Seafarers Log: Vol. 63 No. 10 (2001-10-01)

Volume 63, Number 10 October 2001



President's Report
America Answers

Initially, the terrorist attacks on America last month left our nation
in shock.

How could it happen here? Who would do such
a thing, and why? Is another incident coming?

A scar will remain forever because of what
occurred September 11 , 2001. Yet, a I write this
column two weeks after the attack , the dominant
images from New York, Washington and the entire
nation are snapshots of America' bravery, kind­
ness and resolve.

Michael Sacco All across the country, people showed their
strength and goodness. Right after the explosions

at the World Trade Center and Pentagon, hundreds of emergency
workers-many of them union members-gave their lives while try­
ing to save others.

Almost immediately, citizens from coast to coast went to give
blood, often waiting in line for hours. Monetary donations were
taken up. Children sent notes of support to the rescue personnel.
Construction workers volunteered to aid in the cleanup.

With heavy hearts and plain determination, citizens flew the
American flag.

During innumerable vigils and services, we mourned together and
wept together. We also shared an unmistakable promise to protect our
freedom.

Over and over again, we were reminded of America's greatness.
We were awed by the human spirit. We were bonded in ways that the
nation hadn't felt in more than a half-century.

As a lifelong trade unionist, I feel both proud and humbled by the
labor movement's response to September 11. We have been on the
front lines from the beginning, and that includes Seafarers who fer­
ried victims away from danger in New York and then helped provide
a resting place for rescue workers. My hat is off to all our brothers
and sisters throughout the entire labor federation.

The union response is among the countless acts of kindness and
solidarity that have taken place since the attacks. Though the circum­
stances are horrible, maybe this also will help more people under­
stand that unions and union members are an important part of the
community.

Likewise, our politicians-often the subjects of unfair cynicism­
deserve praise for their leadership following the unprecedented
attacks. President Bush immediately showed his resolve, and his
inspirational address from the Capitol on September 20 set an appro­
priate tone for America's war against terrorism.

Credit also goes to members of Congress, where bipartisanship
has become the rule, reminding us of how much we have in com­
mon. And to New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and other officials
in New York and Washington who have rolled up their sleeves and
tackled the enormous first tasks of a long recovery.

As we look ahead, the Seafarers International Union is ready to do
our part in defending America. SIU members have been part of the
nation's "fourth arm of defense" since our founding in 1938. We
delivered the goods in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian
Gulf War and many other U.S. military and relief operations.

President Bush pointed out that the war against terrorism is a dif­
ferent kind of battle than the United States is used to. He also clearly
stated that it will be a long campaign.

However it plays out, I know the United States and our allies will
be successful.

And I know that Seafarers stand ready to safely, swiftly carry our
troops and cargo and ammunition and whatever else is needed to win
this fight. That is the message on the front page of this issue of the
LOG

America's enemies think that the United States can't maintain our
current unity, but they're dead wrong. In many ways, the entire coun­
try has been turned into one great big support vessel. We're like
those civilian mariners who carried supplies to Murmansk during
World War II or formed the "steel bridge" during Operation Desert
Storm.

The American people, as we've done in all crises, will meet this
challenge. We are one nation, one people, one crew.

God Bless America.

Volume 63, Number 10 October 2001

The SIU on line: www.seafarers.org

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 and at additional offices. POST­
MASTER: Send address changes to the Seafarers WG,
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, Jeanne
Textor.

Copyright© 2001 Seafarers International Union, AGLIWD
All Rights Reserved.

2 Seafarers LOB

How You Can Help
Union members and their families across the

nation are helping in relief efforts following the
Sept. 11 attacks on America.

There are many opportunities to lend aid. Check
the AFL-CIO web site (www.aflcio.org) for more
information. Meanwhile, here are a few potential
starting points:

• To find out how to donate blood in your
community, please call the Red Cross at 1-800-
GIVE-LIFE.

• The New York City Central Labor Council
and the New York State AFL-CIO have established
a Labor Support Center Hotline-1-800-506-0036

Editor's note: As this issue of the Seafarers LOG
went to press, the union received the following letter
from SIU-contracted Osprey Ship Management, Inc.
Seafarers and their families who in any way assist in
the relief efforts are encouraged to contact the LOG
so that their stories may be shared. Our mailing
address appears in the masthead below. Information
also may be sent via email to jbiscardo@seafar­
ers.org, dhirtes@seafarers.org or jguthrie@seafar­
ers.org.

September 26, 2001

Mr. Michael Sacco
President
Seafarers International Union
5201 Au th Way
Camp Springs, MD 207 46

Dear Mike:

I am pleased to bring to your attention the patri­
otism, caring and generosity exhibited by your
crew members aboard our vessels MIV American
Cormorant, MIV LTC Calvin P. Titus, MIV SP5
Eric G Gibson and USNS 1st LT Harry L. Martin.
Following the tragic events of September 11, your

-to assist working families with a variety of
needs. Volunteers also may call (available only to
residents in the New York tri-state area) to find out
where their skills are most needed.

• New York City Central Labor Council
Disaster Fund: Mail checks to NYC Central
Labor Council Disa-;ter Fund, 386 Park Ave.
South, New York, NY 10016. Call 212-685-9552
or visit www.nycclc.org for more information.

• Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia
Disaster Fund: Mail checks to the fund at 1925 K
Street, N.W., Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20006.
In D.C., make checks payable to the Community
Services Agency. Call 202-857-0480 for more
information.

members aboard these vessels participated in a
company-sponsored relief effort which provided,
within 48 hours of the attack on the World Trade
Center, a variety of much-needed supplies (hard
hats, blankets, stretchers, rain gear, boots, respira­
tors, etc.) to the rescue effort in New York City.
Coordinated through our office in Bethesda, our
shipboard and shoreside employees contributed
funds that the company matched to procure and
deliver these supplies when they were needed
most.

Initially, we established a $10,000 target for our
relief fund efforts. The response to our solicitation
of contributions was so overwhelming that we
quickly exceeded that goal. We thus were able also
to forward a considerable check to the American
Red Cross.

The response from our crews to our appeal was
particularly heartening. Men and women through­
out the ranks chose to contribute to the fund. The
tragedy clearly touched all Americans in all walks
of life, and our crews demonstrated the across-the­
board commitment to rebuilding America and reaf­
firming our freedom.

Best regards,
Capt. William B. Gibbs
President

Construction Moves Forward,
Delivery Dates Modified

building industrial base."
More than 1,600 peo­

ple at Northrop Grum­
man's Ingalls Shipyard
are working full-time on
the cruise ship program.
The first ship is one­
third complete. For U.S. Lines' Cruise Ships

Both of the new ves­
sels-as well as the for­
mer Holland America
ship Patriot, which last
December began sailing
under the U.S. flag with
an SIU crew-resulted
from passage of the
U.S.-Flag Cruise Ship
Pilot Project four years
ago. That legislation is
intended to help revital­
ize domestic shipbuild­
ing, create thousands of
American jobs and
increase U.S. tax rev­
enues, among other ben­
efits.

U.S . Lines and
Northrop Grumman on
Sept. 21 announced that
the first of the new
American-flag cruise
ships being built in
Pascagoula, Miss. is
slated for delivery in
2004, while the second
vessel is due in 2005.

According to a joint
release by the compa­
nies, issues have been
settled which "enable
the continued and unin­
terrupted construction of
two 1,900-passenger

cruise ships."
Phil Calian, chief

executive officer of
SIU - contracted
American Classic Voy­
ages (parent company of
U.S. Lines), stated, "We
look forward to having a
state-of-the-art, luxury
cruise ship, built in an
American shipyard, sail­
ing the Hawaiian Islands
in 2004. Despite the cur­
rent challenging eco­
nomic environment,
American Classic be­
lieves that Hawaii is a

fantastic growth oppor­
tunity for the company
as the Hawaiian cruise
market is in its infancy."

Jerry St. Pe, chief
operating officer of
Northrop Grumman's
Ship Systems sector,
said, "This project is not
only important to Nor­
throp Grumman and
American Classic, but it
has far-reaching benefits
for the U.S. economy,
creating thousands of
American jobs and bol­
stering the U.S. ship-

B Die In Texas Accident
As Barges Strike Bridge

Several newspaper accounts
stated that the channel was main­
tained at its proper depth of at
least 14 feet, and that the tug
operator passed a sobriety test.

Repairs to the state's longest
bridge (2.37 miles) likely will
take four months and cost about
$5 million, according to early
estimates. For now, ferries are
running between the island (pop­
ulation 2,000) and the mainland.

Authorities are investigating a
Sept. 15 incident in which a non­
union tugboat pushing four
barges knocked out a large sec­
tion of the Queen Isabella Cause­
way in Port Isabel, Texas. Eight
people died in the accident; their
cars plunged off the 85-foot high
span around 2 a.m. before author­
ities were notified, according to
news reports. Thirteen people
were rescued.

The barges are owned by
American Commercial Lines
LLC, while the tug is owned by
Brown Water Marine Services,
Inc. They knocked out a 160-foot
section of the only road between
South Padre Island (a resort area)

and mainland Texas.
The state's attorney general,

John Comyn, has sued the tug
operator for damages to the
causeway. The suit aims to have
Brown Water Marine declared
"negligent and liable" for the
accident.

The barges were carrying steel
and phosphate to Tennessee.

Please be advised that SIU headquarters and all SIU
hiring halls will be closed Monday, November 12, 2001

for the observance of Veterans' Day and Thursday,

November 22, 2001 for Thanksgiving Day (unless an

emergency arises). Normal business hours will resume

the following workday.

October 2001



Unions Aid in Relief Elf or ts
SIU-Crewed Ferries
Vital to NY Escape;
Hospital Ship Called

Like many other Americans, SIU member Frank
Virginia at first thought it must have been an enormous
accident.

Working as a captain for NY
Waterway passenger ferries,
Virginia saw the first terrorist
plane strike the World Trade
Center on Sept. 11.

"A lot of people in the harbor
saw the first plane and we were
like, 'Wow, look at the idiot that
ran into the twin towers.' We
were looking on in amazement,"
Virginia recalled. "Then when we
saw the second plane, we knew
that's not an accident; it had to be
a terrorist attack."

For the next 13 hours, dozens
of Seafarers aboard 18 NY
Waterway vessels evacuated
upwards of 158,000 people from
Manhattan. A few of the boats
operated long past midnight, pro­
viding help for emergency crews.
Several SIU members rescued
individuals who had fallen from
piers into the water, probably due
to extremely poor visibility.

On a normal work day, SIU
captains and deckhands aboard
NY Waterway boats transport
approximately 32,000-35,000
commuters, covering 10 routes
between New York and New
Jersey. Many of the boats operate
within a mile of the World Trade
Center.

"Our crews are, without a
doubt, the most flexible and
responsible people that anybody
could have working for them,"
said NY Waterway Operations
Manager Michael McPhillips,
formerly an SIU deep-sea divi­
sion member. "No matter what
went on, these guys adapted to
every situation, just as the whole
maritime industry did. We carried
a lot of the injured, including fire
fighters and policemen, and burn
victims. It was unbelievable."

Later that week, members of
the SIU's Government Services
Division assisted in the relief
efforts when the U.S. Navy acti­
vated the hospital ship USNS
Com/ ort and assigned it to New
York. The vessel, normally kept
in reduced operating status in
Baltimore, is designed to provide
emergency care for U.S. combat
forces.

In addition to transporting
medical and non-medical support
personnel to the disaster scene,
the Comfort carried more than

400 pallets of medical and surgi­
cal supplies, pharmaceuticals and
food. Rescue workers, particular­
ly those from out of town, were
using the 894-foot ship for lodg­
ing.

'I Can Do My Job'
When the second plane hit, the

ferry captains instinctively steered
toward the south-toward the
wreckage.

Aboard the LaGuardia,
Deckhand Richard Barnett
remembered the bombings of
Feb. 1993 and the severe storms
earlier that winter. Both were
occasions when local subway,
train and bus service suffered
major disruptions, leading to
unexpected surges in ferry use.

"We've handled large crowds
before, but of course those situa­
tions weren ' t as severe," said
Barnett. On Sept. 11, "the cap­
tains and the management of the
company worked out the details,
and everything went smoothly.
We were taking as many people
as the boats would allow (about
400 per vessel)."

He added that the initial pas­
sengers "were quite upset.
Everybody was in shock. We
reassured them that we would not
overload the boat.... My crew,
we've all been working here a
number of years. We knew quite a
few people, just as acquaintances,
who rode the boat every day who
we'll probably never see again."

Capt. Adam Sciaino said the
crews used radios not only for
planning, but also to encourage
each other during the surreal
moments after the attacks.

"That's how a majority of us
dealt with it," he noted.

Sciaino also pointed out an
interesting aspect of the NY
Waterway crews' situation. The
circumstances were awful, but the
mariners at least had an immedi­
ate opportunity to help their fel­
low citizens at a time when many
Americans felt powerless.

"It made you feel good, like
you were there for a reason. You
were helping them," he said.
"The passengers on the boats
were very relieved. They just
wanted to get away. As we
backed away (from the dock),

AP Photo/The United States Navy, Chief Photographer's Mate Philomena Gorenflo

October 2001

Above: Commuter ferries (like the
one these people are riding) were
vital not only for the evacuation,
but also for returning people to
work the following week, when
other options such as train and
bus service remained unavailable.

there was a lot of cheering- and
of course there was crying, too ....
As they were leaving the boat,
they would say, 'God bless you,
thank you for taking us."'

That desire for usefulness con­
tinued, Sciaino said. "I was a
wreck for two days. But I said, 'I
can do my job, I can run my boat.
I've got to be professional."'

Horror, Relief
Deckhand Eric Hablitz said

that, all things considered, pas­
sengers "were pretty calm,
believe it or not. Nobody was try­
ing to rush the boats. They just
wanted to get to the Jersey side. A
lot of people were talking on cell
phones, reassuring the people on
the other end of the line. I think
they were more at ease, knowing
they were on their way."

Passengers and crews alike got
another jolt, however, when cell­
phone calls yielded reports of the
terrorist attack in Washington,
D.C. and the downed plane in
Pennsylvania.

"People at home were telling
passengers about the news
reports, and that's how we found
out about the Pentagon," Hablitz
said.

Captain Vincent Lucante
noticed a similar commonality
among passengers. "They were in
a rush, but other than that, it was
pretty uniform," he said. ''There
was no pushing or fighting. I
think we were moving them so
fast, there wasn't really any
panic. They knew they were get­
ting off the island."

The need for rapid action also
helped crews cope. "We just
reacted. 'Go in and get them
out,"' Lucante said. "You gotta
do what you gotta do, and that's
our job. The company and the
Coast Guard were in communica­
tion, keeping all the people flow­
ing where they had to go. We
were so busy, you didn't think
about it too much."

Continued on page 11

AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett

AP Photo/Roberto Borea

Crewed by members of the SIU's Government Services Division, the
USNS Comfort (above and in photo at bottom left on this page) trans­
ported supplies as well as medical and non-medical support personnel
to the disaster scene in New York. Once there, the vessel served as a
place of respite for rescue workers, many of whom traveled from other
states to assist.

Seafarers Primed
For Mobilization

Although the exact nature of
America's military response to
the tragic attacks of Sept. 11
remained undisclosed as this
issue of the Seafarers LOG went
to press, SIU members from coast
to coast are eager to help, accord­
ing to port officials. Seafarers are
staying in close contact with the
union halls, both in person and by
phone, as they await word of pos­
sible activations and call-ups for
the U.S. Merchant Marine.

SIU President Michael Sacco

last month issued an alert to all
Seafarers officials, in which he
directed them to conduct special
meetings in the halls and aboard
ship. During those meetings, SIU
representatives reviewed the
union's responsibilities and com­
mitments.

"As in every other conflict
involving sealift since our union's
founding, the SIU must and will
be a reliable component of the
U.S. team," Sacco said in his cor-

Continued on page 13

Paul Hall Center Expands Anti· Terrorism Training

The Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education has
revamped its anti-terrorism class so that every student at the Piney
Point, Md. school receives the training. The center has offered the
one-hour seminar for the past four years. Course content has been
revised in light of recent events. It is offered as a stand-alone tuto­
rial and also has been incorporated into the school's U.S. brief
Coast Guard-approved STCW Basic Safety Training class. Above,
Paul Hall Center Vocational Training Director Bill Eglinton leads the
Pledge of Allegiance prior to administering the seminar.

Seafarers LOG 3



U.S. Labor Secretary Chao
Tours New Orleans Hall, Ship
Role of SIU in Maritime Industry Stressed

During a recent visit to the New
Orleans area, U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine
Chao got an opportunity to know the
Seafarers International Union and its mem­
bers a little better.

SIU Vice President Gulf Coast Dean
Corgey and Port Agent Steve Judd gave
President George W. Bush's labor secre­
tary a tour of the union hall, located on
Lapalco Boulevard in Harvey, explaining
how the hiring hall system operates and
how the different ships are staffed through
the job call.

She then was a guest aboard the nearby
SIU-crewed vessel, the USNS Bellatrix,
for a tour and lunch. While visiting the
ship, Chao spoke with crew members
about their jobs and their lives at sea.

The USNS Bellatrix is one of eight Fast
Sealift ships that provides the U.S. Navy
with the capability to rapidly transport the
equipment requirements of a heavy
armored division. The self-contained fea­
tures of the ships enable them to load and
offload cargo in places lacking normal port
facilities.

The USNS Bellatrix, like the other ves­
sels in the MSC's Strategic Sealift Force,
is maintained in a reduced operating status
in New Orleans, capable of being fully
activated within four days.

Corgey said the visit went well and
leaves Secretary Chao with a greater
understanding of the U.S. Merchant
Marine, in general, and the important role
the SIU plays within the maritime industry.

Showing her appreciation for the fine food and service aboard the USNS Bellatrix, Labor
Secretary Chao poses with (from left) Recertified Steward Ernie Hoitt, Chief Steward
Lauren Oram, SA Charles Prier, Steward Reba Golden and Steward Harold Ward.

Aboard the Bellatrix

Port Agent Steve Judd (left) and SIU VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey escort
Labor Secretary Chao around the USNS Bellatrix.

