Media
Issue Date
1943-09-03
Volume
5
Issue Number
23
Plaintext
I
SECURITY
IN
UNITY OFFIOIAL OBOAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTEIGT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AIOERICA
VOL. V. m NEW YORK, N. Y„ FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 3. 1943 No. 23
Gulf Fishermen Make First
Big Gains Under SlU Banner
St. Petersburg Buyers Sign; WIN CLOSED SHOP AT HIGGINS
The Gulf District Towboatmen
of the SIU have been designated
as the exclusive bargaining
agents for all licensed and un
licensed personnel, boat operat
ors, deck hands, and all other
ratings on floating equipment in
the i^iggins Ship Yards of New
Orleans, Louisiana by the Nation
al Labor Relations Board.
We have been fighting to break
into this yard for over a year as
a lot of work is being done in this
shipyard such as testing boats,
operating towboats, rigging, etc.
by members of other unions ancl
quite a number of non-union
men, but have always run up
against a brick wall.
REINSTATEMENTS WON
After getting enough pledge
cards signed to cover a majority
of these men, the company made
thei mistake of firing some of the
meg who had joined the SIU for
union activities arid made such
an entry on the men's file cards.
We immediately filed an unfair
labor practice'charge against the
company with the result that the
men were placed back to work
after a five week layoff. These
men received pay for all the
time they were out including
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The NLRB also designated that
the SIU towboatmen were ex
clusive bargaining agents and ne
gotiations were started with the
Local Hearings Desired
By New Shipping Panel
John B. Bryan, one of the two
industry representatives of the
newly created War Shipping Pan
el of the National War Labor
Board, in a recent interview,
stated that it is his understanding
that cases in dispute may, upon
request, be heard by the panel at
the locale of the dispute.
In the case of such local hear
ings it is expected that the indus
try member nearest the location
will sit on the panel together
with the labor member from the
craft affected.
The public member would be
the chairman of the local hearing
and if neither the chairman nor
deputy chairman of the panel,
both being public members, are
available, a special public mem
ber would be appointed by the
NWLB to serve as chairman of
the local hearing.
The proposed new arrangement
would greatly speed up the han
dling of disputes, particularly
those arising at points distant
from Washington, D. C.
Keep In Touch With
Your Local Draft Board,
company immediately.
At the present time some pro
gress has been made toward
completing the agreement and
we hope to iron out the remain
ing points at a meeting on Sep
tember 3.
This new gain, along with 75
new towboats being delivered to
different companies in the Gulf,
should give the towboatmen a
large increase in membership and
a chance to expand throughout
the entire Gulf area. At the
present time the SIU towboat
men are the only union members
on the Industrial Canal. How
ever, we still have several large
companies operating on the In
dustrial Canal at below our scale.
The towboatmen have also
been in negotiation with the
Coyle Line and River Terminals
Corporation for an increase in
wages and the 8 hour day, but
this case will probably end up
before the Maritime Panel of the
War Labor Board.
700 Continue Strike Against
Remaining Florida Holdouts
Macauley ̂ Missed Convoy'
Smear Of SIU Is Elxposed
No one would deny that the War Shipping Administration, maritime labor's No. 1
enemy, is both tireless and resourceful in its campaign against the unions.
This week, however, one of the WSA labor busting projects exploded right in its
face—and through no effort of the unions eitheir. The New York office of the RMQ
gave direct lie to Captain Macauley's slanders against the SIU that our ship were missing
convoys due to manning difficulties.
A few. weeks ago we received
a pre-emptory letter from Cap
tain Macauley in which he charg
ed that our ships were missing
convoys, and demanded that we
violate our own shipping customs
by forcing men to sign deep sea
articles the moment they took a
newly commissioned ship out of
the yard.
These Men Cash In
On The Schoharie
Overtime Beef
Two weeks ago we reported the victory of the union in
the Schoharie beef. This historic victory turned back a WSA
inspired offensive against the working rules of our contracts,
and resulted in plenty of overtime money for deck and engine
men who were forced to break watches in violation of the con
tract. These men can collect from the South Atlantic to the
tune of 90 cents per hour.
Hours of Money
Overtime Coming
RAFAEL T. SALAS (AB) 316 $284.40
JAMES K. KANE (AB) .......316 284.40
OQDEN FIELDS (Oiler) 316 284.40
ANGELO MEGLIO (Fireman) 316 284.40
316 284.40*
THOMAS J. CLARK (Oiler) 395 355.50
JULIO FERNANDEZ (Watertender) ....395 355.50
FRANCIS MASTERSON (Fireman) . ..395 355.50
EDWARD POUQUETTE (OS) 406 365.40
HENRI GAILLARD (AB) 485 436.50
485 436.50**
JAMES W. ROONEY (AB) 500 450.00
CHARLES CONNORS (Oiler) ..553 497.70
MERTON DELANEY (Watertender) ....553 497.70
ALBERT BERNSTEIN (Fireman) 553 497.70
JOHN P. JASON (OS) 553 497.70
JOE MOHOWSKI (AB) 643 478.70
PHILIP McQUADE (AB) . . 658 592.20
By Matthew D, Biggs
(SIU Vice President)
In June of this year a group of fishermen in St. Peters
burg, Fla., organized themselves into a union and immedi
ately made application for a charter with the SIU. I was
instructed at this time to proceed to St. Petersburg and set
up a new district for the fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.
•At the first meeting held here.
over 200 fishermen attended and
drew up a constitution and by
laws for what is now known as
"The Gulf Coast District Fisher
men's Union" affiliated with the
SIU.
This was the beginning of an
organization that has grown so
fast in the past two months, it
has almost been impossible to
keep up^ith the new branches.
During the first of July, the fish
buyers on the west coast of Flo
rida attempted to cut the price
of fish 2c per pound overnight,
but the organized fishermen tied
up the boats and within 48 hours
the strike had ended with the
fishermen getting the prices they
demanded. They learned by this
action what organization could
do for them and the other ports
started sending in for someone
from the SIU to attend meetings
in their ports and set up branch
es. During the following three
weeks. Steely White and I cov
ered as much of this territory as
we possibly could with the re
sult that branches of this Gulf
Coast District Fishermen's Union
were set up at Tarpon Springs,
Cedar Keys, Hudson, Cortez,
Dunnellon, Crystal River and
Homosassa, Flordia.
TOTAL .8,154 $7,338.60
*This amount to be split between two ordinaries on the
12 to 4 wotch. Exact division not yet worked out.
**This amount to be split between Watertender that was
paid off and the wiper that was promoted. Exact di
vision not yet worked out.
(Continued on Page Ay
' At that time the servile NMU
accepted Macauley's proposal, but
the SIU denounced it for what it
was — union busting — and de
manded that Macauley present
proof that our ships were missing
convoys. The proof, of course,
was never presented.
This week a publicity release
from the RMO office of Mr. Craig
Vincent in New York, read,
"Over the entire extent of the
Atlantic Coast there has been but
one ship delay in the American
flag merehant fleet due to crew
shortage or crew trouble in the
past ten weeks ..."
Where are all these SIU ships
that are tied up because of crow
ing difficulties?
Who's lying—Vincent or Mac
auley?
