Seafarers Log: Vol. 66 No. 12 (2004-12-01)

Volume 66, Number 12 December 2004

Beck Notice
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More New Jobs
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2 Seafarers LOG December 2004

‘Lewis and Clark’ Ships Signal
More New Jobs for CIVMARs

The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 1086-4636) is published month-
ly by the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf,
Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, AFL-CIO; 5201
Auth Way; Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone (301)
899-0675. Periodicals postage paid at Southern
Maryland 20790-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp
Springs, MD 20746.

Communications Director, Jordan Biscardo; Managing
Editor/Production, Deborah A. Hirtes; Associate Editor, Jim
Guthrie; Art, Bill Brower; Administrative Support, Misty
Dobry.

Copyright © 2004 Seafarers International Union, AGLIWD
All Rights Reserved.

Volume 66, Number 12 December 2004

The SIU on line: www.seafarers.org

AA aa MM

With the new Congress just around the corner, Seafarers will

have a lot at stake, both from a maritime standpoint and as part of

the labor movement.

Some of the most important issues we’ll advance during the

coming year are the need for a strong U.S.-flag fleet, improving

the critical state of health insurance, and recognizing that the free-

dom to choose union representation is a fundamental human right.

As usual following Election Day, we already know there will

be dozens of new members of the House and Senate come

January, because of election results as well as retirements and

career changes. As always, the SIU will make sure that those new

legislators are familiar with the U.S. Merchant Marine, our issues

and how we help boost America’s national and economic security.

Preserving and growing our industry is a never-ending job. As

Seafarers know, we’re in one of the most heavily regulated trades

in the nation. That was true before the attacks of September 11

and it’s even more true today. And that alone is enough reason

why it’s vital for us to remain politically active.

We have further incentive, though. The U.S.-flag fleet constant-

ly is under attack from foreign-flag interests on every imaginable

level. Whether it’s cabotage laws or cargo preference or crew size

or some other key part of our livelihoods that’s governed by feder-

al laws, the confrontations don’t stop. The need to make sure our

voices are heard on Capitol Hill doesn’t stop either.

On that note, I thank the membership for your continued sup-

port of SPAD, the union’s voluntary political action fund. SPAD is

essential for the SIU’s survival. Your support is just as important

today as it was in the weeks and months leading up to Election

Day. As we say in the SIU, “Politics is pork chops,” and “It takes

a four-letter word (SPAD) to be heard!”

Without question, politics also will play a big part in solving

our country’s health care crisis. I’ve written about this subject

many times this year, because it’s an issue that threatens every

working family across the nation. Health insurance is the number

one issue in contracts, and for some other unions it has led to

strikes and lockouts from coast to coast.

Last month, voters throughout the U.S. identified affordable

health care as among their greatest concerns. It’s easy to under-

stand why. The SIU will continue working with the other maritime

unions and the rest of the labor movement to help solve this dev-

astating problem.

We also will step up to fight for protection of the freedom to

choose union representation—one of the most important and hard-

earned rights in America. Technically, the law gives workers that

freedom of choice. Realistically, employers across the country

continue to use threats, coercion and intimidation to block work-

ers’ efforts to unionize, often with little or no penalty.

Upholding employees’ rights to freely choose whether to form

unions is the correct thing to do. In the long run, it’s also obvious-

ly important to the continued existence of all unions.

These aren’t the only issues we’ll be working on in the next

Congress, but they’re good indicators of what’s on the line and

why we must always stand up for ourselves. We must protect our

livelihoods, because no one’s going to do it for us.

HH

To all Seafarers, retirees and their families, I wish you the

safest and happiest holiday season and a great New Year. I espe-

cially ask that all of you join me in keeping our brother and sister

Seafarers who are sailing in support of our armed forces in your

thoughts and prayers. May they all have successful missions and

safe return voyages, and the same goes for our troops overseas.

Happy holidays and may God bless the SIU!

President ’s Report

Construction recently started on the second ship
in the U.S. Military Sealift Command’s T-AKE pro-
gram—a new class of combat logistics force vessels
designated the Lewis and Clark class.

Members of the SIU’s Government Services
Division will fill the unlicensed positions on the new
ships. Overall, the U.S. Navy has awarded contracts
for six new Lewis and Clark dry cargo/ammunition
ships—with options for an additional six vessels.

The ships are being built at the National Steel and
Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego.

At a mid-September ceremony for the second
vessel, Mrs. DeAnne Sutton, wife of U.S. Navy
Commander George Sutton of the NAVSEA
Program Office, made the first cut on the ship’s first
steel plate to signify the start of construction. The
vessel will be named the Sacagawea in honor of the
Shoshone Indian woman who acted as guide and
interpreter for Lewis and Clark on their expedition
into the Northwest region of the United States from
1804-1806.

The first T-AKE, which has been under construc-
tion at NASSCO for a year, will be named the Lewis
and Clark.

According to the shipyard, the T-AKE is the first
new combat logistics force ship designed for the
Navy in almost 20 years. The yard further noted that
the new class combines lower-cost commercial ship
design features with high-performance, proven
international marine technologies such as integrated
electric-drive propulsion.

The T-AKEs will be 689 feet long, with beams of
105 feet and a design draft of 30 feet. The ships will
carry almost 7,000 metric tons of dry cargo and
ammunition and 23,500 barrels of marine diesel

fuel. They will have 40-year life expectancies.
In addition to the six T-AKEs, NASSCO is build-

ing four double-hull oil tankers for BP Shipping
Company of Alaska, the first of which was deliv-
ered—and crewed by SIU members—in August.

The Lewis and Clark, pictured last month in San
Diego, is scheduled for delivery in 2005.

Seafarers Continue OIF3 Mobilization
As activations continued for

the third phase of Operation Iraqi
Freedom’s sealift component, 40
SIU-crewed ships had been mobi-
lized by mid-November.

That total included 21 ships
from the Ready Reserve Force, 17
U.S. Military Sealift Command
vessels and two from the U.S.-
flag commercial fleet.

“SIU members have answered
the call throughout Operation
Iraqi Freedom,” noted SIU
President Michael Sacco. “The
membership has demonstrated
great respect for and support of
our troops, and I know they’re
proud of our role as part of the
nation’s fourth arm of defense.
We’ll continue to deliver the
goods, wherever and whenever
needed.”

The following Seafarers-
crewed ships are among those
sailing in support of OIF3. Vessel
operators are listed first:

AMSEA’s Cape Jacob; Crow-
ley’s Cape Inscription, Cape
Intrepid, Cape Island and Cape
Wrath; Interocean Ugland Man-
agement’s USNS Chesapeake,
USNS Petersburg, Northern
Lights, Westward Venture and
Independence; Keystone’s Cape
Race, Cape Rise, Cape Knox,
Cape Orlando and Cape Vincent;
and Maersk Line, Limited’s
USNS Charlton, USNS Dahl,
USNS Pomeroy, USNS Red
Cloud, USNS Sisler, USNS Sod-
erman, USNS Watkins and USNS
Watson.

Also underway are Mormac’s
Cape Decision, Cape Domingo,
Cape Douglas, Cape Ducato,
Cape Edmont, Cape Horn and
Cape Hudson; Pacific-Gulf
Marine’s Cape Farewell; and
American Ship Management’s
USNS Brittin, USNS Benavidez,
USNS Gilliland, USNS Gordon,
USNS Fisher, USNS Pillilau,
USNS Seay, USNS Yano and Cape
Girardeau.

Referring to both the ongoing
war on terrorism and the all-out
combat phase of Operation Iraqi
Freedom, the U.S. Maritime Ad-
ministration noted, “During
Operations Enduring and Iraqi
Freedom, the combined strategic
sealift operation provided more
than 80 percent of all cargo trans-
portation to the theater of opera-
tions. Led by the U.S. Trans-
portation Command, this joint
effort included the Military Sea-
lift Command, the Military
Traffic Management Command,
and the Maritime Administration.
Forty RRF vessels supported
Army and Marine missions dur-
ing the operations providing up to
20 percent of the total combined
surge sealift capacity.”

During a U.S. Senate Sea-
power Subcommittee hearing ear-
lier this year, U.S. Senator
Edward Kennedy, the ranking

Democrat on the subcommittee,
described the RRF as “one of the
great successes. We followed that
very closely in this (Armed Ser-
vices) committee. Their ships
have done an extraordinary job.”

In a prepared statement, Gen.
John W. Handy, USAF, comman-
der, U.S. Transportation Com-
mand (TRANSCOM); Vice Adm.
David L. Brewer III, USN, com-
mander, Military Sealift Com-
mand (MSC); and Maj. Gen. Ann
E. Dunwoody, USA, then the
commanding general, Surface
Deployment and Distribution
Command, noted, “The increased
readiness standards and mainte-
nance of our RRF have made it
more efficient and better able to
meet lift requirements than ever
before. The RRF today is a well-
maintained, ready force of 31
surge roll-on/roll-off ships and 37
special-purpose sealift ships.”

The USNS Pomeroy (above) and Cape Intrepid (below) are among 40
Seafarers-crewed ships that had mobilized for OIF3 by mid-November.

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December 2004 Seafarers LOG 3

Newer Maersk Vessels Join MSP Fleet
Seafarers are sailing aboard

five containerships operated by
Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) that
have transferred into the U.S.
Maritime Security Program,
replacing older tonnage. A sixth
MLL vessel was scheduled to
enter the fleet in late November
or early December.

As previously reported, agree-
ments were signed Oct. 1, 2004
between MLL and the U.S.
Maritime Administration to trans-
fer the Maritime Security Pro-
gram contracts on six existing
SIU-crewed MSP vessels built in

the 1980s and managed by U.S.
Ship Management, Inc. (USSM)
to six newer containerships.

Seafarers crewed up MLL’s
Sealand Charger Oct. 28 in Los
Angeles; the Sealand Meteor
Nov. 9 in Dubai; the Alva Maersk
—since renamed the Maersk
Alabama—Nov. 10 in Dubai; and
both the Sealand Intrepid and
Sealand Comet Nov. 16 in Los
Angeles. The Sealand Lightning
was due to join the fleet in
Southern California after press
time for this issue of the LOG.

The replacements were ap-
proved by the Maritime Ad-
ministration and the U.S. Trans-
portation Command and repre-
sent a significant improvement in
the ability of MLL’s U.S.-flag
fleet to serve its military and
commercial customers.

In a recent press release,
Maersk noted that MSP age limits
require that older vessels be
replaced in the current program
before reaching 25 years of age.
The fate of the six replaced ves-
sels will be determined soon, but
they are likely to operate in
Maersk’s international fleet.

The Maritime Administration
describes the Maritime Security
Program as “a fundamental ele-
ment of the U. S. maritime trans-

portation system, providing an
active, privately owned, U.S.-
flag, and U.S.-crewed liner fleet
in international trade which is
available to support Department
of Defense sustainment in a con-
tingency.”

The MSP was established by
the Maritime Security Act of
1996 and provides annual fund-
ing for up to 47 vessels to partial-
ly offset the higher operating
costs of keeping these vessels
under U.S.-flag registry. MSP
payments represent approximate-
ly 13 percent of the cost of oper-
ating U.S.-flag vessels.

Last December, President
Bush signed a 10-year extension
of the MSP, set to begin next year
when the current program ex-
pires. The updated MSP increases
the number of participants from
47 ships to 60 ships and provides
financial assistance to construct
five newly built tankers in the
United States that are capable of
carrying military petroleum prod-
ucts during a war.

The MSP helps maintain a
pool of well-trained American
seafarers who are available to
crew the U.S. government-owned
strategic sealift fleet as well as the
U.S. commercial fleet, both in
peace and war.

Chief Cook Owens and QEE
Howard Hendra check out the
galley aboard the Sealand
Charger.

The ship’s port of
registry and IMO
numbers are
updated in Los
Angeles in late
October.

Ready for a lifeboat drill on the Sealand Charger are AB George
Barber, AB Nasir Isa, GVA Charlie Powers, AB William Horton, AB
Eduardo Malabad, Steward/Baker Roger Linasan and Chief Cook Willy
Owens.

Voting began last month and
will continue through Dec. 31 for
the election of officers of the
SIU’s Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District/NMU.

Balloting is taking place at 21
SIU halls throughout the country.
Full-book SIU members in good
standing are eligible to vote in the
election, which will determine
union officers for the 2005-2008
term. This, of course, includes
eligible members who were in the
NMU when that union merged
into the AGLIWD in 2001.

The ballot also includes two
proposed constitutional amend-
ments.

Seafarers may obtain their bal-
lots from 9 a.m. until noon, Mon-
days through Saturdays, except
legal holidays, until Dec. 31.

The ballot includes the list of
candidates seeking the posts of
president, executive vice presi-
dent, secretary-treasurer, eight
vice presidents, six assistant vice
presidents and 10 port agents (for
a total of 27 positions) along with
the two proposed constitutional
amendments.

At the union halls, a member
in good standing (upon present-
ing his or her book) is given a
ballot and two envelopes. After
his or her selection is marked, the

ballot is folded and placed inside
an envelope marked “ballot.”
That envelope then is sealed
inside a postage-paid envelope
bearing the mailing address of the
bank depository where ballots are
kept until submitted to the union
tallying committee.

The rank-and-file tallying
committee, consisting of two
members from each of the
union’s constitutional ports, will
be elected in December. They
will convene in early January to
tabulate ballots and announce the
election results.

Article XIII of the union’s
constitution spells out the proce-
dures by which an election will
be conducted. The entire text of
Article XIII, along with a sample
ballot, a list of voting locations,
the constitutional committee’s
report and other related informa-
tion appears on pages 6-11 of the
October 2004 issue of the
Seafarers LOG. The same infor-
mation is available on the internet
at www.seafarers.org, in the
Seafarers LOG section.

Additionally, a notice of the
election was mailed in October to
all members at their last known
address, with a list of all voting
locations as well as a sample of
the official ballot.

Please be advised that SIU headquarters and all SIU hiring halls will be closed on

Friday, Dec. 31, 2004 to celebrate the New Year’s Day holiday and Monday,

Jan. 17, 2005 for the observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday

(unless an emergency arises). Normal business hours

will resume the following workday.

Balloting Continues
In SIU Election

SIU Port
Agent Neil
Dietz (seated)
reviews bal-
loting proce-
dures with
Seafarers
Chris Hyatt
(center) and
Eddie
Thomas at
the union hall
in Honolulu.

Union Families Again Provide
Big Turnout on Election Day

Union families had a big impact on Election
Day, accounting for one out of four voters,
according to a survey by Peter D. Hart Research
Associates, Inc. The survey showed that there
were 27 million union household voters.

AFL-CIO leaders said the unprecedented
grassroots participation by working men and
women in the “biggest, most unified labor pro-
gram ever” will generate gains for working fami-
lies. “We’re going to take that energy, momen-
tum, technology and field operation and start
right now building a movement that will keep
turning this country around,” said AFL-CIO
President John Sweeney.

According to the Hart Research polling, union
members cited jobs and the economy, the war in
Iraq and health care as among their top issues.

From a maritime perspective, as was the case
four years ago, a solid group of pro-maritime leg-
islators won their respective elections in the
House and Senate, according to SIU Political
Director Terry Turner. Additionally, President
George W. Bush—whose administration has a
strong record of supporting the U.S. Merchant
Marine—won reelection.

“Many people were re-elected who understand
the importance of a strong U.S.-flag fleet,” Turner
stated. “As always, there also are some new faces
in both houses of Congress. The SIU will do
everything possible to make sure those legislators
know the vital role of the U.S. Merchant Marine.”

According to the AFL-CIO, the national feder-
ation of trade unions, more than 5,500 full-time
staff or union members worked in battleground
states—up from 1,500 in 2000. The numbers of
full-time staff or union members in only three

states in 2004—Ohio (728), Pennsylvania (723)
and Florida (514)—exceeded the total number
nationwide in 2000.

More than 225,000 volunteers participated in
the Labor 2004 program. Union members
knocked on more than 6 million doors in neigh-
borhood walks that ran daily in many states since
Labor Day. Volunteers made more than a hundred
million phone calls and passed out more than 32
million leaflets at workplaces and in neighbor-
hoods. Union members reached out at 257 phone
banks with 2,322 lines running in 16 states. The
AFL-CIO’s program sent out more than 30 mil-
lion pieces of mail to union households—not
including mailings sent by affiliate unions to their
members independently.

“Through our political program, we have
invested in our future,” said AFL-CIO Political
Director Karen Ackerman. “More unions than
ever participated on a large scale in the AFL-
CIO’s coordinated program. We have now set the
stage to bring working family friendly candidates
into office throughout the nation.”

Working America, the AFL-CIO’s new nation-
al organization for working people, played a key
role. Working America has 750,000 members,
and is in touch with a total of 1.1 million mem-
bers of working family households, offering
information on where the candidates stand on
such key issues as jobs, health care and overtime
pay.

The AFL-CIO’s non-partisan voting rights pro-
ject, “My Vote, My Right,” began forming com-
munity partnerships over the summer which met
with elections officials, educated voters, and
recruited and trained poll watchers.

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4 Seafarers LOG December 2004

Seafarers recently approved a
number of first-rate contracts to
take them into the new year and
beyond. SIU Vice President
Contracts Augie Tellez credited
the negotiating committees for
outstanding work in presenting
the membership with agreements
that will enable them to maintain
or improve on many of the bene-
fits that are vital to providing a
good quality of life both at sea
and ashore.

On Oct. 6, crew members
employed aboard inland vessels
operated by Allied Transpor-
tation, Inc. ratified a new three-
year agreement. The contract pro-
vides for the continuation of top-
of-the-line health benefits and

wage increases over its duration.
Additionally, crew members will
maintain their pension credits for
each day worked.

Mate Marty Marevy and
Engineer James Woods, who sat
on the negotiating committee,
were pleased with the proposal
they were able to bring to the
membership for a vote.

Also in October, crew mem-
bers working aboard inland ves-
sels operated by Cape Fear
Towing, Inc. unanimously rati-
fied a new three-year pact.

Captains Eddie Green and
Douglas McDonald and Mate
Roy Honeycutt served on the
negotiating committee. They
came away with a contract that

continues a high level of health
coverage and pension credit for
eligible crew members and offers
across-the-board overtime rate
increases.

A majority of crew members
employed aboard USS Transport
vessels ratified a new three-year
agreement Oct. 25. In addition to
wage and overtime boosts
throughout the life of the pact, as
well as excellent health and den-
tal benefits, a section was added
regarding transportation rates for
travel of less than 200 miles.

Crew members of the Keystone
Barge fleet were presented with a
new five-year agreement, which
they unanimously ratified Oct. 11.
Chief among the provisions were

wage and overtime increases in
each year as well as an annual

reimbursement for safety shoes for
permanent and trip tour personnel.

New Contracts Take Seafarers into the New Year

SIU members aboard the Charleston (above) and seven other ships in
the USS Transport fleet recently approved a new three-year contract.
Other new agreements were ratified by Seafarers working aboard Allied
Transportation, Cape Fear Towing and Keystone Barge Services ves-
sels.

CIVMAR News
New Health Care Options Available for 2005

Officials at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recent-

ly announced new health-care options that may be of interest to

members of the union’s Government Services Division.