Left: Enjoying a ship­
board luncheon in her
honor, Labor Secretary
Elaine Chao is seated
with SIU VP Gulf Coast
Dean Corgey (left) and
USNS Altair Captain
Breslin (right). Steward
Reba Golden is serv­
ing. (Person with back
to photo is not identi­
fied .)

Captain Brown shows Elaine Chao the view
from the bridge.

With staff in tow, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao
climbs down the gangway after an informative visit
aboard the Fast Sealift vessel.

Al Schmitt (right), a tugboat captain at Crescent Towing and Salvage, and
his father, Al Schmitt Sr., get an opportunity to talk with Elaine Chao at
the SIU hall.

Retired Seafarer Joseph Arch Sr.
(center) and Port Agent Steve Judd
pose with the labor secretary.

SIU members join Elaine Chao for a photo during her visit to the
union hall. From the left are SA Henry Edwards, Chao, AB Dawud
Wamini and Recertified Bosun Mark Downey.

4 Seafarers LOG October 2001



Federation Opposes 'Fast Track'
TheAFL-CIO last monthjoined

a wide coalition in launching a
campaign to derail proposals for
"fast track" negotiating authority
and the expansion of the so-called
North American Free Trade
Agreement into a Free Trade Area
of the Americas (FfAA).

The coalition on Sept. 4
unveiled a unified set of principles
calling for global fairness in trade
and investment, and protections for
working families and the environ­
ment. The guidelines will be dis­
tributed to members of Congress
and used in communities nation­
wide to oppose fast track trade.

These points, dubbed the
"Principles of Unity on Trade and
Investment: A Call for Global
Fairness, " and some of the pre­
vailing ideologies behind each are:

• Democracy, Transpar­
ency and Accountability. Broad­
based citizen participation in trade
negotiations must be ensured
through democratic mechanisms of
consultation and participation. The
procedures under which Congress
considers trade agreements must
include opportunity for full debate
and amendments. Negotiating
texts, including the full negotiating
position of the U.S. government,
should be made public at regular
and timely intervals (not less than
every six months), and trade agree­
ments under negotiation must be
subject to thorough environmental
and social reviews. Trade dispute
resolution must be open to the pub­
lic.

• Workers' and Human
Rights. Workers worldwide are
disadvantaged by a global econom­
ic system that encourages countries

and corporations to compete by
violating workers' fundamental
human rights. U.S. workers have
lost high-paying jobs and have
seen their wages and working con­
ditions eroded by trade policies
that fail to address this problem.
Workers in poorer countries have
found it next to impossible to pro­
tect their rights and raise standards
because corporations will shift
their jobs to countries where rights
and standards are lower.

Trade agreements must ensure
that all workers can freely exercise
their basic rights as laid out by the
1998 ILO Declaration on Funda­
mental Principles and Rights at
Work: the right to organize and bar­
gain collectively, to refuse forced
labor, to reject child labor and to
work free from discrimination.

• The Environment and the
Public Interest. Trade agreements
must not undermine environmental
standards. In particular, trade rules
must ensure that domestic environ­
mental or other public interest laws
and regulations cannot be chal­
lenged by private investors before
international tribunals, and they
must ensure the availability of
strong and clear exceptions to trade
and investment rules for laws and
regulations that protect health, the
environment and other public
interests.

Trade agreements also should
encourage environmental progress
by including initiatives to raise
environmental performance; bind­
ing obligations to enforce environ­
mental laws and not lower environ­
mental standards; and citizen
review mechanisms and obliga­
tions for investors to disclose basic

SIU Atlantic VP Cal fey Retires
After nearly 40 years with the

Seafarers International Union and
serving under three SIU presi­
dents, SIU Vice President Atlantic
Coast Jack Caffey announced his
retirement Aug. 31.

Born in San Antonio, Texas in
1945, Caffey moved to New York
at the age of 10 and went through
the New York City Public School
system. His seafaring career
began in 1962, when he shipped
as an ordinary seaman aboard the
Steel Maker, an Isthmian Line
vessel on its way to India. He
continued to sail and soon ob­
tained his bosun certificate, the
highest unlicensed rating aboard
merchant ships.

During the Vietnam War,
Caffey made many a trip to that
region aboard vessels carrying
loads of ammunition.

In 1967, he came ashore as a
union official. Following eight
months in San Francisco, he went

back to sea and later worked as a
member of the Isthmian shore­
gang. In 1972, Caffey was urged
by SIU President Paul Hall to
come ashore as a patrolman and
organizer in the port of New
York. He also briefly served as
port agent in Wilmington, Calif. ,
Baltimore and New Orleans.

Caffey was appointed assistant
to President Frank Drozak in
1981, working out of the New
York hall. Seven years later,
under President Michael Sacco's
administration, he was elected
vice president of the Atlantic
Coast region, an area that
includes ports along the East
Coast to the Carolinas, including
the port of San Juan and the U.S.
Virgin Islands.

SIU President Michael Sacco
expressed his thanks to Caffey for
"his years of dedication, loyalty
and hard work."

Caffey "would never ask you

A number of years ago, Caffey greeted President Jimmy Carter at a
labor-sponsored reception.

October 2001

information on environmental
practices.

• Agriculture. Agricultural
policies must support sustainable
livelihoods for family farmers and
ranchers, and reduce the power of
agribusiness to manipulate global
food supplies and farm prices.
Governments must retain the abili­
ty to provide economic safety net
programs and other economic
assistance to producers as compen­
sation for the negative impact of
unfair trade practices by others.

Consumers must be ensured the
right to know and choose food pro­
duced in a sustainable manner. And
countries must be ensured the right
to protect family farmers and pro­
ducers in rural communities and to
produce a safe and affordable food
supply.

• Debt and Development.
Trade agreements have not focused
on enabling countries to invest in
the building blocks of sustainable
development, and increased trade
flows alone have not led to shared
and stable growth or to significant
poverty reduction in developing
countries. The debts claimed by the
International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the World Bank from
impoverished countries must be
canceled and the proceeds used to
meet social and environmental
needs; cancellation must be sepa­
rated from "structural adjustment"
conditions such as user fees for
health care and education that dis­
advantage certain people.

International trade and invest­
ment systems must respect the legit­
imate role of government, in collab­
oration with civil society, to set
policies regarding the development

to do something he wouldn't do
himself," stated SIU Vice Presi­
dent Contracts Augie Tellez,
"whether on the docks on Petty' s
Island, on the lines in New
Bedford or on the parkway put­
ting up political signs."

Kennett Mangram, vice presi­
dent Government Services
Division, worked with Caffey for
18-and-a-half years in the
Brooklyn hall. "I really learned a
lot from Jack," he said, "and I
wish him well in his latest
endeavor."

Caffey said he has enjoyed his
seafaring career, both on the sea
and representing the membership.
He is particularly gratified to see
how the conditions aboard ship
have changed for the better. "In
my sailing days, we had three or
four guys in a room," he noted.
"Today, a member has a room of
his own with a TV and carpeting
on the floor."

Throughout his SIU career,
Caffey continually has been
involved in a number of other
labor organizations, including his
role as president of the Maritime
Port Council of Greater New
York and Vicinity since 1989 and
president of the Long Island
Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
since 1993, to name but two. It is
the latter to which he will now
devote his full time, helping the
AFL-CIO carry out its agenda at
the grassroots level.

Former SIU VP We t Coast
George McCartney remembers
Caffey's sincerity and dedication
to his work. "He's someone who
always tried to help the member­
ship as much as he could,"
McCartney said.

More than 650 well-wishers­
including labor leaders, politi­
cians, family and friends-joined

SIU-Crewed Potomac Honored

The SIU-crewed Potomac earlier this year received the U.S.
Maritime Administration's prestigious Professional Ship Award.
The award was presented in recognition of outstanding service
by the vessel and its crew in support of the nation's armed forces.
Pictured above are some of the Seafarers who attended the
award ceremony in Galveston, Texas. They were joined by SIU
VP Gulf Coast Dean Corgey (standing, fifth from left) and SIU
Asst. VP Jim McGee (standing, far right). The SIU crew included
Bosun David Zurek, ABs Jeremy Thigpen, Daniel Conzo, Terry
Tolley, Abraham Medina, Robert Clemons, Garry Carraway,
Abubakar Idris, Roberto Flauta, ldowu Jonathan, Hector Cumba,
Blademiro Santana and Leo Torrenueva; QMEDs Darrell Camp
and Carlton Stamp; Chief Pumpman William Deloach; OMUs
John Nelson, Chad Westover and Derrick Sullivan; Wiper Roy
Martinez; Chief Steward Emilio Cordova; Chief Cook Radfan
Almaklania; and SAs N. Abdon, Reina Mendez, Jose Santos and
Ibrahim Elsayed. The ship is operated by lnterocean Ugland
Management Corp.

and welfare of its people.
Governments also should have the
right to regulate capital flows to
shield their people from the destabi­
lizing impact of speculative capital.

The foregoing principles were
released on the same day top offi­
cers of the AFL-CIO and interna­
tional union presidents began bus
tours in dozens of cities to invigo­
rate and mobilize union members
and coalition allies to defeat the

Caffey for a retirement party, held
Aug. 16 at the Crest Hollow
Country Club in Woodbury, N. Y. A
telephone call from Sen. Charles
Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a personal­
ized congratulatory video from
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N. Y.)
were among the good wishes
received by Caffey that evening.

Above: SIU VP Atlantic
Coast Jack Caffey (left)
addressed the crowd at
a rally last year in
behalf of Hillary
Rodham Clinton, who
subsequently won her
election as a U.S. sena­
tor representing New
York. At right in photo is
New York Senator
Charles Schumer.

Right: Jack Caffey (left)
was present when

dredging legislation was
signed by New York

Governor Mario Cuomo.
Also pictured is Art

Wilcox, special assis­
tant to the NY State
AFL-CIO president.

efforts to allow fast track trade
negotiations authority.

Fast track proponents are back­
ing legislation that would allow
trade agreements to move through
Congress with little opportunity for
debate and no opportunity for
modification. The proposal before
Congress would prohibit the addi­
tion of enforceable protection for
workers' rights and the environ­
ment in fast-track agreements.

SIU VP West Coast Nick
Marrone, who trained as a patrol­
man in New York and worked
with Caffey, attended the retire­
ment festivities. He said he will
"always remember Jack as a firm
man of his principles," and some­
one who "has always given me
insight."

Seafarel'S LOG 5



Labor Backs Cancellation of World Bank-IMF Talks
Workers' Rights Issues Still Must Be Addressed Organization (WTO) policies must be

changed in order to promote fairness and a
global economy that works for working
families everywhere.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks in
New York and Washington, D.C., the
World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) canceled their meet­
ings scheduled for Sept. 29-30 in the
nation's capital.

The AFL-CIO earlier pulled out of
protests scheduled for those days, with
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney scrap­
ping the demonstrations in the aftermath of
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York's
World Trade Center buildings and the
Pentagon outside of Washington. In a Sept.
14 letter to James Wolfensohn, president of
the World Bank, and Horst Kohler, manag­
ing director of the IMF, Sweeney called for
cancellation or postponement of the annu­
al meeting. He also advised the officials of
labor's decision to call off protests if and
when the meetings are rescheduled.

"I believe that this is a time for pause
and profound reflection, not another round
of closed-door meetings behind tall
fences," Sweeney said in his letter. "For
our part, the AFL-CIO will not, in any
event, continue our planning to lead a
peaceful mass protest at the meeting, nor
will we participate in any such demonstra­
tions.

"At the current time, our energies and
attention are fully focused on the massive
relief effort in which our unions are
involved, and on bringing people together
to begin the process of healing and renew­
ing our sense of community and confi­
dence," the labor president said.

Despite calling off demonstrations,
Sweeney advised the financial executives
that labor remains unwavering in its belief
that World Bank, IMF and World Trade

"We will continue to call for new rules
for the global economy that protect people
and the planet, not just multinational cor­
porate interests, and to work to defeat fast­
track trade negotiating authority, to win
cancellation of debt for poor nations and to
develop strong global HIV I AIDS poli­
cies," Sweeney said. "The institutions that
forge policy for the global economy-the
WTO as well as the Bank and the Fund
-must work with concerned citizens to re­
think how global deliberations proceed."
Sweeney said.

The World Bank is the world's largest
source of development assistance, providing
nearly $16 billion in loans annually to its
client countries. It is supposed to use its
financial resources to assist developing

Organizing Named Top Priority
At UIW Quandrennial Convention

Members of the SIU-affiliated
United Industrial Workers (UIW),
meeting Sept. 11-12 in Piney
Point, Md. for their 11th quadren­
nial convention, identified orga­
nizing new members as their pri­
mary goal.

The UIW represents workers
employed in the manufacturing,
service and government sectors.

In addition to outlining strate­
gies for providing union repre­
sentation to workers currently not
members of labor organizations,
convention delegates also reaf­
firmed their commitment to polit­
ical action, outlined various goals
and elected new officers.

UIW officers and delegates
stressed the importance of orga­
nizing new members time and
again as they delivered their indi­
vidual reports to convention
attendees at the Paul Hall Center
for Maritime Training and
Education.

"Four years ago, delegates to
the United Industrial Workers'
10th quadrennial convention
agreed to carry a renewed com-

Michael Sacco, President
SIU/UIW

mitment to organizing with them
when they returned to their
respective regions," stated SIU
President Michael Sacco during
his convention address. Sacco
was reelected as president of the
urw.

ing the rules time after time,"
Sacco noted. "In far too many
cases, companies have illegally
fired workers for supporting a
union . . . they have threatened to
shut down if employees vote for a
union."

Once labor law enforcement
problems are rectified, Sacco sug­
gested that union membership
figures steadily would increase.
"I say that because I have seen the
difference a union can make for
members and their families . . .
union pay is higher in nearly all
occupational groups . . . union
workers also have better benefits
and a real voice in the workplace.
They have greater job stability
and they are more productive."

countries on a path of growth in the fight
against poverty.

The IMF is an international organiza­
tion of 183 member countries. It was estab­
lished in 1945 to promote international
monetary cooperation, exchange stability
and orderly exchange arrangements to fos­
ter economic growth and high levels of
employment.

The annual gathering of the two bodies
already had been scaled back from a week
to two days because of the number of pro­
testers from the U.S. and elsewhere-as
many as 100,000- that were mobilizing.
Protesters contend the institutions' policies
widen the gap between the rich and the
poor.

In recent years, the IMF and World
Bank, symbols of economic globalization,
have become the targets of violent protests.
Recent meetings in Seattle, Quebec City
and Genoa, Italy, were disrupted.

"Today, in 2001, we must take
it a step further," he continued.
"Let's be perfectly clear on this
point: The UIW's long-term sur­
vival depends on organizing."

UIW National Director John
Spadaro, elected to remain in his
post for the next four years, said
his "top priority is and always
will be the membership. That
means working to secure better
contracts, safer working condi­
tions and new job opportunities ...
It also means organizing new
members, both to ensure the
UIW's long-term survival and
simply to extend the benefits of
union representation to more and
more people."

Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Ed Mohler, President
Maryland State AFL-CIO

6 Seafarers LOG

After examining national sta­
tistics on union membership
trends over the past four years,
Sacco said that overall, member­
ship levels today are practically
unchanged and that in some
instances--downsizing and plant
closures being prime examples
-not much can be done about
people exiting the union umbrel­
la.

One of the biggest problems
facing today's unions, he said, is
the nation's widespread failure to
enforce labor laws.

"Despite the fact that
Americans have a legal right to
join unions, employers are break-

Spadaro earlier this year suc­
ceeded Steve Edney, who retired
in May following some 50 years
of UIW service.

Several UIW officials briefed
the convention on significant
membership gains in their respec­
tive regions.

In addition to dubbing orga­
nizing their primary focus , offi­
cials and delegates also agreed
that the UIW's involvement in
political activities is crucial to its
continued survival. Issues such as
workplace safety, ANWR, Social
Security, health care, the mini-

Maryland State Senator

mum wage, fair trade and others
are high on the UIW's agenda.
President Sacco reminded all who
attended the convention that poli­
tics is the common thread that ties
all these issues together.

A number guest speakers
addressed the convention. These
included Maryland state Sen.
Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr.; John
P. O ' Connor, acting secretary,
Mary land Labor, Licensing and
Regulation; Ed Mohler, president,
Maryland State AFL-CIO; and
Valerie Lilja, Union Privilege
representative. Each lauded the
SIU and the UIW for the strides

both unions are making in behalf
of their members and the labor
movement as a whole. All
pledged their continued support
for the unions' agendas.

Sen. Miller spoke of the long
and productive relationship he
has enjoyed with the labor move­
ment during his career. Secretary
O'Connor focused on safety in
the workplace. Mohler examined
the importance of labor's role in
the political process and urged
convention attendees to remain
politically active. Lilja outlined
the various programs available to
UIW members and their families.

Naturally, each of the speakers
offered sympathies in light of the
terrorist attacks in New York and
Washington, which occurred just
as the convention began.

Left: Officials and delegates to the
11th quadrennial convention of the
UIW stress the need to increase
organizing efforts and become
more politically involved.

October 2001



U.S., Brazilian Unions Sign Solidarity Pact
To Help Ensure Justice for Trico Mariners

nize that they, and they alone,
should have the right to organize
a free trade union."

Trico Marine operates approx­
imately 15 vessels in the
Brazilian offshore market. Most
of the vessels are under contract
with Petrobas.

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Sheraton

New Orleans
HOTEL

SIU President Michael Sacco
said Trico mariners "are just trying
to make their lives better by join­
ing a union."

Representatives of American
and Brazilian seafaring union in
late August signed a bilateral ol­
idarity pact pledging internation­
al cooperation to promote fair­
ness, justice and a voice at work
for mariners at Trico Marine
Services, Inc.

According to the agreement,
which the SIU signed, "The
Brazilian and U.S. unions call
peacefully and lawfully on Trico
Marine Inc. to respect human
rights and workers' rights and to
cease its anti-union activities
against the mariners working on
board their ve el operating in
the U.S. Gulf of Mexico."