Vincent's office is certainly in
a position to know the facts, and
we maintain that this time he has
given them straight. Not that
Vincent is any friend of labor; his
double cross of Macauley flows
from inter-department jealousies
and desire to make it appear that
his department is successfully
shouldering the full responsibility
for crewing the ships. In other
(Continued on Page 4)
STRIKE VOTE
The fish buyers along the
[Florida coast realized that this
organization was spreading
throughout the entire Gulf and
started reducing prices below and
above St. Petersburg where the
headquarters have been estab
lished. The result of this was
that the branches from Cedar
Keys to Sarasota, Florida, cov-
(Continued on Page 4)
Same Old Story
"The Atlantic Gulf & West In
dies Steamship Lines and sub
sidiary companies, reported a
gross profit before taxes of $2,-
910,894 for the six months ended
June 30, as comparied with $1,-
204,059 for a comparable period
last year."
—Journal of Commerce
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, September 3. 1943
>E '
k
i :
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS" INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Pederation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ "President.
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK ------- Secy-Treds,
P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE * - - - Washington Rep.
424 5tli Street, N. W., Washington, D. C.
• •
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stone St BOwIing Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 North Gay St Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA 6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS (16) ..309 Chartres St Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO.... 45 Ponce de Leoh Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON.. 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway ... Ft. Lauderdale 1601
PUBLICATION OFFICE:
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwIing Green 9-8344
M f-.
<^ASHIt\GTOrV.
g BV M/i'tT44^W - DySt4AftiE>^ ^ ^
yoice In Fost War Planning
Asked By Maritime Labor
Consultation of the seamen's
movement on all matters of post
war shipping and adequate labor
representation in all international
transportation and shipping con
ferences were emphatically de
manded by J. H. Oldenbroek,
acting general secretary of the
International Transport Workers'
Federation, in an address before
the recent annual congress of the
National ' Union of Seamen of
Great Britain.
The congress, which demon
strated the strength of the Brit
ish seafarers' movement, was
similarly addressed by other in
ternational and British labor
leaders and representatives of
the British Government. Among
the speakers was Frank Switzer,
Etiropean representative of the
American Railway Labor Execu
tives' Association and liaison of
ficer between the American and
European transport labor move
ment, who reaffirmed American
labor's interest in the future wel
fare of European labor. He stat
ed amid applause that the Ameri
can railway workers were pre
pared to render full financial and
moral support to the reconstruc
tion of the shattered trade union
forces of Europe.
Mr. OldcnhrOck also empha
sized the vital task of free and
democratic labor everywhere in
rebuilding the European trade
union moyement after the war.
"Fortunately," he pointed out,
"our plans are ready and we are
getting the right support In mak
ing sure that the new labor
movement of Europe will take its
proper place in the reconstruc
tion of the continent.
Speaking of the future of Ger
man trade unionism, the execu
tive officer of the ITF observed;
"What we are out to do is help
Germany and German workers
(iestroy the militarism and feud
alism which they have never
managed to destroy theniselves.
We have already told German
workers that we won't judge
them by Nazi deeds but by their
own deeds.
Strikers Not "Idlers"
WASHINGTON — When the
WMC declared idleness a "non-
deferrable activity," there was no
intention of including strikers,
Lawrence A. Appley, WMC exe
cutive director, told a press con
ference.
"We meant onlychronicidlers,"
he said.
KEEP, CLEAR WITR YOUR DRAFT BOARD
By observing the following simple instructions you will
continue to receive deferment from military service. Fail
to obseire thei^e rules ind you may wind np in the army.
WHEN SiGNING ON: Give the clerk or skipiper all the
information necei9sary td fill out RA16 Card No. 47 (Gteen
Card).
WHEN SIGNING OFF: See, that Card No. 48-A is prpp-
perly filled out by skipper or olerk.
Ship oiit befdte yo^ stUdtled time hds ex^iked.
If you have hot yet BUed oikt the Green Card; contact your
draft board and let tliw know that you are sailing.
Was notified that the AFL Post
War Planning Committee has
designated me on the suh-com-
mittee to study and report on
racial discrimination and minor
ity groups. This coThrnittee has
not met yet so do not know what
the score is. WiU keep the mem
bership advised in later rehorts.
WAR SHIPPING PAl^EL
All ,SIU and SUP cases are stiU
being processed and no definite
date has been set for hearings on
these cases.
General Petroleum Corp and
SUP-SIU companies have re
quested the WLB for a review of
their cases on all recommenda
tions by a regional hoard or the
panel. The union or the employ
er are privileged to request for a
review. After a hearing is held
on a review, either party is again
accorded the privilege to request
a review before the full board
here in Washington. After the
full board makes a decision the
case is settled.
SELECTIVE SERVICE
Advise all agents that are clas
sified in any other than 2-B, or
other deferable status, to imme
diately request for deferment
now and not wait until they are
reclassified in 1-A. Don't forget
that nearly all local hoards are
now down to the bottom of the
barrel and are reclassifying men
in 1-A who formerly held other
classifications. In the last bulle
tin that was issued by the War
Manpower Commission to Selec
tive Service on essential workers,
the only ones classified as essen
tial in the maritime industry are
Masters, Licensed Deck Officers,
Chief Engineers, and Licensed
Ehgine room officers. All other
classifications of maritime work
ers were left out. We are trying
to have the old ratings reclassi
fied again. Seems that some one
in the WMC does not feel that
uhliceiised seamen are necessary
or essential to the War eiffiirt.
Mi^EB
Notified that the advisory
board's meeting was postponed as
they did not have anything on
the agenda. Contacted the secre
tary of the board. What happen
ed to our proposals regarding the
hoard reinstating the bonuses
that were in effect prior to March
1st, and how about the seamen's
2nd war risk insurance policy?
Wc were advised by the hoard
that 60 days after that insurance
went into effect, the unions and
the operators were to meet and
discuss changes; in the policy. We
have never met on this problem,
still the hoard states that they
had nothing on the agenda. It
seems to me that the only part of
any agreement that any govern
ment agency thinks is valid, is
the no strike clause, other clauses
or parts of agreements that a
union may have to them are
merely scraps Df paper.
LEGISLATION
Continuation of the fight led by
Andrew Furuseth for seamen's
rights, and the action taken at
the convention of the AFL.
• 1920
HR 9692; Was SUBmitted td the
United States Shipping hoard for
an opinion by the committee on
merchant marine and fisheries.
Representatives . of the vessel
owners, seamen and the shipping
board were appointed on a com
mission to inquire into the pro-
pdse<^ changes, hut the commis
sion failed to agree. Notwith
standing this, and while the com
mission was still in session, the
bill was presented to the House
and passed. It is now before the
Senate. The hill reduces the
number of able seamen on a ves
sel from 65 to 40 per cent, and
the training period from three
years to nine months.
1921
A bill was introduced in the
Senate to provide compensation
fof searheri and the dependents of
searhen killed in the course of
employment and to create a fed
eral seamen's compensation fund.
It provides that immediately af
ter injury sustained by a seaman
he shall receive all necessary
medical and surgical aid and hos
pital supplies. In the event of a
total disability he shall receive
a weekly compensation equal to
66-2/3 per cent of his weekly
earnings. If only temporarily
disabled he shall receive a week
ly compensation equal to 66-2/3
per Cent of his loss in earning
capacity. The weekly compensa
tion for total disability shall not
be more than $25.00 nor less than
$10.00 unless the seamen's com
pensation shall be the fuU amount
of his weekly earnings. No action
was taken on the bill. Protested
against any lowering of the num
ber of skilled men, and increase
in the horns of labor or any ex
tension of the season in which
passenger vessels are permitted
to operate in a condition in which
50 per cent of the persons on
board have ho means of safety
except life preservers, the utility
of whi<:h were shown in the loss
of the Empress of Ireland, in the
St. Lawrence river in May, 191^,
Where, according to reports 1,027
persons drowned with life pre
servers on within less than three
miles from shore and with as
sistance coming in less than two
hours.
