as the first public appointee
who ever did anything useful.
I suppose that if he reads this
he will get burned up but that
' for constructive criticism.
Now there's another public ap
pointee that should do something
useful by wising up his mother-
in-law about quitting as the sea
men don't go for stoolpidgeons
' and I know that if Old Andy
• could know that that kind of per-
' son was employed in any place
; bearing his good name he cer-
. • tainly would make it his busi-
Read This SIU Contract
{Continued from Page 3)
Base Emergency
Rating Pay Increase Total
1 Chief Steward .... $195.00 $17.50 $212.50
1 Second Steward .. 122.50 17.50 140.00
I Chqf
i Chiei Cook
165.00 17.50 n rtrk er rv I Chqf
i Chiei Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Second Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Third Cook 95.00 17.50 112.50
1 Galley Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Chief Baker 135.00 17.50 152.50
1 Second Baker—
to work nights .... 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Assistant Baker .. 95.00 17.50 112.50
1 Baker's Utility— '
to work nights .... 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Chief Butcher 100.00 17.50 117.50
1 Asst. Butcher 82.50 17.50 100.00
1 Chief Pantryman 82.50 17.50 100.00
1 Second Pantryman 75.00 17.50 92.50
1 Utility Pantryman 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Army Cook 120.00 17.50 137.50
1 Army Second
Cook 105.00 17.50 122.50
1 Army Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
1 Storekeeper 80.00 17.50 97.50
1 Asst. Storekeeper. 75.00 17.50 92.50
1 Linen Keeper .,... 80.00 17.50 97.50
1 Second Cook—
to work nights .... 105.00 17.50 122.50
Messmen 70.00 17.50 87.50
Utility 70.00 17.50 87.50
W aiter-Bedroom
Steward 70.00 17.50 87.50
1. The Union agrees to allow the com
pany the right to select personnel for the
following positions: Chief Steward, Chief
Baker, Second Steward, Chef and Store
keeper. However, employees of these ratings
shall, fn any event, be cleared and dis
patched through the offices of the Union.
2. One combinatior^ waiter and Bedroom
Steward for every 12 Officers carried. If 2
meals only served, one for every 15 officers.
Waiters and Bedroom Stewards are to work
as Utility Men when no troops are on board,
and their working hours shall be weekdays
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from
8 a.m, to 12 Noon. During these hours they
shall do general cleaning work and sougee-
ing in the Stewards Department with the
exception of the ice boxes without the pay
ment of overtime. When no troops are on
board if the vessel is short any regular
raessmen the Steward may assign waiter-
bedroom stewards to perform messmen
duties and in such cases "his hours shall be
the same as those for a messman.
3. Utility men assigned to Galley, Bake
Shop, Pantry and Army Galley shall sign
on as Utility Men and work as general util
ity men under the direction of the Steward
when troops are not on board.
4. When no troops are aboard, the Army
Cook and Army Second Cook shall be re
quired to assist the cooks in the main galley.
5. In all ports Saturday afternoon, Sun
days and Holidays, prior to embarkation of
Military Officers and troops or after disem-.
barkation of Military Officers and troops,
the Steward shall be authorized to reduce
the number of men in "his department. How
ever, an adequate number of men shall be
kept on duty in order to feed properly and
serve the crew, gun crew and other persons
aboard.
6. Working Hours at Sea and in Port. The
hours of labor for the Stewards Department
shall be eight (8) hours in a spread of thir
teen (13) hours while at sea and eight (8)
hours in a spread of twelve (12) hours while
in port.
j-^amirsg. this agrsawiii 7. If troops^-e sel.
ment does not apply.
The tei-ms and provisions hereof shall
not be binding and effective until all
the terms ari provisions hereof shall
have been approved hy the Wiwe ̂ hip
ping Administration. Thereafter it
shall be put into effect on each vessel
on the date of next signing articles.
This agreement is entered into November
29, 1943, between the Seafarers' lnternation«
al Union of North America and
S. C. THEOBALD,
ALCOA STEAMSHIP CO., INC.
W. A. KIGGINS, Jr.,
A. H. BULL STEAMSHIP CO.
BALTIMORE INSULAR LINE, INC.
J. A. COATES,
EASTERN STEAMSHIP
LINES, INC.
H. L. LANFORD,
MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING CO., INC.
J. J. CONDON,
SEAS SHIPPING CO., INC.
J. E. FASICK, sr.
SMITH & JOHNSON ^:
H. ANDERSON,
WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORP.'
J. L. ALWINE,
AMERICAN RANGE-LIBERTY
LINES, INC. !
JULIAN STROBERT,
SOUTH ATLANTIC I
STEAMSHIP LINES, INC. j'
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL ;
UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
JOHN HAWK
CLAUDE FISHER ' j
FRANK WILLIAMS
ness to haunt them.
So once again a Merry and
Warm Christmas and a Happy
New Year to All.