In order to give the accord
some real force, the unions
agreed to "call peacefully and
lawfully on the customers of
Trico not to engage in any further
contracts with Trico from this day
forward until Trico ceases its

Agreement Reached
For USNS Supply

The SIU's Government Ser­
vices Division has reached an
agreement with the U.S. Military
Sealift Command (MSC) which
addresses habitability issues
aboard the USNS Supply.

The Supply is the first of four
fast combat support ships (T­
AOE class) transferring to MSC
by September 2004. MSC took
control of the vessel this summer,
during ceremonies in Earle, N.J.

Among other issues, MSC and
the union agreed that prevailing
maritime practices regarding
wages and working conditions
would apply aboard the Supply.
Additionally, all terms and condi­
tions of the current collective bar­
gaining agreement will remain in
effect.

The overall agreement ad­
dresses such categories as limited
berthing; separating day workers
from watch standers (to allow for
uninterrupted rest periods); light­
ing; linens; communication access;
preferential shipping; and, of par-

Kudos for SIU Boatman

ticular significance, habitability
compensation.

Further, the agreement calls
for MSC to work diligently with
Navy personnel in securing funds
for completing full habitability
modifications in a reasonable
time frame. Copies of the full
agreement were made available
to all unlicensed crew members
upon their assignment to the ship.

The Supply is crewed by 176
civilian mariners and 59 Navy
personnel. Its main mission is
providing fuel, ammunition and
food to Navy ships underway.

CIVMAR Wage Increase
Civilian mariners aboard the

respective fleets operated by
the U.S. Military Sealift Com­
mand (MSC) and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration will receive wage
increases of 3.83 percent,
retroactive to July 1, 2001. The
increase applies to base wages
and premium pay.

Seafarer Butch Schuessler (center) recently received a certificate
of appreciation from SIU-contracted G&H Towing Company for his
actions earlier this year during Tropical Storm Allison. Schuessler
and other SIU boatmen aboard G&H tugs assisted numerous
ships that had broken from their respective lines and were drifting.
Pictured with Schuessler near Houston are SIU VP Gulf Coast
Dean Corgey (right) and SIU Asst. VP Jim McGee.

October 2001

anti-union activities and, upon
demonstration of majority sup­
port, recognizes the Offshore
Mariners United (OMU) as the
union representing the mariners
working on the company's U.S.
Gulf of Mexico fleet and negoti­
ates in good faith a collective bar­
gaining agreement providing
these workers all the protections
of union repre entation."

Trico Marine operates a fleet
of nearly 100 vessels worldwide.
The company's primary markets
are the Gulf of Mexico, the North
Sea and Brazil. Mariners in the
North Sea and Brazil enjoy the
protection of a union contract.

The OMU is backed by the
SIU; American Maritime Offi­
cers; International Organization
of Masters, Mates & Pilots; and
Marine Engineers' Beneficial
Association.

"Today's pact demonstrates

yet again that unions around the
world will stand in solidarity
when companies like Trico tread
on the rights of workers," SIU
President Michael Sacco stated
during an Aug. 22 press confer­
ence in New Orleans announcing
the agreement.

Also speaking at the confer­
ence was Ricardo Ponzi, presi­
dent of the Brazilian maritime
union known as the National
Federation of Seafarers, Inland
Navigation, Fisheries and Allied
Trades. "Although we have a
solid labor-management relation­
ship with Trico in Brazil, we can­
not let the situation in the U.S.
continue," he said. "By signing
this agreement, we are putting
Trico on notice that they cannot
continue to do business anywhere
until they stop their campaign of
intimidation and harassment
against U.S. workers and recog-

Integrity Crew Discusses Contract, STCW

Stephen Cotton, secretary of
the International Transport
Workers' Federation's Special
Seafarers Department, added,
"This is a global fight for trade
union rights. The ITF's affiliates
around the world have con­
demned Trico's union busting
and will not let it stand."

Earlier this summer, Nor­
wegian oil workers began pres­
suring Trico and a subsidiary to
stop interfering with its workers'
right to vote for union representa­
tion. The Norwegian Oil and
Petrochemical Workers' Union
(NOPEF) called upon the compa­
ny to "let the employees decide
themselves whether they will join
a trade union or not, without any
interference, harassment, dis­
crimination or threats from the
management."

During a shipboard meeting in Port Elizabeth, N.J. in late August, Seafarers aboard the SeaLand
Integrity discussed the SIU's new standard freightship and tanker agreements as well as the need for
deep sea mariners to obtain STCW Basic Safety Training (BST). Pictured aboard the vessel are (top
photo, from left) AB Felix Santiago, AB Paul Lewis and Chief Cook Hamdi Hussein; (below left, from

left) GUDE Juan Rosario, AB
Santiago, Bosun Gus Koutouras and
Chief Steward Gregory Melvin; and
(photo below right) QMED/Electrician
Dennis Baker.

Baby Bond Program Still Going Strong at 50
Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the

SIU Baby Bond Program.
If no maternity benefit was applied for, but a

member believes his or her newborn may be eligible
for a bond through the SIU, that member should con­
tact a port agent or the secretary-treasurer's office.

Through this program, union-member parents
receive from the SIU a U.S. savings bond in the
name of the newborn. The $50 bond is issued after
the union receives confirmation of the birth.

When a maternity benefit is paid for a Seafarer or
dependent, it triggers a letter asking for basic infor­
mation concerning the newborn and the member.
This includes the baby's Social Security number,
because the Federal Reserve Bank requires it.

Once the union possesses the appropriate infor­
mation, applications for bonds are taken (monthly)
to the Federal Reserve Bank. Typically, it takes sev­
eral months for the bank to send the bonds to the
union. Once they're received, the bonds, along with
a letter from the SIU president, are mailed to the
member's home.

Seafarers LOG 7



Apprentices Take 'Hands-On' Approach
Practical Training
ls Key Component
Of Paul Hall Center's
Entry Program

Chatting in the Osprey's sleeping quarters are (from left) UAs Felipe
Zepeda and Jordan Cuddy.

All of the photos on this page were

taken during a recent class aboard the

training ship Osprey in Piney Point, Md.

B Seafarers LOG

Left: The Osprey is
equipped with radar and
other equipment routinely
found aboard U.S.-flag
ships.

Below: UA Clinton Lough
(left) pulls the line to tie
down Osprey upon return­
ing to the school's dock.

The amended STCW convention places an unprecedented premi­
um on practical demonstration of skills, but hands-on schooling i
nothing new for the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and
Education, located in Piney Point, Md.

By the time students graduate from the center's unlicensed
apprentice program, they have engaged in extensive hands-on train­
ing in all three shipboard departments. Such preparation enables Paul
Hall Center graduates to perform their jobs with utmost safety and
efficiency.

The hands-on training takes place both at Piney Point and aboard
actual SIU-contracted vessels. At the school, students utilize instruc­
tional tools such as the training vessel Osprey; the new, world-class
simulator; and the state-of-the-art fire fighting and safety school,
among other equipment.

The three-phase program, which also includes classroom studies,
opens with a 12-week segment at Piney Point, followed by a 90-day
shipboard assignment designed to help students select which depart­
ment (deck, engine or steward) they prefer. Then, students return to
the Paul Hall Center for department-specific training.

As Seafarers advance their careers, the school maintains its
emphasis on practical training, through dozens of U.S. Coast Guard­
approved upgrading courses.

For more information about the apprentice program and other
aspects of the Paul Hall Center, please call the school toll-free at 1- standing watch on the bow is UA
877-235-3275, or visit the internet site at http://www.seafarers.org. James Martin.

Clockwise from above: Pictured in the
engine room is UA Justin Yettou; UA
North Bremicker steers the training
ship Osprey, UA Christin Cross checks
radar screen while at helm with help
from instructor Maurice Chambers.

October 2001



It's Academic: Paul .......... ----...Dfer
Students Olfen Study Support .fi

The academic department at
the Paul Hall Center for
Maritime Training and Education
offers wide-ranging support for
students at the Piney Point, Md.
facility.

That support is aimed at help­
ing upgraders and apprentices
alike succeed in their respective
courses, many of which blend
classroom instruction with
hands-on training. In turn,
achievement in the classroom
helps Seafarers do a better job
when they return to shipboard
life.

Individual tutoring is avail­
able for students who want to
improve their reading skills.
Similarly, instruction is offered
for those who wish to hone their
verbal proficiencies. In addition,
basic vocational support courses
are conducted throughout the
year, one week prior to the AB,
QMED, FOWT, third mate,
tanker assistant and water sur­
vival classes.

The Paul Hall Center also
offers a GED program which is
open to students who do not
have a high school diploma.

Additionally, students inter­
ested in higher education may
take college preparatory courses
for English and math. The school
is a degree-granting institution
approved by the Mary land
Higher Education
Commission-it offers an a so­
ciate of applied science degree in
nautical science and marine
engineering technology.

Vocational courses also are
approved for credit by the
American Council on Education.
Students may apply for college
credit for many of the vocational
courses that they take while
upgrading at the school.

For more information, visit
the academic department, locat­
ed at the school's Crowley
Center for Higher Learning, or
call (301) 994-0010, ext. 5411.

Labor Day in Wilmington, Calif.

Seafarers and their families joined in Labor Day festivities in
Wilmington, Calif. on Sept. 3. Above, the SIU contingent carries
banner during parade. Below, AB Alfredo Sanchez (holding cam­
era) prepares to capture the moment. He's joined by (from left)
Patrolman Ike Williams, Wiper James King and Retiree Cesar
Ramos. At bottom, CMEs Xuan Van Phan (left) and James
Dryden listen to pro-worker messages.

October 2001

Academic department instructor Gail Dobson (left)
works with Lisa Harewood, a phase Ill apprentice, on
math equations included in the tanker assistant course.

The department provides basic support and
more advanced classes. Above, instructor Rick
Prucha explains a trigonometry proof.

'Great Gang, Great Feeder'

AB George Jordanides, who sent these photos of Maersk
Texas mariners to the Seafarers LOG, reports smooth sail­
ing aboard the vessel. 'The ship has a great gang and is a
great feeder," reports Jordanides. "We're on the South
American run." The photos were taken in Arica, Chile.

Pictured from left to right are ABs Lloyd Stock, Zdravko
Keresyes and Fred Collins.

Right: AB Fred Collins

Chief Steward Henry Manning

AB George Jordanides waits for pilot
to board before the Seafarer secures
the gangway.

Seafarers LOG 9



The Seal are rs
Scholarship
Program ..

Back in 1952, when the Seafarers Welfare
Plan (now the Seafarers Health and
Benefits Plan) established a scholarship

program to help qualified members and their
dependents finance their college and vocational
educations, four awards were given. Beginning
with the fall term of 1953, the four students
were eligible to receive full college scholarships
of $1,500 a year for four years, good at any rec­
ognized college or university in the United
States.

The yearly $1,500 stipend was more than
enough in 1953 to cover all tuition and fees and
still leave money over for books and incidentals,
even at an Ivy League school.

When Francis M. Sheehan won a dependent's
scholarship (see article at right) in 1988, the
Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan was already
offering six scholarships. Two were earmarked
for Seafarers (each in the amount of $5,000)
and four $10,000 awards were for the depen­
dents of SIU members.

This year, the odds of being selected for an
SIU scholarship have gotten even better. As of
July 10, 2000, three monetary awards are given
to Seafarers (one in the amount of $20,000 and
two for $6,000 each), and five $20,000 scholar­
ships are offered to dependents, for a total of
eight scholarships-$132,000 in all.

The Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan schol­
arship committee is now taking applications for
the 2002 program, which will award the eight
grants. All Seafarers and their spouses and chil­
dren who plan to attend college are encouraged
to complete a scholarship application. The dead­
line for submission of all required paperwork is
April 15, 2002.

The first step in the application process is
sending away for the Seafarers Scholarship

•

Program booklet. To receive a copy of this
guide, fill out the coupon at the bottom of this
page and return it to the address listed on the
form.

Once the scholarship booklet has been
received, applicants should then check the eligi­
bility information and, if they are eligible,
should start collecting other paperwork which
must be submitted along with the full applica­
tion by the April 15 deadline.

These items include transcripts and certifi­
cates of graduation. Since schools are often quite
slow in handling transcript requests, the sooner
the requests are made, the better.

Another part of the application package
includes letters of recommendation solicited
from individuals who know the applicant's char­
acter, personality and career goals.

A photograph of the applicant as well as a
certified copy of his or her birth certificate also
need to be included.

The selection committee looks at the high
school grades of all the applicants and also
checks the scores of either their College
Entrance Examination Boards (SAT) or
American College Tests (ACT). Therefore,
arrangements should be made to take these
exams no later than February 2002 to ensure
the results reach the committee in time to be
evaluated.

Those Seafarers and dependents who previ­
ously have applied for a Seafarers scholarship
and were not selected are encouraged to apply
again this year, provided they still meet all the
eligibility requirements.

Today, there are more chances than ever to
make your dreams for a college education a real­
ity. Start the process now by sending for a copy
of the scholarship program booklet.

• • • It Does llllake
A Difference!

r----------------------------------------------------------------------------,

Please send me the 2002 SIU Scholarship Program booklet which contains eligi- :
bility information, procedures for applying and a copy of the application form.

Mariner's Social Security Number ____________________ _

Street Address ...

Telephone Number __________________________ _

This application is for: D Self D Dependent

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

5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746

10 Seafarers LOG

10/01

1988 Scliolanlllp Winner
Now New York Lawyer

When Francis
Michael Sheehan
was awarded a
$10,000 scholar­
ship in 1988, the
senior at Mon­
signor Farrell High
School in Staten
Island, N. Y. took
full advantage of
the educational op­
portunities it
afforded him.

The son of Jack
Sheehan (now an
SIU representative
in the port of New

Francis Sheehan, general counsel,
at work in his New York office.

York), Francis obtained a bachelor of science degree in accounting
from New York Univeristy. He then earned a law degree from New
York University School of Law and worked at a large Wall Street
law firm in their corporate department for five years.

Since then, Sheehan has served first as assistant general counsel
and now as general counsel of ScreamingMedia Inc., a company in
New York City that specializes in distributing syndicated content
to websites and wireless networks. Additionally, he is serving as
finance chairman for a friend who is campaigning for the City
Council of New York City in a district in Queens.

Sheehan notes in a recent letter, "I will always be grateful and
extremely appreciative of the generosity of the Seafarer
International Union in awarding me that scholarship."

STCW:
The Clock Is Ticking

If you sail aboard deep sea or near-coastal vessels, you
must comply with the amended STCW convention.
Although the deadline for compliance is Feb. 1, 2002, SIU
members are urged to complete STCW Basic Safety
Training (BST} and acquire the 1995 STCW certificate, if
required , immediately.

The following unlicensed Seafarers need an STCW '95
certificate: Bosuns, ABs, QMEDs and FOWTs. Steward
department personnel are not requ ired to possess a cer­
tificate. Also, all unl imited and limited license holders with
a near-coastal and ocean endorsement need a '95 certifi­
cate. All Seafarers sai ling on deep sea or near-coastal
vessels must complete BST.

Al l SIU members who sail on these types of vessels are
asked to contact the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training
and Education at this toll-free number: 1-800-732-2739.
Please contact the school even if you already have com­
pleted basic safety and you have a '95 certificate.

Don't Wait! Sign up today for your STCW training!

October 2001



Victims, Heroes
Many union members were

among the victims at the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Hundreds died, perhaps more.

In response to the catastrophe,
scores of trade unionists con­
tributed to the relief efforts from
the earliest moments after the
attacks. They include fire fight­
ers, emergency services and med­
ical workers conducting rescue
and aid missions in New York
and the Washington, D.C. area;
merchant mariners who evacuat­
ed citizens from the disaster
scene in Manhattan and who pro­
vided food and waterborne shel­
ter for rescue workers; and count­
less volunteers who are contribut­
ing their services, monetary
donations and blood.

The day after the attacks,
members from several construc­
tion unions based in or near New
York City (including the Iron
Workers) used everything from
heavy equipment to their hands to
remove debris from the streets in
lower Manhattan. They had tele­
phoned union officials to ask how
they could help, even before the
National Guard requested their
assistance.

At the request of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency,
Iron Workers from their Wash­
ington, D.C., headquarters pur­
chased essential recovery equip­
ment needed to cut through the
millions of tons of rubble. The
union coordinated three teams of
recovery volunteers to rotate into
Manhattan.

Volunteers from all 16 New
York City Laborers local unions
are helping in the recovery opera­
tion, including Local 78, which
specializes in asbestos handling.
The World Trade Center build­
ings contained a huge amount of

the material, according to reports.
Hundreds of members of
Operating Engineers locals 14
and 15 are operating heavy equip­
ment in the rescue operations.

The New York City Building
and Construction Trades Council
is working around the clock, with
as many as 1,000 people involved
in the rescue.

Thousands of health care
workers responded in the hours
and days following the attack.
SEIU Local 1199NY, the SEIU
Committee of Interns and
Residents and the SEIU Doctors'
Alliance provided 24-hour emer­
gency medical service.
The New York State Nurses
Association, part of the United
American Nurses, has been car­
ing for World Trade Center vic­
tims in Manhattan, Brooklyn and
New Jersey hospitals.

The New York State
Psychological Association, an
AFT affiliate, sent di aster
response teams to help victims,
workers and their families deal
with the emotional reaction to
events. The teams are working
near the site, at the morgues and
other locations.

Along with the United
Federation of Teachers, also an
AFT affiliate, the NYSPA is
developing a package of material
for school children to help them
comprehend the tragedy and their
feelings about it. The material
also will stress the importance of
not blaming an ethnic group for
the actions of individual terror­
ists.

As reported in the lead story
on page 3 of this issue of the
Seafarers LOG, members of the
SIU, MEBA and the MM&P are
aboard the hospital ship USNS
Comfort in New York, which is

Unions Aid in Relief Elf or ts

AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Early morning commuters ride a ferry across New York Harbor Monday,
Sept. 17, to the financial district in lower Manhattan.

Continued from page 3

Capt. John Clare agreed. "I
can only speak for myself, but I
was just focused on getting as
many people out as I could, get­
ting the job done. We did what we
had to do, plain and simple."