Indorsed Senate hill providing
for investigation of the lockout of
seamen by a combination of Eu
ropean and American shipowners
aided by the U. S. Shipping
Board. The AFL compliments
the seamen upon their unchang
ed and undiminished patriotism,
their self sacrifice to America's
interest and their loyalty to the
principles hf human freedom.
This defclaratiori Was made after
P. SPORNEHR
W. JOHNSON
M. TARTAGLIA
J. D. HOOK
J. STURDEWANT
dBcAk RIVBRA
A. GUSMAH
GEORGE SPRINGETT
FRANK GREEN
WILLIAM PITTS
AUSTIN BROWN
the seamen had reported that the
U. S. Shipping Board has issued
statements that it "WOULD NOT
GIVE AGENTS OF THE
UNIONS THE PRIVILEGES OE
VISITING DOCKS OR SHIPS"
and that "NO NEW AGREE
MENT WOULD BE RATIFIED
FOR LONGER THAN SIX
MONTHS." The seamen declared
they would refuse to agree to
this policy, accepting prosecution
and suffering instead. ^ ,
1922
HR 6754, passed the House hut
met with opposition in the Sen
ate. The hill seeks to amend sec
tions 2, 13, 14, of the seamen's
act. It provides that the life sav
ing equipment on vessels during
the summer mbnths shall be re
duced 25 per cent ahd that the
number of able seamen provided
for by the seamen's act shall he
reduced from 65 per cent to 50
per cent. The hill also provides
for twelve hour watches for fire
men, watertenders, and oilers.
Representative John I. Nolan, of
California, made a fight on these
provisions and succeeded i n
amending the hill so that em
ployes in the occupations should
work only eight hours, but they
failed to prevent a reduction in
the number of able seamen em
ployed. The reduction in the life
saving equijiment and the proVigi
ion that it is not necessary that
able seamen he employed in
manning the life boats and life
rafts gave the hill the title of
"DROWNING MADE EASY."
The original hill provided tha^
there should be a sufficient num
ber of boats and rafts on each'
vessel to save only 25 per cent
instead of 50 per cent of the pas
sengers in case of fire br ship
wreck. The seamen in entering
ohjeetion tb this feature of the
bill declared that the shihownei's
now have the legal right t(j
drown 50 per cent of the persons
they carry but want the legal
right to drown 75 per cent. Thig
argiimeht corhpblled the House to
reject the proposed reduction to
25 per cent, and retain the 50 per
cent law. CaUed upon the feder
al governnient to enforce all laws
enacted to'provide greater safety
at sea.
I.T.F. GAINS NEW
AFFILIATE
NEW YORK, N. Y.^Affiliation
of the Gulf Coast Fishermen's
Union, composed of commercial
fishermen along the west coast
of Florida, with the Seafarers' In
ternational Union of North Am
erica, an affiliate of the Interna
tional Transport Workers' Feder
ation, was announced by the Am
erican office of the ITF.
The fi.shermen's action in affil
iating with the Seafarers' Union
followed a recent tie-up of com-
rnerclM fishing boats along the
Florida wesit coast by members of
the union in protest against the
lowering of prices paid by whole
sale dealers for the catch. Paul
Grosser, president of the union,
stated that government represen
tatives were making, effort to
hiring about .an amicable settle
ment hetWeeli the fishermen and
the Whbl'esalefs.
• j
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, September *3, 1943 THE SEAFARERS L O Q Pasb tteie«i 1
WHArs Donns
NEW YORK
The publicity department of
the N.M.U. has scored again!
Newspapers all over the country
carry the story of "TWO THOUS
AND FIVE HUNDRED SEAMEN
PICKET THE N. Y. WORLD-
TELEGRAM IN PROTEST
AGAINST PEGLER ARTICLES.
. Well and good/ Pegler's a
phony, but Curranitcs and
Stalinites couldn't see their way
clear to join the SIU-SUP picket
line in that bonus fight. The pres
ent war bonus was won through
a strike and picket lines but
again the Moscow boys steered
ciedr.
P
Where in the hell did the 2500
"seamen pickets" come from?
Certainly not oft the ships be
cause the picket line parade took
^ place during working hours. Cer-
' taihiy not oft the beach because
the records show that the NMU
hdd to ship replacements from
the WSA pool even while the
pick'eteers were picketing and
John Rogan was leading
his flock' of long haired boys
and short haired gals into the
Telegram building.
Don't fool yourself though!
There were 2500 people on that
picket line arid all twerity-ifLve
hundred carried paid up bpoks in
the N.M;U. They are the same
2500 that pack the headquarters
nieeting when the commies have
a special resolution to put over.
They are the same 2500 that
voted against participation in the
legitimate picket lines during the
fihk hall fights, the bonus fights
arid the Alcoa strike. They are
the same 2500 that expell any
seaman militant enough to open
ly hght the coirimie pie-cards. Out
of this 2500 caine the Marchers-
td-Washington, the picketeers
against British Imperialism, the
gahg who heljied the League for
Peace and Bureaucracy picket
the White NoUse.
YoU can find these 2500 Ship
leies seamen any day you warit to;
at the commie rallies in Madison
Square Garden, Manhattan Cen
ter, the Polo grounds, Unibri
Square or ariywhere. They are
jiri'^lihg cbllectibh cans, peddling
Daily Workers, passing out leaf
lets and waving fantastic water
color placards.
They take their suriimer vaca-:
tibhs at Cairip Uriity and Nit-
gadaget and s'et the date for the
revolution at the tables of Kav-
kas, the Village Vanguard, Cafe
Society Downtowri arid a thous
and other joints. They are the
commie reserve force who are
furriers, needle trades workers,
cafeteria workers, plumbers, taxi-
cab drivers, br irieiribers of any
outfit they can sneak into for the
glory of dear old "Pal Joey."
Sure, Westbrook Pegler is un
fair to all labor. So is Mike Gold
who conducts a "Column for the
"Dirty Worker." So far as col
umnists go it's pretty hard -to
firid any of them pro labor. But
Pegler isn't being picketed be
cause he is anti-labor. The NMU
didn't picket Pegler when he in
sinuated that seamen were a
bunch a bad actors. They didn't
even picket him when he con-
doried lynchings in San Jose, Cal
ifornia and heckled their patron,
St. Eleanor. But when he called
Currari a cbmmie and the NMU
cqpimie controlled, then the pick
et line was on.
We have no illusions. Pegler is
against Us and we are against
him. Pegler is rich and natur
ally protects the interests of the
bosses while We who are poor
working' sTTflS* protect our inter
ests through the medium of our
unions.
The sort of crap the NMU is
putting out is nothirig more or
less than a chebp form of poariu
politics and the damage it does
to organized labor is great.
A picket line is an economic
weapon, a weapon of dignity and
coiurage. Our brothers have died
on picket lines and our wages
and conditions have been won on
picket lines.
Labor itself is a thing of dig
nity and Union membership is a
badge of honor. The antics of the
NMU Coirimie stooges clearly
show that the "four freedoms"
are meaningless to the Commuri-
ist bureaucracy at horiie and
abroad.
We believe in the freedom of
the press and all freedoms. We
have fought Westbrook Pegler
from the beginning and wiU con
tinue to fight him, in the Ameri
can way. Our weapons and our
labor press, although puny when
measured in pulp, are mighty, in
effect. For ourselves, we find
it difficult to either read or be
lieve dhe Moscow pre-fabricated
columns of Mike Gold in the
Daily Worker and Curran in the
Pilot. At least Pegler's technique
is better arid his style more in
teresting, although in their own
ways both he, Curran arid Gold
serve the same purpose, the des
truction of the labor movemerit.