For next year, the health benefits programs offered to federal

employees will include 18 “high-deductible” plans. According to the

OPM, “A High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health

Savings Account (HSA) or a Health Reimbursement Arrangement

(HRA) provides traditional medical coverage and a tax-free way to

help you build savings for future medical expenses. The

HDHP/HSA or HRA gives you greater flexibility and discretion over

how you use your health care benefits.”

On its web site, the agency notes that the HDHP “features high-

er annual deductibles (a minimum of $1,050 for Self and $2,100 for

Self and Family coverage) than other traditional health plans. The

maximum amount out-of-pocket limits for HDHPs participating in

the FEHB Program in 2005 is $5000 for self and $10,000 for Self

and Family enrollment. Depending on the HDHP you choose, you

may have the choice of using in-network and out-of-network

providers. Using in-network providers will save you money. With

the exception of preventive care, you must meet the annual

deductible before the plan pays benefits. Preventive care services

are generally paid as first dollar coverage or after a small

deductible, or co-payment. A maximum dollar amount (up to $300,

for instance) may apply.”

The program’s “open season” began Nov. 8 and ends Dec. 13.

The OPM further pointed out, “When you enroll in an HDHP, the

health plan determines if you are eligible for a Health Savings

Account (HSA) or a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). If

you are Medicare enrolled, you are not eligible for an HSA. Each

month, the plan automatically credits a portion of the health plan

premium into your HSA or HRA, based on your eligibility as of the

first day of the month. You can pay your deductible with funds from

your HSA or HRA. If you have an HSA, you can also choose to pay

your deductible out-of-pocket, allowing your savings account to

grow.”

More information is available on line at: http://www.-

opm.gov/hsa/

CIVMAR Notice
MSC Proposes New Changes

To CMPI 610

The union has received a notice from the Military Sealift

Command (MSC) that the agency is ready to begin negotiations

over Civil Marine Personnel Instruction Section 610. This section

discusses hours of work, work rules, overtime and penalty pay pro-

visions.

The union is reviewing the proposal and preparing questions for

APMC negotiators. After the responses are reviewed, the union will

submit proposals and negotiations will begin.

The SIU will keep CIVMARS up-to-date on this process via the

LOG, e-mail messages to the vessels and ship visits. Questions

regarding this process may be sent to your union representatives

or e-mailed to civmarsupport@seafarers.org

Tribute to Hospital Ship Unveiled
At Arlington National Cemetery

A quilt commemorating the
service of the hospital ship USNS
Comfort in Operation Iraqi Free-
dom was unveiled on Veterans’
Day during a ceremony at the
Women in Military Service
Memorial at Arlington National
Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

The Comfort is crewed by
members of the union’s Govern-
ment Services Division and is one
of only two hospital ships in the
Navy. It deployed from Baltimore
in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom on Jan. 10, 2003, and
served in the Persian Gulf from
March 5-June 21, 2003.

A 1,000-bed hospital facility
with 12 fully equipped operating
rooms, the Comfort treated nearly
700 patients, including U.S. mili-
tary forces, Iraqi freedom fighters,
wounded civilians and enemy
prisoners of war.

While deployed to the Middle
East, Lt. Paula Godes, MSC,
USNR, a Navy physical therapist
and one of more than 1,160 med-
ical personnel stationed aboard
the Comfort during its activation,
wanted to tell the story of
Comfort’s mission in OIF and
acknowledge the heroism and
kindness displayed every day by
her fellow shipmates to their
patients.

An avid quilter whose sewing
machine traveled with her to the
Middle East, Godes set out to
complete a small project com-
memorating the Comfort and her
crew. It grew to be much more
than that.

As word spread about the quilt,
more than 800 people got
involved, from other medical per-
sonnel aboard the Comfort to quil-
ters all across the country who
donated fabric and supplies.
More than 60 women in a
Northern Virginia quilters’ guild
also volunteered their time, stitch-
ing the layers of the quilt together
after the Comfort returned home.

In her address at the ceremony
marking the quilt’s dedication,
Godes said, “This quilt represents
over 2,000 hours of work. It is a
story that pays tribute not only to
the crew of the Comfort but to
those we served and cared for—
the Americans, coalition forces
and the Iraqis we were sent to lib-
erate.”

The Comfort quilt is currently
on display at the Women in
Military Service Memorial at
Arlington National Cemetery.

The Comfort quilt was the brainchild of Lt. Paula Godes, MSC, USNR,
a physical therapist aboard USNS Comfort during its deployment in the
Persian Gulf. Godes says she was inspired to tell the story of the
Comfort in OIF “in an artistic way that symbolized the very warmth and
comfort we provided. And what symbolizes warmth and comfort better
than a quilt?”

Benefits Conference
Dates Announced

Officials from the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan (SHBP) early
next year will begin conducting benefits conferences at SIU halls to
update members, pensioners and spouses on the latest happenings with
the various Plans.

As of press time for this edition of the Seafarers LOG, officials
announced the following conference dates and locations. The Piney
Point conference is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. Each of the others
will begin at 10:30 a.m. local time.

DATE DAY LOCATION

Jan. 3 Monday Piney Point, Md.
Jan. 4 Tuesday Baltimore
Jan. 5 Wednesday Philadelphia
Jan. 7 Friday New York
Jan.13 Thursday Houston
Jan. 14 Friday New Orleans
Jan. 18 Tuesday Mobile, Ala.
Jan. 26 Wednesday Jacksonville, Fla.
Jan. 27 Thursday Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Jan. 28 Friday San Juan
Feb. 3 Thursday Norfolk, Va.
Feb. 8 Tuesday Wilmington, Calif.
Feb. 14 Monday San Francisco
Feb. 15 Tuesday Tacoma, Wash.

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December 2004 Seafarers LOG 5

Federal inspectors of oceango-
ing shipping containers need to
improve their detection equip-
ment and search procedures to
prevent terrorists from sneaking
weapons of mass destruction into
U.S. ports.

This was the finding of a
Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) report released
Oct. 15. According to several
sources, the department’s inspec-
tor general acknowledged that
U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) has made secu-
rity changes and has others
planned for future implementa-
tion. Clark Kent Ervin said he
still has recommendations to
improve the equipment that
detects threatening cargo, such as
nuclear material, and make
inspection procedures more
effective.

“Improvements are needed in
the inspection process to ensure
that weapons of mass destruction
or other implements of terror do
not gain access to the U.S.
through oceangoing cargo con-
tainers,” Ervin wrote in the
report.

U.S. Rep. Jim Turner of Texas,
the top Democrat on the House
Homeland Security Committee,
said the government needs to put
specialized radiation monitors at
all U.S. ports and have enough
people to physically inspect cargo
containers that set off radiation
alarms.

While improvements in cargo
inspection have been made since
Sept. 11, 2001, less than 5 percent
of containers are inspected. “We
all know that the number one
threat faced by the American peo-
ple is a nuclear weapon in the
hands of a terrorist,” Turner said.
“It illustrates what a wide gap
there is in the rhetoric of protect-
ing the homeland and the reality

of what we are actually doing. It
is one security gap that has got to
be closed.”

Turner and U.S. Rep. John
Dingell (D-Mich.) requested the
report after an ABC News team
smuggled 15 pounds of depleted
uranium into the United States in
2002 and 2003. ABC cited
experts who said that shielded
depleted uranium had the same
signature as shielded weapons-
grade uranium—a finding the
agency has rejected.

DHS spokesman Dennis
Murphy cast doubt on the ABC
experiment’s validity, saying
depleted uranium is used in
everyday items, including eleva-
tors and jets. He said it only car-
ries a risk if heated to a point that
microscopic pieces can be
inhaled.

The inspector general said
senior scientists from the Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory
concluded that the DHS agency
now has tools that can detect both
depleted uranium and highly
enriched uranium that could be
used in a weapon, but the ability
to sense them is reduced in cer-
tain conditions. Those conditions
were not publicly disclosed.

Ervin’s report makes recom-
mendations to improve the equip-
ment, but they were not dis-
closed. The report also urged bet-
ter training and search procedures
to be followed by cargo inspec-
tors.

Today, if a container creates an
alert, Murphy said, experts at the
always-open National Targeting
Center work with inspectors at
the ports to determine if there is a
problem. He said everyday items,
including dirt and bananas, are
known to set off alarms.

Elsewhere, President George
W. Bush on Oct. 18 signed the FY
2005 Homeland Security

Appropriations Act, which pro-
vides $28.9 billion in net discre-
tionary spending for the DHS.

This is $1.8 billion more than
the FY 2004 enacted level—
reflecting a 6.6 percent increase
in funding for the DHS over the
previous year. Including Project
BioShield, mandatory and fee-
funded programs, a total of $40.7
billion will be available to the
department in FY 2005. The Act
is intended to allow the DHS to
build upon significant invest-
ments by improving the nation’s
safeguards against terrorism,
while sustaining the many other
important departmental activities.

The Act includes $419.2 mil-
lion in new funding to enhance
border and port security activi-
ties, including the expansion of
pre-screening cargo containers in
high-risk areas and the detection
of individuals attempting to ille-
gally enter the United States.

Additional funding for the
U.S. Coast Guard ($500 million,
an 8.6-percent increase) is aimed
at upgrading port security efforts
and providing additional
resources to implement the
Maritime Transportation Security
Act. Key enhancements funded
by the Act include:

� The Container Security
Initiative (CSI) focuses on
pre-screening cargo before it
reaches our shores. The Act
includes an increase of $25
million over the current pro-
gram funding of $101 million
to continue both Phases I and
II, as well as to begin the final
phase of CSI.

� The United States Visitor and
Immigrant Status Indicator
Technology (US VISIT) pro-
gram’s first phase was
deployed at 115 airports and
14 seaports. US VISIT expe-
dites the arrival and departure

of legitimate travelers, while
making it more difficult for
those intending to do us harm
to enter our nation. The Act
provides $340 million in
2005, an increase of $12 mil-
lion over the FY 2004 fund-
ing, to continue expansion of
the US VISIT system.

� Aerial Surveillance and
Sensor Technology increases
the effectiveness of the more
than 12,000 Border Patrol
agents deployed along the
borders, and supports other
missions such as drug inter-
diction. The Act includes
$64.2 million for CBP to
enhance land-based detection
and monitoring of movement
between the ports. The Act
also includes $28 million for
CBP to increase the flight
hours of P-3 aircraft and
$12.5 million for long range
radar operations.

� Radiation Detection Monitors
screen passengers and cargo
coming into the United States.
The Act includes $80 million
for the next generation of
screening devices for our
nation’s ports of entry.

� CBP Targeting Systems aid in
identifying high-risk cargo
and passengers. The Act
includes an increase of $20.6
million for staffing and tech-

nology acquisition to support
the National Targeting Center,
trend analysis, and the
Automated Targeting Sys-
tems.

� The Customs Trade Part-
nership Against Terrorism (C-
TPAT) focuses on partner-
ships to improve security
along the entire supply chain,
from the factory floor, to for-
eign vendors, land borders
and seaports. The FY 2005
appropriation includes an
increase of $15.2 million for
this effort.

The Act increases the U.S.
Coast Guard’s budget by 9 per-
cent—from $5.8 billion in FY
2004 to $6.3 billion in FY 2005.
In addition to maintaining its
ongoing mission, the budget pro-
vides more than $100 million to
support the implementation of the
Maritime Transportation Security
Act, which will increase the
Coast Guard’s ability to develop,
review and approve vessel and
port security plans, improve
underwater detection capabilities,
and increase the intelligence pro-
gram. The budget also provides
for the Coast Guard’s ongoing
Integrated Deepwater System ini-
tiative, funding the program at
$724 million, an increase of $56
million over the FY 2004 funding
level.

U.S. Government Report Cites Need for
Tighter Security on Shipping Containers
President Bush Signs Homeland Security Appropriations Act

The chances of opening the coastal plain of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil
drilling improved following Election Day, accord-
ing to press reports and a statement from the coali-
tion Arctic Power.

The coalition—a non-partisan, nonprofit group
founded in 1992—described the likelihood for pas-
sage of pro-drilling legislation as “looking better
than ever. Opening the 1002 Area of the coastal
plain to responsible oil development is part of
President Bush’s National Energy Plan. It is also a
policy supported by a majority of the members of
the House of Representatives. Although in the past
the U.S. Senate has consistently supported ANWR
proposals, last year the Senate fell short by two
votes to pass a comprehensive energy bill including
an ANWR provision. It is hoped that with a new
wave of freshman senators joining the Senate in
January 2005, any ANWR legislation will have an
easier time of making it to the president’s desk.”

In recent newspaper interviews, U.S. Rep.
Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), chairman of the House
Resources Committee, said that 2005 brings “prob-
ably the best chance we’ve had” to open the coastal
plain to drilling. U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-
N.M.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, stated, “With oil trading at
nearly $50 a barrel, the case for ANWR is more
compelling than ever. We have the technology to
develop oil without harming the environment and
wildlife.”

Throughout the fight to open the coastal plain for

safe exploration, some of the strongest pro-drilling
arguments have come from Alaskans themselves.
For instance, U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and
Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski last year told
the MTD executive board that ANWR exploration
potentially offers substantial benefits for the entire
nation.

“If we get ANWR, we will have, in fact, devel-
oped more merchant marine jobs than any other
time in the last 25 years, ever since we built the
pipeline,” stated Young. He added that ANWR
exploration would not impact the “pristine area in
Alaska. We have 147 million acres now that are still
pristine and will always be pristine—and we’re
talking about 2,000 acres (for potential exploration,
all of it essentially an arctic desert). That will deliv-
er us 1 million barrels of oil for the next hundred
years.”

Murkowski said ANWR signifies good jobs for
U.S. citizens. “That’s what this issue is all about.
Jobs for Americans. Jobs here in the United States.
Good-paying jobs.”

Murkowski continued, “When you really think
about it, these are jobs building new ships. These
are jobs crewing new ships built in U.S. yards with
U.S. crews. We shouldn’t be shy about this because
we’re talking about using it to the advantage of the
country. ANWR will create good-paying jobs. It
will reduce our dependence on foreign imported oil
and create revenue for the federal government. Now
I ask you, what’s wrong with that kind of formula?
It’s a winner all the way.”

Prospects Improve for ANWR Drilling

White House Photo by Tina Hager

President George W. Bush signs the FY2005 Homeland Security
Appropriations Act into Law. With the president are members of the
Department of Homeland Security staff, including Secretary Tom
Ridge, right.

U.S. Maritime Administrator Capt. William Schubert on Nov. 15
presented an award in Washington, D.C. to the staff of the man-
power office at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and
Education, based in Piney Point, Md. The award recognizes the
staff’s dedication shown throughout Operations Iraqi Freedom
and Enduring Freedom—mobilizations that often have meant very
long hours for the employees who help with the logistics of crew-
ing up U.S.-flag military support ships. Pictured with the award are
(from left) Paul Hall Center VP Don Nolan, manpower staff mem-
bers Ginger Bagwell, Carol Johnson, Bonnie Johnson, Terri
Gerek, Sylvia Texeira and Giselle Viohl and Manpower Director
Bart Rogers.

25834_P3.5.6.10.15.19.24.qxd 11/23/2004 7:03 PM Page 5



6 Seafarers LOG December 2004

The Seafarers International Union, AGLIWD/NMU assists
employees by representing them in all aspects of their employ-
ment and work aboard vessels which sail deep sea, on the Great
Lakes and inland waters throughout the country. For the most
part, the union spends a majority of its financial resources on col-
lective bargaining activities and employee representation ser-
vices. In addition to these expenditures, the union also spends
resources on a variety of other efforts such as organizing, publi-
cations, political activities, international affairs and community
services. All of these services advance the interests of the union
and its membership.

This annual notice is required by law and is sent to advise
employees represented by the Seafarers International Union,
AGLIWD/NMU about their rights and obligations concerning pay-
ment of union dues. This notice contains information which will
allow you to understand the advantages and benefits of being a
union member in good standing. It also will provide you with
detailed information as to how to become an agency fee payor.
An agency fee payor is an employee who is not a member of the
union but who meets his or her financial obligation by making
agency fee payments. With this information, you will be able to
make an informed decision about your status with the Seafarers
International Union, AGLIWD/NMU.

1. Benefits of union membership — While non-members
do receive material benefits from a union presence in their work-
place, there are significant benefits to retaining full membership in
the union. Among the many benefits and opportunities available to
a member of the Seafarers International Union, AGLIWD/NMU is
the right to attend union meetings, the right to vote for candidates
for union office and the right to run for union office. Members also
have the right to participate in the development of contract pro-
posals and participate in contract ratification and strike votes.
Members also may play a role in the development and formulation
of union policies.

2. Cost of union membership — In addition to working
dues, to belong to the union as a full book member the cost is
$400.00 (four hundred dollars) per year or $100.00 (one hundred
dollars) per quarter. Working dues amount to 5 percent of the
gross amount an employee receives for vacation benefits and are
paid when the member files a vacation application.

3. Agency fee payors — Employees who choose not to
become union members may become agency fee payors. As a
condition of employment, in states which permit such arrange-

ments, individuals are obligated to make payments to the union in
the form of an agency fee. The fee these employees pay is to
support the core representational services that the union pro-
vides. These services are those related to the collective bargain-
ing process, contract administration and grievance adjustments.
Examples of these activities include but are not limited to, the
negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the enforcement
and administration of collective bargaining agreements and meet-
ings with employers and employees. Union services also include
representation of employees during disciplinary meetings, griev-
ance and arbitration proceedings, National Labor Relations
Board hearings and court litigation.

Employees who pay agency fees are not required to pay for
expenses not germane to the collective bargaining process.
Examples of these expenses would be expenses required as a
result of community service, legislative activities and political
affairs.

4. Amount of agency fee — As noted above, dues objectors
may pay a fee which represents the costs of expenses related to
those supporting costs germane to the collective bargaining
process. After review of all expenses during the 2003 calendar
year, the fee cost associated with this representation amounts to
70.20 percent of the dues amount. This means that the agency
fee based upon the dues would be $280.80 (two hundred eighty
dollars and eighty cents) for the applicable year. An appropriate
reduction also will be calculated for working dues.

This amount applies to the 2005 calendar year. This means
that any individual who wishes to elect to pay agency fees and
submits a letter between December 1, 2004 and November 30,
2005 will have this calculation applied to their 2005 dues pay-
ments which may still be owed to the union. As noted below, how-
ever, to continue to receive the agency fee reduction effective
January 2006, your objection must be received by December 1,
2005.

A report which delineates chargeable and non-chargeable
expenses is available to you free of charge. You may receive a
copy of this report by writing to: Secretary-Treasurer, Seafarers
International Union, AGLIWD/NMU, 5201 Auth Way, Camp
Springs, Maryland 20746. This report is based upon an audited
financial report of the union’s expenses during 2003.

Please note that as the chargeable and non-chargeable
expenses may change each year, the agency fee amount may
also fluctuate each year. Individuals who are entitled to pay

agency fees and wish to pay fees rather than dues, must elect
this option each year by filing an objection in accordance with the
procedure noted below.