He said his passengers "were
shocked but relieved. Everybody
was just a zombie, pretty much.
Some of the people had burns to
their faces and hands .... We start­
ed taking people right off the sea
wall, over the fences. Luckily,
there were two New York City
police officers there, and they
were handing children down and
assisting people onto the boat.
There wasn't a sense of panic,

October 2001

just urgency.
"The next day, one of our pas­

sengers thanked us for getting his
father off Manhattan. His father
was in World War II, and he was
comparing this to the evacuation
at Dunkirk."

One week after the attacks, the
ferries remained on a substantial­
ly beefed-up schedule, transport­
ing thousands of commuters who
usually ride the train, subway or
bus. Their daily average was
around 50,000 passengers.

"As you can guess, we're
extremely busy," said Barnett.
"We've added quite a few stops
that we don't normally make.
We're the only way for people to
get in and out."

being utilized by rescue workers
as a nearby place to eat, rest and
bathe. Seafarers and MEBA
members also worked the com­
muter ferries that proved instru­
mental in the evacuation.

In addition, AFL-CIO Com­
munity Service-Red Cross
liaisons are in New York assisting
in coordination efforts between
the Red Cross and union disaster
relief efforts. At the request of the
Red Cross, AFL-CIO staff helped
locate space for a Compassion
Care Center to provide counsel­
ing to families of the victims.

The Red Cross called the
Teamsters to request a truck and
drivers to pick up communica­
tions equipment at a warehouse in
Memphis, Tenn. and drive it to
New York. IBT members, em­
ployees of UPS, responded to the
call, and the equipment has been
delivered.

In Detroit, more than a dozen
tractor-trailers loaded with relief
supplies were dispatched to New
York City. Teamsters and Postal
Workers loaded the respirators
and other medical supplies, res­
cue tools and work clothes for
rescue workers. IBT members
drove the trucks. The donations
were made by Detroit-area busi­
nesses.

In Washington, D.C. and
Northern Virginia, hundreds of
members from dozens of differ­
ent unions planned to go door-to­
door to canvass for volunteers
and to . collect contributions to
support relief efforts for the
Pentagon and World Trade Center
attacks.

Thousands of D.C.-area union
members work at the Pentagon.

BCTGM locals 3 and 50 were
contacted by New York emer­
gency shelters and asked if they
could obtain paper masks and
gloves used by union workers in
bakeries to donate to volunteers
and workers at the World Trade
Center rescue effort. The locals
contacted union-contracted bak­
eries in the region and obtained
20,000 masks. They then helped
distribute the face masks to res­
cue workers in various points in
Manhattan.

The New York State AFL­
CIO, Fire Fighters, the West­
chester/Putnam Counties AFL­
CIO Central Labor Body and
UFCW have teamed up to pro­
vide truckloads of food from
union supermarkets to fire fight­
ers participating in the World
Trade Center rescue. The New
York City labor council organized
a clothing drive for emergency
service workers.

Though additional assistance
like this is not needed at this time,
the Chicago Tribune reported on
39 Chicago-area fire fighters who
jumped in cars and drove to New
York to assist.

Union members also are
responding to calls for contribu­
tions to relief funds set up for
workers at both the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon and are
turning out at Red Cross offices
and hospitals to donate blood.

To find out where to donate
blood, call the Red Cross at 1-
800-GIVE-LIFE. Check the
AFL-CIO web page (www.afl­
cio.org) to learn how you may
contribute to the relief funds.

Concerning union members
who were victims of the attacks,
the federation relayed the follow­
ing information from its unions:

Fire Fighters: As many as 400
total are missing, from Uni­
formed Firefighters Association

AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser

An American fl ag is posted in the midst of the rubble of the World Trade
Center on Sept. 13.

Local 94 and Uniformed Fire
Officers Association Local 854.

Hotel Employees &
Restaurant Employees: Local
100 President Bill Grandfield
said some 270 members worked
at the Windows on the World
restaurant on floors 106 and 107
of the World Trade Center
Building 1. About 70 were on
duty Tuesday morning. Another
30 Local 100 members staffed the
cafeteria in the World Trade
Center Building 7, which also
collapsed.

Communications Workers of
America: As of Sept. 13,
President Morton Bahr said CWA
casualties included five Verizon
workers (two of whom were at
the Pentagon); one worker at each
of the television networks, NBC
and ABC; two port authority
workers; and one retired member
who perished aboard an airliner
used in the terrorist attack. In
addition, 204 members were
unaccounted for.

SEIU: A spokesman for SEIU
Local 32BJ, which represents
about 1,000 building mainte­
nance workers at the World Trade
Center, said 350 local members
were on duty at the time of the
attack. The workers-porters,
cleaners, elevator operators and
maintenance workers-were

spread throughout all the floors of
the towers. It is not known how
many escaped. (The other Local
32BJ members work evening and
night shifts.)

At the Pentagon, more than
200 janitors represented by SEIU
local 82 all escaped unharmed.

AFGE: About 235 members
of three AFGE locals worked in
the World Trade Center complex
for the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission, the Equal
Employment Opportunity Com­
mission and the Federal Trade
Commission. Members of two
additional AFGE locals worked
in the Pentagon as Army employ­
ees and staff in the office of the
Secretary of Defense and as Air
Force employees. At press time, it
was not known where these
workers were during the attacks
or their conditions.

AFSCME: The number of
missmg AFSCME District
Council 3 7 emergency services
workers stands at 45. AFSCME
DC 37 represents emergency
medical technicians and Red
Cross workers. AFT: Three
District of Columbia teachers
were onboard the hijacked
American Airlines jet that
slammed into the Pentagon.

Continued on page 13

A day after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers in lower Manhattan,
a view from the SIU hall in Brooklyn showed the smoke still very much
in evidence.

Seafarers LOG 11



AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser

Attacks Affect
Maritime Trade

The U.S. maritime community
suffered losses in the terrorist
attacks last month, then quickly
moved to assist in relief efforts
and tighten port security.

Among the maritime-related
news items stemming from the
Sept. 11 attacks:

• The Coast Guard estimates
that 1 million people were evacu­
ated from downtown New York
after two hijacked jet liners were
flown into the World Trade
Center towers (see related story,
page 3). Commercial tugs, fer­
ries, police and fire boats as well
as Coast Guard boats and cutters
began the operation within min­
utes of the attack.

• Several maritime entities
had offices located at the twin
towers. Employees of the United
Seamen's Service, New York
Shipping Association, and John J.
McMullen Associates (a ship
design and engineering firm)
escaped the buildings. The Port
Authority of New York and New
Jersey reported more than 200 of
its employees as unaccounted for,
including approximately 35 port
authority police officers and
commanders who were engaged
in evacuation and rescue efforts,
and also including the agency's
executive director, Neil Levin.

• A member of the Marine
Engineers' Beneficial Associa­
tion (MEBA), John J. Corcoran
of Norwell, Mass., was on United
Airlines Flight 175, the second
plane to hit the towers. Corcoran
was traveling to join the APL
Thailand as the first engineer. He
is survived by a wife and two
teenage children.

• The Coast Guard has estab­
lished temporary regulations for
the safety and security of U.S.
naval vessels in the navigable
waters of the United States, under
the authority contained in 14

12 Seafarers LOG

United States Code Section 91.
This provision applies to the

permissible speed of non-military
ships as well as their proximity to
U.S. naval vessels.

• The agency also reported
that its waterborne patrols have
been significantly increased, and
additional port security measures
have been put in place by the
respective Coast Guard captains
in every major port and waterway
throughout the Great Lakes, East
Coast, Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast
and along the navigable inland
rivers and waterways throughout
the country. Those steps include
inspections of large vessels enter­
ing the U.S. 12 nautical miles off
the coasts.

• Sen. John Edwards (D­
N.C.) has introduced a bill (S.
1429) intended to aid both sea­
ports and airports. Known as the
Airport and Seaport Terrorism
Prevention Act, the bill contains
provisions designed to facilitate
detection of weapons in cargo
containers and to improve the
effectiveness of port security per­
sonnel. (More than one month
prior to the attacks, the Senate
Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee
cleared a separate bill (S. 1214)
calling for the Coast Guard to
establish port security commit­
tees including representatives of
labor, port authorities, govern­
ment and the private sector.)

• Within a week after the
attacks, commercial vessel traffic
continued flowing into the Port of
New York, though additional
reporting requirements and
approval are required for transit
through an emergency response
security zone in the Hudson
River below the Holland Tunnel
and north of the Statue of Liberty.
The port, however, remained
closed to cruise ships.

. er pres1dent
ld />... Schaitberg , fFu:e Fighters

Baro l Association o
Internauon~ de A.venue, NW
1750 New ope ,,()006
Washington, ~

12 '>()01
September . ~

'mon we extend our .
B ther Schaitberger. eatarers lntemauoual l! k down yesterday in

pear ro .... d women of thefiS fiohters who were stroc
f the men "'' IAfF 1re .,

On behalf o th falllllies of the f the
ymnathies to e -'-erent dangeIS o

deepest s r . d death are trn• . of the
New York. recogni:z.e that m1urY a~ us for the magnitude

d seafarers bOth . uld have pre\)aI
. fl ohters an othing co

Fire~"' y pursue. Howev~. nld Trade Center. are trcly New
livelihoods e. st attack on the or d time again - that they
heartless terron theY have time an

· layed - as .... IAfF :membeIS d1sp . . n thal we in u1e
• vest. . the endless adroll'.auo

Yorks bra . . ·n be cornforted by their fellow roan.
·"at their faJlll.hes w1 lives at risk to save

We pray u• h put theU
have for those VI o 1 and fraternally, s- ~~~

Michael sacco
president

Letters of support and encouragement also immediately were sent from the SIU to President Bush
and to the presidents of the following unions: AFA, AFSCME, AFT, ALPA, CWA, HERE, IAFF, IAM,
IBEW, IUOE, IUPAT, MESA, OPEIU, PBA, SEIU, TCU and UBC.

AP Photo/Patrick Sison

October 2001

It
arou
attac
affili
cond
Jamil

Nl
the i 1

aske
sible

We



Sample of Correspondence Received by
SIU President Michael Sacco from Abroad

is with great shock and sorrow that the ITF
id the world learned of the appalling terrorist

on the USA yesterday. On behalf of all ITF
tes worldwide, I wish to express our deepest
lences and sympathy to the victims and their

ies.
ting the involvement of passenger aircraft and
mediate closure of U.S. airspace, we have also
our affiliates around the world to lend all pos­
ssistance to the crews of any U.S. aircraft who
e stranded abroad as a result.
are currently reviewing our meetings pro­
e and will postpone any in the immediate
which involve U.S. affiliates. The attack rais-
ious questions about aviation security which
eed to be addressed at an appropriate time.
rs fraternally,

Cockroft
al Secretary, ITF

at happened is impossible to ever put up with
human mind. We all share the grief of your
ers, your families and your Nation. You must
that tears were shed here as well when this
first came from the TV screens. You must

that we are with you in your pain and rage.
ase hold on, friends!

ers Union of Russia Council Members

are deeply shocked and affected of the terror­
criminal acts against some public buildings
York and Washington which resulted with the
thousands of lives of innocent people.

express our deep indignation and resolute con­
tion for these monstrous and criminal acts.
hese difficult days for all American people, on
of all members of FSPTJ', we express to you,
members and the American people our frater­

lidarity and full support. We also express our

October 2001

deep pain for the people who lost their lives and pre­
sent our sincere condolences to their families.

We are fully convinced that the authors of these
monstrous acts will be punished and the values of
peace, liberty and justice which the great America
defends will triumph against terrorism.

With fraternal solidarity,

Zija Hasanaj, President
Independent Trade Union Federation
Of Transport Workers of Albania

We express our deep shock at the appalling ter­
rorist attacks in the United States which have taken
place on Tuesday, 11 September 2001. On behalf of
Greek seafarers and myself personally, we extend
our profound and sincere condolences to the people
whose lives have been lost in the workplace attacks.

Yours fraternally,

John Halas, General Secretary
Panhellenic Seamen's Federation

With great pain and sorrow we received the news
of the violent attacks against civilian and military
installations in the cities of New York and
Washington. We wish to send you this message of
condolence for the loss of human life and we join
your people in solidarity. We are at your disposal
and (you) have our full cooperation within our mod­
est means.

We reject and condemn all type of terrorism in any
part of the world.

Fraternally,

Jose L. Justo Villamil
Secretary General
S.N.T. Marina Mercante

AP Photo/Stephen Chemin

Victims and Heroes
Continued from page 11

Airline workers: The four
hijacked airliners used in
Tuesday's terrorist attacks carried
a total of 233 passengers, 26
union flight attendants and eight
union pilots.

ILA: The ILA had offices on
the 19th and 20th floors of one of
the World Trade Center build­
ings. The employees at the ILA
Medical and Clinical Services
fund offices escaped. The ILA
headquarters building in south
Manhattan is just a few block
from the site of recovery efforts.
It reopened a week-and-a-half
after the attacks.

Public Employees Federa­
tion: This joint SEIU/ AFT union
organization has three major
offices in the World Trade Center
with approximately 300 mem­
bers. Most are accounted for, but
50 to 75 members are not.

OPEIU: There are 16 missing
members of OPEIU local 153
who worked in the trade center
building.

Electrical Workers: Fifty­
two members of IBEW Local 3
are reported missing in New
York. At the Pentagon, all 200
members of IBEW local 26
escaped safely.

Operating Engineers: Two

members of Local 2 are reported
dead and six are missing. Locals
30 and 94 had 30 members on the
job and are trying to track them
down.

Other building trades work­
ers: Building trades workers,
including Painters members,
Laborers and steam fitters
worked on several construction
projects in both World Trade
Center towers. Many are unac­
counted for.

Postal Workers: Workers at
U.S. Postal Service facilities in
the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon all escaped injury.

Carpenters: Hundreds of
members of the New York City
District Council of Carpenters are
reported missing.

Civil Service Employees
Association: Between 150 and
200 members of this AFSCME
affiliate worked in the World
Trade Center. More than 40 are
unaccounted for.

Editor's note: Most of this
article is reprinted from the AFL­
CIO, which continues gathering
information from its member
unions concerning affiliates'
responses to the attacks. For the
latest information, including a
number of useful links, visit
www.aflcio.org.

Unions Pledge Readiness
Continued from page 3

respondence. "I am fully confi­
dent that each of you will contin­
ue to represent your union-and
your country-in the finest fash­
ion."

Meanwhile, Sacco and the
presidents of five other maritime
unions sent a letter to President
Bush promising their assistance
in recovery efforts in New York
and Washington, plus their readi­
ness for whatever comes next.

"In this time of terrible nation­
al tragedy, as with all Americans,
we want you to know that the
men and women of America's
Merchant Marine stand ready to
serve the nation," the union pres­
idents wrote. "They are ready,
willing and able to aid in any way

possible to search for survivors,
help to relieve the weary police
and firemen, render medical
assistance, help in the reconstruc­
tion of our Pentagon, and the
tragically devastated area of the
southern tip of Manhattan. And,
of course, we will serve our
nation in any response to these
forces of evil."

Signing the letter were Sacco;
Tim Brown, president of the
Master , Mates & Pilots; Henry
Disley, president of the Marine
Firemen's Union; Gunnar
Lundeberg, president of the
Sailors' Union of the Pacific;
Michael McKay, president of the
American Maritime Officers; and
Larry O'Toole, president of the
Marine Engineers' Beneficial
Association.

Seafarers LOG 13



Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
AUGUST 16 - SEPTEMBER 15, 2001

*TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

Port
Algonac
Baltimore
Guam
Honolulu
Houston
Jacksonville
Mobile
New Orleans
New York
Norfolk

1
7
2
8

29
33
11
21
21
12

Philadelphia 6
Piney Point 4
Puerto Rico 7
San Francisco 20
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 26
Wilmington 22
Totals 230

Port
Algonac 1
Baltimore 6
Guam 0
Honolulu 7
Houston 17
Jacksonville 20
Mobile 9
New Orleans 6
New York 15
Norfolk 9
Philadelphia
Piney Point 4
Puerto Rico 4
San Francisco 9
St. Louis 0
Tacoma
Wilmington
Totals

Port
Algor.ac
Baltimore
Guam
Honolulu
Houston

11

5
124

l
5
0
8

18
Jacksonville 17
Mobile 4
New Orleans 10
New York 14
Norfolk 8
Philadelphia 3
Piney Point 4
Puerto Rico 3
San Francisco 20
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 19
Wilmington 23
Totals 157

Port
Algonac 0
Baltimore 0
Guam 0
Honolulu 5
Houston 3
Jacksonville 2
Mobile 1
New Orleans 2
New York 4
Norfolk l
Philadelphia 1
Piney Point 0
Puerto Rico 3
San Francisco 4
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 6
Wilmington 4
Totals 36

Totals All
Departments 547

1
3
l
6

18
19
9

14
15
13
2
6
7
5
1
9

12
141

0
5
0
4
5

12
4
7

10
3
1
5
0
8
1

14
7

86

0
2
0
2
2

0
1
0
5
8
5
6
9
8
7
1

0
2
1
5

10
10
78

0

7
3
6
2
3
5
0
1
2
0
5
0

13
1

50

0
0
0

14

0
5 2
3 2
5 1
7 2

10 4
0 0
0 1
l 0
3 1
0 0
3 l
6 l

49 29

0 1
6 3
4 4

22 92
11 5
12 12
8 3

4
30 26

4 18
0

1 26
3 5

11 5
2

16 19
12 12

144 236

420 393

TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

1
6
2
5

20
17
16
15
20

7
4

3

DECK DEPARTMENT
0
2
0 0
5
9 5

19 4
8 4

10 2
5 3
7 5
2
2

2

Trip
Reliefs

0
0
0

11
13
4

4
3
2
0
0

5 3 3 2
18 8 2 7

1 2 1 0
30 10 2 15
14 7 8 9

184 99 45 71

ENGINE DEPARTMENT
l 0 0
6 5 I
0 0 0 0
2 5 2 3

13 2 0 5
9 16 4 4
7 2 2 2
6 3 4
6 5 3
8 1 3 1

1 1 0
1 2 3 1
5 0 0 0
5 6 3 0
0 0 0 0

15 10 5 11

4 5 2 1
89 63 34 31

STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0 0 0 0
5 2 0 0
0 0 0 0
6

11
12
4
7

14
9
2
l
0

1
3
2
3
2
1
5
1
0
0

2
0
2
0
0

3
0
1
0

0
7
7
4
2
3
1
1
0
0

13 2 0 4
2 1 0

11 I I 8
17 7 0 10

114 31 11 47

ENTRY DEPARTMENT
0 0 1 0
0 3 4 0
0
2
3
1
0

7
1
0
0
0
4
0
5
1

25

412

1
6
2

12
3
4

19
5
0

11
4

8

14
3

96

289

0
12
0
7
3
0
8
8
0

18
2
1
1
6
6

77

167

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0

149

**REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

3
11
3

13
44

62
20
39
47
24
10
2

21
42

1
46
56

444

1
6
1
9

27
39
15
15
24
11
5
6
6

14
0

18
9

206

2
4

0
17
22
30

9
16
26
13
7
5
4

36
0

38
37

266

0
0
0

15
4
4

1
9
1

0
7

10
0
5

12
76

992

2
5

11

22
27
10
18
23
23

7
6

11
8
4

13
23

214

0
7
l

11

11
14
9

18
17
14
6
6
4

12
5

13
15

163

0
0
0

10
1

10
4
8
8

14
1
2
2
7
1
3
7

78

0
5
4

64
16
18
13
17
53
15

15
6

16
3

30
25

301

756

0
0
0
9

11

11

5
21
19
13
2
l
2
3
6

16
11

130

0
0
2

11
7
8
0
5
5
8

4

0
4
0

13
7

75

0
1
1

39
3
6
2

3
8
0
2
0
l
1
1
3

72

0

9
249

13
31
5

14
56
23

21
13
12

43
21

513

790

*"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.