Sirre racketeers have been
found in the labor movement,
but thank God not so mifny
as the boss controlled press, the
•Communist Party and the Na
tional Association Manufacturers.
We also tiake pride in the fact
that "We have a medium of rid
ding ourselves of undesirables.
The medium of open discussion,
of referendum vote. The medium
of Democracy, the American
medium.
JOiE VbLPlAifl, Patrolman
NEW ORLEANS
no man then to sail during the
midst of a war for his party.
Further and more so, I wonder
if moose-jaw figured the check
off system which the rank and
file demands (sic) would be too
hard to talk the officials into. It
(the booklet on the subject) states
that this will give the patrolmen
more time to settle beefs. My
uridefstandirig is that all that is
needed to settle beefs in the NMU
was a red pencil to scratch out
more than the mate did.
Roosevelt Decrees
Shackle Labor Unions
rtfe-HE-Rb
The Convention ordered
The meri obeyed
While the rank and file sat back
and wondered
Our he-he-fo sailed away.
To get to Russia was his aim
So as Bos'n he did ship.
To do or die out o'er the main
And prove his worth in Red
Stateship.
His column it was left fiat,
dis ghost writers on vacation.
The brains are not beneath his
hat,
Thank God crys a suffering
Nation.
He spoke his liries and played his
part.
Left home sweet home where
things are humming.
To Limey Land to get his start
Distributing The Yanks Are Not
Comirig.
Reactionary elements moved
rapidly last week to further
shackle labor in the name of the
war effort, but none moved more
swiftly and decisively than Presi
dent Roosevelt himself. By an
executive order he established
severe penalties for any worker
who strikes in protest against
any War Labor Board decision.
The decree subjects the trade
unions to some of the most
sweeping restrictions in the coun
try's history.
Here are the three principal
effects of the order:
1. It imposes compulsory arbi
tration on the workers. They
must abide by War Labor Board
decisions. If they don't, the
plant in which they work can be
seized by the government, and
all their rights and benefits under
the union contract can be abro
gated.
2. It re-establishes the hateful
"blacklist"—this time administer
ed 1>y the government instead of
the private employer.
3. It lays down the ultimatum
"work or fight." Workers who
protest boss provocations may
have their draft deferments can
celled and be shoved into a imi-
Shipping here in the garden
spot oif trie world is very very
slow. More men than the law
calls for, quite a few west coast
ships are keepirig the deck mov
ing. Steward and engine are
slower than I am.
,
Why, oh why, do we have so
much trouble lately with allot
ments? Companies that have
been more then exact on this are
now being late on these pay
ments. It isn't a bit funny when
woman with a couple of kids
depends on the money her hus
band is leaving her and the crieck
anywhere from one to three
weeks late. I think about one
good law suit oft this would snap
all hands out of it.
Intercoastal Shipping
Resumption of i n t e rcoastal
shipping services — whether pri
vate or official operation—is be
ing seriously considered by the
War Shipping Administration and
Maritime Commission.
Spurred to action by the Office
of Defense Transportation it is
expected that some move will be
made shortly to place ships in the
intercoastal trade for the purpose
of relieving the transcontinental
and Southwestern railroads from
the strain imposed by the in
creasingly heavy traffic moving
from east of the Mississippi to
California ports.
form where they will be disci
plined by labor-hating brass hats.
The Roosevelt decree was is
sued to strengthen the notorious
Smith-Connally Act. This move
came as a blow to those leaders
of the labor movement who have
generally looked upon the White
House as friend and champion.
Typical of the bewilderment of
the boys who put all their eggs in
Roosevelt's basket, is the com
ment of Johnathan Stout, Wash
ington correspondent for the New
Leader, organ of the Social-Dem
ocrats, (Administration support
ers from way back):
"But the President's Executive
Order . . . shores up all the weak
points (from the bosses' point of
view) of the Connally Act and
really makes it an efficient oper
ating anti-labor instrument.
"That this should be done by
the man who vetoed the Connally
Act is what stunned Labor cir
cles. When labor-baiters like
Smith and Connally write anti-
labor legislation, there is little
occasion for gasps and surprises.
But that a friend of labor should
do so . . . !"
What labor now fully under
stands is that Roosevelt's origin
al veto of the Smith-ConnaUy
Bill was but a meaningless ges
ture, and that he made no real
efforts to have his veto sustained.
Moreover, his recent moves to
strengthen the act make it ex
tremely unlikely that labor will
be successful in its present drive
to have the bill repealed at the
next session^ of Congi-ess.
In the meantime," Washington
is moving full steam ahead to
jail workers who resist the Smith-
Connally umon crusher. On Aug.
30 twenty-seven members of the
Umted Mine Workers received
six-month suspended prison sen
tences and three years probation
from a Federal Court in Pitts
burgh. These men were convict
ed because they ..struck for a liv
ing wage in the coal fields.
First arid fo'reiriost, fori the last
few weeks the entry ftorii this
cornier has been missirig, sad but
true. The spirit didn't move or
words to that effect. (No sir
Baidy, not the bottled spirits, you
know that always moves me.)
To catch up with the news of
the World, in case you birds can't
keep up with the papers, 'the war
is now in the bag. For proof our
Hamheaded friend is so sure that
Uncle Sam doesn't need him that
he broke out of his high pressure
and took off. Greater love hath
We have had a little trouble
i ately with the crews the NMU
have been puttmg aboard these
west coast ships. A lot of the
boys don't like some of the men
that are shipped and the result is
that they pile off the scow and
we have to dig up replacements.
Personally I believe our troubles
are now over, R. Davis of the Pa
cific Coast MFOW&W is now in
town to take care of the MFOW
iri the Gulf. To break him in we
had the Utahan in with a trans
portation beef, we both made it
and we told the boys to sit tight.
ARMY, Agent
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOB
WEEK OF AUG. 16 tO 21 INCLUSIVE
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
SHIPPED
REGISTERED
294
243
260
270
200
114
754
627
Out of the Focs^l
by
S"
The decision against the South Atlantic Company for violation
of present working agreements, and the payment of overtime for
the crew of the S.S. SCHOHARIE involved, was good news for the
members in our organization.
There were only a few members of the crew of the S.S. SCHO
HARIE who raised the beef about the breaking of watches, and who
brought the beef to Headquarters for the benefits of all the men
irivolved. We always contend that if a ship's crew has three men
who know the score, there will be less beefs for the Patrolmen to
handle when the ship arrives in a home port. You'll meet brothers
who beef aboard a ship about everything and when the ship re
turns home they're the first to pay off and that's the end of it. These
are the men who carry a book and Who tell you what militant men
they are.
AAA
We were on our vacation for the past two w§eks, visiting Balti
more and Norfolk, and finally windinig up in up-State New York.
We had dinner with Joe-Flanagan. Attended a meeting while there,
and had a few drinks with Paul Hall at Joe's Tavern. While there
we met Peggy O'Shaughnessy for the first time.
•In Norfolk we had a hard time finding the Branch Office, until
we almost walked into the Portsmouth ferry. The boys are kept
busy there, with all these new ships coming to their port. There is
^nly one good restaurant in thfe town and its hard to get any drinks.
The boys say they would appreciate if any of the fellows coming
dowri from New Yrirk would bring some liquor along and they wili
gladly pay them for it.
k.ViiL'u.'Ww :'.;i -.J,
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
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Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, Sopiember 3, 1943
Big Gains Under SlU Banner
f*
(Continued from Page 1)
ering 300 miles of the Florida
coast, took a general strike vote
pf all cojnmercial fishermen on
August 12 and tied up the entire
fishing fleet in this area on Aug-
list 17. The Union immediately
petitioned all buyers for a meet
ing to negotiate a contract with,
the SIU but only five of the buy-,
ers showed up at this meeting.