5. Filing of objections — If you choose to object to paying
dues, an objection must be filed annually. To receive the deduc-
tion beginning in January of each year, you must file by the begin-
ning of December in the prior year. An employee may file an
objection at any time during the year, however, the reduction will
apply only prospectively and only until December 31 of that cal-
endar year. Reductions in dues will not be applied retroactively.
As noted above, each year the amount of the dues reduction may
change based upon an auditor’s report from a previous year.

The objection must be sent in writing to: Agency Fee Payor
Objection Administration, Secretary-Treasurer’s Office, Seafarers
International Union, AGLIWD/NMU, 5201 Auth Way, Camp
Springs, MD 20746.

6. Filing a challenge — Upon receiving the notice of calcu-
lation of the chargeable expenditures related to core representa-
tion activities, an objector shall have 45 days to submit a chal-
lenge with the Secretary-Treasurer’s office if he or she believes
that the calculation of chargeable activities is incorrect. Every
person who wishes to object to the calculation of chargeable
expenses has a legal right to file such an objection.

7. Appeal procedure — Upon receiving the challenge(s) at the
end of the 45-day period, the union will consolidate all appeals and
submit them to an independent arbitrator. The presentation to the
arbitrator will be either in writing or at a hearing. The method of the
arbitration will be determined by the arbitrator. If a hearing is held,
any objector who does not wish to attend may submit his/her views
in writing by the date of the hearing. If a hearing is not held, the arbi-
trator will set the dates by which all written submissions will be
received.

The costs of the arbitration shall be borne by the union.
Individuals submitting challenges will be responsible for all the
costs associated with presenting their appeal. The union will have
the burden of justifying its calculations.

The SIU works very hard to ensure that all of its members
receive the best representation possible. On behalf of all the SIU
officers and employees, I would like to thank you for your contin-
uing support.

Sincerely,
David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer

Notice to Employees Covered by Union Agreements
Regulated Under the National Labor Relations Act

BECK

NOTICE

USNS Rainier Returns from Deployment with Carrier Strike Group
The fast combat support ship

USNS Rainier, crewed by mem-
bers of the union’s Government
Services Division, recently re-
turned from a five-month de-
ployment to the Western Pacific
as a part of the USS John C.
Stennis Carrier Strike Group.

According to the U.S. Milit-
ary Sealift Command (MSC), the
Stennis strike group participated
in three major exercises during
this deployment—Exercise
Northern Edge, Rim of the
Pacific exercise 2004 and a joint
air and sea training exercise with
the USS Kitty Hawk strike group.

During its deployment, the
Rainier provided more than 49
million gallons of fuel for the
strike group. That amount of fuel
would fill 100 Olympic-size
swimming pools, MSC noted.
The ship also transferred more
than 10 million pounds of food,
ammunitions, mail and various
dry cargos to re-supply other
ships. The Rainier’s on-board
Helicopter Combat Support
Squadron 11 Detachment Two
performed vertical replenish-
ments to lift cargo to the other
ships in the strike group.

Operation of the Supply-class
ships by MSC saves the strike
groups time since they can
receive all the fuel, cargo and
ammunition needed from one
ship.

With a top speed of 29 knots,
the Rainier has no difficulty
keeping pace with the other
ships. The 754-foot vessel is
crewed by 160 civil service
mariners, a 28-member active
duty Navy support department
and a 32-member Navy heli-
copter detachment. The ship was
transferred to MSC in August
2003. It was decommissioned as
a combatant ship, and civil ser-

vice mariners replaced the ves-
sel’s active duty Navy crew.

Following a brief voyage
repair period, the Rainier was
scheduled to deploy again, but
with a different carrier strike
group. The Seafarers-crewed
ship was slated to sail with the
USS Abraham Lincoln last
month.

MSC operates more than 110
noncombatant, civilian-crewed
ships that replenish Navy ships at
sea, chart ocean bottoms, con-
duct undersea surveillance,
strategically preposition combat
cargo at sea around the world
and move 95 percent of military
equipment and supplies used by
deployed U.S. forces.

Photo courtesy MSC

Fueling hoses from the fast combat support ship USNS Rainier cross rough waters to refuel aircraft carrier
USS John C. Stennis during the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise earlier this year off the coast of Hawaii.

Crew members and officers
from nine Seafarers-crewed ves-
sels were honored by the United
Seamen’s Service at the 35th

Admiral of the Ocean Seas
(AOTOS) Awards in New York
City Nov. 5.

Mariners from the Lykes
Discoverer, MV Resolve, USNS
Shughart, USNS Red Cloud,
USNS Sisler, MV Cape Ducato,
MV Cape Douglas, USNS
Guadalupe and MV Merlin were
recognized. Representatives from
each ship were presented with an
AOTOS Mariners’ Plaque for dis-
playing outstanding seamanship,
courage and devotion to duty at
sea.

As previously reported, the
main AOTOS Awards went to
Raymond P. Ebeling, chairman
and president of SIU-contracted
American Roll-On Roll-Off
Carrier (ARC), and Robert P.
Magee, chairman and CEO of

SIU-contracted Totem Ocean
Trailer Express (TOTE).

The crews and masters of large,
medium-speed, roll-on/ roll-off
ships Shughart, Red Cloud and
Sisler and Ready Reserve Force
ships Cape Ducato and Cape
Douglas received an AOTOS
Mariners’ Plaque for their com-
bined, unrelenting efforts to save
the Shughart from a dangerous
fire that sparked while the ship
was offloading cargo in Kuwait on
March 5, 2004.

The crew of Guadalupe, a fleet
replenishment oiler, was recog-
nized for the rescue of 13 fisher-
men aboard a stricken Taiwanese
vessel in the Pacific Ocean on
June 22, 2004. The fishermen had
been adrift for five days with little
food or water.

The Resolve was honored for
saving two fishermen who had
abandoned their sinking vessel
about 50 miles from shore near

Frying Pan Shoals, N.C. The
Resolve was commencing a
transatlantic passage on Dec. 13,
2003 when the crew received dis-
tress calls from the fishing vessel
All Hooked Up. The calls ended
before the vessel location was
given, but the Resolve proceeded
to search for the distressed
mariners. Two survivors were
found, retrieved and given vital
medical attention.

The crew of maritime preposi-
tioning ship Merlin was honored
for the daring rescue of a man in

danger of drowning after his ship,
MV Kephi, sank in stormy seas.
The rescue took place Jan. 23 in
the Mediterranean Sea.

The Lykes Discoverer helped
rescue the crew of a drifting 45-
foot fishing vessel, Sea Gypsy, on
a voyage from St. John’s, New-
foundland on Dec. 22, 2003. The
vessel had been adrift for four
days after losing power, had suf-
fered structural damage and was-
n’t carrying an Emergency
Position Indication Radio Beacon
(EPIRB).

SIU Crews Honored at Yearly AOTOS Event
Ebeling, Magee Net Top Awards

Robert P. Magee, chairman and
CEO, Totem Ocean Trailer

Express

Raymond P. Ebeling, chairman
and president, American Roll-On

Roll-Off Carrier

25834_P3.5.6.10.15.19.24.qxd 11/24/2004 7:39 AM Page 6



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 7

With a mixture of well-earned
insightfulness and typical direct-
ness, the union’s newest class of
recertified bosuns offered plenty
of noteworthy comments last
month as they graduated from the
top curriculum available to deck-
department Seafarers.

Addressing the November
membership meeting in Piney
Point, Md., the 14 graduates
encouraged the unlicensed ap-
prentices enrolled at the Paul Hall
Center for Maritime Training and
Education. They also described
the SIU and the Paul Hall Center
as offering great opportunities for
those willing to dedicate them-
selves to their careers.

Completing the month-long
recertification class were Oliver
Balico, Evan Bradley, Manolo
Delos Santos, Timothy Girard,
Barry Hamm, Weldon Heblich,
Michael Keogh, David Martz,
William Mulcahy, Edward
O’Connor, Clarence Poore,
Michael Presser, Kissinfor
Taylor and James Walker.

The graduation was an historic
occasion in more ways than one.
Heblich is believed to be the first
former NMU member to com-
plete the course, while Keogh and
Mulcahy are believed to be the
first Great Lakes division Sea-
farers to finish the class.

The course itself includes a
mixture of classroom and practi-
cal training. Students met with
representatives from the union’s
various departments and the
Seafarers Plans, both in Piney
Point and at SIU headquarters in
Camp Springs, Md. They closely
studied information about con-
tracts, training record books
(TRBs) and computers. They
completed training in health and

safety (including fire fighting),
government vessels and simula-
tors. Additionally, the bosuns
examined various international
maritime conventions and helped
unlicensed apprentices with
hands-on training aboard the ves-
sel Osprey.

Brotherhood
Walker joined the union in

1982 in Baltimore and currently
sails from the port of Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla. He cited com-
puter training, fire fighting and
first aid and CPR as being among
the more useful segments of the
recertification class.

Addres s ing
the apprentices,
he stated, “This
is a brotherhood.
You’re part of
the brotherhood.
Our officials have
worked their
[backsides] off
for us, and
you’re our fut-
ure. Work hard
and don’t be
afraid to ask
questions.”

M u l c a h y
joined the SIU in
1977 in Detroit
and sails from
the port of Al-
gonac, Mich.

He told the
membership that
his father also
sailed with the
SIU and that the
Paul Hall Center instructors are
“exceptional.”

Mulcahy’s advice to the appren-
tices was straight to the point:
“Work hard and pay attention.”

Delos Santos joined the union
in 1980 and currently sails from
the port of Wilmington, Calif. He
began his SIU career on the
“white ships” (the cruise vessels
Independence and Constitution).

“I’m grateful for the opportu-
nities I’ve found with the union,”
he said. “I’m grateful for all the
help and success, and I thank
(SIU Wilmington Port Agent)
John Cox along with the staff in
Wilmington and here at Piney
Point.

“To the apprentices, make the
most of the wonderful opportuni-
ties the SIU gives you.”

Girard signed on with the SIU
in 1991 in New
York, from
where he still
ships.

He said the
course included
numerous high-
lights, such as
reviewing the
impact of the
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Ship and Port
Facility Security
Code, studying
the workings of
the Seafarers
Plans, learning
about computers
and brushing up
on safety and
fire fighting
training.

Girard de-
scribed the
union as “a fam-
ily and a real

team. Since joining the SIU I
have never lacked for work. The
union’s constant growth and
record of success are testimony to
its leadership, its members and its
commitment to being second-to-
none!”

Turning toward the appren-
tices, he concluded, “The best
thing you can bring to class and
each day aboard ship is a good
attitude.”

Poore joined the Seafarers in
1997 in Norfolk, Va., which
remains his home port. Pre-
viously, he served in the U.S. mil-
itary for 32 years.

He said the recertification
class helped provide him with
“more detailed and in-depth
knowledge, and more precise
information to pass along to the
crew. My experience at Piney
Point was a very good one.”

He advised the apprentices to
“take a good work ethic and the
knowledge you gained here when
you go aboard ship. There’s no
limit to how far you can go.”

Keogh joined the union in
1978 in Frankfort, Mich. and now
sails from the port of Algonac.

He noted that before joining
the SIU, he sailed out of
Liverpool for 10 years. “I was
then lucky enough to join the
SIU, and have enjoyed every
minute of it.”

Speaking to the apprentices,

he stated, “You have a great
career to look forward to. The
union expects you to comport
yourselves in a professional man-
ner, learn your trade and upgrade
on a regular basis. You have to
know your stuff, otherwise the
shipowner doesn’t need you.

“From your union, you can
expect brotherhood and the
respect of your peers. You’ll
make friends who’ll be lifetime
friends. You’ll call them brother
and truly mean it.”

Taylor joined in 1981 in
Tacoma, Wash. He said he enjoys
being “part of the team” that is
the SIU.

Bradley joined the union in
1975 and also comes from a fam-
ily of Seafarers.

He is a frequent upgrader, and
pointed out that “after 9/11, we
have to know more and work
closer together than ever before.
That’s one reason upgrading is so
important.”

He told the apprentices that the
Paul Hall Center “gets better
every time I come back. It helps
keep our family going, at sea and
ashore.”

Balico signed on with the SIU
in 1992 in New York, still his
home port. He said the class con-
tained lots of valuable training,
including communications skills,
safety and vessel security.

He described his overall expe-
rience at the school as “interest-
ing and fun. I come here every
year for vacation with my fami-
ly.”

Balico credited the union “for
giving me the opportunity to
work and achieve the American
dream, which has become reality.
I’m grateful to the leadership of
the SIU and to you, my brothers
and sisters.”

He told the apprentices to
“make the most of what’s being
taught here. There is no substitute
for knowledge and training.”

Hamm joined the Seafarers in
1989 and currently sails from the
port of Tacoma.

He said the union “has
improved my life, and I’m grate-
ful to those who made it possible.
To the apprentices, study hard,
work smart, show initiative and

you can go far.”
Martz completed the trainee

program in 1974 and now sails
from the port of Baltimore.

“I came in here 30 years ago
with a seventh-grade education,
so this was a great opportunity,”

Bosuns Credit Union,
Paul Hall Center
For Opportunities

Barry Hamm and Michael Presser

Kissinfor Taylor Edward O’Connor

Michael Keogh

Manolo Delos Santos

Oliver Balico Weldon Heblich

Clarence Poore

James Walker

Evan Bradley

Continued on page 8

‘We make a signifi-

cant and valuable

contribution to

national defense of

this great country. It

is our responsibility

to rise up and take

pride in our work

because we are engi-

neered for depend-

ability.’

—Recertified Bosun

Michael Presser

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 7:06 PM Page 7



8 Seafarers LOG December 2004

Membership Meetings in 2005

Monday after first Sunday 3 7 7 4 2 6 5* 8 6* 3 7 5

Tuesday after first Sunday 4 8 8 5 3 7 5 9 6 4 8 6

Wednesday after first Sunday 5 9 9 6 4 8 6 10 7 5 9 7

Thursday after first Sunday 6 10 10 7 5 9 7 11 8 6 10 8

Thursday after first Sunday 6 10 10 7 5 9 7 11 8 6 10 8

Thursday after first Sunday 6 10 10 7 5 9 7 11 8 6 10 8

Thursday after first Sunday 6 10 10 7 5 9 7 11 8 6 10 8

Friday after first Sunday 7 11 11 8 6 10 8 12 9 7 14* 9

Friday after first Sunday 7 11 11 8 6 10 8 12 9 7 14* 9

Monday after second Sunday 10 14 14 11 9 13 11 16* 12 10 14 12

Tuesday after second Sunday 11 15 15 12 10 14 12 16 13 11 15 13

Wednesday after second Sunday 12 16 16 13 11 15 13 17 14 12 16 14

Wednesday after second Sunday 12 16 16 13 11 15 13 17 14 12 16 14

Thursday after second Sunday 13 17 17 14 12 16 14 18 15 13 17 15

Thursday after second Sunday 13 17 17 14 12 16 14 18 15 13 17 15

Thursday after second Sunday 13 17 17 14 12 16 14 18 15 13 17 15

Friday after second Sunday 14 18 18 15 13 17 15 19 16 14 18 16

Friday after second Sunday 14 18 18 15 13 17 15 19 16 14 18 16

Monday after third Sunday 18* 22* 21 18 16 20 18 22 19 17 21 19

Thursday after third Sunday 20 24 24 21 19 23 21 25 22 20 25* 22

Friday after third Sunday 21 25 25 22 20 24 22 26 23 21 25 23

*Wilmington changes created by Martin Luther King’s brithday and Presidents Day holidays; Houston change created by Paul Hall’s birthday holiday; Algonac and Boston change created by Veterans’
Day holiday; Guam change created by Thanskgiving Day holiday; Piney Point changes created by Independence Day and Labor Day holidays.

Monthly Membership Meetings
Keep Seafarers Informed

One way to keep track of all the news
which affects the lives and livelihoods of
Seafarers is by attending monthly mem-
bership meetings.

Held in each SIU hall around the coun-
try, the monthly membership meeting is a

forum to keep members abreast of any and
all issues of importance to them.

Below is the schedule of meetings for
2005. Each issue of the Seafarers LOG
also lists the dates for the next two meet-
ings scheduled in each port.

he recalled. “I thank the union
and our officials—they keep us
working. To the UAs, take advan-
tage of the opportunity. Listen
and learn.”

O’Connor, who joined the SIU
in Philadelphia in 1991 and now
sails from New York, said he had
looked forward to the recertifica-
tion course for many years.

“My time here at the Paul Hall
Center was a fast-paced educa-
tional experience,” he said. “My
classmates were top-of-the-line,
and that made this time even
more rewarding.”

He urged the apprentices to
“absorb all the knowledge and
education this school and staff
have to offer. Keep a positive atti-
tude and it will pave the way for
you professionally and personal-
ly. This union is the best, and if
you believe that in your hearts,
you’ll go places.”

Heblich, who began his mar-
itime career with the NMU in the
1980s, sails from the port of
Tacoma.

“I’m honored to be the first
NMU bosun to be recertified,” he
said. “Since the merger (in 2001),
the SIU has become the dominant
union in the industry. I’m glad to
be part of history.”

With a nod toward the appren-
tices, he concluded, “Have a
good attitude and ask plenty of
questions.”

Presser, the final speaker,
started his SIU career in Hawaii

in 1980 before enrolling in the
trainee program in Piney Point.
Currently sailing from Baltimore,
Presser gave an especially pas-
sionate speech in which he quot-
ed Franklin D. Roosevelt and
Abraham Lincoln to reinforce the
importance of the labor move-
ment and the U.S. Merchant
Marine.

“We’re the fourth arm of
defense,” he declared. “We go
where they (the armed forces)
need us.”

Presser thanked the union’s
headquarters officials along with
SIU Baltimore Port Agent Dennis
Metz and the staff at the
Baltimore hall. He commended
the union for maintaining good
medical benefits for Seafarers at
a time when health care costs are
out of control.

Sizing up both the SIU and the
U.S. Merchant Marine as a
whole, Presser stated, “We make

a significant and valuable contri-
bution to national defense of this
great country. It is our responsi-
bility to rise up and take pride in
our work because we are engi-
neered for dependability.”

Recertified Bosuns Graduate
Continued from page 7

William Mulcahy

David Martz

Timothy Girard

As with most
other Paul

Hall Center
classes,

bosun recerti-
fication

includes lots
of hands-on

training.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 7:07 PM Page 8



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 9

Right: Chief Pumpman Charles Dahlhaus
admires the decorated cake given to him at a

retirement party aboard the OS Chicago, an
Alaska Tanker Co. vessel. A member of the SIU

for more than 51 years, Dahlhaus plans to spend
his “golden years” in Osaka, Japan with his wife

and family. He hopes to have plenty of time to
build steam engines in his machine shop and do

some traveling. Helping celebrate the well-
deserved retirement are OS Rolando Lopez, OS

Segundo Soliano, Bosun Jesse Mixon, Chief
Mate Nick Karagiannis, 1st Engineer S. Liebling,

Chief Engineer Mark Norwak and 2nd Engineer
Brian Good. Thanks to AB Jim Elbe for sending

the LOG these two photos from the OS Chicago.

Left: While anchored outside Valdez,
Alaska on the OS Chicago, AB Pablo
Borja Jr. (left) caught an 80-pound hal-
ibut. Assisting him in weighing the fish
are 2nd Pumpman Jason Flesner and
Chief Engineer Mark Norwak.