October 2001

,,, November & Deaember 2001
Membership Meetings

Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters

Piney Point ............. Monday: November 5, December 3

Algonac .................. Friday: November 9, December 7

Baltimore ................ Thursday: November 8, December 6

Boston ..................... Friday: November 9, December 7

Duluth ..... ........ .. ...... Wednesday: November 14, Dec. 12

Honolulu ................. Friday: November 16, December 14

Houston .................. Tuesday: November 13*

Monday: December 10

(changed created bv lleteram Day holiday)

Jacksonville ............ Thursday: November 8, December 6

Jersey City .............. Wednesday: November 21, Dec. 19

Mobile .................... Wednesday: November 14, Dec. 12

New Bedford .......... Tuesday: November 20, December 18

New Orleans ........... Tuesday: November 13, December 11

New York ................ Tuesday: November 6, December 4

Norfolk ................... Thursday: November 8, December 6

Philadelphia ............ Wednesday: November 7, December 5

Port Everglades ....... Thursday: November 15, December 13

San Francisco ......... Thursday: November 15,December 13

San Juan .................. Thursday: November 8, December 6

St. Louis ................. Friday: November 16, December 14

Savannah ................ Friday: November 9, December 7

Tacoma .... ............... Friday: November 23, December 21

Wilmington ............... Monday: November 19, December 17

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

Personals

WILLIAM BRAGG
Your old friend from Seattle, Roosevelt Martin, is try­

ing to find you. Now living in Virginia Beach, he may be
reached at (757) 200-1878.

EDWARD TOWNSEND JR.
Please contact Michele Dean at 5008 Avenue South,

Galveston, TX 77551, or call (409) 744-6943, or e-mail
ellerae37@aol.com.

NOTICE:
Flu Shots Set for

October 29 at Tacoma Hall
Virginia Mason Clinic will again offer free flu
shots this year to eligible members. The inocula­
tions will be given at the Tacoma hall on Monday,

Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. The address is

3311 South Union Avenue. Any eligible member

intending to receive a flu shot is requested to call

the hall at least one week prior to Oct. 29. The
telephone number is (253) 272-7774.

Seafarers LOG 15



Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
AUGUST 16 - SEPTEMBER 15, 2001

*TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

Port
Algonac I
Baltimore 7
Guam 2
Honolulu 8
Houston 29
Jacksonville 33

l\1obile 11
New Orleans 21
New York 21
Norfolk 12
Philadelphia 6
Piney Point 4

Puerto Rico 7
San Francisco 20
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 26
Wilmington 22
Totals 230

Port
Algonac 1
Baltimore 6
Guam 0
Honolulu 7
Houston 17
Jacksonville 20
Mobile 9-
New Orleans 6
New York 15
Norfolk 9
Philadelphia 1
Piney Point 4
Puerto Rico 4
San Francisco 9
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 11
Wilmington 5
Totals 124

Port
Algor.ac 1
Baltimore 5
Guam 0
Honolulu 8
Houston 18
Jacksonville 17
Mobile 4
New Orleans IO
New York 14
Norfolk 8
Philadelphia 3
Piney Point 4
Puerto Rico 3
San Francisco 20
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 19
Wilmington 23
Totals 157

Port
Algonac 0
Baltimore o
Guam O
Honolulu 5
Houston 3
Jacksonville 2
Mobile t
New Orleans 2
N~wYork 4
Norfolk 1
Philadelphia 1
Piney Point 0
Puerto Rico 3
San Francisco 4
St. Louis 0
Tacoma 6
Wilmington 4
Totals 36

Totals All
Departments 547

1
3
1
6

18
19
9

14
15
13
2
6
7
5
l
9

12
141

0
5
0
4
5

12
4
7

10
3
1
5
0
8

14
7

86

0
2
0
2
2
5
3
5
7

10
0

0
1
3
0
3
6

49

0
6
4

22
11
12
8
1

30
4
1

0
1
0
5
8
5

6
9
8
7
1
0
2
1
5

10
10
78

0

7
3
6
2
3
5
0
1
2
0
5
0

13
l

50

0
0
0

14
0
2
2
1
2
4
0
1
0
1
0

29

I
3
4

92
5

12
3
4

26
18
0

1 26
3 5

11 5
2

16 19
12 12

144 236

420 393

TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

1
6
2
5

20
17
16
15
20

7
4
3
5

18
1

30

DECK DEPARTMENT
0
2
0
5
9

19
8

10
5
7
2
2
3
8
2

10

I
0

5
4
4
2
3
5
2

3
2
I
2

Trip
Reliefs

0
0
0

11
13
4
4
3
2
0
0
2
7
0

15
14 7 8 9

184 99 45 71

ENGINE DEPARTMENT
1 0 0
6 5 1 1
0 0 0 0
2

13
9
7
6
6
8
1
1
5
5
0

15

5
2

16
2
3
5

1
2
0
6
0

10

2
0
4
2
4
3
3
1
3
0
3
0

5

3
5
4
2
1
1
1
0
l
0
0
0

11
4 5 2 1

89 63 34 31

STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0 0 0 0
5 2 0 0
0 0 0 0
6

11
12
4
7

14
9
2
1
0

13
2

11

1
3
2
3
2
1
5
1
0
0
2

2
0
2
0
0

3
0
1
0
0

0
7
7
4
2
3

1
0
0
4
0
8

17 7 0 10
114 31 11 47

ENTRY DEPARTMENT
0 0 l 0
0 3 4 0
0 1 0 0
2 6 12 0
3 2 0 0
1 12 7 0
0 3 3 0

7
1
0
0

0
4

0
5
1

25

412

4

19
5
0

11
4
8

14
3

96

289

0
8
8
0

18
2

6
6

77

167

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

149

**REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups

Class A Class B Class C

3
11
3

13
44
62
20
39
47
24
10
2

21
42

I
46
56

444

I

6
I
9

27
39
15
15
24
11
5
6
6

14
0

18
9

206

2
4

0
17
22
30
9

16
26
13
7
5
4

36
0

38
37

266

0
0
0

15
4
4
1
9
7

0
7

10
0
5

12
76

992

2 0
5 0

0
11 9
22 11
27 11

10 5
18 21
23 19
23 13
7 2
6 1

11 2
8 3
4 6

13 16
23 11

214 130

0 0
7 0

2
11 11
11 7
14 8
9 0

18 5
17 5
14 8
6 1
6 4
4 0

12 4
5 0

13 13
15 7

163 75

0 0
0
0

10 39
1 3

10 6
4 2
8 l
8 3

14 8
1 0
2 2
2 0
7 1
1
3 1
7 3

78 72

0 0
5
4 9

64 249
16 13
18 31
13 5
17 14
53 56
15 23

1
15
6

16
3

30
25

301

756

21
13
12

l
43
21

513

790

*"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.

October 2001

November & December 20ll1
Membership Meetings

Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters

Piney Point ............. l\1onday: November 5, December 3

Algonac .................. Friday: November 9, December 7

Baltimore ................ Thursday: November 8, December 6

Boston ..................... Friday: November 9, December 7

Duluth ................... ,.Wednesday: November 14, Dec. 12

Honolulu ................. Friday: November 16, December 14

Houston .................. Tuesday: November 13*
Monday: December 10

(changed created by Veterans Day holiday)

Jacksonville ............ Thursday: November 8. December 6

Jersey City .............. Wednesday: November 21, Dec. 19

Mobile .................... Wednesday: November 14, Dec. 12

New Bedford .......... Tuesday: November 20, December 18

New Orleans ........... Tuesday: November 13, December 11

New York. ............... Tuesday: November 6, December 4

Norfolk ................... Thursday: November 8, December 6

Philadelphia ............ Wednesday: November 7, December 5

Port Everglades ....... Thursday: November 15, December 13

San Francisco ......... Thursday: November 15, December 13

San Juan .................. Thursday: November 8, December 6

St. Louis ................. Friday: November 16, December 14

Savannah ................ Friday: November 9, December 7

Tacoma ................... Friday: November 23, December 21

Wilmington ............... Monday: November 19, December 17

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

Personals

WILLIAM BRAGG
Your old friend from Seattle, Roosevelt Martin, is try­

ing to find you. Now living in Virginia Beach, he may be
reached at (757) 200-1878.

EDWARD TOWNSEND JR.
Please contact Michele Dean at 5008 Avenue South,

Galveston, TX 77551, or call (409) 744-6943, or e-mail
ellerae37@aol.com.

NOTICE:
Flu Shots Set for

October 29 at Tacoma Hall
Virginia Mason Clinic will again offer free flu

shots this year to eligible members. The inocula­

tions will be given at the Tacoma hall on Monday,

Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. The address is

3311 South Union Avenue. Any eligible member

intending to receive a flu shot is requested to call

the hall at least one week prior to Oct. 29. The

telephone number is (253) 272-7774.

Seafarers LOG 15



John Fay, Executive Vice President

David Jleindel, Secretary~Treasurer

Augustin Tellez, Pice President Contracts

Jack Caffey, Pice President Atlantic Coast

Tom Orzechowski,
Pice President Lakes and Inland Waters

Dean Corgey, Vice President Gulf Coast

Nkholas J. Marrone, Vice President West Coast

Kermett Mangram,
Vice President Government Services

Rene Lfoeanjie, V'zce President at Large

Charles Stewart, Vice P,..esidenJ at Large

• •
HEADQUARTERS

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

ALGONAC
520 St_ Clair River Dr., Algonac, Ml 48001

(810) 794-4988

ALTON
325 Market St., Suite B, Alton, lL 62002

(618) 462-3456

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

(907) 561-4988

BALTIMORE
2315 Essex St., Baltimore, MD 21224

(410) 327-4900

BOSTON
520 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA 02127

(617) 269-7877

DULUTH
705 Medical Arts Building, Duluth, MN 55802

(218) 722-4110

GUAM
P.O. Box 23127, Barrigada. Guam 96921

125 Sunny Plaza, Suite 301-E
Tun Jesus Crisostomo St., Tamuning, Guam 96911

(611) 647-1350

HONOLtJLU
606 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819

{808) 845-522:2

HOUSTON
1221 Pierce St,, Houston, TX 77002

(713) 659-5152

8329 Lawndale St., Houston, TX 77012
(713) 928-3381

.JAC:KSONVII,LE · .

3315 Liberty St., Jacksonville, FL 32206
(904) 353-0987

JERSEY CITY
99 Montgomery St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

(201) 435-9424

MOBILE
1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605

(251) 478-0916

NEW BEDFORD
48 Union St., New Bedford, MA 02740

(508) 997-5404

NEW OltLEANS
3911 Lapaleo Blvd., Harvey, LA 70058

(504) 328-7545

NEW YORK
635 Fourth.Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11232

(718) 499-6600

NORFOLK
115 Third St., Norfolk, VA 23510

(757) 622-1892

PHILADELPHIA
2604 SA 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

16

SAN FRANCISCO
350 Fremont St, San Francisco, CA 94105

( 415) 543-5855
Government Services Division: (415) 861-3400

SANT UR CE
1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave., Stop 161h

Santurce, PR 00907
(787) 721-4033

ST. LOUIS
4581 Gravois Ave., St Louis. MO 63116

(314) 752~6500

SAVANNAH
2220 Bull St., Savannah, GA 31401

(912) 238-4958

TACOMA
3411 South Union Ave., Tacoma, WA 98409

(253) 272-7774

WILMINGTON
510 N. Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744

(310) 549-4000

Seafarers LOB

l\T1'11J' Monthly Shipping A Registration Report

TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups

AUGUST 2001

TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups

Group I Group II Group ill Group I Group II Group ill

Port

Boston
Houston
Harvey, LA
New York
Norfolk
San Pedro
Savannah
Tacoma
Totals

DECK DEPARTMENT

4

7
6

14
3

12
2
2

50

0
3
2
2

0
0
0
2
9

0

0
0
0
0

0
0

1

4

5
4
8
3
8
4
3

39

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

0
0

0
0

0

Port

Boston
Houston
Harvey, LA
New York
Norfolk
San Pedro
Savannah
Tacoma
Totals

ENGINE DEPARTMENT

4
5
3
6
4

2
2

1

0
3
3
1
0
0
0
2

9

0
1
0
0
0
o_
0
0
1

8 0 0
5 0 2

27

4

2
2
3
2

27

0 0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0

0
0
0
2

Port

Boston
Houston
Harvey, LA

New York
Norfolk
San Pedro
Savannah
Tacoma
Totals

STEWARD DEPARTMENT

3
I
1

4
l
1
0
0

11

0
0

2 .. -o
9
0
0

3

0
0
0

0
0
1

6

2

2

3

0
19

0
0
0

0

0
0
0

0
0
0

0

0
0

0

Port ENTRY DEPARTMENT

0
2
4

3
2
0
5
0
2

2
2

0 .() 0 0
Houston
Harvey, LA

New York
Norfolk
San Pedro
Savannah

2 0 3

11
0

10

Tacoma 0
Totals 28

Totals All

Departments 116

16

37

2
6
0

0

11

14

0

0
1
0
2
0
5

90

PIG-FROM-THE-PAST

On his way home to Martinsville, Va., following a recent six­
day vacation at the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Md. (see
Letters to the Editor, p. 20), Pete Bluhm stopped at SIU head­
quarters to drop off these two photos. The top one was taken in
the mid-'40s of the deck gang aboard the Grange Victory. Bluhm,
who sailed as a bosun, is in the center, kneeling.

The photo at right was taken in 1948 aboard the Montgomery
City. Bluhm is third from right. Also in that photo is Ernest Frank
"Scottie" Aubusson (second from left, who died in 1993).

Bluhm, who began sailing with the SIU in 1946, participated in
organizing drives aboard Isthmian ships-a cause that took near­
ly three years.

He retired from the SIU in 1952 and went on to work in the
trucking industry and then in radio. He now enjoys time with his
family and, of course, his yearly visits to Piney Point.

0
1

0
0
0
0

1

1

0
0
0
0
0
0
3

5

Trip
Reliefs

4

II
5

12
0

16
6
5

59

0
5
5
6
0
8
3
3

30

0
4
3

0

0
3

17

2
7
3

10

0
6
3
1

32

138

REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups

Group I Group II Group III

0
18
10

103

I
23
11
17

183

0
5
4

104

0
28

8
11

160

0
4
0

77

5

l
95

0
.9
6

110
0

13
0
0

138

576

0
2
2

39

0
22

0
4

69

0
3
3

88
0

30
2

2
128

0
0

17

0
'.t2

3

95

0
43

3
36

192

406

0
0

8

0
1
0
0

10

0
0
0
9
0
9

0
19

0
0
0
3
0

14
0
0

17

2

111

157

October 2001



A n inland captain is among
the 16 Seafarers announc­
ing their retirements this

month. John S. Waters navigated
the inland waterways at the helms
of various vessels for more than
10 years.

Including Waters, six of the
retirees navigated the inland
waters, seven sailed in the deep
sea division and three plied the
Great Lakes.

Nine of the retirees worked in
the deck department, five shipped
in the engine department and two
sailed in the steward department.

On this page, the Seafarers
LOG presents brief biographical
accounts of the retiring Seafarers.

DEEP SEA
MARIANA
A. CARPIN­
TEYRO, 71 ,
started her
SIU career in
1991, joining
in Honolulu.
Sister
Carpinteyro

first shipped aboard the SS
Independence , operated by
American Hawaii Cruises. Born
in Mexico, the steward depart­
ment member upgraded her skills
in 1995 and 1997 at the SIU's
training school in Piney Point,
Md. Sister Carpinteyro last
worked on American Overseas
Marine's 2nd Lt. John Paul Bobo.
She calls Honolulu home.

DAVID H.
DAVIS, 62,
hails from
Ohio. Brother
Davis began
his career with
the Seafarers
in 1968 in
Seattle. He
first went to sea aboard
Interocean Management's Ft.
Hoskins. Brother Davis shipped
as a member of the engine depart­
ment. He last sailed on the
Overseas Marilyn. Brother Davis
resides in Humble, Texas.

JOSEPHD.
DeJESUS, 65,
started his SIU

·, career in 1991
in the port of
Wilmington,

"' Calif. Brother
DeJesus first

- sailed on the
Overseas Joyce, operated by
OSG Car Carriers, Inc. Born in
Boston, he shipped in the deck
department. Brother DeJ es us last
sailed aboard Cambridge Tankers
Corp. 's Overseas Boston. He
makes his home in La Mesa,
Calif.