They evidently had been sent
there to get what Information
they could for the Florida Fish
Exchange which is controlled by
the buyers of the state and is one
of the most anti-union outfits in
the south.
Nothing was accomplished at
this meeting and all buyers were
notified by registered mail to at
tend another meeting three days
later. At this meeting not a single
buyer attended and we learned
that this was the order of the
Florida Fish Exchange.
During all this time the fish
ing fleet was tied up with a loss
of fish estimated at 175,000 lbs.
per day.
HOLCOMBE CONCILIATES
We immediately petitioned the
Conciliation Service of the U.S.
Department of Labor to send a
conciliator into St. Petersburg
and see what could be done tow
ard forcing the buyers into a
meeting. Commissioner Bryce P.
Holcombe was assigned to the
case and arrived in St. Peters
burg on August 22. He immedi
ately notified the buyers on the
west coast of Florida that he was
calling a meeting in the Suwan
nee Hotel that afternoon. This
meeting was well attended but
though some progress was made,
nothing definite could be done
until the buyers from the out
lying localities showed up.
buyers that recognized the union.
Since that time the Florida Fish
Exchange has fought us with
everything they have including
some of the highest paid lawyers
in the State of Florida.
In one port they have control
of the icehouse and to date the
icehouse has refused to deliver
ice to any fisherman who is a
member of the union. We are de
manding a federal investigation
of the entire operations of the
Florida Fish Exchange and also
cases of discrimination against
members of the union through
ice houses and supply houses.
Another meeting was held on
the 23rd of August with buyers
•from a majority of the ports out
on strike and a committee from
the SIU fishermen. At this meet
ing a tentative agreement was
reached by the buyers present
and the Union which gave the
SIU fishermen the exclusive bar
gaining rights for all fishermen
in that area. It also increased the
price of fish to 8c per pound
which was the price demanded
by the union and is to remain in
effect until a master agreement
C£m be signed with all the fish
buyers on the Gulf Coast. This
will be done just as soon as the
' other branches can set up and a
nieeting can be called in a cen
tralized port.
A RECORD GAIN
This was the biggest gain ever
made by Florida fishermen as
they have always been cut to
3,%c per pound every year when
the large catches started coming
in.
Eighteen buyers signed the
agreement which was negotiated
under the supervision of Commis
sioner Holcombe. A majority of
the fishing boats around St. Pe=
•tersburg started back fishing;
iiowever, two buyers in St. Pe
tersburg and buyers in all the
other branches have refused to
sign this agreement with the re-
suit that over 700 fishermen are
Kstill out on strike. The only fish-
^iipien back to work are the ones
whd,were fishing for the eighteen
m
MORALE HIGH
The morale of the men is bet
ter than it has ever been before
and with the financial assistance
being given them by the SIU, we
are certain that they will win
this strike.
In the meantime we have an
alyzed the earning capacity of
the net fishermen throughout the
Gulf area and learn that the av
erage weekly wage over a period
of twelve montias is less than
$20.00. This is in comparison
with a $4,000.00 annual income
for the Atlantic- Fishermen's
Uruon in Bosthn, Mass., and an
even greater annual income nn
the Pacific coast for fishermen.
The OPA has been contacted
in this case but for some un
known reason they are hot inter
ested in the production of fish in
the Gulf of Mexico even though
Secretary Ickes has asked for
over seven billion pounds of fish
this year and has "already. been
told that it would be impossible
for the fishermen to produce over
three billion pounds.
At the present time there are
over 400 fishing boats tied up and
the Gulf Coast District Fisher
men's Union has received letters
and wires from ports all the way
from Savannah, Ga., to Browns
ville, Texas, asking that an or
ganizer be sent in to set up their
locals. We will get to these other
ports as fast as possible, but in
the meantime we must realize we
have a tough fight on our hands
which must be won first.
U. S. DfEPARTMENT OF LABOR
United States Conciliation Service
^AGREEMENT
It is hereby mutually agreed between the Fish Buyers and
Wholesalers of West Florida and the Gulf Coast District Fishermen's
Union of the Seafarers International Union that the following terms
shall prevail on a tentative basis pending the negotiation of a Mas
ter Agreement between the Fish Buyers and the Fishermen's Union
as above named:
1. The undersigned Fish Buyers and Wholesalers do hereby
recognize the above named Union as the exclusive bargaining
agency covering all people who catch and deliver fish products to
said Buyers and Wholesalers.
2. It is further agreed that the parties signatory hereto will
upon due notice assemble and negotiate jointly with the aforesaid
Union terms and conditions of the Master Fishermen's Agreement.
3. It is mutually agreed that the Buyers and Wholesalers shall
pay the Fishermen eight cents (8c) peri pound for round grouper
and seven cents (7c) per pound for round mullet, pending the con
summation of the Master Agreement. Tt is understood, however,
that should fishermen be required to draw grouper, such drawn
grouper shall be nine cents (9c) per pound, or one cent (Ic) per
pound fpr drawing.
4. It is, agreed that should either party, the Buyers and Whole
salers, or the Fishermen's Union, have any dispute over the terms
of this Memorandum of Agreement, the Director of the United
States Conciliation Service shall be requested to assign a Commis
sioner to adjust any such differences.
5. It is further agreed that upon the signing of this Memoran
dum by Buyers and Wholesalers, the members of the Fishermen's
Union shall return to work catching fish without further delay.
DONE this 24th day of August, 1943, at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Witnessed by:
BRYCE P. HOLCOMBE.
Commissioner of United
States Conciliation Service,
U. S. Department of Labor
M. D. BIGGS. Vice President
Seafarers International Union
PAUL COSSER, President
Gulf Coast District Fishermen's
Union
These Men Cash In On
Schoharie Overtime
(Continued from Page 1)
This beef was won primarily because two members of the
crew kept exact records of when watches were broken, and
turned in the beef to the union with all the necessary informa
tion. If all ships' crews would keep a record of sea watches,
dates and hours of work performed, our shoreside officials
would be in a better position td drive through all legitimate
overtime demands, and our contracts would be enforced 100%.
Give your union officials better cooperation and you will
receive every cent that is due to you under our contracts.
i
New U.S. Ships
Allocated British
WASHINGTON, D. C. — A
wartime charter program, de
vised by President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill for the
purpose of bareboating Ameri
can-built ships to Allied nations
having excess seamen as com
pared with cargo vessels, was
announced today by War Ship
ping Administrator Emory S.
Land.
The charter implements an
arrangement made by the Presi
dent and Prime Minister Church
ill shortly after Pearl Harbor un
der which Great Britain agreed
to devote the bulk of her build
ing power to war vessels and the
United States would become the
merchant shipbuilder for the
war.
Basic Reasons Listed
The announcement included a
copy of a letter addressed by
Admiral Land to Senator Josiah
W. Bailey, chairman of the Sen
ate Commerce Committee, and
Representative Schuyler Otis
Bland, chairman of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries, in which he des
cribed the program and said
that the rapidly increasing
Uni|jpd States fleet might shortly
"stretch" the resources of the
maritime training program.
Macauley's Smear
Is Exposed
Honor Roll
W. T. Pollock, Pollock Fish Co.
Harry H. Bell & Son, Per Harry H. Bell
O. L. Her, Iler's Fish Co.
Robert W. Groth, Flordia Wholesale Meat Cg.