Above: In Port
Everglades, Fla. aboard
the Maritrans vessel
Allegiance, Bosun Jerry
Borucki works with
Antonio Santos in con-
necting the discharge
pipeline while (at left)
ABs Mike Edwards and
Victor Cooper paint the
deck.

Right: Houston Patrolman Michael
Russo (right) poses with some of

the crew members aboard the
Breton Reef who just purchased
MDLs when the vessel arrived in

the port of Houston.

Below: Recertified Bosun Frank
Hedge and crew help in the loading
of stores aboard the LNG Libra dur-
ing port time in Japan.

Captain Mike Murphy
presents Wiper
Eduardo “Eddie”
Pereira, 70, with a gift
during his retirement
party aboard the
USNS Pollux. Pereira,
who upgraded his
skills at the Paul Hall
Center in 2000 and
2001, makes his
home in Louisiana.

Wiper Pereira, seated,
receives a retirement
cake and lots of good

wishes from fellow
crew members on the

Pollux (from the left)
Port Engineer Chris

Keefe, Chief Mate Jeff
Yegge, MSC Rep.
Toya Hayes, Chief

Engineer Chris
Wallace, Electrician
Troy Ancar, Pereira,

Bosun Wilfredo “Willie”
Rice, SA Armando
Evangelista, Capt.

Mike Murphy, Steward
Farid Zaharan and

Wiper Cynthia Harris.

When the Lykes Navigator
was in Houston recently,
SIU Rep Michael Russo
(second from left) went
aboard to meet with some
of the crew. Among those
in the photo are Bosun
George Price, Herman
Beasley, Kerry Bush,
Althalo Henton, Leonard
Johnson and Justino
Sanchez.

The SIU was
represented
during
October
meetings in
Seattle,
Wash.
between
Crowley
Maritime and
their West
Coast unions
to plan for
implementation of
the new Quality & Safety Management Program. From the left (seated) are Dennis
Conklin, IBU business agent; Marina Secchitano, IBU regional director; Bryan
Powell, SIU Tacoma port agent; Robert Grune, VP/general manager, Crowley
Marine Services; Bruce Barto, VP/general manager, Petroleum Services; Steve
Demeroutis, MM&P vp; (back row) Alan Cote, IBU rep; Jerry Dowd, Crowley VP
labor relations; Mitch Oakley, maritime instructor, Paul Hall Center; Alex Sweeney,
Crowley VP energy & marine services; Ray Shipway, MM&P rep; Charlie Nalen,
Crowley VP environmental, safety, quality assurance; Stephen Wilson, Crowley
director of health, safety & environmental affairs; Lee Egland, Crowley director of
labor relations; and Mike Murray, MM&P rep.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 7:21 PM Page 9



10 Seafarers LOG December 2004

The SIU has lost a dedicat-
ed organizer, patrolman and
proud merchant mariner.

He is Recertified Bosun
Peter W. Drews. Brother
Drews passed away Aug. 25
following a lengthy battle
with diabetes. He was 76.

Fellow officials remem-
bered Drews as a highly
respected and totally dedicat-
ed individual whose commit-
ment to the union was gargan-
tuan.

“Peter was a dedicated
union representative who
always put the best interests
of the membership first,” said
SIU President Michael Sacco.
“He was a key figure in the early
days of the union and was very
active in negotiations. He will be
missed.”

Retired SIU Vice President
Contracts Red Campbell worked
with Drews when both were
union officials back in the early
days. “He was an active official
who took part in a number of
key beefs and negotiations for
the union,” Campbell said. “He

always went that extra mile on
behalf of the membership.”

Michele Bluitt, a close friend
of Brother Drews, in correspon-
dence to the Seafarers LOG
remembered Drews as “not only
a member of the Seafarers, but
also one of the men who helped
propel the Seafarers into the
organization it is today. Pete
loved his work at the Seafarers
and talked of it often. He was
proud to have given his time for

what he felt was a worthwhile
cause.”

Brother Drews donned the
SIU colors in 1944 in
Charleston, S.C. He worked
primarily in the deep sea divi-
sion, first going to sea aboard
Sinclair Oil Corp.’s Robin
Doncaster.

After sailing for 17 years,
he came ashore in 1961,
becoming an organizer in
Duluth, Minn. and coordinat-
ing many recruiting drives for
the union. Brother Drews
later served as a patrolman in
New York, Detroit, Puerto
Rico, Houston and St. Louis.
He was an assistant for Paul

Hall, the union’s second presi-
dent.

Brother Drews went back to
sea in 1974 and continued sail-
ing until declining health forced
him ashore for the final time. He
last went to sea aboard Crowley
American Transport’s Ambassa-
dor.

Brother Drews began receiv-
ing his pension in 1986 and
made his home in Dunedin, Fla.

Recertified Bosun Peter W. Drews, right,
joins the late SIU General Counsel
Howard Schulman during an AFL-CIO
convention.

SIU’s Peter Drews Dies at 76
No-FFee PPassports

Available tto MMariners

The U.S. Department of State has developed written guidance
on the issuance of no-fee passports to American seamen serving on
U.S.-flag vessels (and to employees of the United Seamen’s
Service).

According to a recent communication from the government to
the SIU, in order for American mariners serving on U.S.-flag ves-
sels to apply for no-fee passports, they must present both “accept-
able documentation and citizenship documentation. Additionally,
both American seamen and employees of the United Seamen’s
Service must present documentation from their employers. An
American seaman must submit a letter from the employer certify-
ing that he/she is working on a ship of U.S. registry and must also
provide a copy of their U.S. Merchant Mariner’s document….”

The letter from the State Department to the union continues,
“The no-fee passports will be valid for a five-year period and can-
not be extended…. No-fee passports are to be used only for official
job-related travel. These passports are not to be used for personal
travel.”

Anthrax VVaccination

Program PPaused

At press time for this issue of the LOG, the Department of
Defense (DoD) was reviewing a preliminary injunction issued Oct.
27 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia regard-
ing the department’s anthrax vaccination program.

The injunction did not question the safety and effectiveness of
the anthrax vaccine or the immunization program in the DoD. The
injunction centered on FDA procedural issues stating that addition-
al public comment should have been sought before the FDA issued
its final rule in December of 2003.

The Defense Department’s anthrax vaccination program is an
important force protection measure. According to the government,
research conducted by several prominent medical experts and a
report by the National Academy of Sciences has determined that
the anthrax vaccine is safe and effective for all forms of anthrax
exposure.

As a result of the injunction, the Department of Defense will
pause giving anthrax vaccinations until the legal situation is clari-
fied.

The recent ruling is similar to a judge’s injunction issued in
December 2003. At that time the DoD paused the vaccination pro-
gram pending clarification of the legal issues. The 2003 injunction
was lifted roughly two weeks later.

The DoD remains convinced that the anthrax immunization pro-
gram complies with all the legal requirements and that the anthrax
vaccine is safe and effective.

A copy of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld’s memo-
randum concerning the action is available on line at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2004/d20041027anthrax.pdf

Regional EExam CCenter

Changes HHours

The hours of operation at the U.S. Coast Guard Regional Exam
Center in Baltimore will change effective Dec. 20, according to the
facility’s officer in charge. Fridays and weekdays between
Christmas and New Year’s Day will be dedicated to the review and
evaluation of applications. This means that the facility will be
closed to walk-in customers on those days. The facility will con-
tinue to accept completed applications at its front security desk and
by mail.

Staffers will be available to answer questions by phone (410-
962-5132) during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.

According to the Coast Guard, the modification of walk-in
hours is designed to improve the turnaround time involved for the
issuance of credentials and should allow the center staff to contin-
ue providing the level of service that the merchant mariner com-
munity expects and deserves. The new hours will be as follows:

� Monday: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

� Tuesday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to
3:30 p.m.

� Closed for walk-in customers Fridays and weekdays between
Christmas and New Year’s Day.

� Closed on all national holidays and the Friday following
Thanksgiving.

Maritime Briefs

Seafarers Answer OIF’s Call
Aboard Tanker Samuel Cobb

As the various stages of the
sealift mission for Operation
Iraqi Freedom continue, Sea-
farers are unrelenting in answer-
ing their call to duty as members
of the nation’s fourth arm of
defense.

By the hundreds, they are
boarding Military Sealift Com-
mand (MSC) vessels that are
either being mobilized or
deployed to transport personnel,
war fighting materiel (machinery,
weapons and ammunition) and
other supplies to various overseas
destinations.

Among the latest SIU-crewed
vessels to take to the high seas in
support of U.S. troops and the
war against terrorism is the
Samuel L. Cobb. The Cobb in
October was headed for an over-
seas port when the photos on this
page were taken. They were sent
to the LOG by Chief Steward
Herbert Davis, who wanted to
share some of the crew’s experi-
ences during the voyage with fel-
low Seafarers.

Seafarers aboard the Samuel
L. Cobb during the voyage
included: Bosun Pete Malone;
QM Dave Carpenter; ABs
Damian Kelly, James Osborne,
Carlos Burroughs and Otis
Reynolds; Chief Pumpman Brad
Saxon; QMEDs Greg Alvarez
and David Bodah; Wipers Lloyd
Clark and Richard De La Cruz;
Chief Steward Davis; Chief Cook
Sonia Felix; and Utilities Qais
Ahmed and Tawfiq Shaibi.

The Cobb is one of five MSC
transport tankers that ferries fuel
for the Department of Defense
during peacetime, war and other
contingencies. The vessel entered
service in 1985 along with its sis-
ter ships, the Gus W. Darnell and
the Paul Buck. The Richard G.
Matthiesen and Lawrence H.
Gianella entered MSC service in
1986.

These tankers embark on
many unique missions including
refueling the National Science
Foundation in Antarctica, Thule
Air Force Base in Thule, Green-
land, and federal government
installations in remote sections of
Alaska. Known as T5s, the ves-
sels have double hulls and are
ice-strengthened for protection
against damage in colder cli-
mates.

Chief Pumpman Brad Saxon
takes a break from his normal
shipboard duties to hone his skills
on the M-16.

Chief Cook Sonia Felix, left, and
Stewart Utilities Qais Ahmed and
Tawfiq Shaibi, right, pose for a
photo in the galley of the Samuel
L. Cobb.

Bosun Pete Malone takes his turn
firing the M-16 assault rifle.

Wiper Lloyd Clark prepares to fire
the M-16.

Chief Steward Herbert Davis has
both hands full as he fires the M-
60 machine gun.

Wiper Richard De La Cruz mans
the M-60. Looking on are mem-
bers of the U.S. Navy Security
Force who also were aboard the
vessel.

25834_P3.5.6.10.15.19.24.qxd 11/23/2004 7:38 PM Page 10



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 11

Left: The ship’s committee aboard
the Adm. Callaghan is composed
of (from left) Chief Electrician
Jeffery Curry, Chief Steward
Denise Smith and Bosun Paul
Borg.

Below: Seasoning the dinner roast
is Christopher Hopkins, chief cook
on board the President Truman.

Bosun Jouencio Cabab enjoys a hearty lunch
aboard the Cape Fear.

Right: Cooking up some
hotdogs for lunch on the

Cape Mohican is Chief
Steward Louis Morris.

Left: Chief Mate Peter Fileccia Jr. (below)
gives directions to Bosun Kenneth
Herqstein (above), who is operating the
crane to load stores aboard the Meteor.

Kashmir
Dillon, chief
electrician
on the Cape
Mohican,
enjoys his
lunch of
spaghetti and
meatballs.

Members of the ship’s committee on board the Meteor include (from left) Bosun Kenneth Herqstein, DMAC
Joseph McCrosky, Chief Steward Johnny Westberry and DEU John Rosron.

Left: Some of the crew
members aboard the
Keystone State, Gem
State and Grand Canyon
State pose for a group
picture in Alameda, Calif.
The three vessels are on
ROS status.

Wilbert J. Miles Jr., DEU on the Cape
Mohican, and Jasper Brown, electrician
on the Cape Fear, get together for lunch.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 9:16 PM Page 11



12 Seafarers LOG December 2004

PRI

ABOVE: Rebekah Torkelson and Peter Quenga
brush up on their cleaning techniques.

BELOW: Hoping not to make a splash behind the bar are Cri
David Butler (fifth photo, far right).

LEFT: Yen
Dunton
gets practi-
cal training
as a wait-
ress and
bartender.

Lisa Salmans and Matthew Baptist
get the hang of bartending.

Crew members such as Roeno
Babaan keep NCL America’s
vessels clean at all times.

BELOW: Tomas Ramirez keeps a
close eye on his housekeeping
training.

LEFT: Sharon
Ross is one of
hundreds of
NCL America
crew members
who have
trained at the
Paul Hall
Center.

The efforts of a ship’s culinary staff are
vital not only to the enjoyment of passen-
gers but the crew as well, so galley train-
ing is emphasized in Piney Point.

They of course hope never to nee
these skills, but students practic
lifeboat training (left and below) as pa
of their NCL America curriculum.

Pride of Aloha at a Glance
Entered service: August 1999
Reflagged U.S. in June 2004
Length: 853 feet
Breadth: 108 feet
Draft: 26 feet
Speed: 23 knots
Tonnage: 77,104 GRT
Propulsion: Diesel electric, six diesel generators
Auxiliary power: From diesel electric plant
Guest capacity: 2,002 double occupancy
Guest decks: 12

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 5:09 PM Page 12



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 13

IDE
When NCL America’s SIU-crewed Pride of Aloha entered service this past summer, it marked the rebirth of

the deep-sea U.S.-flag cruise ship industry.
Less obvious, but just as important, the vessel also signaled a renewed need for top-notch training for crew

members of NCL America’s inaugural ship.
The Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, based in Piney Point, Md., along with its sister

school in Honolulu are fulfilling that need. Both facilities offer fire fighting and safety training; the Piney Point
campus also provides departmental training for non-marine personnel.

The curriculums are wide-ranging and include (among other topics) communication and diversity training,
effective listening, team building, conflict resolution and stress management. Students also take STCW Basic
Safety Training and courses covering shipboard security, environmental responsibility and medical awareness.
They also spend approximately one week in department-specific courses.

As with most Paul Hall Center classes, the NCL America curriculums blend classroom instruction with
hands-on training.

The Pride of Aloha is the first of three U.S.-flag cruise ships planned by NCL America. The others are the
Pride of America (scheduled to enter service in 2005) and the Pride of Hawaii (scheduled for delivery in the
summer of 2006).

Significantly, as more and more NCL America crew members have completed training through the Paul Hall
Center (both in Piney Point and in Hawaii), customer feedback on the Pride of Aloha steadily has improved.
The most recently compiled “comment cards” showed the best scores yet in overall satisfaction, ship appear-
ance and hospitality.

LEFT: Chris
Halk (left)
and Warren
Turner con-
centrate on
their train-
ing.

BELOW: Fire fighting is part of the crew members’ STCW training.

Training as bartenders are (from left) Jason Yets, Matthew Baptist, Jill Latza,
Patrick Apa, Matthew Nelson, Robert Rivers, Bethany Tarantion, Crisanto
Leonor, Lisa Salmans, Katie Rupp and David Butler (instructor).

e Crisanto Leonor (four photos directly below) and NCL America Trainer

If practice makes per-
fect, passengers can
count on service with
a smile from Jill Latza.

o need
ractice
as part
.

NCL America students receive a mix
of classroom instruction and practical
training both at the Paul Hall Center
and at its affiliated school in Hawaii.

It’s cold in there, but
someone’s got to
move the stores (in
this case, Warren
Turner).

1st Cook Dennis
Neptune looks
sharp while
training in the
galley.

LEFT AND ABOVE:
Whether preparing meals
or serving them, crew
members understand the
importance of prompt,
polite service.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 5:09 PM Page 13



14 Seafarers LOG December 2004

This is a summary of the annual report for the
Seafarers Money Purchase Pension Plan (Employer
Identification No. 52-1994914, Plan No. 001) for the
period January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003. The annu-
al report has been filed with the Employee Benefits
Security Administration, as required under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
(ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement
Benefits under the plan are provided by a trust (ben-

efits are provided in whole from trust funds). Plan
expenses were $834,548. These expenses included
$290,692 in administrative expenses and $543,856 in
benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of
9,780 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the
plan at the end of the plan year, although not all of these
persons had yet earned the right to receive benefits.

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities
of the plan, was $22,415,912 as of December 31, 2003
compared to $16,163,494 as of January 1, 2003. During
the plan year, the plan experienced an increase in its net
assets of $6,252,418. This increase includes unrealized
appreciation or depreciation in the value of plan assets;
that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s
assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at
the beginning of the year, or the cost of assets acquired
during the year. The plan had a total income of
$7,086,966, including employer contributions of
$4,300,323, employee contributions of $52,401, gains of
$106,288 from the sale of assets and earnings from
investments of $2,627,954.

Minimum Funding Standards
Enough money was contributed to the plan to keep it

funded in accordance with the minimum funding stan-
dards of ERISA.

Your Rights to Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annu-

al report, or any part thereof, on request. The items list-

ed below are included in that report:
1 An accountant’s report;
2. Financial information and information on payments

to service providers;

3. Assets held for investment; and

4. Transactions in excess of 5 percent of the plan assets.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part
thereof, write or call the office of

William Dennis, Administrator
5201 Auth Way

Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675

The charge to cover copying costs will be $3.30 for
the full report, or $0.15 per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the plan
administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of
the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying
notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan
and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy
of the full annual report from the plan administrator,
these two statements and accompanying notes will be
included as part of that report. The charge to cover copy-
ing costs given above does not include a charge for the
copying of these portions of the report because these
portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right to examine
the annual report at the main office of the plan:

William Dennis, Administrator
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746

and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington,
D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of
Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the
Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure
Room, Room N15l3, Employee Benefits Security
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
SEAFARERS HEALTH AND BENEFITS PLAN —

COBRA NOTICE
HEALTH CARE CONTINUATION

Under federal law, a participant and his or her dependents have the right to elect to continue their Plan coverage

in the event that they lose their eligibility. This right is granted by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act, better known as “COBRA.” The COBRA law allows a participant and his or her depen-
dents to temporarily extend their benefits at group rates in certain circumstances where coverage under
the Plan would otherwise end.

A participant and his or her dependents have a right to choose this continuation coverage if they lose
their Plan coverage because the participant failed to meet the Plan’s seatime requirements. In addition,
a participant and his or her dependents may have the right to choose continuation coverage if the partic-
ipant becomes a pensioner ineligible for medical benefits.

The participant’s dependents may also elect continuation coverage if they lose coverage under the
Plan as the result of the participant’s (1) death; (2) divorce; or (3) Medicare eligibility. A child can also elect
COBRA if as the result of his or her age, he or she is no longer a dependent under the Plan rules.

If a member and his or her dependents feel that they may qualify, or if they would like more informa-
tion concerning these rights, they should contact the Plan office at 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD
20746. Since there are important deadlines that apply to COBRA, please contact the Plan as soon as
possible to receive a full explanation of the participant’s rights and his or her dependents’ rights.