EARNEST
HALE, 65,
began his SIU
career in 1968,
joining in the
port of
Mobile, Ala.
Brother Hale's
first voyage
was aboard Waterman Steamship
Corp.'s Yaka. The Alabama native
sailed as a member of the deck
department. He last shipped
aboard the Seabulk Challenge,
operated by Interocean Ugland

October 2001

Management Corp. Brother Hale
lives in Mobile.

CLIFFORD RING, 65, hails
from Kentucky. He started his
SIU career in 1969 in Jackson­
ville, Fla. Before becoming a
Seafarer, he served in the U.S.
Army from 1956 to 1958. Brother
Ring's first voyage was aboard
Alcoa Steamship's Halaula
Victory. A member of the engine
department, he last shipped on
the Senator, operated by Crowley
American Transportation, Inc.
Brother Ring calls St. George,
Ga. home.

MARCIAL
RUIZ, 64,
started his
career with the
SIU in 1977,
joining in the
port of New
Orleans. Born
in Honduras,

he first sailed on the USNS
Potomac, operated by Empire
Transport, Co. Brother Ruiz
shipped as a member of the
engine department. He last sailed
aboard Valdez Tankship Corp's
Overseas Valdez. Brother Ruiz
makes his home in Houston.

THOMAS
VANYI, 58,
joined the
Seafarers in
1967 in the
port of New
York. Brother
Vanyi's first
voyage was
aboard the Overseas Joyce, oper­
ated by Overseas Carriers, Inc.
Born in Hungary, the steward
department member upgraded his
skills at the SIU's training school
in 1974 and 1978. Brother Vanyi
resides in Lincroft, N .J.

INLAND

MICHAELL.
DEMETRO,
57, joined the
SIU in 1978 in
the port of
Houston. Prior
to joining the
Seafarers, the

_.....__,.'"""""=--L--"' New York
native served in the U.S. Navy
from 1962 to 1977. Boatman
Demetro first sailed aboard a
G&H Towing Co. vessel. The
engine department member
upgraded his skills at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship in Piney
Point, Md. in 1982. Boatman
Demetro last worked aboard a
Moran Towing Co. vessel. He
makes in home in Houston.

RICHARD F.
ECKLES, 69,
started his
career with the
Seafarers in
1962, joining
in the port of
New Orleans.
Boatman
Eckles worked primarily aboard
vessels operated by Capital
Towing Co. Born in Louisiana, he
shipped as a member of the deck

Welcome Ashore
Each month, the Seafare rs 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.

department. Boatman Eckles lives
in Zachary, La.

.-----;;:=----, Calif. Prior to was on an American Steamship
Co. vessel. The deck department
member sailed in both the Great
Lakes and inland divisions during
his career. He last shipped aboard
a Great Lakes Towing Co. vessel.
Brother Kornmeier resides in
Ohio.

DONICE E.
LAWSON,

joining the
SIU, he served
in the U.S.
Navy from
1958 to 1960.
Boatman Wain
worked pri­

62, was born
in Charleston,
W.Va. He
began his
career with the
Seafarers in
1977, joining

in the port of Norfolk, Va. The
deck department member worked
primarily on vessels operated by
Penn Maritime, Inc. Boatman
Lawson upgraded his skills in
1995 at the Seafarers Harry
Lundeberg School of Seamanship
in Piney Point, Md. He resides in
Virgilina, Va.

.__-..___=-----""'.....-. marily on ves­
sels operated by Crowley Towing
& Transportation. The engine
department member upgraded his
skills in 1981 and 1998 at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship in Piney
Point, Md. Boatman Wain Ii ves in
Downey, Calif.

JAMES R.
LAWSON,
64, joined the
Seafarers in
1977 in
Detroit. Born
in Michigan,
he first
shipped on an

JOHNS.
WATERS, 61,
started his SIU
career in 1976,
joining in the
port of
Houston. Born
in Charleston,
S.C. Boatman

EDWARDJ.
VOIT, 61 ,
began his SIU
career in 1978,
joining in the
port of
Philadelphia.
Before becom­
ing a Seafarer,
Boatman Voit served in the U.S.
Army from 1959 to 1962. He first
sailed on a Taylor Marine Towing
Co. vessel. A native of
Pennsylvania, Boatman Voit
shipped in the deck department.
He upgraded his skills at the
SIU's training school in 1990.
Boatman Voit last worked aboard
a Coleman Launch Service ves­
sel. He calls North Palm Beach,
Fla. home.

Waters sailed as a captain. He
sailed primarily aboard vessels
operated by Marine Contracting
& Towing Co. The captain makes
his home in Summerville, S.C.

H&M Lake Transport vessel.
Brother Lawson sailed in both the
Great Lakes and inland divisions.
The deck department member
upgraded his skills in 1980 at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School of Seamanship in Piney
Point, Md. His most recent voy­
age was on American Steamship
Co. 's John Boland. Brother
Lawson lives in Algonac, Mich.

JOSEPHD.
VIOLANTI,
64, was born
in Pennsyl­
vania. He
started his
career with the
Seafarers in
1960, joining

GREAT LAKES

MICHAELJ.
KORN­
MEIER, 55,
hails from
Toledo, Ohio.
Brother
Kornmeier
joined the
Seafarers in HUGH K. WAIN, 66, hails from

Los Angeles. He started his
career with the Seafarers in 1978,
joining in the port of Wilmington,

1967 in Detroit. He served in the
U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1966.
Brother Kornmeier's first voyage

in Detroit. Brother Violanti's ini­
tial voyage was aboard an
American Steamship Co. vessel.
The deck department member last
shipped on the Saginaw Bay,
another American Steamship Co.
vessel. Brother Violanti makes his
home in Northwood, Ohio.

Reprinted from past issues of the Seafarers LOG

1952
since its founding in 1938 and first came
ashore to serve as a union officer in the port
of Tampa in 1941. He had been acting as the

Seafarers and their children will have an SIU's chief negotiator since 1959 and was
opportunity to get a four-year college educa- elected to his last post in 1960.
tion, free of charge, under a new plan pro- He gained the nickname "Sonny" when he
posed by the SIU and first went to sea from
approved by the his native Tampa at
trustees of the the age of 1 5, ship-
Seafarers Welfare THJS MOJ'ITH ping as a deckhand on
Plan. Beginning with a coastal freighter. He
the fall term of 1953, J"'t SJU HJS."01Ay thereafter switched to
four students yearly f ~ f ' '.A ocean-going vessels
will receive full col- where he worked vir-
lege scholarships of tually all engine
$ 1, 500 a year for department ratings as
four years, good at i.==::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::::=!! a wiper, fireman,
any recognized college or university in the oiler, and as a deck engineer on winches and
U.S. and for any course selected. Money cargo machinery.
already has been set aside by the trustees for
the scholarship fund to cover the next four
years.
This is the first scholarship plan in maritime
and one of the few union scholarship plans in
the U.S. The union scholarship will be enough
in practically all cases to cover all tuitions and
fees and still leave money for ample monthly
subsistence payments.

1962
One of the earliest SIU members and officials,
Claude "Sonny" Simmons, SIU vice president
in charge of contracts and contract enforce­
ment, died Oct. 30 at Hackensack Hospital in
New Jersey after a long illness. He was 43
years old.
An experienced organizer and contract special­
ist, Simmons had been a member of the SIU

1972
labor leaders leveled bitter attacks at "reac­
tionaries" in Congress after the House of
Representatives refused to send its minimum­
wage bill to conference within the Senate ....
The Senate bill, backed by labor, would raise
the present $1.60 an hour minimum to
$2.20 over two years and extend coverage to
six million more workers, including domestics
and state and local government employees.
The Senate also would raise the minimum for
factory-farm workers to $2.20 over three
years.
The House bill would raise the overall mini­
mum to $2 an hour. It would not extend cov­
erage or increase the farm workers' minimum.
It also includes a provision ... to let employers
hire 16- and 1 7-year-old youths at a special
$1.60 wage.

Seafarers LOG 11



c

Final Departures
DEEP SEA

SUMO AMIR
Pensioner Sumo
Amir, 83 , died
April 4 . Born in
Indonesia,
Brother Amir
started his
career with the
Marine Cooks
and Stewards
(MC&S) in

1952 in the port of San Francisco.
The SS Mariposa was one of the
ships aboard which the steward
department member sailed. He
began receiving his pension in 1979.
Brother Amir lived in San Francisco.

GENE BERGER
Pensioner Gene
Berger, 78,
passed away
May 6. Brother
Berger began
his SIU career
in 1951 in the
port of New
York. His first

_........._ _ __, voyage was
aboard the Royal Oak, operated by
Interocean Management Corp. Born
in Sweden, Brother Berger shipped
in the engine department. His final
voyage was on the Point Margo ,
operated by Point Endeavor Corp.
Brother Berger started receiving his
pension in 1982. He lived in his
native country.

JESSE CONDOFF
Pensioner Jesse
Condoff, 87,
died June 27.
Brother
Condoff started
his career with
the MC&S in
San Francisco.
The Mississippi
native worked

in the steward department and began
receiving his pension in 1973.
Brother Condo ff made his home in
San Francisco.

DONALD CURTIS
Brother Donald
Curtis, 63,
passed away
June 26. He
was born in
Iowa City,
Iowa. Brother
Curtis ' initial
SIU voyage was
aboard the

USNS Stalwart, operated by Sea
Mobility, Inc. He shipped in the
steward department, most recently
working aboard the USNS Bowditch,
operated by Dyn Marine Services of
Virginia, Inc. Brother Curtis resided
in La Harpe, Ill.

BENJAMIN DAHLAN
Pensioner
Benjamin
Dahlan, 75 ,
died June 28.
He started his
SIU career in
1966 in the port
ofNorfolk, Va.
Brother Dahlan
first shipped

aboard a Sea-Land Service vessel.
The Singapore-born mariner was a
member of the deck department. He
last worked on Energy
Transportation Corp. 's LNG
Capricorn. Brother Dahlan started
receiving his pension in 1991. Staten
Island, N .Y. was his home.

ALCIDAS DORE
Pensioner Alcidas Dore, 91, passed
away July 10. Brother Dore started
his career with the MC&S in Seattle.
Before joining the MC&S, he served
in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1942
to 1945. Brother Dore's first voyage

18 Seafarers LOS

was on a States
Steamship Co.
vessel. The
Willow City,
N.D. native
sailed in the
steward depart­
ment. He last
went to sea
aboard the

President Taylor, operated by
American President Lines. Brother
Dore started receiving his pension
in 1983. He lived in Bremerton,
Wash.

DEWEY E. EMORY
Pensioner
Dewey E.
Emory, 75, died
June 24. He
began his SIU
career in 1949
in Tampa, Fla.
Brother
Emory's initial
voyage was

aboard a Mayflower Steamship
Corp. vessel. The Smyrna, Ga.
native sailed in the steward depart­
ment. He last worked on Delta
Steamship Lines' Del Campo.
Brother Emory started receiving his
pension in 1983 . He made his home
in Tampa, Fla.

VINCENT FRISINGA
Pensioner Vincent Frisinga, 75,
passed away April 27. Brother
Frisinga joined the SIU in 1963 in
the port of Wilmington, Calif.
Before becoming a Seafarer, he
served in the U.S. Army. Brother
Frisinga first sailed on the Taddei
Victory, operated by Consolidated
Mariners, Inc. Born in California, he
shipped as a member of the deck
department. Brother Frisinga's final
voyage was aboard the Sea-Land
Freedom. He started receiving his
pension in 1991. Brother Frisinga
resided in Los Angeles.

HERBERT GREENE
Pensioner
Herbert Greene,
70, died March
21. Born in
Connecticut, he
began his career
with the
Seafarers in
1969 in
Yokohoma,

Japan. Prior to joining the SIU, he
served in the U.S. Navy from 1950
to 1953. Brother Greene first
shipped with the SIU aboard
Waterman Steamship Corp. 's City of
Alma. The deck department member
last sailed on the Sea-Land
Consumer. He started receiving his
pension in 1995. Brother Greene
lived in San Francisco.

WILLIAM JOE
Pensioner William Joe, 70, passed
away April 4. Brother Joe launched
his SIU career in 1952 in the port of
New York. Before his seafaring
days, he served in the U.S. Army
from 1947 to 1948. Brother Joe first
went to sea aboard the Marymar,
operated by Calmar Steamship Corp.
The engine department member was
born in New York. He last shipped
on the LNG Taurus, an Energy
Transportation Corp. vessel. Brother
Joe started receiving his pension in
1991. St. Bernard, La. was his home.

PER KARMAN
,_---...,..._..._, Pensioner Per

Kannan, 92,
died April 10.
Brother
Kannan started
his career with
the Seafarers in
1945, joining in
the port of San

'------'12......o .......... ....___;:,._--..J Francisco. Born
in Sweden, he shipped as a member

of the deck department. Brother
Karman started receiving his pen­
sion in 1973. He was a resident of
Santa Rosa, Calif.

DONALD KEITH
Pensioner
Donald Keith,
71 , passed
away March 14.
He began his
SIU career in
1956 in the port
of New York.
Before becom­

....... ...w..-.."""""" ........... .....-tu..ill ing a Seafarer,
Brother Keith served in the U.S.
Navy from 1945 to 1948. His first
SIU voyage was aboard the Rose
Knot, operated by Suwannee
Steamship Co. The New York native
worked in the steward department.
He last shipped on the Sea-Land
Leader. Brother Keith began receiv­
ing his pension in 1994. Astoria,
N.Y. was his home.

THOMAS LANINGHAM
Pensioner
Thomas
Laningham, 82,
died May 14.
Born in Ranger,
Texas, Brother
Laningham
started his SIU
career in 194 7
in Galveston,

Texas. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1942 to 1945. Brother
Laningham worked in the engine
department. His last voyage was on
the Del Norte, operated by Delta
Steamship Lines. He started receiv­
ing his pension in 1984. Brother
Laningham lived in Las Vegas.

ANDRES MALDONADO
.-------.....-,Pensioner

Andres
Maldonado, 78,
passed away
June 7. He
started his
career with the
Seafarers in
1945 in the port

...... L.......11'1.....J of New York.
Born in Puerto Rico, Brother
Maldonado first shipped on A.H.
Bull Steamship Co. 's Elizabeth. He
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Maldonado's last voyage
was on the San Juan, operated by
Puerto Rico Marine Management,
Inc. He started receiving his pension
in 1985. Brother Maldonado was a
resident of Bronx, N.Y.

FLOYD MULLENS
Pensioner Floyd Mullens, 78, died
July 10. The Texas native joined the
SIU in 1966 in the port of New
York. He served in the U.S. Navy
from 1942 to 1945. Brother
Mullens' initial SIU voyage was
aboard Waterman Steamship Corp. 's
Meridian Victory. The steward
department member last went to sea
on the Overseas Alaska. Brother
Mullens started receiving his pen­
sion in 1988. He made his home in
Stanislaus, Calif.

WILLIAM OMELANCZUK
Pensioner
William
Omenlanczuk,
75, passed
away May 16.
Brother
Omelanczuk
joined the
Seafarers in

....__ _____ _, 1951 in the port
of New York. He served in the U. S.
Army in 1943. Born in Newark,
N.J., Brother Omelanczuk first
sailed aboard a Waterman Steamship
Corp. vessel. The deck department
member last went to sea on the Sea­
Land Gallaway. Brother Omelanc-

zuk: started receiving his pension in
1992. He resided in Largo, Fla.

ROBERT PITCHER
Pensioner
Robert Pitcher,
81 , died April 7.
Brother Pitcher
started his SIU

' career in 1955
in the port of
New Orleans.
The Louisiana
native first

sailed aboard Mississippi Shipping
Co. 's Del Mar. Brother Pitcher
worked in the steward department
and last shipped on the Del Norte,
another Mississippi Shipping Co.
vessel. He started receiving his pen­
sion in 1972. Brother Pitcher made
his home in Arabi, La.

JAMES W. PULLIAM
~-----~ Pensioner

James W.
Pulliam, 76,
died June 7.
Born in
Virginia, he
started his SIU
career in 194 7
in the port of
New York.

Brother Pulliam's initial voyage was
aboard a Victory Carriers, Inc. ves­
sel. He shipped in the deck depart­
ment. Brother Pulliam last sailed on
the Sea-Land Tacoma. He began
receiving his pension in 1986.
Brother Pulliam was a resident of
Williamsburg, Va.

JOSEPH RINIUS
Pensioner
Joseph Rinius,
84, passed away
April 22. He
started his
career with the
Seafarers in
1967 in the port
of San
Francisco. Born

in Pennsylvania, he first sailed
aboard the Santa Emilia, operated by
Liberty Navigation Trading Co.
Brother Rinius worked in the engine
department. He last shipped on Delta
Steamship Lines ' Santa Adela.
Brother Rinius began receiving his
pension in 1981. He lived in Santa
Rosa, Calif.

FRANK RUSSO
Pensioner
Frank Russo,
88, died May
27. Born in
Louisiana, he
joined the SIU
in 1944 in the
port of Norfolk,
Va. The deck

~----..... department
member worked primarily aboard
Delta Steamship Lines vessels.
Brother Russo began receiving bis
pension in 1979. He called Harvey,
La. home.

LESTER SCHRAGER
Pensioner
Lester
Schranger, 79,
died July 28.
Brother
Schrager began
his SIU career
in 1966 in
Wilmington,
Calif. He first

sailed aboard Texas City Refining,
Inc.'s The Cabins. The Connecticut
native worked in the deck depart­
ment. His final SIU voyage was on
the Sea-Land Endurance. Brother
Schrager began receiving his pen­
sion in 1987. He was a resident of
Las Vegas.

MARVIN SMITHERMAN
Pensioner Marvin Smitherman, 73,

passed away June 14. The Alabama
native started his SIU career in 1970
in the port of San Francisco. He
served in the U.S. Navy from 1952
to 1956. Brother Smitherman first
sailed aboard a Michigan Tankers,
Inc. vessel. The steward department
member last went to sea aboard
Crowley Marine Services ' Nodaway.
He started receiving his pension in
1998. Tuscaloosa, Ala. was his
home.

MARTIN VARGAS
Brother Martin
Vargas, 32, died
April 25 . He
joined the SIU
in 1999 in the
port of Piney
Point, Md.
Brother Vargas'
initial SIU voy­
age was aboard

the Blue Ridge, operated by Crowley
Petroleum Transport. The Texas
native worked in the engine depart­
ment. He last went to sea on
Sheridan Transportation Co. 's ITB
Baltimore. He lived in Corpus
Christi, Texas.