Dick Roberts, John's Pass
Rollins Fish Co., G. N. Rollins
J. E. Bishop, P. L. Rick, St. Petersburg Fish Co.
Robert Ernest, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jake's Fish Market
W. E. Rousseau, Rousseau..Fish Co.
Chas. Clymer. St. Petersburg, Fla.
Mann Fish Co« H. T. Mann. «• ^ v
Hibbs Sea Food, Walter M. Hibbs. ; ; ; •
George S. Sermons. Tarmon Springs, Fl». : ;
-..Vj
S. S. ROBIN SHERWOOD
STEWARD DEPT $29.00
S. S. ROBIN GREY 26.00
J. TENNANT 18.00
S. S. TARALYON BROWN 16.50
S. S. BLENHEIM , 14.00
S. S. SCHOHARIE 13.00
S. S. BAYO CHICO 12.00
S. S. PETER DONAHUE. .. 11.00
'S. S. ROBIN SHERWOOD.. 11.00
D. C. ROYALS 8.00
H. VAUGHN 8.00
(Continued from Page 1)
words, Vincent's ambition is such
that he will even sabotage Mac
auley's plans for labor if it means
a build-up for himself.
And so for once, a carefully
laid WSA trap has been sprung,
only to catch a bureaucrat instead'
of a worker.
But we don't consider this any
precident. We have no doubt
that the swivel chair artists will
resolve their own jealousies in
the greater interest of presenting
a united front against the main
enemy—^the American seamen.
—iMii ••Ciiiiiii
lei^
TOTAL
The following men have
lers, telegrams and packages in
the . New York hall:
R. Martin Christensen, Earl A.
McEwen, R. Dairs, W. E. Warren.
Jr., H. Hamilton, M, A. Gonzales,
Floyd C. Nolan, C. W. Maddox,
W. Shaw, C. Rehkoff, R. Daniels,
C. Hamley, W. J. Iruine, J. J. B.
Gehm, A. G. Garth, J. R. Land-
ron„ C. H. Kath, W. Schiller, W.
M. Jackson, L. Ladmirault, W«
Szostak, J. F. Rodriguez, J. D.
Hawkins, F. Francis, H. Graham,
A. G. Hornsby, W. F. Urp, Char
les Szakacs, Harry Thomas, Jim-
mie Shaw, K. Van Amberg, L.
Garabedian, J. D. Fitzgerald, R.
A. Novak, R. G. Narelle, R. Gra
ham, T. Tallon, - B. Morrow, A.
Graft, R. M. Snow, R. M. Hill, T.
L. Bowers, Jr., H. Lynch, F. Hurt,
H. Genzalick, L. Berwick, E. M,
Janke, R. C. Drain, T. Erlund,
George Ruf, Fred England, Ro
land Rae, Neil Fitzgerald, John
Ingold, Fred E. Phillip, Perry
Klauber, James Corsa, C. O.
Pairone, R. W. Gavigan, Lester
Hoth,.Harry Klieger.
The following men have checks
in the New York Halh
O.^W. Barfield, Jr., Government
$166,50 . Mail, Verle Travis.
MONEY DUE
Crew of S.S. Able Stearns can
collect port bonus for Sydney.
See Captain Respess, Bull Line,
New York City.
J. Pantoja has money coming
from the Bull Line for the last
voyage of the Eleanor.
The following crew members
of the SB. Ironclad have bonus
money coming from the Water
man Line: L. Hall, A. DeFelice,
E, Bright, J. Lafaso, J. Narovas,
G. Small, J. Naylor, J. McKenna,
and E. Talbot. .
INGEBRITSEN: You have 61
hours overtime coming from the
Robin Line.
• MCLAUGHLIN: You have 8
hours overtime coming from the
Robin Line.
Any members of crews of fol
lowing vessels at time of
should coUect $125 attack bonus
from companies: BenjanUa La-
trobe, Robin Gray, Panama City,
Richard Henry Lee, John Daven
port, PM Gulf, Kofresi, Jo|ui
Sevens, Francis Marion.
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
SECURITY
IN
UNITY OFFIOIAL OBOAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTEIGT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AIOERICA
VOL. V. m NEW YORK, N. Y„ FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 3. 1943 No. 23
Gulf Fishermen Make First
Big Gains Under SlU Banner
St. Petersburg Buyers Sign; WIN CLOSED SHOP AT HIGGINS
The Gulf District Towboatmen
of the SIU have been designated
as the exclusive bargaining
agents for all licensed and un
licensed personnel, boat operat
ors, deck hands, and all other
ratings on floating equipment in
the i^iggins Ship Yards of New
Orleans, Louisiana by the Nation
al Labor Relations Board.
We have been fighting to break
into this yard for over a year as
a lot of work is being done in this
shipyard such as testing boats,
operating towboats, rigging, etc.
by members of other unions ancl
quite a number of non-union
men, but have always run up
against a brick wall.
REINSTATEMENTS WON
After getting enough pledge
cards signed to cover a majority
of these men, the company made
thei mistake of firing some of the
meg who had joined the SIU for
union activities arid made such
an entry on the men's file cards.
We immediately filed an unfair
labor practice'charge against the
company with the result that the
men were placed back to work
after a five week layoff. These
men received pay for all the
time they were out including
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The NLRB also designated that
the SIU towboatmen were ex
clusive bargaining agents and ne
gotiations were started with the
Local Hearings Desired
By New Shipping Panel
John B. Bryan, one of the two
industry representatives of the
newly created War Shipping Pan
el of the National War Labor
Board, in a recent interview,
stated that it is his understanding
that cases in dispute may, upon
request, be heard by the panel at
the locale of the dispute.
In the case of such local hear
ings it is expected that the indus
try member nearest the location
will sit on the panel together
with the labor member from the
craft affected.
The public member would be
the chairman of the local hearing
and if neither the chairman nor
deputy chairman of the panel,
both being public members, are
available, a special public mem
ber would be appointed by the
NWLB to serve as chairman of
the local hearing.
The proposed new arrangement
would greatly speed up the han
dling of disputes, particularly
those arising at points distant
from Washington, D. C.
Keep In Touch With
Your Local Draft Board,
company immediately.
At the present time some pro
gress has been made toward
completing the agreement and
we hope to iron out the remain
ing points at a meeting on Sep
tember 3.
This new gain, along with 75
new towboats being delivered to
different companies in the Gulf,
should give the towboatmen a
large increase in membership and
a chance to expand throughout
the entire Gulf area. At the
present time the SIU towboat
men are the only union members
on the Industrial Canal. How
ever, we still have several large
companies operating on the In
dustrial Canal at below our scale.
The towboatmen have also
been in negotiation with the
Coyle Line and River Terminals
Corporation for an increase in
wages and the 8 hour day, but
this case will probably end up
before the Maritime Panel of the
War Labor Board.
700 Continue Strike Against
Remaining Florida Holdouts
Macauley ̂ Missed Convoy'
Smear Of SIU Is Elxposed
No one would deny that the War Shipping Administration, maritime labor's No. 1
enemy, is both tireless and resourceful in its campaign against the unions.
This week, however, one of the WSA labor busting projects exploded right in its
face—and through no effort of the unions eitheir. The New York office of the RMQ
gave direct lie to Captain Macauley's slanders against the SIU that our ship were missing
convoys due to manning difficulties.
A few. weeks ago we received
a pre-emptory letter from Cap
tain Macauley in which he charg
ed that our ships were missing
convoys, and demanded that we
violate our own shipping customs
by forcing men to sign deep sea
articles the moment they took a
newly commissioned ship out of
the yard.