SEAFARERS BENEFIT PLANS NOTICE TO PARTICIPANTS

Keep the Plan Informed of Your Address Changes

It is important that all participants remember to keep the Plan informed of

any change of address.

Update Your Beneficiary Designations

Keep your beneficiary designations up to date. In the event that your bene-

ficiary predeceases you, you must submit a substitute designation.

Inform the Plan of Your Divorce

In order for your spouse to be eligible to receive continuation coverage

(under COBRA) from the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan, you or your

spouse must inform the Plan at the time of your divorce. Please submit a copy

of the divorce decree to the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan.

Full-time College Students

If your dependent child is a full-time college student, you must submit a let-

ter of attendance every semester in order for your child to be covered by the

Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan.

Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan

P.O. Box 380

Piney Point, MD 20674

SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT FOR
SEAFARERS HEALTH AND BENEFITS PLAN

This is a summary of the annual report for the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan,
(Employer Identification No. 13-5557534, Plan No. 501) for the period January 1,
2003 to December 31, 2003. The annual report has been filed with the Employee
Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement
The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $4,199,920

as of December 31, 2003 compared to $11,397,458 as of January 1, 2003. During the
plan year, the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $7,197,538. This
decrease includes unrealized appreciation or depreciation in the value of plan assets;
that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and
the value of the assets at the beginning of the year, or the cost of assets acquired dur-
ing the year. During the plan year, the plan had a total income of $64,086,634. This
income included employer contributions of $63,061,373, realized gains of $53,827
from the sale of assets and earnings from investments of $882,047. Plan expenses
were $71,284,172. These expenses included $5,994,150 in administrative expenses
and $65,290,022 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.

Your Rights to Additional Information
You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part there-

of, on request. The items listed below are included in that report:
1. An accountant’s report;
2. Financial information and information on payments to service providers;
3. Assets held for investment; and
4. Transactions in excess of 5 percent of the plan assets.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the
office of

William Dennis, Administrator
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675

The charge to cover copying costs will be $3.00 for the full report, or $0.15 per
page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at
no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying
notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes,
or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator,
these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report.
The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the
copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without
charge.

You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main
office of the plan:

William Dennis, Administrator
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746

and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from
the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the
Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N1513,
Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

P
lease send me the 2005 SIU Scholarship Program booklet which contains eligibility
information, procedures for applying and a copy of the application form.

Name ________________________________________________________

Mariner’s Social Security Number __________________________________

Street Address __________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code ____________________________________________

Telephone Number ______________________________________________

This application is for: � Self � Dependent

Mail this completed form to Scholarship Program, Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan,

5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746.

The Seafarers Health and Benefits
Plan (SHBP) is offering eight scholar-
ships in 2005 to SIU members as well as
their spouses and dependent children to
offset some of the costs associated with
study at the college level.

With the rapidly rising costs of tuition
—as well as room and board—many stu-
dents may find it difficult to continue
their education without some assistance.
The SHBP wants to help.

As in past years, three of the scholar-
ships are reserved for SIU members. One
of those is in the amount of $20,000 for
study at a four-year college or university.
The other two are for $6,000 each and are
intended as two-year awards for study at
a post-secondary community college or
vocational school. The other five scholar-
ships will be awarded in the amount of

$20,000 each to the spouses and depen-
dent children of Seafarers.

The deadline for submitting the appli-
cation and all the other required paper-
work is April 15, 2005. That leaves four
months from now in which to send away
for the program booklet and start work-
ing on collecting the items needed for
inclusion with the application (such as
transcripts, certificates of graduation. let-
ters of recommendation, a photograph
and certified copy of birth certificate).

Applicants also should arrange to take
either the SAT or ACT no later than
February 2005 in order to ensure the
results reach the selection committee in
time to be evaluated.

The program booklet spells out eligi-
bility requirements and procedures for
applying. Send away for yours today!12/04

SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT FOR
SEAFARERS MONEY PURCHASE PENSION PLAN

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 8:48 PM Page 14



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 15

January & February 2005
Membership Meetings

RANDY WURR

Please contact your father, Duane Wurr, at (360)

697-2491 concerning a matter of great importance.

Piney Point .............Monday: January 3, February 7

Algonac ..................Friday: January 7, February 11

Baltimore ................Thursday: January 6, February 10

Boston.....................Friday: January 7, February 11

Duluth .....................Wednesday: January 12, February 16

Guam ......................Thursday: January 20, February 24

Honolulu .................Friday: January 14, February 18

Houston ..................Monday: January 10, February 14

Jacksonville ............Thursday: January 6, February 10

Joliet .......................Thursday: January 13, February 17

Mobile ....................Wednesday: January 12, February 16

New Orleans ...........Tuesday: January 11, February 15

New York................Tuesday: January 4, February 8

Norfolk ...................Thursday: January 6, February 10

Philadelphia ............Wednesday: January 5, February 9

Port Everglades.......Thursday: January 13, February 17

San Francisco .........Thursday: January 13, February 17

San Juan..................Thursday: January 6, February 10

St. Louis..................Friday: January 14, February 18

Tacoma ...................Friday: January 21, February 25

Wilmington ...............Tuesday: January 18*, February 22*
.................................*(changes created by Martin Luther King holiday
.............................................and Presidents Day)

............................................

Each port’s meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.

Dispatchers’ Report for Deep Sea
OCTOBER 16 — NOVEMBER 15, 2004

*TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED **REGISTERED ON BEACH

All Groups All Groups Trip All Groups

Class A Class B Class C Class A Class B Class C Reliefs Class A Class B Class C

Port DECK DEPARTMENT
Algonac 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 3 3 0
Anchorage 0 4 2 0 0 3 0 0 6 3
Baltimore 3 2 1 4 5 2 0 9 3 1
Guam 1 4 2 1 5 3 0 3 5 3
Honolulu 5 7 1 6 3 2 0 16 19 4
Houston 25 19 17 22 12 7 12 39 31 30
Jacksonville 29 41 9 23 23 5 16 56 58 28
Joliet 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0
Mobile 9 5 2 7 8 0 5 21 10 6
New Orleans 14 14 10 4 8 4 5 34 32 16
New York 27 20 15 22 13 4 7 41 35 33
Norfolk 15 21 2 6 9 5 2 27 29 14
Philadelphia 1 5 2 4 3 1 1 2 4 4
Piney Point 0 25 4 0 13 1 1 1 24 6
Puerto Rico 3 10 2 6 8 0 6 9 12 3
San Francisco 15 14 3 12 10 2 11 32 23 7
St. Louis 0 7 2 1 4 0 1 0 7 4
Tacoma 28 20 19 19 23 10 17 50 41 36
Wilmington 26 22 11 20 16 4 10 30 31 22

Totals 202 244 104 159 168 53 94 373 374 220

Port ENGINE DEPARTMENT
Algonac 0 2 2 0 1 2 0 0 1 0
Anchorage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Baltimore 3 5 1 3 4 1 1 5 6 1
Guam 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 4 1
Honolulu 5 5 0 4 2 0 0 8 9 1
Houston 11 11 5 10 6 2 5 16 21 15
Jacksonville 20 17 9 16 11 2 6 36 38 16
Joliet 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mobile 3 4 1 4 4 2 2 6 7 2
New Orleans 9 7 3 7 7 0 4 13 14 9
New York 6 12 4 7 5 1 2 16 26 12
Norfolk 7 11 3 7 15 2 7 10 12 5
Philadelphia 2 3 0 2 1 0 0 5 5 1
Piney Point 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 5 0
Puerto Rico 4 3 2 1 2 1 2 4 3 1
San Francisco 7 6 0 10 7 2 4 11 10 1
St. Louis 1 2 0 2 3 0 0 0 2 2
Tacoma 11 19 3 10 11 1 6 16 30 8
Wilmington 13 9 3 10 6 2 4 12 17 10

Totals 106 121 36 96 87 18 43 161 210 85

Port STEWARD DEPARTMENT
Algonac 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Anchorage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Baltimore 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 5 1 1
Guam 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 2 2 1
Honolulu 14 4 0 9 5 0 3 12 6 1
Houston 12 2 3 10 0 0 7 25 7 4
Jacksonville 19 15 4 19 13 2 7 28 26 7
Joliet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mobile 2 2 0 1 2 0 2 8 3 1
New Orleans 11 5 2 3 3 0 1 21 11 3
New York 18 4 3 13 6 0 6 28 11 8
Norfolk 7 9 4 7 7 2 1 14 15 8
Philadelphia 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 1 1
Piney Point 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 4 6 0
Puerto Rico 2 1 2 1 2 0 3 3 1 3
San Francisco 13 5 0 13 2 0 6 31 9 3
St. Louis 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0
Tacoma 11 6 6 8 6 3 7 31 12 9
Wilmington 24 7 3 18 11 3 9 30 12 8

Totals 142 67 29 108 61 11 54 249 125 58

Port ENTRY DEPARTMENT
Algonac 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 11
Anchorage 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 3 4
Baltimore 0 3 1 0 4 1 0 0 3 6
Guam 0 2 1 0 3 1 0 0 3 0
Honolulu 6 5 5 2 4 3 0 9 11 6
Houston 3 11 12 2 3 4 0 5 29 40
Jacksonville 4 14 17 4 9 9 0 4 31 42
Joliet 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
Mobile 0 5 3 1 5 0 0 0 12 4
New Orleans 3 5 12 0 4 1 0 7 14 26
New York 4 30 23 5 12 2 0 7 64 67
Norfolk 0 11 9 0 8 3 0 0 14 24
Philadelphia 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Piney Point 0 17 16 0 14 16 0 0 14 34
Puerto Rico 1 5 1 2 1 2 0 2 11 1
San Francisco 3 10 9 1 6 3 0 8 17 20
St. Louis 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 1 2
Tacoma 2 19 25 1 15 13 0 11 31 30
Wilmington 2 9 21 0 6 9 0 3 13 30

Totals 29 146 169 18 94 72 0 57 274 352

Totals All
Departments 479 578 338 381 410 154 191 840 983 715

*“Total Registered” means the number of Seafarers who actually registered for shipping at the port.

**“Registered on Beach” means the total number of Seafarers registered at the port.

Personals

SS

25834_P3.5.6.10.15.19.24.qxd 11/24/2004 7:40 AM Page 15



16 Seafarers LOG December 2004

Seafarers International Union
Directory

Michael Sacco, President

John Fay, Executive Vice President

David Heindel, Secretary-Treasurer

Augustin Tellez, Vice President Contracts

Tom Orzechowski,
Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters

Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast

Nicholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast

Joseph T. Soresi, Vice President Atlantic Coast

Kermett Mangram,
Vice President Government Services

René Lioeanjie, Vice President at Large

Charles Stewart, Vice President at Large

HEADQUARTERS

5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746

(301) 899-0675

ALGONAC

520 St. Clair River Dr., Algonac, MI 48001

(810) 794-4988

ALTON

325 Market St., Suite B, Alton, IL 62002

(618) 462-3456

ANCHORAGE

721 Sesame St., #1C, Anchorage, AK 99503

(907) 561-4988

BALTIMORE

2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224

(410) 327-4900

BOSTON

Marine Industrial Park/EDIC

27 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210

(617) 261-0790

DULUTH

324 W. Superior St., Suite 705, Duluth, MN 55802

(218) 722-4110

GUAM

P.O. Box 315242, Tamuning, Guam 96931-5242

125 Sunny Plaza, Suite 301-E

Tun Jesus Crisostomo St., Tamuning, Guam 96911

(671) 647-1350

HONOLULU

606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819

(808) 845-5222

HOUSTON

1221 Pierce St., Houston, TX 77002

(713) 659-5152

JACKSONVILLE

3315 Liberty St., Jacksonville, FL 32206

(904) 353-0987

JOLIET

10 East Clinton St., Joliet, IL 60432

(815) 723-8002

MOBILE

1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605

(251) 478-0916

NEW ORLEANS

3911 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058

(504) 328-7545

NEW YORK

635 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11232

(718) 499-6600

Government Services Division: (718) 832-8767

NORFOLK

115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510

(757) 622-1892

PHILADELPHIA

2604 S. 4 St., Philadelphia, PA 19148

(215) 336-3818

PINEY POINT

P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674

(301) 994-0010

PORT EVERGLADES

1221 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

(954) 522-7984

SAN FRANCISCO

350 Fremont St., San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 543-5855

Government Services Division: (415) 861-3400

SANTURCE

1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave., Stop 16

Santurce, PR 00907

(787) 721-4033

ST. LOUIS

4581 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116

(314) 752-6500

TACOMA

3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409

(253) 272-7774

WILMINGTON

510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744

(310) 549-4000

NMU Monthly Shipping & Registration Report
OCTOBER 16 — NOVEMBER 15, 2004

TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED REGISTERED ON BEACH

All Groups All Groups Trip All Groups

Group I Group II Group III Group I Group II Group III Reliefs Group I Group II Group III

Port DECK DEPARTMENT

Boston 5 3 0 3 3 0 1 2 0 0

Houston 6 1 6 11 4 5 3 37 7 29

Jacksonville 3 0 8 5 0 10 2 11 3 1

New Orleans 7 3 8 4 4 2 3 13 5 22

New York 15 2 2 12 0 2 1 37 8 0

Norfolk 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 5 1 0

Tacoma 3 2 1 3 2 1 0 3 0 2

Wilmington 2 4 2 3 4 2 0 12 6 0

Totals 42 16 28 41 18 23 10 120 30 54

Port ENGINE DEPARTMENT

Boston 3 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0

Houston 6 0 4 10 3 0 1 9 1 18

Jacksonville 2 4 8 3 4 8 3 5 3 1

New Orleans 4 0 6 5 1 2 0 5 2 19

New York 4 1 0 1 1 0 1 16 2 0

Norfolk 3 1 1 2 1 0 1 3 0 1

Tacoma 0 0 4 0 0 6 1 2 0 1

Wilmington 3 0 2 1 0 2 1 14 3 2

Totals 25 7 25 26 10 18 8 54 12 42

Port STEWARD DEPARTMENT

Boston 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

Houston 2 1 1 5 2 3 3 9 5 19

Jacksonville 1 2 5 6 1 7 1 3 3 2

New Orleans 1 0 6 2 2 1 0 4 2 12

New York 1 3 1 7 4 1 3 13 11 0

Norfolk 2 0 3 1 0 3 1 3 0 2

Tacoma 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1

Wilmington 3 1 2 4 2 1 0 3 2 1

Totals 4 7 18 26 11 16 8 36 24 37

Port ENTRY DEPARTMENT

Boston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Houston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jacksonville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

New Orleans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

New York 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Tacoma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Wilmington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals All

Departments 78 30 71 93 39 57 26 210 66 133

PICS-FROM-THE-PAST
These photocopied pictures were sent to the

Seafarers LOG by Michael L. Molinari of
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Molinari joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 and
served for two years as a gunner in the Armed
Guard aboard U.S. merchant ships. His first trip
was to Murmansk, Russia aboard the Andrew

Carnegie, a voyage during which three other
ships in his convoy were lost and he, himself,
was wounded. (U.S. and British ships, including
the Carnegie, were delivering war materiel to
that North Russian port.)

His second ship was the Esso Philadelphia

(shown at top right), which carried oil from
Trinidad to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Just off the
coast of Africa, the ship ran into a terrible hurri-
cane, during which time its motor stopped work-
ing. Thanks to the work of the first engineer, it
managed to limp back to the U.S.

Molinari, who is now retired, lives in Brooklyn
with his wife Lena. They have seven children
and five grandchildren.

At left is Michael
Molinari when
he was in the
U.S. Navy’s
Armed Guard.

At right, Molinari
(wearing his

Armed Guard
logo on his jack-

et) talks about
World War II to

students at a
local school.

If anyone has a vintage union-related photograph he
or she would like to share with the LOG readership,

please send it to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth
Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Photographs will be

returned, if so requested.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 9:03 PM Page 16



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 17

Welcome Ashore
Each month, the Seafarers LOG pays tribute to the SIU members who have devoted their

working lives to sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways or

Great Lakes. Listed below are brief biographical sketches of those members who recently

retired from the union. The brothers and sisters of the SIU thank those members for a job

well done and wish them happiness and good health in the days ahead.

DEEP SEA
PATRICIA BALLANCE, 65,
was born in Covington, La. and
began her SIU career in 1989.
Sister Ballance first shipped
aboard the SS Independence in
the steward department. She
enhanced her skills on two occa-
sions at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Education
in Piney Point, Md. Prior to retir-
ing, Sister Ballance sailed on the
LNG Aries. She lives in her
native state.

BENJAMIN
CRUZ, 72,
joined the SIU
in 1993 in the
port of Hono-
lulu. Brother
Cruz first
went to sea on
the SS Inde-

pendence. He worked in the stew-
ard department and upgraded his
skills at the union’s affiliated
school in Piney Point, Md.
Brother Cruz most recently
worked aboard the Innovator.
Born in the Philippines, he now
resides in Long Beach, Calif.

CHARLES
DAHLHAUS,
67, became a
member of the
SIU in 1961 in
New Orleans
after serving
in the U.S.
Navy. Brother
Dahlhaus first went to sea on the
Steel Worker. He was a frequent
upgrader at the Paul Hall Center.
Brother Dahlhaus, who was born
in New York, shipped in the
engine department. He last sailed
on the Overseas Chicago.
Brother Dahlhaus currently lives
in Japan.

AMADO
ESCOBAL
JR., 65, start-
ed his SIU
career in 1968
in the port of
San Francisco.
Brother Esco-
bal first sailed

on the Cosmos Mariner in the
steward department. His most
recent voyage was aboard the
President Kennedy. Brother
Escobal was born in the Philip-
pines and continues to live there.

ISADORE
GREEN-
BERG, 66,
joined the
ranks of the
SIU in 1979 in
New Orleans.
Brother
Greenberg was
born in Camden, N.J. and first
went to sea on the Cove Sailor.
He was a member of the engine
department and upgraded his
skills on numerous occasions in
Piney Point, Md. Brother
Greenberg last sailed aboard the
USNS Algol. He is a resident of
New Orleans, La.

LARRY HARRIS, 56, began his
seafaring career in 1977 in the
port of San Francisco. Brother
Harris was born in California and
is a veteran of the U.S. Army. His

first vessel
was the Maya-
quez. Brother
Harris worked
in the engine
department
and upgraded
his skills in
1994 at the

Paul Hall Center. He calls
Concord, Calif. home.

PEDRO
LABOY, 65,
was born in
Puerto Rico.
Brother Laboy
joined the SIU
in 1967 in the
port of New
York, first
sailing aboard the Detroit. He
worked in the steward department
and enhanced his skills on two
occasions at the SIU-affiliated
school in Piney Point, Md. His
most rececent trip to sea was
aboard the Horizon Producer.
Brother Laboy is a resident of
Ponce, P.R.

MARILYN
SANTOS, 64,
started her
seafaring
career in 1989
in Honolulu.
Sister Santos
worked pri-
marily aboard

the SS Independence as a member
of the steward department. She
was born in Waimanalo Oahu,
Hawaii and currently lives in
Kaneohe, Hawaii.