JOSEPH WOLANSKI
Pensioner Joseph Wolanski, 78,
passed away May 17. Born in New
Jersey, he started his SIU career in
1956 in the port of New York. His
first ship was the Steel Artisan, oper­
ated by Isco Inc. Brother Wolanski
shipped in the deck department, last
sailing on the Sea-Land Integrity.
Brother Wolanski served in the U.S.
Navy from 1939 to 1946. He made
his home in Baltimore and started
receiving his pension in 1978.

INLAND

JOHN REED
Pensioner John Reed, 70, passed
away April 18. He began his career
with the Seafarers in 1967 in the
port of Houston. Boatman Reed
served in the U.S. Army from 1940
to 1945. The engine department
member sailed primarily aboard ves­
sels operated by G&H Towing. He
started receiving his pension in
1988. Boatman Reed resided in
Cleveland, Texas.

LUKE SCARIANO
Pensioner Luke Scariano, 86, passed
away May 14. He started his career
with the Seafarers in 1956 in New
Orleans. The Louisiana native sailed
primarily aboard vessels operated by
Crescent Towing & Salvage Co. ,
Inc. Boatman Scariano worked in
the engine department and started
receiving his pension in 1980. He
made his home in Shelby, Tenn.

JOHN WEINER
Pensioner John
Weiner, 71, died
July 28. Boat­
man Weiner
began his career
with the
Seafarers in
1966 in the port
of Philadelphia.
He served in

the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948.
Born in Pennsylvania, Boatman
Weiner first shipped aboard a Moran
Towing Co. vessel. He worked in the
engine department and last sailed on
a Taylor Marine Towing Co. vessel.
Boatman Weiner started receiving
his pension in 1988.

ALLEN WOODS
Pensioner Allen Woods, 67, passed
away May 20. He joined the SIU in
1979 in the port of New Orleans.
Boatman Woods was born in
Alabama and sailed primarily aboard
vessels operated by Dravo Basic

Continued on page 20

October 2001



Digest ~f ~hipboard
Unio'1 11•ctin9s ·

The::Seatarers LOG a,ttempts to print as many digests of union shipboard
mi11iltes a§ possible. On occasion, because of space

limitations, some will be omitted.

SIJips minu_tes first are reviewed by the unions contract department.
Those. issues requiring attention or resolution are addressed by the union

upon ret:1ipt of the ships 1 minutes. The minutes are then lorwarded
to the Seafarers LOG for publication.

CHICAGO (ATC), June 29-
Chairman Timothy D. Koebel,
Secretary Gregory G. Keene,
Educational Director Rudolph
Lopez, Deck Delegate Marcos
Felix, Engine Delegate Phil Per­
dikis, Steward Delegate Ahmed
0. Shariff. Chairman stated copies
of new contract received and made
available to crew. Positive aspects
of contract noted, including in­
creased pension benefits and pre­
scription coverage for dependents.
Educational director talked about
basic safety training needed to sat­
isfy STCW requirements. No beefs
or disputed OT reported. Engineers
agreed to shut down elevator from
8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Crew members re­
quested to refrain from using it
during this period if inadvertently
left on. Chairman reminded crew
of mess deck courtesies, i.e., no
hats, sleeveless shirts or flip-flops .
Also, everyone should assist
DRU's and GSU's efforts to main­
tain crew areas in clean condition.
Next ports: Valdez, Alaska; Rich­
mond, Wash.

PRODUCER (CSX Line), June 3
-Chairman Joel A. Lechel, Secre­
tary Douglas J. Swets, Educational
Director Allan A. Rogers II, Deck
Delegate John T. Emrich, Engine
Delegate Lawrence D. Carranza,
Steward Delegate Osvaldo Casta­
gnino. Chairman announced payoff
June 5 in Long Beach, Calif. He
thanked crew for keeping ship
cl an while at anchor in port. He
noted STCW clock is ticking. "If
you don't complete STCW basic
safety training or acquire your
STCW certificate by Feb. 1, 2002,
you will not be able to sail." Secre­
tary stated all correspondence post­
ed and in order. Educational direc­
tor added that in addition to taking
required STCW courses at Pau]
Hall Center in Piney Point, Md. ,
school is available for other up­
grading classes. Treasurer noted
$1 ,000 in ship's fund. For requests
other than movies, crew should
talk with bosun. No beefs or dis­
puted OT reported. New itinerary
will take ship from Long Beach to
Honolulu to Tacoma and back to
Long Beach. Thanks given to stew­
ard department for greatly im­
proved menus. Special thanks also
to Relief Steward Swets for out­
standing job.

RELIANCE (CSX Line), June
30--Chairman Tim FitzGerald,
Secretary Gene C. Sivley, Engine
Delegate John D. Lange. Chair-

While in the Tampa shipyard,
AB Dave Crisp works on the
El Morro's aft house.

October 2001

man stated new washing machine
and VCR received. He thanked
crew for their professional help
during oil spill in Tacoma, Wash.
Educational director urged crew
members to upgrade skills at Piney
Point and remember Feb. l, 2002
deadline is getting closer. Without
STCW certificate, mariners cannot
sail. Treasurer noted $100 in ship's
fund. Some disputed OT reported
by deck delegate. Clarification
requested on pension plan. Vote of
thanks given to steward depart­
ment. Next port: Tacoma.

SEALAND ACHIEVER (U.S.
Ship Management), June 24-­
Chairman Michael Duggan, Secre­
tary Andrew Hagan, Educationa]
Director Miguel Rivera, Deck
Delegate Gerard Rogers, Engine
Delegate Ronnie Hamilton, Stew­
ard Delegate Daniel L. Wehr.
Chairman announced payoff July 2
in Houston. He noted new dryer
installed. He reminded crew mem­
bers to update STCW certificates.
Steward requested looking into
ways to secure stores crane to stop
rattling (which is keeping him
awake at night). Treasurer reported
$12 in movie fund. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Chairman
read communication from head­
quarters regarding proposal in next
contract for satellite TV. New
clocks requested for crew lounge
and mess hall. These are electric
clocks that are automatically
adjusted from bridge during time
zone changes. Next port: Charles­
ton, S.C.

USNS BOLD (Maersk Lines,
Ltd.), June 26-Chairman David
W. Gardner, Secretary Richard J.
Wythe, Deck Delegate Derrick
Hurt, Engine Delegate Wayne
Evans, Steward Delegate Gideon
Sinunons.Chairmanthanked
everyone for excellent job and for
practicing safe working habits. He
announced next payoff in early
August. Bosun reminded everyone
that time is running out for STCW
compliance-Feb. 1, 2002. He also
stressed importance of upgrading at
Piney Point. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Clarification request­
ed on basis for figuring vacation
pay and criteria for working in tax.­
free zones and whether any "haz­
ardous duty" pay applies. Crew
also requested more overtime and
inquired about e-mail service for
ship and refrigerators for all rooms.
Suggestions made for increased
pension plan and improved dental
and prescription plans.

USNS STOCKHAM (Amsea),
June 26-Chairman Thomas W.
Grosskurth, Secretary Stephen
M. Avallone, Educational Director
Joseph J. Jenkins Jr. , Deck De1e­
gate Kelvin Johnson, Engine
Delegate John Fernandez, Stew­
ard Delegate Alan Van Buren.
Bosun addressed STCW issue and
noted deadline for compliance is
Feb. 1, 2002. Those crew members
getting off reminded to leave
rooms in good condition with fresh
linen. Treasurer announced $115 in
ship's fund. He advised crew mem­
bers to agree on how money should
be spent before leaving for Diego
Garcia. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Suggestion made for im­
proved dental and optical benefits
at all levels. Vote of thanks given
to steward department for good

food. Next port: Jacksonville, Fla.

CHARLES BROWN (Trans­
oceanic Cable Ship Co.), July 9-
Chairman David Loison, Educa­
tional Director Lothar Wick, Deck
Delegate Tyrone Benjamin, En­
gine Delegate Guadalupe A.
Campbell. Chairman reminded
everyone ship is on standby.
Anyone going away for weekends
should leave phone number. He
also encouraged crew members to
attend upgrading courses at Paul
Hall Center. Discussion held about
highlights of new standard contract
and company agreement. Crew
expressed appreciation to VP Con­
tracts Augie Tellez for good work.
Everyone asked to keep noise
down in passageways and cabins
after 8 p.m. and reminded of no
smoking policy in public areas. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.

DEVELOPER (U.S. Ship Man­
agement), July 8-Chairman
Barry M. Carrano, Secretary
Obencio M. Espinoza, Educa­
tional Director DiMarko Shoul­
ders, Deck Delegate Joerg N.
Witte, Engine Delegate Bruce M.
Korte. Secretary thanked everyone
for good trip and advised them of
need to contribute to SPAD for job
security. Educational director sug­
gested crew members attend class­
es at Paul Hall Center and make
sure STCW training has been com­
pleted by Feb. 1, 2002 deadline.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Request made for new pillows and
mattresses as well as for informa­
tion about new contract. Steward
department given vote of thanks
for job well done, especially for
special attention on July 4 holiday.

GOPHER STATE (IUM), July
30--Chairman Nathaniel Leary,
Secretary Anthony L. Curran,
Educational Director James
DeMouy. Chairman announced
vessel payoff July 31 in Guam.
Educational director urged mem­
bers to check expiration dates on
sailing documents, including
STCW. Bosun stressed seriousness
of STCW compliance. Without the
necessary training, you can't sail
after Feb. 1, 2002. No beefs or dis­
puted OT reported. Thanks given
to steward department for fine job.

MAERSK CALIFORNIA
(Maersk Lines, Ltd.), July 1-
Chairman Bennie C. Freeland,
Secretary John G. Reid, Educa­
tional Director James T. Mc­
Parland, Deck Delegate Charles
K. Williams, Steward Delegate
Johny Bolton. Chairman reported
smooth trip and thanked everyone
for help in search for stowaways.
Secretary thanked shipmates for
helping keep ship clean. Educa­
tional director urged members to
check STCW documents and make
sure they ' re up to date. Treasurer
announced $216.79 in ship's fund.
Plan is to purchase more movies
for vessel. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Request made for
transformers for crew rooms ( ves­
sel's power is 220-volts; need 110-
volts for American electrical equip­
ment) as well as new keys, toaster
and microwave oven. Also request­
ed literature to be posted regarding
rights of seamen when injured.
Clarification requested on GVA's
duties. Vote of thanks given to
steward department for job well
done.

MAERSK TEXAS (Maersk Lines,
Ltd.), July 18-Chairman John M.
Zepeda, Secretary Donna M.
DeCesare, Educational Director
Scott S. Fuller, Deck Delegate
George Jordanides, Steward
Delegate Justo Lacayo. Chairman
announced payoff July 19 in
Balboa, Panama. Disputed OT
issue to be presented to port offi­
cials in Houston. Secretary thanked
everyone for keeping house clean.
Educational director reminded
crew members of educational facil­
ities available at Paul Hall Center

for upgrading and improving skills.
Recommendations made to
increase pension benefits, purchase
satellite TV and obtain refrigera­
tors in all rooms. Thanks given to
steward department for good food.

NAVIGATOR (CSX Line), July
29-Chairman Werner H. Becher,
Secretary Lynn N. McCluskey,
Educational Director Daniel F.

SPIRIT (CSX Line), July 22-
Chairman Howard W. Gibbs,
Secretary Edgardo G. Ombac,
Educational Director Mohamed
Alsinai, Engine Delegate Rey D.
Farinas, Steward Delegate Blaine
R. Amundson. Chairman an­
nounced payoff July 28 in Tacoma,
Wash. He thanked everyone for
smooth trip and reminded them to
wear safety gear and watch step

El Morro Crews Up in Tampa

Crew-up for the El Morro took place in August at the Tampa ship­
yard. The crew members overwhelmingly ratified the new standard
agreements and sent a vote of thanks to the SIU contracts depart­
ment for a job well done. From the left are SA Richard Jones, SIU
Rep Bryan Powell, Chief Cook Jorge Ellis and Chief Steward
Gregory "Scooby" Melvin.

Dean, Deck Delegate Sangie Mo­
hamed, Engine Delegate James B.
Spranza, Steward Delegate Glenn
A. Taan. Chairman announced
arrival and payoff Aug. 4 in
Tacoma, Wash. He advised crew to
keep doors locked in port and
obtain new set of linen for relief
crew members. He also thanked
everyone for job well done in sepa­
rating plastic items from regular
trash. Educational director collect­
ed TRBs for captain to sign and
reminded everyone of upcoming
STCW deadline, Feb. 1, 2002.
Movies purchased for $65, leaving
$25 in ship's fund. Also, $165
spent on fresh tuna in Guam, leav­
ing $5 in tuna fund. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Clarification
requested on food allowances,
especially with extra riders aboard.
Next ports: Tacoma; Oakland,
Calif.; Honolulu; Guam.

RICHARD G MATTHIESEN
(Ocean Ships, Inc.), July 2-
Chairman Dana Naze, Secretary
Gloria Holmes, Educational
Director Kelly L. Mayo, Deck
Delegate Artis Williams, Engine
Delegate Gilbert Tedder, Steward
Delegate Joseph S.L. Martin.
Chairman reported new pay scale
received from company, effective
July 1. Educational director dis­
cussed STCW deadlines. He urged
crew members to apply for basic
safety training immediately since
classes are very full. Treasurer
announced $238 in ship's fund.
New movies were purchased in last
couple ports. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Suggestion made to
increase pay and vacation days.
Bosun asked crew to help keep
lounge clean and return movies
when finished with them. He also
asked that everyone be considerate
of those trying to sleep by not
slamming doors, etc. Next ports:
Singapore; Sasebo, Japan; Ulsan,
S. Korea; Yokosuka, Japan.

SMT CHEMICAL TRADER
(Intrepid Ship Management), July
30-Chairman Raymond A. Tate,
Secretary Michael A. Pooler, Edu­
cational Director Nick Entchev,
Deck Delegate Mary Rose Bado,
Engine Delegate John Parish,
Steward Delegate Luis Gonzales.
Chairman talked about new con­
tract and pay increase. Educational
director stressed importance of
upgrading skills at Piney Point.
Treasurer announced $3,500 in
ship's fund. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Vote of thanks given
to steward department for job well
done. Next port: Los Angeles.

when walking on deck. Educa­
tional director advised crew mem­
bers to check STCW compliance.
Time is running short. Deadline is
Feb. 1, 2002. New movies just
bought for $80. Bosun holds
remaining $25 for additional video
purchases. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Awaiting new mat­
tresses; hopefully, they' Jl arrive in
Tacoma. Thanks given to steward
department for good food.

STONEWALL JACKSON
(Waterman Steamship Corp.), July
8-Chairman Hugo P. Dermody,
Secretary Earl N. Gray Sr.,
Educational Director Michael
Papaioannou, Deck Delegate
Shelia Lewis, Engine Delegate
Kevin J. Carraby, Steward
Delegate Enrique Agosto. Chair­
man asked crew members to be
sure plastic items are separated
from regular trash for disposal. He
also stressed importance of con­
tributing to SPAD because those
donations help keep the union
strong. Secretary reminded every­
one of upcoming STCW deadline
and stated necessary courses avail­
able at Paul Hall Center. Educa­
tional director added that opportu­
nities available at the school help
mariners keep up with latest educa­
tion in their field of work. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Vote of thanks given to steward
department for job well done. Next
ports: Morehead City, N.C.; New
Orleans.

TACOMA (CSX Line), July 23-
Chairman Joseph Artis, Secretary
Mohamad M. Shibly, Educational
Director Michael D. Powell, Deck
Delegate Sean N. O'Doherty,
Engine Delegate Michael G.
McGlone, Steward Delegate
Mohamed A. Hussain. Chairman
announced payoff on arrival July
24 in Tacoma, Wash. He noted
new standard contract currently in
effect and several new ships are
being built. Educational director
advised crew members to meet
STCW requirements before Feb. 1,
2002 deadline and encouraged
them to attend other upgrading
courses at Piney Point. It's a great
benefit of belonging to SIU and
includes free room and board.
Joint treasury for unlicensed crew
and officers contains about $600.
Bosun to ask captain to purchase
exercise equipment. Disputed OT
reported by engine delegate to be
discussed with patrolman at pay­
off. Clarification requested on
rotation information. Steward
department thanked for great job.

Seafarers LOG 19

J



,
Letters to the Editor

(Editors note: the Seafarers
LOG reserves the right to edit let­
ters for grammar as well as space
provisions without changing the
writers intent. The LOG wel­
comes letters from members, pen­
sioners, their families and ship­
mates and will publish them on a
timely basis.)

)II:

Appreciating the Vision
Of Earller Seafarers

My immediate family and I
have just spent six days' vacation
at the Paul Hall Center. It was a
great experience for all of us. Our
sincere thanks to all the personnel
there. They treated us like we
were family and, indeed, we felt
like family.

Also, our compliments to
Romeo Lupinacci. His ship (the
Paul Hall Center galley and cafe­
teria) is the best feeder I've ever
been on.

While there, I took the oppor­
tunity to mix with and talk to
many of the Seafarers taking
classes, whether it was for
upgrading or certification. I came
away from these conversations
feeling that some of them did not
fully appreciate what they are a
part of as SIU Seafarers, or what

Final Departures
Continued from page 18

Materials Co. Boatman Woods was a
member of the deck department. He
started receiving his pension in
1996. Boatman Woods called Uriah,
Ala. home.

GREAT LAKES

JOSEPH BOYER
Brother Joseph Boyer, 70, died July
9. He started his career with the
Seafarers in 1952 in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Pennsylvania native sailed in
the Great Lakes as well as deep sea
divisions. He first shipped aboard
Great Lakes Associates' A. Guthrie.
A member of the deck department,
Brother Boyer 's last ship was the

the SIU has done in the past to
make possible what they enjoy
today.