JOHN MOGAN, Agent
SAVANNAH
Shipping in this port lately has
been very good. Have shipped
out everyone I could get my
hands on and could have used a
few more. Had two new ships
out this last week, one here and
one in Jacksonville and had a
West Coast ship in Charleston
that took a full deck crew. Have
been lucky in getting old-timers
for these ships and have had to
call WSA for only a very few
men.
Hope things will stay this way
and 1 can continue to get old-
timers for the ships coming out
around here. As far as 1 know
right now 1 will have anpther
new ship coming out here around
the 24th of this month and will
be needing men with ratings in
all departments a? 1 have ship
ped everyone who was on the
beach here and don't have any
one registered at the present
time. Now would be a very good
chance for any of the members
who want to ship before the holi
days to do so, as 1 have, used all
available men from around this
port.
The weather here isn't so bad,
we have had a few cold days,
even had a little snow, but it is
warming up again and should be
pleasant again in a couple of
days. If shipping stays as good
as it has been lately no one will
have any trouble shipping out of
the Savannah port.
CHARLES WAID. Agent
Keep In Touch With
Your Draft Board
PORT EVERGLADES
The scandal mongers on the
radio tell us Captain Macauley
of the WSA has made the "state
ment that he is prepared to sail
the ships without union crews.
We find this very easy to believe,
in fact we have known that Cap
tain Macauley and his stooges in
the RMO have been preparing to
replace union crews with finks
for the past two years.
Macauley and some of the rest
of the chair warmers in Wash
ington find it difficult to explain
to the public why they continue
to spend the taxpayers' money
training men as seamen, when
the beach is full of unemployed
seamen of all ratings now. It is
true that in some sections there
is a shortage of seamen of certain
ratings, but it would be wiser
and less expensive for the WSA
to transport men from the over
stocked areas to the area where
the shortage exists, than it is to
take men that the armed forces
need and send them to school at
the expense of the government,
later to be put aboard ships in
the place of experienced and
qualified old-timers.
Many of the men in the mer
chant ships today could not pass
the physical examinations requir
ed by the Army and Navy but
are entirely able to perform the
duties of a seaman. If these men
are disqualified through a phoney
physical examination, -they will
be denied the right to serve their
country. And 1 dare to say that
the men of the seamen's unions
have proven over and over again
that they are not lacking on pa
triotism or guts either.
It is a curious wonder that the
union seamen were physically
able to saiil the ships during the
times when a lot more ships
sailed out of ports than ever
came back. Hundreds of the
union seamen can tell horrifying
Relatives Praise Our
Gift Plans For SIU
Prisoners Of War
{Continued from Page 1)
Union will be more than appre
ciated and above all to know his
old shipmates are thinking of
him.
As 1 am allowed one label
every sixty days 1 have used the
one sent me in November and
my next one will come to me
some time in January. However,
1 will be more than glad to sur
render same to you at that time.
1 am enclosing an information
circular from the Prisoner of
War Information Bureau.
If January is too late to send
your gift—please advise me as 1
am most anxious to use the label
just as soon as it arrives.
It may interest you to know
my son has been' a prisoner of
war now for nearly two years-
and he still writes a very cheer
ful and interesting letter. 1 am
sure if any of the boys would
care to write him he would be
delighted—as he says letters
from home help keep him alive.
Please find enclosed envelope
addressed to him in Germany.
Thanks,
Yours truly,
ETHEL RIGGINS
East Tallassee, Ala.
Dec. 17, 1943
Mr. Hawk,
Dear Mr. Hawk:
1 will be glad to surrender one
of my labels in regard to your
letter of Dec. tenth, and you
don't know how much 1 appreci
ate your letter,
And I am sure my brother
William E. Weaver will appreci
ate anything you all will send
and knowing you all are thinkin)
of him.
Inclosed you will find an offi
cial label to him. 1 will thanl
you all again for your kindness
Sincerely yours,
MARGARET HATCHETTT
tales of the convpyg that were
blasted to hell, and hundreds
more didn't live to teU the tale.
Yes, thousands were physically
qualified to take the ships out
when Hitler's "U" boats were
laying just off Long Island and
Diamond Shoal, waiting to stick
a fish in their bellies. They were
qualified to sail the ships when
there were no guns or escorts to
protect them from the enemy.
They were physically able to die
with their ships when the going
was tough, but now they are no
longer physically fit to do the
work that they have spent the
most of their lives doing and.
know better than anything else
in the world.
To force these men from the
sea would be a great injustice to
them, and would mean a great
loss to the industry. If they can
not go to sea they have only one
road open. They would have to
go to work ashore. A man that
has spent most of his life at sea
would be' as out of place as a
barn dance in a graveyard, if he
took a job ashore.
Surely, the government that
these men have served so well
during these past two years of
war can not permit one of its
agencies to take away their right
to make a living and to serve the
war effort, just because that
agency is headed by an egotistic
al and authority crazed labozt
baiter.
J. K. SHAUGHNESSY. Agent
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