RUDY WAT-
TIMENA, 65,
began his
career with the
SIU in 1994 in
the port of
Wilmington,
Calif., first
sailing aboard
the SS Independence. Brother
Wattimena was born in Indonesia
and worked as a member of the
steward department. He enhanced
his skills in 2001 at the SIU-affil-
iated school in Piney Point, Md.
Brother Wattimena’s most recent
voyage was on the USNS Deneb-
ola. He is a resident of Dover, N.H.

JAMES
WEISMORE,
68, started
sailing with
the SIU in
1990 in Piney
Point, Md.
after serving
in the U.S.

Navy. Brother Weismore first
sailed aboard the PFC William
Baugh. Born in New York, he
worked in the engine department.
Brother Weismore upgraded his
skills on many occasions at the
Paul Hall Center. He last went to
sea on the LNG Virgo and makes
his home in Minersville, Pa.

IRA WHITE,
64, embarked
on his seafar-
ing career in
1965 in the
port of Wil-
mington,
Calif. Brother
White was

born in Florida and first shipped
on the Manhattan as a member of
the engine department. He lives
in his native state.

INLAND
ROY DENT,
61, hails from
Arkansas.
Boatman Dent
started his sea-
faring career
in 1970 in the
port of St.
Louis. He

shipped as a member of the deck
department, last sailing on a
Southern Ohio Towing Co. ves-
sel. Boatman Dent makes his
home in Lilbourn, Mo.

GEORGE
ESPONGE,
68, began his
SIU career in
1984 in the
port of
Houston.
Boatman
Esponge
shipped primarily aboard vessels
operated by Crowley Towing and
Transportation. He worked in the
deck department and upgraded
his skills a number of times at the
Seafarers-affiliated school in
Piney Point, Md. Boatman
Esponge was born in Golden
Meadow, La. and currently
resides in Galveston, Texas.

CLARENCE
JENNETTE
JR., 61,
joined the SIU
in 1976 in the
port of
Philadelphia.
Boatman
Jennette

worked primarily on Maritrans
vessels. The U.S. Air Force veter-
an was born in North Carolina
and shipped in the steward
department. Boatman Jennette
enhanced his skills in 2001 at the
Piney Point, Md. training school.
He calls Beverly Hills, Fla. home.

TARLTON
LANGELE,
64, launched
his seafaring
career in 1971
in the port of
Mobile. Born
in Alabama,
the deck
department member last sailed
aboard the Crescent Mobile. He
lives in his native state.

DRAGI ODAK, 64, started his
career with the SIU in 1984 in
Wilmington, Calif. Born in
Yugoslavia, the deck department
member worked primarily on
Crowley Towing and Transporta-
tion vessels. Boatman Odak is a
resident of San Pedro, Calif.

JAMES
WHITE JR.,
61, embarked
on his seafar-
ing career in
1968 in the
port of Phila-
delphia. Born
in North

Carolina, Boatman White shipped
in the engine department and
upgraded his skills in 1998 and
again in 2000 at the SIU-affiliat-
ed school in Piney Point, Md. He
calls Tyner, N.C. home.

Editor’s Note: The following
brothers, all former members of
the National Maritime Union
(NMU) and participants in the
NMU Pension and Trust, recently
went on pension.

JAMES
ABBING-
TON, 65, was
born in
Oakdale, La.
Brother
Abbington
joined the
NMU in 1969,
sailing from Port Arthur, Texas.
His first ship was the Gulf Pride.

WAVELL BEST, 63, began his
seafaring career with the NMU in

1987. Brother
Best was born
in Guyana,
South America
and shipped in
the deck
department.
Prior to retir-
ing, Brother

Best worked on the Cape
Domingo.

FITZ FLEM-
MING, 87,
joined the
NMU in 1940,
sailing from
the port of
Boston.
Brother Flem-
ming, who
hails from Barbados, was a mem-
ber of the steward department.
His most recent voyage was
aboard a Lykes Brothers vessel.

RAMON
GONZALEZ,
62, launched
his career with
the NMU in
1965. Born in
Puerto Rico,
Brother
Gonzalez first

sailed in the engine department
aboard the SS Constitution.

LEON HARRIS, 58, joined the
NMU in 1964. A native of
Wilmington, N.C., Brother Harris
first sailed aboard the SS Atlantic.
The steward department member
last went to sea on the Lyra.

In addition to the foregoing indi-
viduals, the following NMU broth-
ers went on pension effective the
date indicated.

Name Age EDP

Berry, Jack 65 Nov. 1

Boza, Marcus 64 Nov. 1

Hus, Joseph 68 Aug. 1

Reyes, Alonzo 67 Sept. 1

Woolfork, Norman 72 April 1

Reprinted from past issues of the Seafarers LOG.

Certified by the NLRB as collective bargaining

agent for nine Cities Service Oil Company tankers,

the SIU immediately called upon the company to

enter negotiations for a

contract covering the

company’s unlicensed per-

sonnel. The contract will

culminate two years of

effort by the SIU to

obtain union wages, condi-

tions and security for

Cities Service seamen.

The company began firing

crew members by the

shipload at the end of each voyage as the election

drew near, but the replacements hired recognized

the need for union representation and voted for the

SIU. The company’s attitude was scored by the

NLRB: “… it ill behooves the employer to file

objections stemming principally from its own recal-

citrance.”

With anti-U.S.-flag merchant marine interests step-

ping up their efforts to weaken and destroy the

Jones Act, the SIU has called for vigilance in pre-

serving the law that restricts domestic shipping to

vessels of American registry. Government agencies

and members of Congress are being increasingly

peppered with requests from various interests seek-

ing waivers of the Jones Act that would permit

them to bring foreign-flag ships into domestic oper-

ations.

Since the sharpening of

the energy crisis over the

past few months, requests

for Jones Act waivers

have been based on the

deception that the fuel sit-

uation would be eased by

permitting foreign-flag fuel

carriers to operate

between U.S. ports.

Seafarers are answering their nation’s call to duty

again as they crew vessels headed to the East

African nation of Somalia. At the request of the

United Nations, U.S. military forces are leading an

international effort to bring food and peace to the

war-ravaged nation. Two years of civil war as well

as many more years of famine and drought have

caused an estimated 600,000 people to die. As of

Dec. 24, a total of 17 SIU-crewed vessels were

involved in the relief effort.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 2:27 AM Page 17



18 Seafarers LOG December 2004

Final Departures
DEEP SEA

CHARLES BAILEY SR.

Pensioner
Charles Bailey
Sr., 93, passed
away August
30. Brother
Bailey joined
the SIU in 1946
in New York.
He was born in
Barbados and

worked in the deck department.
Before retiring in 1973, Brother
Bailey sailed on the Steel Traveler.
He made his home in Mobile, Ala.

JOHN BENNIFIELD

Brother John
Bennifield, 49,
died Sept. 17.
He was born in
Philadelphia
and began his
seafaring career
in 1977 in
Piney Point,
Md. Brother

Bennifield’s first ship was the
Overseas Alice. The engine depart-
ment member most recently sailed
on the El Yunque. Brother Bennifield
called Jacksonville, Fla. home.

FELIX BONEFONT

Pensioner Felix
Bonefont, 97,
passed away
July 21.
Brother
Bonefont was a
charter member
of the union,
having joined
the SIU in 1939

in New York. He was born in Puerto
Rico and worked in the deck depart-
ment. Brother Bonefont began
receiving compensation for his
retirement in 1972. He was a resi-
dent of New York.

CLOYDE DICKEY

Pensioner
Cloyde Dickey,
82, died Sept.
17. Brother
Dickey
launched his
career with the
SIU in 1953 in
Houston. Born
in Alabama, he

shipped as a member of the deck
department. Brother Dickey lived in
Bessemer, Ala. and went on pension
in 1981.

DWAYNE GORDON

Brother Dwayne Gordon, 35, passed
away August 25. Born in Florida, he
joined the ranks of the SIU in 1991
in Piney Point, Md. His first ship
was the Cape Edmont. Brother
Gordon worked in the deck depart-
ment, most recently aboard the Sea-
Land Express. He resided in Jack-
sonville, Fla.

FREDERICK GOSSE

Pensioner
Frederick
Gosse, 84, died
August 27.
Born in New-
foundland,
Canada,
Brother Gosse
launched his
seafaring career

in 1947 in the port of Mobile, Ala.
The deck department member first
shipped on the Fair Hope, a Water-
man Steamship Corp. vessel. Prior to
retiring in 1983, Brother Gosse
sailed aboard the Sea-Land Long
Beach. He called San Francisco,
Calif. home.

JOHN KANE

Pensioner John Kane, 77, passed
away Sept. 25. Brother Kane joined
the SIU in 1952 in New York. He

worked in the
deck depart-
ment. Brother
Kane was born
in New York
and resided in
Spring Hill,
Fla. The U.S.
Army veteran
began receiving

his pension in 1992.

WALTER MATTHEWS

Pensioner
Walter
Matthews, 76,
died August 8.
Brother
Matthews
embarked on
his seafaring
career in 1948
in Savannah,

Ga. He was born in Perry, Fla.
Brother Matthews worked in the
deck department, most recently
aboard the Horizon Producer. He
was a resident of his native state and
started collecting his pension in
1982.

LOWELL MILLER

Brother Lowell Miller, 50, passed
away June 1. He began his SIU
career in 1978 in Piney Point, Md.
Born in New York, Brother Miller’s
first vessel was the Monticello; his
last was the USNS Stalwart. He
worked in the engine department and
resided in Fort Myers, Fla.

OLIVER MYERS

Pensioner
Oliver Myers,
81, died Sept.
26. Brother
Myers launched
his seafaring
career in 1958
in Baltimore.
The U.S. Navy
veteran initially

went to sea aboard the Chilore.
Brother Myers, who was born in
Lynchburg, Va., made his home in
New Haven, Conn. He went on pen-
sion in 1987. Brother Myers was a
member of the engine department
and last went to sea aboard the 1st Lt.
Jack Lummus.

LEONARD NIXON

Pensioner
Leonard Nixon,
77, passed away
August 17.
Brother Nixon
joined the SIU
in 1952 in
Houston after
serving in the
U.S. Army. The

engine department member’s first
ship was the Cecil N. Bean. Before
retiring in 1989, Brother Nixon
shipped on the Overseas Marilyn.
He was born in Somerville, Texas
and resided in League City, Texas.

DANILO PEDROSO

Brother Danilo Pedroso, 52, died
June 20. He began his seafaring
career in 1999 in St. Louis. Brother
Pedroso first sailed aboard the USNS
Able. Born in the Philippines, the
deck department last shipped on the
Captain Steven L. Bennett. He lived
in Illinois.

CARROLL QUINNT

Pensioner
Carroll Quinnt,
83, passed
away June 5.
Brother Quinnt
joined the SIU
in 1940 in the
port of
Baltimore. The
deck depart-

ment member’s last vessel was the
Santa Juan. Brother Quinnt went on
pension in 1982. Born in Baltimore,
he called Reno, Nev. home.

PERICLES RENGEPIS

Pensioner Pericles Rengepis, 72,
died August 13. Brother Rengepis
joined the SIU in 1968 in New York.
His initial voyage was on the
Amicus, were he worked in the stew-
ard department. Brother Rengepis
was born in Pennsylvania and last
sailed on the Baltimore. He made his
home in Greece and began receiving
his pension in 1996.

JUAN ROSARIO

Brother Juan Rosario, 62, passed
away June 6. He started sailing with
the SIU in 1970 in New York.
Brother Rosario’s first ship was the
Arizpa; his last was the Horizon
Producer. The steward department
member was born in Fajardo, P.R.
and lived in Santurce P.R.

SOU SHEK

Pensioner Sou
Shek, 91, died
April 21.
Brother Shek
was a veteran
of the U.S. Air
Force. He
joined the SIU
in 1951 in New
York. Brother

Shek worked in the steward depart-
ment, first sailing aboard the Steel
Architect. His last vessel was the
Sea-Land Gallaway. Born in China,
Brother Shek resided in Brooklyn,
N.Y. He went on pension in 1977.

FRED UMHOLTZ

Pensioner Fred
Umholtz, 76,
passed away
May 20.
Brother
Umholtz be-
came a Seafarer
in 1947 in New
Orleans. The
U.S. Army vet-

eran was a native of Arkansas.
Brother Umholtz sailed in the deck
department, first aboard the Gene-
vieve Peterkin, a Bloomfield
Steamship Co. vessel. His last trip
was aboard the Archon. Brother
Umholtz called Springdale, Ark.
home. He began receiving compen-
sation for his retirement in 1986.

VINCENT VANZENELLA

Pensioner
Vincent Van-
zenella, 81, died
April 6. Brother
Vanzenella
launched his
seafaring career
in 1959 in New
York after serv-
ing in the U.S.

Navy. He sailed in the deck depart-
ment in both the deep sea and inland
divisions. Prior to retiring in 1991,
Brother Vanzenella worked aboard
the Overseas Vivian. He made his
home in Pinole, Calif.

DONALD VILLAFLOR

Pensioner
Donald
Villaflor, 86,
passed away
Sept. 20.
Brother Villa-
flor began his
career with the
Marine Cooks
& Stewards

(MC&S) in 1956. He shipped pri-
marily on American President Lines
vessels during his career, including
the President Johnson and the Presi-
dent Pierce. Brother Villaflor was
born in Honolulu and lived in
Seattle, Wash.

WALTER WINSTON

Pensioner Walter Winston, 79, died
June 6. Brother Winston joined the
SIU in 1968 in the port of San
Francisco. He was born in Alabama

and first sailed on the Cosmos
Mariner. A veteran of the U.S. Navy,
Brother Winston worked in the stew-
ard department. His final voyage
was aboard the Santa Maria. Brother
Winston went on pension in 1990.
He made his home in Michigan.

INLAND

RICHARD RAFFERTY

Boatman Richard Rafferty, 59, died
Sept. 10. He was born in Darby, Pa.
and started his seafaring career in
1962 in Philadelphia. Boatman
Rafferty worked in the deck depart-
ment. He was a resident of
Philadelphia.

CHARLES SABATIER

Pensioner
Charles
Sabatier, 85,
passed away
May 18. Boat-
man Sabatier
joined the SIU
in 1960 in the
port of
Houston. Born

in Galveston, Texas, he was a veter-
an of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Boatman Sabatier retired in 1984
and made his home in Texas.

GREAT LAKES

THOMAS MacVICAR

Pensioner
Thomas
MacVicar, 84,
died Sept. 12.
Brother Mac-
Vicar started
sailing with the
SIU in 1970 in
the port of
Algonac, Mich.

after serving in the U.S. Army. Born
in Nova Scotia, he initially shipped
on the John P. Reiss in the deck
department. Brother MacVicar last
sailed on the Kinsman Independent.
He made his home in New York and
began receiving retirement stipends
in 1984.

MANUEL SIGLER

Pensioner Manuel Sigler, 77, passed
away April 12. Brother Sigler was
born in Indiana and joined the
Seafarers in 1952 in New York. A
U.S. Navy veteran, he worked in the
deck department. He was a resident
of Indianapolis, Ind. and started col-
lecting his pension in 1994.

Editor’s Note: The following brothers
and sister, all former members of the
National Maritime Union (NMU) and
participants in the NMU Pension
Trust, have passed away.

ROBERT ALONSO

Pensioner
Robert Alonso,
76, died
October 18.
Brother Alonso,
who was born
in Tampa, Fla.,
joined the
NMU in 1946,
initially sailing

from the port of New Orleans. His
first ship was the Alexander Ramsey.
Prior to retiring in 1976, Brother
Alonso worked on the Pure Oil.

JOHN CONROY

Pensioner John
Conroy, 90,
passed away
Oct. 13. Brother
Conroy became
a member of
the NMU in
1942 in San
Pedro, Calif.
Born in

Uniontown, Pa., he first went to sea

on the Carreta as a member of the
engine department. Brother Conroy
began receiving his pension in 1981.

NICK ELLIS JR

Pensioner Nick
Ellis Jr., 85,
died Oct. 12.
Brother Ellis
embarked on
his seafaring
career in 1947
in Baltimore,
Md. His first
vessel was the

William E. Pendleton. Born in
Scranton, Pa., Brother Ellis was a
member of the engine department.
His last voyage was aboard the
Texaco Rhode Island. Brother Ellis
started collecting retirement stipends
in 1984.

FEDERICO GUZMAN

Pensioner
Federico
Guzman, 79,
passed away
Oct. 11. Brother
Guzman start-
ing sailing with
the NMU in
1961. He was
born in San

Juan, P.R. Brother Guzman first
sailed aboard the America in the
engine department. He last went to
sea on the Texaco Montana. Brother
Guzman began receiving compensa-
tion for his retirement in 1987.

DELFIN INACIO

Pensioner
Delfin Inacio,
77, passed
away Aug 17.
Born in
Portugal,
Brother Inacio
initially sailed
from New York
in 1966 aboard

the United States. The steward
department member last worked
aboard the American Resolute.
Brother Inacio started receiving
retirement compensation in 1989.

GEORGE JONES

Pensioner
George Jones,
83, died Sept.
19. Brother
Jones joined the
NMU in 1944
in Seattle and
worked in the
steward depart-
ment. Born in

Baton Rouge, La., Brother Jones last
worked aboard the Shirley Lykes. He
went on pension in 1974.

JAMES MOON

Pensioner
James Moon,
81, died Oct.
16. Brother
Moon launched
his NMU career
in 1957. His
first ship was
the Annapolis;
his last was the

Mariner. Brother Moon, who was
born in Houston, went on pension in
1974.

JOSE QUINTERO

Pensioner Jose
Quintero, 83,
passed away
Sept. 26.
Brother
Quintero joined
the NMU in
1945. He ini-
tially went to
sea on the Lake

Charles Victory in the steward
department. Brother Quintero’s last

Continued on page 20

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 11:43 PM Page 18



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 19

(Seabulk
Tankers), Sept. 24—Chairman
Mario R. Romero, Secretary Luis
A. Escobar, Educational Director
James L. MacDaniel, Engine
Delegate Bryan T. Fletcher,
Steward Delegate Robert J.
Johnson. Chairman announced
payoff Sept. 26 in Long Beach,
Calif. Secretary informed crew that
contributing to SPAD is the best
way to keep our union and mar-
itime interests afloat. Educational
director encouraged members to
upgrade at Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Education
in Piney Point, Md. He also
advised them to start z-card renew-
al process early. No beefs or dis-
puted OT reported. Vote of thanks
given to steward department for
excellent meals. Next port:
Houston.

(USSM), Sept. 17—
Chairman Joseph J. Caruso,
Secretary Randy A. Stephens,
Educational Director Dimarko L.
Shoulders, Engine Delegate
Charles H. Kennedy, Steward
Delegate Carlos E. Suazo. Chair-
man updated members on status of
new washers and dryer for crew
laundry on 03 level. He recognized
Dayman Amat for completing his
months of service on vessel.
Secretary reported applications
available for unlicensed crew
members. Educational director
encouraged crew to keep all docu-
ments current and to upgrade skills
at Paul Hall Center. Members
reminded to vote in upcoming
union elections and get absentee
ballots if at sea during that time
period. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Chairman thanked all
departments for job well done.
Next port: Houston.