These Men Cash In
On The Schoharie
Overtime Beef
Two weeks ago we reported the victory of the union in
the Schoharie beef. This historic victory turned back a WSA
inspired offensive against the working rules of our contracts,
and resulted in plenty of overtime money for deck and engine
men who were forced to break watches in violation of the con
tract. These men can collect from the South Atlantic to the
tune of 90 cents per hour.
Hours of Money
Overtime Coming
RAFAEL T. SALAS (AB) 316 $284.40
JAMES K. KANE (AB) .......316 284.40
OQDEN FIELDS (Oiler) 316 284.40
ANGELO MEGLIO (Fireman) 316 284.40
316 284.40*
THOMAS J. CLARK (Oiler) 395 355.50
JULIO FERNANDEZ (Watertender) ....395 355.50
FRANCIS MASTERSON (Fireman) . ..395 355.50
EDWARD POUQUETTE (OS) 406 365.40
HENRI GAILLARD (AB) 485 436.50
485 436.50**
JAMES W. ROONEY (AB) 500 450.00
CHARLES CONNORS (Oiler) ..553 497.70
MERTON DELANEY (Watertender) ....553 497.70
ALBERT BERNSTEIN (Fireman) 553 497.70
JOHN P. JASON (OS) 553 497.70
JOE MOHOWSKI (AB) 643 478.70
PHILIP McQUADE (AB) . . 658 592.20
By Matthew D, Biggs
(SIU Vice President)
In June of this year a group of fishermen in St. Peters
burg, Fla., organized themselves into a union and immedi
ately made application for a charter with the SIU. I was
instructed at this time to proceed to St. Petersburg and set
up a new district for the fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.
•At the first meeting held here.
over 200 fishermen attended and
drew up a constitution and by
laws for what is now known as
"The Gulf Coast District Fisher
men's Union" affiliated with the
SIU.
This was the beginning of an
organization that has grown so
fast in the past two months, it
has almost been impossible to
keep up^ith the new branches.
During the first of July, the fish
buyers on the west coast of Flo
rida attempted to cut the price
of fish 2c per pound overnight,
but the organized fishermen tied
up the boats and within 48 hours
the strike had ended with the
fishermen getting the prices they
demanded. They learned by this
action what organization could
do for them and the other ports
started sending in for someone
from the SIU to attend meetings
in their ports and set up branch
es. During the following three
weeks. Steely White and I cov
ered as much of this territory as
we possibly could with the re
sult that branches of this Gulf
Coast District Fishermen's Union
were set up at Tarpon Springs,
Cedar Keys, Hudson, Cortez,
Dunnellon, Crystal River and
Homosassa, Flordia.
TOTAL .8,154 $7,338.60
*This amount to be split between two ordinaries on the
12 to 4 wotch. Exact division not yet worked out.
**This amount to be split between Watertender that was
paid off and the wiper that was promoted. Exact di
vision not yet worked out.
(Continued on Page Ay
' At that time the servile NMU
accepted Macauley's proposal, but
the SIU denounced it for what it
was — union busting — and de
manded that Macauley present
proof that our ships were missing
convoys. The proof, of course,
was never presented.
This week a publicity release
from the RMO office of Mr. Craig
Vincent in New York, read,
"Over the entire extent of the
Atlantic Coast there has been but
one ship delay in the American
flag merehant fleet due to crew
shortage or crew trouble in the
past ten weeks ..."
Where are all these SIU ships
that are tied up because of crow
ing difficulties?
Who's lying—Vincent or Mac
auley?
Vincent's office is certainly in
a position to know the facts, and
we maintain that this time he has
given them straight. Not that
Vincent is any friend of labor; his
double cross of Macauley flows
from inter-department jealousies
and desire to make it appear that
his department is successfully
shouldering the full responsibility
for crewing the ships. In other
(Continued on Page 4)
STRIKE VOTE
The fish buyers along the
[Florida coast realized that this
organization was spreading
throughout the entire Gulf and
started reducing prices below and
above St. Petersburg where the
headquarters have been estab
lished. The result of this was
that the branches from Cedar
Keys to Sarasota, Florida, cov-
(Continued on Page 4)
Same Old Story
"The Atlantic Gulf & West In
dies Steamship Lines and sub
sidiary companies, reported a
gross profit before taxes of $2,-
910,894 for the six months ended
June 30, as comparied with $1,-
204,059 for a comparable period
last year."
—Journal of Commerce
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, September 3. 1943
>E '
k
i :
SEAFARERS LOG
Published by the
SEAFARERS" INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Affiliated with the American Pederation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ "President.
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.
JOHN HAWK ------- Secy-Treds,
P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City
MATTHEW DUSHANE * - - - Washington Rep.
424 5tli Street, N. W., Washington, D. C.
• •
Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK (4) 2 Stone St BOwIing Green 9-3437
BOSTON (10) 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE (2) 14 North Gay St Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA 6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS (16) ..309 Chartres St Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO.... 45 Ponce de Leoh Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON.. 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway ... Ft. Lauderdale 1601
PUBLICATION OFFICE:
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET
New York City BOwIing Green 9-8344
M f-.
<^ASHIt\GTOrV.
g BV M/i'tT44^W - DySt4AftiE>^ ^ ^
yoice In Fost War Planning
Asked By Maritime Labor
Consultation of the seamen's
movement on all matters of post
war shipping and adequate labor
representation in all international
transportation and shipping con
ferences were emphatically de
manded by J. H. Oldenbroek,
acting general secretary of the
International Transport Workers'
Federation, in an address before
the recent annual congress of the
National ' Union of Seamen of
Great Britain.
The congress, which demon
strated the strength of the Brit
ish seafarers' movement, was
similarly addressed by other in
ternational and British labor
leaders and representatives of
the British Government. Among
the speakers was Frank Switzer,
Etiropean representative of the
American Railway Labor Execu
tives' Association and liaison of
ficer between the American and
European transport labor move
ment, who reaffirmed American
labor's interest in the future wel
fare of European labor. He stat
ed amid applause that the Ameri
can railway workers were pre
pared to render full financial and
moral support to the reconstruc
tion of the shattered trade union
forces of Europe.
Mr. OldcnhrOck also empha
sized the vital task of free and
democratic labor everywhere in
rebuilding the European trade
union moyement after the war.
"Fortunately," he pointed out,
"our plans are ready and we are
getting the right support In mak
ing sure that the new labor
movement of Europe will take its
proper place in the reconstruc
tion of the continent.
Speaking of the future of Ger
man trade unionism, the execu
tive officer of the ITF observed;
"What we are out to do is help
Germany and German workers
(iestroy the militarism and feud
alism which they have never
managed to destroy theniselves.
We have already told German
workers that we won't judge
them by Nazi deeds but by their
own deeds.
Strikers Not "Idlers"
WASHINGTON — When the
WMC declared idleness a "non-
deferrable activity," there was no
intention of including strikers,
Lawrence A. Appley, WMC exe
cutive director, told a press con
ference.
"We meant onlychronicidlers,"
he said.
KEEP, CLEAR WITR YOUR DRAFT BOARD
By observing the following simple instructions you will
continue to receive deferment from military service. Fail
to obseire thei^e rules ind you may wind np in the army.
WHEN SiGNING ON: Give the clerk or skipiper all the
information necei9sary td fill out RA16 Card No. 47 (Gteen
Card).
WHEN SIGNING OFF: See, that Card No. 48-A is prpp-
perly filled out by skipper or olerk.
Ship oiit befdte yo^ stUdtled time hds ex^iked.