My seafaring time was short
compared to many others. It ran
from 1944 through December
1952. My union experience start­
ed with the SUP in 1946, then the
SIU in 194 7 until I retired in '52.
Half of that time was spent sailing
Isthmian ships in an effort to aid
in organizing that company­
something that took almost three
years to accomplish. While it
would be a misnomer for me to
say I knew most of the men
responsible for what the SIU is
today, I did have a passing
acquaintance with most of them
since we were constantly in touch
during that three-year period. The
men I refer to, of course, are Paul
Hall, Frank Drozak, Al Kerr,
Lindsey Williams, Earl "Bull"
Shepard and others, too numerous
to name here.

I mention their names here to
let today's Seafarers know that
these men were guys who never
gave up the fight, who had a
vision of what today's merchant
seamen are enjoying in working
and living conditions aboard ship,
wages and, of course, benefits. As
late as the early '50s, the only
benefit an SIU man had was

Richard J Reiss, an Erie Sand
Steamship vessel. He made his home
in Buffalo, N.Y.

WILLIAM BUCKLEY
Pensioner
William
Buckley, 81 ,
passed away
April4.He
began his SIU
career in 1960
in Detroit.
Brother

.._...-"""""'. Buckley first
shipped aboard an American Steam­
ship Co. vessel. Born in Emmett,
Mich., he was a member of the en­
gine department. Brother Buckley's
last ship was the Sharon, another
American Steamship Co. vessel. He
started receiving his pension in 1978.
Rivera Beach, Fla. was his home.

knowing that when he shipped
out of the union hall, he would be
paid a decent wage, have clean
living conditions and a chance to
settle any beefs via the SIU port
agent when the voyage ended.

To all of you sailing today,
learn your union history. I believe
you'll be a better Seafarer if you
do.

Pete Bluhm
Martinsville, Va.

....

Best of Luck

)II:

To Merged Unions
I am pleased that the NMU

and the SIU have merged. This
has been long sought, and I am
proud to be associated with both
union.

I retired from the NMU in
1985. I joined in 1952. My father
served m the NMU before
me-from 1936 to 1953, leaving
because of poor heath.

I resided at Snug Harbor in
Sea Level, N.C. for three years
and have since moved to Florida.

Now that the merger of the
two unions has become a reality,
may we move forward with con­
tinuted progress and unity.
Jack Otte
Edgewater, Fla.

DONALD SWANSON

Pensioner
Donald
Swanson, 76,
died July 16.
Brother
Swanson joined
the SIU in 1960
in Detroit. He
served in the

~~ ....................... ---1......_. U.S. Army Air
Corps from 1943 to 1947. Brother
Swanson first shipped on Ocean
Petroleum Carrier Corp. 's Elemir.
He worked in the deck department
and sailed in both the Great Lakes
and deep sea divisions. The
Ironwood, Mich. native last sailed
on the Steel T Crapo, an Inland
Lakes Management, Inc. vessel.
Brother Swanson started receiving
his pension in 1986. He resided in
Toledo, Ohio.

Personal Greetings for Holiday Issue of the LOG
A popular feature of the December Seafarers LOG is the holiday greetings section. To ensure your hol­
iday message is published, please:

* PRINT or TYPE your message (in 25 words or less). Photographs also are welcome.

* Be sure your greeting is in the holiday spirit. * Do not send more than three entries per person. (This form may be reproduced.)

* Send your entries to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Au th Way, Camp Springs, MD 207 46. You also may
fax copies directly to the LOG at (301) 702-4407 or send them by e-mail to dhirtes@seafarers.org. If
sending by e-mail, please include your phone number.

Additionally, forms may be filled out in any SIU hall and turned in to the official at the counter-or
may be given to the boarding patrolman during a vessel's payoff. All entries must be received by Friday,
November 16, 200 I.

To:

From:

HOLIDAYMFSSAGE
(Please Print)

Sender's Telephone Number:--------------------------

Message: ~----------------------------------

Check the block which describes your status with the SIU: 10/01
D Active Seafarer D Family Member/Friend of Active Seafarer
D Retired Seafarer D Family Member /Friend of Retired Seafarer

Other:

20 Seafarers LOG

Know Your Rights
FINANCIAL REPORTS. The

Constitution of the SIU Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters
District makes specific provision for
safeguarding the membership's
money and union finances. The con­
stitution requires a detailed audit by
certified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to the
membership by the secretary-trea­
surer. 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 recommen­
dations. Members of this committee
may make dissenting reports, specif­
ic recommendations and separate
findings .

TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of
the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District are adminis­
tered in accordance with the provi­
sions of various trust fund agree­
ments. All these agreements specify
that the trustees in charge of these
funds shall equally consist of union
and management representatives and
their alternates. All expenditures 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 mem­
ber 's shipping rights and seniority
are protected exclusively by con­
tracts between the union and the
employers. Members should get to
know their shipping rights. Copies
of these contracts are posted and
available in all union halls. If mem­
bers believe there have been viola­
tions of their shipping or seniority
rights as contained in the contracts
between the union and the employ­
ers, 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

520 l 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 fil­
ing for overtime (OT) on the proper
sheets and in the proper manner. If,
at any time, a member believes that
an SIU patrolman or other union
official fails to protect their contrac­
tual rights properly, 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
established policy has been reaf­
firmed by membership action at the
September 1960 meetings in all con­
stitutional ports. The responsibility
for Seafarers LOG policy is vested
in an editorial 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 circum­
stances should any member pay any
money for any reason unless he is
given such receipt. In the event any­
one attempts to require any such
payment be made without supplying
a receipt, or if a member is required
to make a payment and is given an
official receipt, but feels that he or
she should not have been required to
make such payment, 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
headquarters.

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
negotiated with the employers.
Consequently, no member may be
discriminated against because of
race, creed, color, sex, national or
geographic origin.

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 segregat­
ed fund. Its proceeds are used to fur­
ther its objects and purposes includ­
ing, but not limited to, furthering the
political, social and economic inter­
ests of maritime workers, the preser­
vation and furthering of the
American merchant marine with
improved employment opportunities
for seamen and boatmen and the
advancement of trade union con­
cepts . In connection with such
objects, SPAD supports and con­
tributes 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 condition of membership in the
union or of employment. If a contri­
bution is made by reason of the
above improper conduct, the mem­
ber should notify the Seafarers
International Union or SPAD by cer­
tified mail within 30 days of the con­
tribution for investigation and appro­
priate action and refund, if involun­
tary. 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 violat­
ed, 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
headquarters by certified mail,
return receipt requested. The address
is:

Michael Sacco, President
Seafarers International Union

5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746.

October 2001



SEAFARERS PAUL HALL CENTER)·
UPGRADING COURSE SCHEDULE

The following is the schedule for classes for the months of October through
December 2001 at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in
Piney Point, Md. 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
tionfshould 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 (30 l) 994-00 l 0.

· Course

Able Seaman
(incfitding simulator
steering assessments)

Deck Upgrading Courses
Arrival
Date

October 20
November17

: Lifeboatman/Water Survival October 6
November3

Radar (simulator)

Radar (one-day renewal)

Automatic Radar Plotting Aids*
(ARPA) (simulator)
(*must have radar 11nlimited)

GMDSS (simulator)

Bridge Resource Management

October 6
November3

October 19
November 16

October20
November 17

October 27
November 24

October 27
November 24

Steward Upgrading Cou1S11s
Start

Course Date

Date of
Completion

November 16
December14

October 20
November 17

October 19
November 16

October 26
November23

November 10
December 8

November2
November 30

Date of
Completion

Galley Operations/ Advanced Galley Operations module~ start every week
beginning January 8. Certified Chief Cook/Chief Steward classe~ "start
every other week beginning January 6.

UPGRADING APPLICATION

Address _ ____________ _____________ _

Telephone __________ _ Date of Birth ________ _

Deep Sea Member D Lakes Member D Inland Waters Member D

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

Social Security# ________ _ Book # _______ __ _

Seniority _______ _____ Department ___ _ ____ _

U.S. Citizen: Yes D No D Home Port

Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held _ _ ________ _____ _

Are you a graduate of the SHLSS/PHC trainee program? DYes DNo

If yes, class#----- ------- ---- --------­
Have you attended any SHLSS/PHC upgrading courses? DYes DNo

If yes, course(s) taken - ----------- ---------­

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

0 Yes 0 No Firefighting: D Yes D No CPR: D Yes DNo

Primary language spoken ______ ______________ _

October 2001

Engine Upgrading Courses
Arrival

Course

Fireman/Watertender & Oiler

Welding

Date

November3

October 13
November24

Safety Specialty Courses
Arrival

Course

Government Vessels

STCW Medical Care Provider

Basic Fire Fighting/STCW
Basic Safety

Tanker Familiarization/
Assistant Cargo (DL)*
(*must have basic fire flglt1ing)

Tankennan (PIC) Barge*
(*must have basic fire fighting)

Date

October 13
October 27
November 10
November 24

October 20

October 20
October 27
November 10
November17
November24
December 1
December8
December 15

October 13
October28

October 6

Date of
Completion

December 14

November2
December 14

Date of
Completion

November 2
November 16
November 30
December 14

October 27

October 26
November3
November 16
November23
November30
December 7
December 14
December 21

October 27
November 10

October 13

Academic Department Courses
General education and college courses are available as needed. In addition, basic
vocational support program courses are offered throughout the year, one week
prior to the AB, QMED, FOWT, Third Mate, Tanker Assistant and Water
Survival courses. An introduction to computers course will be self..:study.

Be prepared for the future

. ,Upgrade your skills NOW

at the Paul Hall Center.

• • •

With this application, COPIES of the following must be sent: One hundred and twenty
(120) days seatime for the previous y ear, one day in the last six months prior to the date
your class starts, US MMD (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 FOWT. AB and QMED applicants must submit a U.S. Coast Guard
fee gf $280 with their aJ!J!lication. The payment should be made with a money order only.
payable to LMSS.

COURSE
BEGIN
DATE

END
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.

The Seafarers Hany 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. 10101

Seafarers LOB 21



Paul Hall Center Classes

Unlicensed Apprentice Water Survival Class 618 - Unlicensed appren­
tices from class 618 who graduated from the water surval course are (from left, kneeling)
Felipe Zepeda, Shaddrick Barrington, Clinton Lough, North Bremicker, (second row)
James Martin, Christopher Cash, Joseph Manning, Justin Yettou, Jordan Cuddy, Christin
Cross, Frank Irby II and Gerald Rogers Jr.

Tanker Familiarization/Assistant Cargo (DL) - Completing the tanker
familiarization/assistant cargo (DL) course Aug. 17 are (from left, front row) Raymond
Johnson, Michael Johnson Sr., Andrew Van Bourg, Stephen Castle, Ronald Ammar,
Elliott Rhodes, Jim Shaffer (instructor), (second row) Antonio Simon, Herman Best,
Timothy Perry, Odilio Evora, John Davis, Albert Alexander, Eric Berry, Samuel Lampshire
and Vlado Lazarevski.

Able Seaman - Upgrading Seafarers who earned their AB ratings Aug. 24 are (from
left, front row) John Fisher, Kyle Bailey, Alvin Clark, Randy Senatore (instructor), (second
row) Louis Holder, David Evans, Joseph Borys, Rudy Garrido and Jerry Fanning.

Lifeboatman/Water Survival - Earning their lifeboatman/water survival
endorsement Aug. 17 are (from left) Michael Zoabi, Pablo Flores, Allen Ward, James
Francis, Jonathan Newhouse, Cristino Williams, Brenda Gray, Kervin Velazquez, Robert
Beckwith, Ben Cusic (instructor) and Edward Tully.

Above: Taking advantage of college courses offered at the
Paul Hall Center are Andrew Linares (left) and Ramona
Gayton. Both sail from the port of Wilmington, Calif. They
are studing Math 101-College Algebra with instructor Rick
Prucha.

At the cent membership meeting, Gayton was presented
with a certificate and congratulations from SIU President
Michael Sacco for completing all the upgrading credits she
needs to earn her associate's degree. She is now working
on the academic portion of that degree. Gayton, who began
her SIU career as a member of class 511 (in 1993), sails as
an electrician.

22 Seafarers LOB

Thnkerman (PIC) Barge
- Graduating from a recent
tankerman (PIC) barge
course are (in no specific
order) Willie Carter, David
Heindel Jr., Quintin Herrera,
Albert Bodden, Keithley
Andrew, Raymond
Brumback, Michael Williams,
Mark Sawin, Ron Cobb,
Etienne Vidal, James Bond
111, Michael DiAngelo, Clyde
Evans, Brian Teixeira and
Matthew Pellicano.

DEU - Unlicensed apprentices in the third
phase of the training program completed the DEU
course June 22. They are (from left, first row)
Darrick Johnson, David Johnson, Anjwar Brooks,
Justin Armstrong, Jessie Caston, (second row)
Maurice Chambers (instructor), Bryan Wells,
Adrian Moore, Jesse Hale, (last row) Jeffrey
Edwards and Grady Mason.

Computer Lab Classes

Daniel Borden
displays his cer­
tificates for
achieving mastery
over Windows 95
and beginning
and intermediate

· -~--.. , Excel. Looking on
is instructor Rick
Prucha.

SIU members Alexander "Steve" Campbell, left, and
Donald Bridenstine Jr. display the certificates they earned
for learning computer basics and the Windows 95 operat­
ing system. Campbell, who sails from the port of Mobile,
and Bridenstine, from Piney Point, both are deck depart­
ment members. With them is instructor Rick Prucha.

October 2001



Paul Hall Center Classes

Alexander Banky Ill , Egbert Campbell , Abdo Ahmed, Pablo Flores,
Anthony Bonin , Robert Beckwith , Dionce Bright, Mark
Bissonnette, Mian Ahmad, Mark Adams, Michael Borders,
Charlfred Autrey, Mohamed Ali, Alex Caneda, Ursula Canci ,
Geoffrey Bell and William Byrne.

Basic Safety Training
Classes Held at

(From left, kneeling) Andrzej Tlalka, John Mclean, Sean Walker, Paul Hall Center William Steele, Francisco Zuniga, Alexander Stamatelaky, (sec-
ond row) Davon McMillan, Eddy Usmany, Joseph Thielman , Mary

.._ ______________ _. Lou Smith, John Yates, Rudolph Xatruch, Ennis Gomez, Mike

Timothy Perry, Ronnie Makowiecki, Edwin Ortega, Joe Riccio, Gerald Payne,
Pedro Mena, Lemuel Robinson Jr., Jorge Mora, Ronald Pattiasina,
Konstantinos Prokovas, John Meyers, Jonathan Newhouse, Kenneth Mclamb,
Albert Monson, Chester Preston, Paublito Ramos-Ortiz, Lisa Mitchell , Gilbert
Louis and Wilfredo Rodriguez.

STCW Medical Care Provider - Completing the STCW medical care
provider course recently under the instruction of Julie Lankford (left) are (from
left) Steve Votta, Steve Campbell and Stuart Miller.

October 2001

Daras (instructor), (third row) M.J. White , John Hoskins, Elmo Davis and John
Shivers.

Torry Kidd, Vicki Holloway, Kenneth Koch , Samuel Lampshire, Eugenio Lopez, Stanley
Jandora, Calvain James, James Kidd Jr., Kenneth Long , David James, Joseph Jones,
Kjell Liadal , John Jubert, Roy Honeycutt, Anselmo Lopez, Michael Kaye, Vincent
Knight, Thomas Haney, Nasir Isa and Jim Liu.

ARY studen1 who has registered for a class and
finds-for whatever reason-that he or she can­
not qftend, please inform the admissions depart-
m~rtt so that another student may take that place.

Andrew Vanbourg , Yussuf Ussi , Kirk Willis, Cristino Williams, Richard Volkart, Mark Somes, Jerome
Smith , James White, Stavros Manousarides, Wayne Webb, Sidney Wallace, Rodney Wilson, Corrie
Stockton, Edward Tully, Ernest Smith, George Santiago, Mohamed Shireh, Curtis Williams, Jeremy
Thigpen, Luis Vanderrama, Donald Williams, Benjamin Sivells and George Vorise.

Seafarers LOii 23



Helping celebrate the August delivery of the USNS Pomeroy to the MSC are (from
left) Korean War veterans Robert Dalton, Bill Helton, John Finnigan and Captain
Mike Finnigan.

John Finnigan-former SIU member, Korean War veteran and father of the USNS
Pomeroy's master-points to a· picture of himself taken 50 years ago in Korea. Finnigan
donated some of his personal war photos for the vessel's permanent display.

Remembering tb.e Man Bebinil ~tb.e Pomeroy
hen the SIU-crewed USNS Pomeroy was delivered from the NASSCO ship­
yard in San Diego to the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC), on hand for
the August ceremony were three Korean War veterans who accepted the ship

on behalf of the crew.
The vessel was named in memory of U.S. Army

Pvt. First Class Ralph E. Pomeroy, who posthu­
mously was awarded the Medal of Honor for his
brave actions in Korea in October 1952,

Captain Mike Finnigan, himself an SIU
hawsepiper, noted in a letter accompanying the
photos on this page, that among the three veterans
was his father, John Finnigan, who was in Korea
the same year that Ralph Pomeroy served there.
The elder Finnigan also donated some personal

Enjoying lunch aboard the USNS
Pomeroy are ABs James Alston (left)
and Nathaniel Carr.

photos to the vessel's display on the 01 deck. The other two guests were Bill Helton,
who was in Pomeroy's unit in Kor~a, and Robert Dalton, a medic in Pomeroy's unit

The USNS Pomeroy is the seventh large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off vessel
(LMSR) built at NASSCO through a govern­
ment-initiated directive known as the Strategic
Sealift Program. The 950-foot long vessel will
be loaded with tanks, vehicles and other U.S.
Army equipment in mid-December. It will then
depart the United States for Diego Garcia in the
Indian Ocean, where it will spend approximately
30 months on station, prepositioning its Army
cargo.

Wanda Cokley, SA aboard the USNS
Pomeroy, refills the salad bar.

Taking part in the luncheon reception following the delivery cere- SIU West Coast VP Nick Marrone is served from behind the
mony are (from left) Bosun Mark Coleman. AB Michael Mayo and counter by Chief Cook Claudia Kammeyer.
AB Brian Carroll.

Helping celebrate new jobs aboard the USNS

SA Connie Tarplin keeps the hot food
coming.


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