(USSM), Sept. 16—
Chairman Robert Pagan Jr.,
Secretary Roger D. Linasan,
Educational Director Robert
Mayer, Deck Delegate Ricardo
M. Ribeiro, Engine Delegate Soo
Ahn, Steward Delegate Abdulla
N. Jinah. Chairman reminded
those getting off ship to make sure
room is clean and leave keys for
next person. Secretary thanked
everyone for excellent trip.
Educational director talked about
opportunities available at Piney
Point for upgrading skills and
income and urged crew to take
advantage of them. Treasurer
reported $382 in ship’s fund. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew asked to separate aerosol
cans from other trash as safety pre-

caution. Next ports: Los Angeles
and Oakland, Calif.

(Maersk Line), Sept. 19—
Chairman Frank L. Thompson,
Secretary Donna M. DeCesare,
Educational Director Michael D.
Murphy, Deck Delegate Bart H.
Bridges, Engine Delegate Jeffrey
E. Roddy, Steward Delegate
Daniel L. Wehr. Chairman report-
ed everything running smoothly.
Secretary asked crew to return per-
ishable items (such as mayonnaise)
to refrigerator after each use.
Educational director talked about
national elections and asked every-
one to vote with their conscience.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Inquiry made about progress of
installing ship’s antenna. Crew
was advised it was being worked
on. Recommendation made to
reduce retirement age, increase
pension benefit and reduce sea
time requirements for full pension.
Vote of thanks given to steward
department for exceptional food
and salad bar. Next port: Charles-
ton, S.C.

(USS Trans-
port), Sept. 29—Chairman Jeffrey
H. Kass, Educational Director
Earl Olson, Deck Delegate Mark
E. Pesola, Steward Delegate
Elsayed T. Asmasha. Chairman
spoke at length about importance
of SPAD—“our voice in
Congress.” He reminded crew to
keep areas clean, respect others’
work and be quiet in passageways.
He advised them to keep an eye on
their document expiration dates
and to upgrade at Piney Point
whenever possible. Educational
director reported ship’s library
needs more shelves for books and
movies. President’s report from
August Seafarers LOG read and
discussed. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Thanks given to
Steward Jaime Castillo for his
hard work and Steward Amasha
for continuing to bake fresh bis-
cuits, muffins, rolls, breads and
cookies twice a day. Next port:
Long Beach, Calif.

(Osprey
Ship Mgmt), Sept. 27—Chairman
Michael S. Sinclair, Secretary
Lolita A. Sanchez, Educational
Director Mark W. Dumas, Deck
Delegate Bruce E. Howell, Engine
Delegate Joseph A. Yamson,
Steward Delegate Cecil R.
Husted. Chairman thanked stew-
ard department for job well done
and acknowledged hard work
being done in deck and engine
departments. Educational director

advised all members to go to Paul
Hall Center to enhance skills. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Deck delegate reported gangway
phones not working. Engine dele-
gate reported elevator out of ser-
vice and awaiting parts.
President’s report read and a vote
of thanks given to SIU President
Michael Sacco for all he does for
the union. Concerns raised regard-
ing new contract. Repairs or
replacement suggested for lounge
furniture and broken juicers in
both galleys. Ship heading to
Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

(Maersk
Line), Sept. 18—Chairman Luke
F. Wells, Secretary Billy G.
Gigante, Educational Director
George W. Rose, Deck Delegate
Joshua Mazsa, Steward Delegate
Ali S. Hydera. Chairman
announced payoff Sept. 19 in
Newark, N.J. He thanked crew for
safe and enjoyable trip and
reminded everyone to keep all
documents up to date and to vote
in national and union elections. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew informed ship will stop in
Italy this voyage, which would add
3 days to trip.

(USSM), Sept.
17—Chairman Jimmie L. Scheck,
Secretary Charles E. Curley,
Educational Director Richard A.
King, Steward Delegate Joel A.
Molinos. Chairman announced
payoff in Algeciras, Spain and
thanked crew for nice trip with no
problems. Secretary thanked deck
department for helping keep house
clean. Educational director talked
about Piney Point facilities and
courses available there and urged
everyone to take advantage of the
educational benefit. Treasurer stat-
ed $240 in ship’s fund. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Request
made to start getting movies.

(Seabulk
Tankers), Sept. 26—Chairman
Bradley L. Seibel, Secretary
Steven R. Wagner, Educational
Director Candido Molina, Deck
Delegate James M. Moore,
Engine Delegate Alberto
Gutierrez, Steward Delegate
Samuel S. Johnson. Chairman
announced payoff Sept. 28 in Lake
Charles, La. He reported that U.S.
Coast Guard inspection will take
place while in port and reminded
crew that gangway watches must
make sure all visitors are signed
in. Educational director stressed
importance of upgrading at Paul
Hall Center. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Suggestion made to
lower age requirement for special
early normal pension. Discussion
held on health care benefits for
retirees and spouses. Vote of
thanks given to steward depart-
ment for job well done. Next ports:
Lake Charles; Tampa, Fla.

(Waterman
Steamship), Oct. 10—Chairman
Mark S. Downey, Secretary
Ekow Doffoh, Educational
Director Melvin L. Kerns, Deck
Delegate Shane L. Mackey,
Steward Delegate Alaa A.
Embaby. Chairman announced
U.S. Coast Guard inspection Oct.
11; all members should be present.
Secretary thanked crew for won-
derful trip and smooth sailing.
Educational director advised mem-
bers to continue to upgrade skills
at Piney Point and contribute to
SPAD for strong and efficient
union. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Coaxial cable to be pur-
chased and installed for better TV
reception. Bosun praised steward
department for wonderful job and
good food. Next port: New
Orleans, La.

(Marine Transport), Oct. 3—Chair-
man Richard Wilson, Secretary

Dadang B. Rashidi, Educational
Director Robinson A. Valenzuela,
Deck Delegate Caesar N. Smith
Jr., Steward Delegate Santiago
Amaya. Secretary requested TV
for crew mess hall and thanked
crew members for smooth trip. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Educational director discussed
coordinating upgrading courses
with vacation time.

(USSM), Oct. 3—
Chairman Gerry A. Gianan,
Secretary Jesse B. Natividad,
Educational Director Tesfaye
Gebregziabher, Deck Delegate
Carlos R. Bonilla, Engine
Delegate Wade T. Rudolph,

Steward Delegate Thurman C.
Johnson. Chairman announced
payoff Oct. 4 upon arrival in Los
Angeles, Calif. He thanked crew
for keeping plastic items separate
from trash and for helping keep
ship clean. He asked that departing
crew members leave clean linen
for next person. Educational direc-
tor stressed importance of upgrad-
ing skills at Paul Hall Center. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Bosun read president’s report from
LOG pertaining to security and
training drills. Vote of thanks
given to galley gang for excellent
job.

(Horizon
Lines), Oct. 10—Chairman Lance
X. Zollner, Secretary Sherman
W. Anderson, Educational
Director Kevin T. McCagh, Deck
Delegate Geraldine B. Carter,
Engine Delegate George D.
Tidwell, Steward Delegate
Bienvenida C. Badillo. Chairman
announced payoff Oct. 16 in
Tacoma, Wash. Crew discussed
importance of safety. Treasurer
stated $1,402 in ship’s fund, to be
used to purchase 3 refrigerators in
Tacoma. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. President’s report from
LOG posted on bulletin board.
Suggestion made regarding addi-
tional vacation pay.

(USSM), Oct. 10—
Chairman Stephen R. Kastel,
Secretary James D. Morgan,
Educational Director Christopher
L. Earhart, Steward Delegate
Mostafa Loumrhari. Chairman
announced payoff Oct. 12 in Los
Angeles. He thanked riding gang
and deck department for keeping
ship looking good. Educational
director advised Seafarers to check
all documents for expiration dates
and allow ample time for renewal
process. He also encouraged them
to upgrade skills whenever possi-
ble at Paul Hall Center. No beefs
or disputed OT reported.
Announcement made that new
washer has been installed and that
port agent would bring absentee
ballot instructions on board for
those needing them. Crew wished
good luck to those getting off.

(Ocean Ships), Oct. 3—Chairman
Bernardino R. Eda, Secretary
James E. Lewis, Educational
Director George H. Bixby Sr.,
Engine Delegate James R.
Summers, Steward Delegate
Darryl K. Goggins. Secretary
reported crew needs new TV as
well as receipt of DVS and VHS
tapes. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Suggestions made per-
taining to overtime and pension
plan. Next port: Key West, Fla.

(Pronav), Oct. 10—
Chairman Jack J. Cooper,
Secretary John A. Palughi,
Educational Director Endang

Abidin. Chairman led discussion
on shipping with Pronav. Secretary
requested clarification regarding
severance pay, crew e-mail, ship-
ping rules and vacation. Treasurer
stated $548 in ship’s fund with
$500 more due from company for
safe third quarter. No beefs or dis-
puted OT reported.
Recommendation made to increase
pension benefits.

(Maersk
Line), Oct. 3—Chairman Carlos
M. Soto, Secretary Hugh E.
Wildermuth, Educational Director
Randy D. Clark, Deck Delegate
Lenard Ilagan, Engine Delegate
Sjamsidar Madjidji, Steward
Delegate Radfan A. Almaklani.
Chairman reported ship diverted to
nearest port (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
during trip for sick crewman.
Secretary thanked crew for helping
keep ship safe and clean.
Educational director advised mem-
bers to allow at least six months
for renewal of MMDs. Treasurer
stated $1,200 in ship’s fund, after
purchasing $368 of DVDs for
video library. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Thanks were given to
steward department for job well
done. Next port: Newark, N.J.

(Sulphur Carriers), Oct. 3—
Chairman Thames H. Solomon,
Secretary Nee Tran, Educational
Director Antenor O. Linares,
Deck Delegate Tibby L. Clotter.
Secretary thanked crew for helping
keep crew mess and TV lounge
neat, with special thanks to chief
cook for keeping galley clean and
organized. Educational director
recommended all members
enhance skills in Piney Point. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
President’s report from September
Seafarers LOG read and discussed.
Requests made for satellite TV,
additional washer in crew laundry
room and refrigerators in all
rooms. Suggestions made to pro-
vide better medical, dental and
pension plans. Vote of thanks
given to steward department for
job well done. Next ports: Tampa,
Fla.; Galveston, Texas.

Digest of Shipboard
Union Meetings

Crew members give the “thumbs up” sign for a great trip and
thank Chris Kicey (third from right) for all he has done as bosun
on the Overseas New York. Kicey will be leaving the ship to join
the crew of the Tonsina.

Bosun Chris
Kicey (reading
the Seafarers
LOG), Steward
Nancy Heyden
and GSU Rene
Caballero wait
for the start of
the union meet-
ing on board
the Overseas
New York.

25834_P3.5.6.10.15.19.24.qxd 11/24/2004 1:35 AM Page 19



20 Seafarers LOG December 2004

FINANCIAL REPORTS. The
Constitution of the SIU Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters
District/NMU makes specific provi-
sion for safeguarding the member-
ship’s money and union finances. The
constitution requires a detailed audit
by certified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to the
membership by the secretary-treasur-
er. A yearly finance committee of
rank-and-file members, elected by
the membership, each year examines
the finances of the union and reports
fully their findings and recommenda-
tions. Members of this committee
may make dissenting reports, specific
recommendations and separate find-
ings.

TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of
the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District/NMU are
administered in accordance with the
provisions of various trust fund
agreements. All these agreements
specify that the trustees in charge of
these funds shall equally consist of
union and management representa-
tives and their alternates. All expendi-
tures and disbursements of trust funds
are made only upon approval by a
majority of the trustees. All trust fund
financial records are available at the
headquarters of the various trust
funds.

SHIPPING RIGHTS. A member’s
shipping rights and seniority are pro-
tected exclusively by contracts
between the union and the employers.
Members should get to know their
shipping rights. Copies of these con-
tracts are posted and available in all
union halls. If members believe there
have been violations of their shipping
or seniority rights as contained in the
contracts between the union and the
employers, they should notify the
Seafarers Appeals Board by certified
mail, return receipt requested. The
proper address for this is:

Augustin Tellez, Chairman
Seafarers Appeals Board

5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746

Full copies of contracts as referred
to are available to members at all
times, either by writing directly to the
union or to the Seafarers Appeals
Board.

CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU
contracts are available in all SIU
halls. These contracts specify the
wages and conditions under which an
SIU member works and lives aboard
a ship or boat. Members should know
their contract rights, as well as their
obligations, such as filing for over-
time (OT) on the proper sheets and in
the proper manner. If, at any time, a
member believes that an SIU patrol-
man or other union official fails to
protect their contractual rights prop-
erly, he or she should contact the
nearest SIU port agent.

EDITORIAL POLICY — THE

SEAFARERS LOG. The Seafarers
LOG traditionally has refrained from
publishing any article serving the
political purposes of any individual in
the union, officer or member. It also
has refrained from publishing articles
deemed harmful to the union or its
collective membership. This estab-
lished policy has been reaffirmed by
membership action at the September
1960 meetings in all constitutional
ports. The responsibility for Sea-
farers LOG policy is vested in an edi-
torial board which consists of the
executive board of the union. The
executive board may delegate, from
among its ranks, one individual to
carry out this responsibility.

PAYMENT OF MONIES. No
monies are to be paid to anyone in

any official capacity in the SIU unless
an official union receipt is given for
same. Under no circumstances should
any member pay any money for any
reason unless he is given such receipt.
In the event anyone attempts to
require any such payment be made
without supplying a receipt, or if a
member is required to make a pay-
ment and is given an official receipt,
but feels that he or she should not
have been required to make such pay-
ment, this should immediately be
reported to union headquarters.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

AND OBLIGATIONS. Copies of
the SIU Constitution are available in
all union halls. All members should
obtain copies of this constitution so
as to familiarize themselves with its
contents. Any time a member feels
any other member or officer is
attempting to deprive him or her of
any constitutional right or obligation
by any methods, such as dealing with
charges, trials, etc., as well as all
other details, the member so affected
should immediately notify headquar-
ters.

EQUAL RIGHTS. All members
are guaranteed equal rights in
employment and as members of the
SIU. These rights are clearly set forth
in the SIU Constitution and in the
contracts which the union has negoti-
ated with the employers. Conse-
quently, no member may be discrimi-
nated against because of race, creed,
color, sex, national or geographic ori-
gin.

If any member feels that he or she is
denied the equal rights to which he or
she is entitled, the member should
notify union headquarters.

SEAFARERS POLITICAL

ACTIVITY DONATION — SPAD.
SPAD is a separate segregated fund.
Its proceeds are used to further its
objects and purposes including, but
not limited to, furthering the political,
social and economic interests of mar-
itime workers, the preservation and
furthering of the American merchant
marine with improved employment
opportunities for seamen and boat-
men and the advancement of trade
union concepts. In connection with
such objects, SPAD supports and
contributes to political candidates for
elective office. All contributions are
voluntary. No contribution may be
solicited or received because of force,
job discrimination, financial reprisal,
or threat of such conduct, or as a con-
dition of membership in the union or
of employment. If a contribution is
made by reason of the above improp-
er conduct, the member should notify
the Seafarers International Union or
SPAD by certified mail within 30
days of the contribution for investiga-
tion and appropriate action and
refund, if involuntary. A member
should support SPAD to protect and
further his or her economic, political
and social interests, and American
trade union concepts.

NOTIFYING THE UNION—If at
any time a member feels that any of
the above rights have been violated,
or that he or she has been denied the
constitutional right of access to union
records or information, the member
should immediately notify SIU
President Michael Sacco at headquar-
ters by certified mail, return receipt
requested. The address is:

Michael Sacco, President

Seafarers International Union

5201 Auth Way

Camp Springs, MD 20746.

Know Your Rights

HOME ADDRESS FORM
(Please Print)

Name: ___________________________________________________________________

Phone No.: ________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Social Security No.: ________ / ________ / ________ Book No.: ________________

� Active SIU � Pensioner � Other ____________________________________

This will be my permanent address for all official union mailings.
This address should remain in the union file unless otherwise changed by me personally.

In order to help ensure that each active SIU
member and pensioner receives a copy of the
Seafarers LOG every month—as well as other
important mail such as W-2 forms, pension and
health insurance checks and bulletins or notices—a
correct home address must be on file with the union.

If you have moved recently or feel that you are
not getting your union mail, please use the form on
this page to update your home address.

Your home address is your permanent address,
and this is where all official union documents will

be mailed (unless otherwise specified).
If you are getting more than one copy of the LOG

delivered to you, if you have changed your address,
or if your name or address is misprinted or incom-
plete, please fill out the form and send it to:

Seafarers International Union
Address Correction Dept.
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746

or e-mail corrections to kclements@seafarers.org

12/04

(Editor’s note: The Seafarers LOG
reserves the right to edit letters for
grammar as well as space provi-
sions without changing the writer’s
intent. The LOG welcomes letters
from members, pensioners, their
families and shipmates and will
publish them on a timely basis.)

MM

To those who knew Maj. Ken
Conklin, on Sept. 21, 2004 my
father passed on to his “new duty
station.” For those of you who
were touched by his life, I hope
you remember him like the
Marine Corps mascot: the bull-
dog! A big bark, but once you
knew him, no bite and very loyal.

Our family mourns at his pass-
ing, but we rejoice to all that he
touched in a positive way.

Thank you and love to all.
“Semper Fi.”

Kevin Conklin

Aboard ship

Editor’s note: Kevin Conklin
is an active SIU member. Ken
Conklin founded the trainee pro-
gram at the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Educa-
tion. His obituary was published
in last month’s LOG and also is
available at www.seafarers.org

HH

ii WW

Our president proclaimed
Maritime Day May 22….

The U.S. Merchant Marine
was the only all-volunteer service

in World War II. Our record
shows 866 ships lost from enemy
action, 31 ships disappeared
without a trace, and one of every
29 men killed from enemy action.

The Battle of the Atlantic was
won with heavy losses by our
U.S. Merchant Marine, keeping
England and Russia supplied
with arms, giving us time to build
up our armed forces. In 1942, 400
U.S. merchant ships were sunk
on the Eastern seaboard by
German submarines. Our life at
sea then was we slept with our
clothes on and one eye open,
holding our lifejackets.

If our merchant marine had
failed in the Battle of the Atlantic,
our congress now would speak
German. Our merchant marine

never defaulted.
We now have only a small

group of survivors living in
Pennsylvania, but we’re still
waiting for our World War II
$500 state bonus.

Peter Salvo

Clarion, Pa.

OO

TT

I would like our union broth-
ers and sisters worldwide to
know about turmeric, a curry
spice that has killed cancer cells
in laboratory tests.

I use it regularly and I’m con-
vinced it helped my mother live
to 102 years, cancer-free.

I retired from the NMU in
August 1967 after sailing AB/
bosun.

Please let everybody know
about the power of turmeric.

Brother Marie C. Durand

Lydia, La.

Letters to the Editor

Maj. Ken Conklin

voyage was aboard the Thompson
Lykes. He was born in Puerto Rico
and began collecting his pension in
1985.

JAMES WESTBERRY

Pensioner
James West-
berry, 95, died
Oct. 15.
Brother West-
berry joined the
NMU in 1937,
first sailing
from New
York. Born in

Georgia, his last voyage was on
board the American Resolute.
Brother Westberry started receiving
his retirement stipends in 1968.

EVERETT WILLIAMS

Pensioner
Everett
Williams, 88,
passed away
Sept. 9. Brother
Williams began
his seafaring
career in 1949,
initially ship-
ping aboard the

Chiriqui. Born in New Orleans, he
began receiving compensation for
his retirement in 1970.

DHOYEN WOO

Pensioner
Dhoyen Woo,
77, died Oct. 7.
Brother
Dhoyen, who
was born in
Hawaii, became
a member of
the NMU in
1947. He origi-

nally sailed on the Santa Paula.
Prior to retiring in 1993, Brother
Dhoyen worked aboard the Leslie
Lykes.

HAZEL ZUCKERMAN

Pensioner
Hazel Zucker-
man, 94, passed
away Oct. 7.
Sister Zucker-
man joined the
ranks of the
NMU in New
York, first sail-
ing on the

Argentina in the steward depart-
ment. She was one of the first
women to work on American
freighters. Sister Zuckerman’s final
voyage was aboard the Texaco
Connecticut. She went on pension in
1976.

In addition to the foregoing individu-
als, a number of other NMU brothers
and sisters, all of whom were pen-
sioners, passed away. They will be
listed in next month’s Seafarers LOG.

Final Departures
Continued from page 18

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 2:03 AM Page 20



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 21

SEAFARERS PAUL HALL CENTER
UPGRADING COURSE SCHEDULE

The following is the schedule of courses at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime

Training and Education in Piney Point, Md. for the first two months of 2005. All

programs are geared to improve the job skills of Seafarers and to promote the

American maritime industry.

Please note that this schedule may change to reflect the needs of the mem-

bership, the maritime industry and—in times of conflict—the nation’s security.

Students attending any of these classes should check in the Saturday before

their course’s start date. The courses listed here will begin promptly on the

morning of the start dates. For classes ending on a Friday, departure reserva-

tions should be made for Saturday.

Seafarers who have any questions regarding the upgrading courses offered at

the Paul Hall Center may call the admissions office at (301) 994-0010.

Deck Upgrading Courses
Start Date of

Course Date Completion

Able Seaman January 24 February 18

Lifeboatman/Water Survival January 10 January 21

Radar January 31 February 11

Specially Trained Ordinary Seaman February 14 February 25

(STOS) (Phase III training)

Steward Upgrading Courses

Galley Operations/Advanced Galley Operations modules start every week.

Certified Chief Cook/Chief Steward classes start every other week, most

recently beginning Nov. 29, 2004.

Engine Upgrading Courses
Start Date of

Course Date Completion

FOWT January 10 March 4

QMED - Jr. Engineer January 10 April 1

Welding January 17 February 4

Safety Specialty Courses

Start Date of

Course Date Completion

Government Vessels January 24 January 28

(Phase III training)

Tankerman Familiarization/ February 14 February 25

Assistant Cargo (DL)*

(*must have basic fire fighting)

Tankerman (PIC) Barge* January 24 January 28

(*must have basic fire fighting)

Academic Department Courses
General education and college courses are available as needed. In addi-

tion, basic vocational support program courses are offered throughout

the year, one week prior to the AB, QMED Junior Engineer, FOWT,

Third Mate, Tanker Assistant and Water Survival courses. An introduc-

tion to computers course will be self-study.

UPGRADING APPLICATION
Name ________________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Telephone _________________________ Date of Birth ______________________

Deep Sea Member � Lakes Member � Inland Waters Member �

If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not be

processed.

Social Security # ______________________ Book # _________________________

Seniority _____________________________ Department _____________________

U.S. Citizen: Yes � No � Home Port _____________________________

Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held _____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? � Yes � No

If yes, class # __________________________________________________________

Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? � Yes � No

If yes, course(s) taken ___________________________________________________

Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement?

� Yes � No Firefighting: � Yes � No CPR: � Yes � No

Primary language spoken ________________________________________________

With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty
(120) days seatime for the previous year, one day in the last six months prior to the date
your class starts, USMMD (z-card) front and back, front page of your union book indi-
cating your department and seniority, and qualifying seatime for the course if it is
Coast Guard tested. All OL, AB and JE applicants must submit a U.S. Coast Guard fee of
$140 with their application. The payment should be made with a money order only, payable to
LMSS.

BEGIN END
COURSE DATE DATE

____________________________ _______________ _______________

____________________________ _______________ _______________

____________________________ _______________ _______________

____________________________ _______________ _______________

____________________________ _______________ _______________

____________________________ _______________ _______________

LAST VESSEL: _____________________________________ Rating: ___________

Date On: ___________________________ Date Off: ________________________

SIGNATURE __________________________________ DATE ________________

NOTE: Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you
present original receipts and successfully complete the course. If you have any ques-
tions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point.

RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION TO: Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education,

Admissions Office, P.O. Box 75, Piney Point, MD 20674-0075; or fax to (301) 994-2189.

. . . at the Paul Hall Center

Upgrade . . .

The January edition of the Seafarers LOG will

contain a complete guide of all the upgrading

courses available to Seafarers in the year 2005.

Any student who has registered for a class and

finds—for whatever reason—that he or she cannot

attend, please inform the admissions department so that

another student may take that place.

The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and
Education is a private, non-profit, equal opportunity institution and admits students, who are otherwise qual-
ified, of any race, nationality or sex. The school complies with applicable laws with regard to admission,
access or treatment of students in its programs or activities. 12/04

�

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/23/2004 11:51 PM Page 21



22 Seafarers LOG December 2004

P a u l H a l l C e n t e r C l a s s e s

Unlicensed Apprentice Water Survival Class 655 — Graduating from the water survival
class are unlicensed apprentices from class 655 (in alphabetical order) Saif Ali, Richard Avila, Thia-
Caron Banks, Audania Bomar, Kevin Craigie, Timothy Cullen, Barney George, Lionel Hall, Mark
Keblis, Joshua Lampke, Frank Lewis, Samantha Murphy, Richard Murray II, Robert Oliveto, Hector
Ortiz, Javier Ortiz, Miles Partridge, Brian Peters, Jerome Prince, Wayne Reed, Perry Schroff,
Steben Torres, Teresa Ward, Evan Werner, Kenneth Williams and William Wilson. Their comman-
dant, Tom Gilliland, is at far right.

Able Seaman— Receiving certificates for completion of the AB class
ending Oct. 22 are (in alphabetical order) Michael Copple, Joseph Dupre,
Bradley Flowers, Raymond Hotchkiss, Joshua Kirk, Kevin Koch, Tina Lester,
Donivan McCants, Michael Merrell, Willie Myrick, George Peters, Steven
Richards, Oscar Swangin and Michael Widmark.

Culinary Training — NCL America training includes working in the
galley. Pictured here are cooks (back row, from left) Edgardo Manahan,
Jerrick Guerrero, Francisco Valdez, Andy Gutierrez, Jake Palacios, Willy
Duenas, (front row) Rommel Valdez, Antonio Archibald, Natalie Grimalde,
Julian Perez and Edgar Malaga.

Welding —
Graduation certifi-
cates for completion
of the welding course
were given Oct. 22 to
(in alphabetical order)
Richard Brown,
Lester Harris, Valerii
Lazarov, William
McLaughlin, Richard
Schlumm, Elaine
Watts and Loren
Wolfe. (Note: not all
are pictured). Their
instructor, Buzzy
Andrews, is third from
right.

Left: Instructor Rick Prucha also
congratulated steward depart-
ment members Julio Marcone
and Loicy Jones for their accom-
plishments in the computer lab.

Right: Other recent graduates of
computer classes are (seated

from left) Velicia Williams,
Andres Cruz, William Zobel,

(standing) Prucha, Bruce
Placido, Bruce Zarobell and

Ryan Burrows.

Left: Showing off their certificates of
achievement for completion of several
computer programs are (seated from
left) Rasaura Carson, Val Custis (stand-
ing) Rudy Harjanto, Instructor Rick
Prucha and Steven Kuithe.

Right: Dante Dizon (seated left)
and Ed Cherry display their certifi-

cates while their instructor, Rick
Prucha, looks on.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 12:38 AM Page 22



December 2004 Seafarers LOG 23

P a u l H a l l C e n t e r C l a s s e s

Lifeboatman/Water Survival — Oct. 22 graduates of the lifeboat-
man/water survival class include NCL crew members (front row, from left)
Katharine Staskauskas, Ashley Shepherd, Susan Mason, (second row) Patrick
Kelley, Antonio Dayrit, Johnathan Partridge, Ralph Johns Jr., Natalie Lopez and
Armenio Prangan.

Lifeboatman/Water Survival — Earning their lifeboatman/water survival endorsements
Oct. 22 are NCL crew members (standing, from left) Mark Pollak, Benjamin Delrosario, Richard
Champion, Lehneer Capenia, (seated) Jonathan Ramirez, Angel Martinez, Delvin Tyree, Tomas
Ramirez, Shannon Athow, Sharon Ross, Henry Gamponia, Yen Dunton, Javier Sterling, Dennis
Neptune, James Reed, Rebekah Torkelson and Laurencio Roco.

Tankerman (PIC) Barge — With instructor Herb Walling (far left) are Oct.
8 graduates of the tankerman (PIC) barge course. From the left are Walling, Craig
Hammer, James Kasha, Kirk Pegan, Richard Slater, Karl Mayhew, Douglas
Carson and Walter Malia.

Lifeboatman/
Water
Survival —
With instructor
Tony Sevilla
(standing right)
are graduates
(clockwise from
left front) Tara
Chand, David
Lassiter, Nicole
Arevalo, David
Moore,
Christopher Halk,
Gde Fedora,
Brittany Lewis,
Alfredo Benitez,
Devon Reed and
Becky Cahal.

Specially Trained OS — Receiving their STOS certificates of completion Oct. 15 from
instructor Tony Sevilla (second from left) are (in no particular order) Alexander Matthew,
Vasile Daogaru, Steven Kuithe, Robert Cullifer, Brian Robison, Robert Starr, Josh Wilson,

John Villarta, Phillip Stephens, Ryan Burrows, Rudy Jarjanto, Val Custis
and David Morales.

Basic Auxiliary Plant Operations — Completing this course Oct. 15 are
(in no specific order) Kenneth Casteel, Brian Goodman, Sajid Foster, Jamal Ricks,
Harry Smith, Ernie Smith, Daniel Gaffney, Annie Waker, Emma Porter, Greg ory
LaRiviere, William Brinson, John Tullier, Kyle Pillsworth, Sigfrid Mayer, David Kelch,
George Jenkins and Paul Gomez. (Note: not all are pictured.) Their instructor, John
Cronan, is at far left.

Basic Safety Training Classes

STCW — Oct. 22: Murray Carter, Andreas Daneville, Jeremy Daniuk, Cody Espaniola, Jesse
Fowler, Henry Gamponia, Ryan Harris, Bret Marks, Malachi Rayfield, Christopher Sherlock, Stacey
Shipman, Donald Simpson, Terence Snell, Jean Stewart, Sarah Tanner, William Turner and Bergan
Wieler.

Small Arms — Oct. 22 was graduation day for those in the small arms training class. They
are (in alphabetical order) Carlo Balajadia, Zsuzsanna Balla, Laura Edwards, Daniel Fields,
Paula Gomez, Shantay Joquin, David Kelch, Sigfrid Mayer, Lonnie Myers, Jonathan Nielsen,
Jamal Ricks, Douglas Shores and Joshua Wilson. Their instructor, Robbie Springer, is at far
left.

25834_P1.7-9.11-14.16-18.20-23.qxd 11/24/2004 1:03 AM Page 23



AA
Seafarers Money Purchase Pension Plan

and
Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan

— Page 14 —

The ABCs of FOCs

i
The International Transport

Workers’ Federation (ITF)—
through its affiliated seafarers and
dockers unions (including the
SIU)—for some 50 years has
waged a vigorous campaign
against shipowners who abandon
the flags of their own countries to
engage in runaway flag or so-
called flag-of-convenience ship-
ping.

Those who resort to such prac-
tices—flying flags of convenience
(FOCs)—often do so purely for
economic considerations and have
little or no regard for the mariners
who work aboard their vessels.
An FOC ship is one that flies the
flag of a country other than the
country of its ownership. FOCs
provide a means of avoiding labor
regulations in their countries of
ownership, and become vehicles
for paying low wages and forcing
long hours of work and unsafe

working conditions.
Since FOC ships have no real

nationality, they are beyond the
reach of any single national sea-
farers’ trade union. The ITF, how-
ever, is unique in this regard
because it has a powerful influ-
ence on the wages as well as
working conditions of seafarers
who work on these vessels.

The history of flags of conve-
nience dates back centuries, but it
was not until after World War II
that the desire and need to be
competitive in the world shipping
markets gave rise to the growth in
the use of such flags. The growth
in open registry almost doubled
over the years following World
War II and today accounts for
more than 54 percent of world
shipping. Therefore, the ITF has
taken on the international role that
traditionally is exercised by
national trade unions: to organize

and negotiate on behalf of FOC
crews.

In defining an FOC, the ITF
takes as its most decisive factor
whether or not the nationality of
the shipowner is the same as the
nationality of the flag the vessel
flies. In 1974 the ITF stated the
following about FOCs: “Where
beneficial ownership and control
of a vessel is found to lie else-
where than in the country of the
flag the vessel is flying, the vessel
is considered as sailing under a
flag of convenience.”

The ITF campaign against
flags of convenience, which for-
mally was launched at the 1948
World Congress in Oslo, Norway,
has two elements:

� A political campaign
designed to establish a genuine
link between the flag a ship flies
and the nationality or residence of
its owners, managers and seafar-
ers by international governmental
agreement; and

� An industrial campaign de-
signed to ensure that seafarers
who serve on flag of convenience
ships, whatever their nationality,
are protected from exploitation by
ship owners.

Although the political cam-
paign to date has not succeeded in
preventing growth in ships using
FOC registers, the industrial cam-
paign has been successful in
enforcing decent minimum wages
and conditions on board nearly
5,000 FOC ships. In addition, the
ITF has become the standard-
bearer for exploited and mistreat-
ed seafarers throughout the world,
regardless of nationality or trade
union membership.

During the past 50 years, the
ITF’s maritime affiliates have

developed a set of policies which
seek to establish minimum
acceptable standards applicable to
mariners serving on FOC vessels.
The policies form the basis of an
ITF Standard Collective Agree-
ment which sets the wages and
working conditions for all crews
on FOC vessels irrespective of
nationality. It is the only agree-
ment normally available to
shipowners who run into industri-
al action.

All FOC vessels covered by an
ITF-acceptable agreement are
issued an “ITF Blue Certificate”
by the ITF Secretariat, which sig-
nifies the ITF’s acceptance of the
wages and working conditions
aboard the FOCs. About a quarter
of all FOC vessels currently are
covered by ITF agreements, thus
providing direct protection to
more than 90,000 seafarers.

Compliance with ITF-recog-
nized agreements is monitored by
a network of more than 100 ITF
inspectors in ports throughout the
world. ITF inspectors are union
officials who either work full or
part time directly with the ITF. By
inspecting FOC ships, they moni-
tor the payment of wages and
other social and employment con-
ditions and, if necessary, take
action to enforce ITF policy. In
recent years the number of inspec-
tors has doubled. They can now
be found in ports in every region
of the world.

The FOC campaign is the joint
responsibility of the Seafarers’

and Dockers’ Sections—SIU
Secretary-Treasurer David Hein-
del is vice chair of the Seafarers’
Section—and it is overseen by the
Fair Practices Committee (FPC).
These bodies since 1952 have
provided the key forum by which
both sections’ representatives
have come together to review the
daily operation and effectiveness
of the campaign. The involvement
of the dockers’ unions, whether
through direct action or coopera-
tion with seafarers’ unions, con-
tinues to be vital to the success of
the campaign.

The goals of the FOC cam-
paign since its inception have
been:

� The elimination of the FOC
system and the establishment of a
regulatory framework for the
shipping industry.

�To attack sub-standard ship-
ping and seek ITF acceptable
standards on all ships irrespective
of flag, using all the political,
industrial and legal means at the
ITF’s disposal.

�To protect and enhance the
conditions of employment of mar-
itime workers and to ensure that
all maritime workers, regardless
of color, nationality, sex, race or
creed, are protected from
exploitation by their employers
and those acting on their behalf.

�To individually strengthen
affiliated unions, in all aspects, so
as to ensure the provision and
delivery of a greater degree of sol-
idarity in the campaign.

Cut-rate registration fees, low or no taxes and
freedom to employ cheap labor typically are the
motivating factors behind a shipowner’s decision to
flag out.

When declaring a register an FOC, the ITF takes
into consideration the degree to which foreign-
owned vessels are registered and fly the country’s
flag. The following additional criteria also are taken
into account:

� The ability and willingness of the flag state to
enforce international minimum social standards on
its vessels, including respect for basic human and
trade union rights, freedom of association and the
right to collective bargaining with bona fide trade
unions.

� The social record as determined by the
degree of ratification and enforcement of ILO
Conventions and Recommendations.

� The safety and environmental record as
revealed by the ratification and enforcement of
IMO Conventions and revealed by port state con-
trol inspections, deficiencies and detentions.

Based on these parameters, the following 28
countries have been declared FOCs by the ITF’s
Fair Practices Committee (a joint committee of ITF
seafarers’ and dockers’ unions), which runs the ITF
campaign against FOCs: Antigua and Barbuda,

Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda (UK),
Bolivia, Burma, Cambodia, Cayman Islands,
Comoros, Cyprus, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka,
German International Ship Register (GIS),
Gibraltar (UK), Honduras, Jamaica, Lebanon,
Liberia, Malta, Marshall Islands (USA), Mauritius,
Mongolia, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Sao
Tome and Príncipe, St Vincent, Tonga and Vanuatu.

In the ITF’s view, a “genuine link” should exist
between a vessel’s real owner and the flag it flies.
This position is in accordance with the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNC-
LOS). No such link exists in the case of FOC reg-
istries listed above.

Some of these registers have poor safety and
training standards, and place no restriction on the
nationality of the crew. Sometimes, because of lan-
guage differences, seafarers can’t communicate
effectively with each other, putting safety and the
efficient operation of the ship at risk.

In many cases these flags are not even run from
the country concerned.

Once a ship is registered under an FOC, many
shipowners then recruit the cheapest labor they can
find, pay minimal wages and cut costs by lowering
standards of living and working conditions for the
crew.

In a well-publicized incident that reaffirmed the danger of runaway
flags, ITF General Secretary David Cockroft bought a first officer’s cer-
tificate (above) and sea book issued by the Republic of Panama in
2001. The documentation cost about $4,000 and authorized him to
navigate a vessel, despite a complete lack of qualifications to hold such
a position.

USCG photo by PA3 Donnie Brzuska

A U.S. Coast Guard boarding team prepares to board a Bahamian-
flagged cargo ship in the Caribbean Sea. The Bahamian flag has been
identified by the ITF as a runaway flag.

ITF Names 28 So-Called Flags of Convenience

ITF inspectors met in Piney Point, Md. earlier this year to map out
strategies advancing the federation’s campaign against runaway-flag
shipping.

Volume 66, Number 12 December 2004

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