If you have hot yet BUed oikt the Green Card; contact your
draft board and let tliw know that you are sailing.
Was notified that the AFL Post
War Planning Committee has
designated me on the suh-com-
mittee to study and report on
racial discrimination and minor
ity groups. This coThrnittee has
not met yet so do not know what
the score is. WiU keep the mem
bership advised in later rehorts.
WAR SHIPPING PAl^EL
All ,SIU and SUP cases are stiU
being processed and no definite
date has been set for hearings on
these cases.
General Petroleum Corp and
SUP-SIU companies have re
quested the WLB for a review of
their cases on all recommenda
tions by a regional hoard or the
panel. The union or the employ
er are privileged to request for a
review. After a hearing is held
on a review, either party is again
accorded the privilege to request
a review before the full board
here in Washington. After the
full board makes a decision the
case is settled.
SELECTIVE SERVICE
Advise all agents that are clas
sified in any other than 2-B, or
other deferable status, to imme
diately request for deferment
now and not wait until they are
reclassified in 1-A. Don't forget
that nearly all local hoards are
now down to the bottom of the
barrel and are reclassifying men
in 1-A who formerly held other
classifications. In the last bulle
tin that was issued by the War
Manpower Commission to Selec
tive Service on essential workers,
the only ones classified as essen
tial in the maritime industry are
Masters, Licensed Deck Officers,
Chief Engineers, and Licensed
Ehgine room officers. All other
classifications of maritime work
ers were left out. We are trying
to have the old ratings reclassi
fied again. Seems that some one
in the WMC does not feel that
uhliceiised seamen are necessary
or essential to the War eiffiirt.
Mi^EB
Notified that the advisory
board's meeting was postponed as
they did not have anything on
the agenda. Contacted the secre
tary of the board. What happen
ed to our proposals regarding the
hoard reinstating the bonuses
that were in effect prior to March
1st, and how about the seamen's
2nd war risk insurance policy?
Wc were advised by the hoard
that 60 days after that insurance
went into effect, the unions and
the operators were to meet and
discuss changes; in the policy. We
have never met on this problem,
still the hoard states that they
had nothing on the agenda. It
seems to me that the only part of
any agreement that any govern
ment agency thinks is valid, is
the no strike clause, other clauses
or parts of agreements that a
union may have to them are
merely scraps Df paper.
LEGISLATION
Continuation of the fight led by
Andrew Furuseth for seamen's
rights, and the action taken at
the convention of the AFL.
• 1920
HR 9692; Was SUBmitted td the
United States Shipping hoard for
an opinion by the committee on
merchant marine and fisheries.
Representatives . of the vessel
owners, seamen and the shipping
board were appointed on a com
mission to inquire into the pro-
pdse<^ changes, hut the commis
sion failed to agree. Notwith
standing this, and while the com
mission was still in session, the
bill was presented to the House
and passed. It is now before the
Senate. The hill reduces the
number of able seamen on a ves
sel from 65 to 40 per cent, and
the training period from three
years to nine months.
1921
A bill was introduced in the
Senate to provide compensation
fof searheri and the dependents of
searhen killed in the course of
employment and to create a fed
eral seamen's compensation fund.
It provides that immediately af
ter injury sustained by a seaman
he shall receive all necessary
medical and surgical aid and hos
pital supplies. In the event of a
total disability he shall receive
a weekly compensation equal to
66-2/3 per cent of his weekly
earnings. If only temporarily
disabled he shall receive a week
ly compensation equal to 66-2/3
per Cent of his loss in earning
capacity. The weekly compensa
tion for total disability shall not
be more than $25.00 nor less than
$10.00 unless the seamen's com
pensation shall be the fuU amount
of his weekly earnings. No action
was taken on the bill. Protested
against any lowering of the num
ber of skilled men, and increase
in the horns of labor or any ex
tension of the season in which
passenger vessels are permitted
to operate in a condition in which
50 per cent of the persons on
board have ho means of safety
except life preservers, the utility
of whi<:h were shown in the loss
of the Empress of Ireland, in the
St. Lawrence river in May, 191^,
Where, according to reports 1,027
persons drowned with life pre
servers on within less than three
miles from shore and with as
sistance coming in less than two
hours.
Indorsed Senate hill providing
for investigation of the lockout of
seamen by a combination of Eu
ropean and American shipowners
aided by the U. S. Shipping
Board. The AFL compliments
the seamen upon their unchang
ed and undiminished patriotism,
their self sacrifice to America's
interest and their loyalty to the
principles hf human freedom.
This defclaratiori Was made after
P. SPORNEHR
W. JOHNSON
M. TARTAGLIA
J. D. HOOK
J. STURDEWANT
dBcAk RIVBRA
A. GUSMAH
GEORGE SPRINGETT
FRANK GREEN
WILLIAM PITTS
AUSTIN BROWN
the seamen had reported that the
U. S. Shipping Board has issued
statements that it "WOULD NOT
GIVE AGENTS OF THE
UNIONS THE PRIVILEGES OE
VISITING DOCKS OR SHIPS"
and that "NO NEW AGREE
MENT WOULD BE RATIFIED
FOR LONGER THAN SIX
MONTHS." The seamen declared
they would refuse to agree to
this policy, accepting prosecution
and suffering instead. ^ ,
1922
HR 6754, passed the House hut
met with opposition in the Sen
ate. The hill seeks to amend sec
tions 2, 13, 14, of the seamen's
act. It provides that the life sav
ing equipment on vessels during
the summer mbnths shall be re
duced 25 per cent ahd that the
number of able seamen provided
for by the seamen's act shall he
reduced from 65 per cent to 50
per cent. The hill also provides
for twelve hour watches for fire
men, watertenders, and oilers.
Representative John I. Nolan, of
California, made a fight on these
provisions and succeeded i n
amending the hill so that em
ployes in the occupations should
work only eight hours, but they
failed to prevent a reduction in
the number of able seamen em
ployed. The reduction in the life
saving equijiment and the proVigi
ion that it is not necessary that
able seamen he employed in
manning the life boats and life
rafts gave the hill the title of
"DROWNING MADE EASY."
The original hill provided tha^
there should be a sufficient num
ber of boats and rafts on each'
vessel to save only 25 per cent
instead of 50 per cent of the pas
sengers in case of fire br ship
wreck. The seamen in entering
ohjeetion tb this feature of the
bill declared that the shihownei's
now have the legal right t(j
drown 50 per cent of the persons
they carry but want the legal
right to drown 75 per cent. Thig
argiimeht corhpblled the House to
reject the proposed reduction to
25 per cent, and retain the 50 per
cent law. CaUed upon the feder
al governnient to enforce all laws
enacted to'provide greater safety
at sea.
I.T.F. GAINS NEW
AFFILIATE
NEW YORK, N. Y.^Affiliation
of the Gulf Coast Fishermen's
Union, composed of commercial
fishermen along the west coast
of Florida, with the Seafarers' In
ternational Union of North Am
erica, an affiliate of the Interna
tional Transport Workers' Feder
ation, was announced by the Am
erican office of the ITF.
The fi.shermen's action in affil
iating with the Seafarers' Union
followed a recent tie-up of com-
rnerclM fishing boats along the
Florida wesit coast by members of
the union in protest against the
lowering of prices paid by whole
sale dealers for the catch. Paul
Grosser, president of the union,
stated that government represen
tatives were making, effort to
hiring about .an amicable settle
ment hetWeeli the fishermen and
the Whbl'esalefs.
• j
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, September *3, 1943 THE SEAFARERS L O Q Pasb tteie«i 1
WHArs Donns
NEW YORK
The publicity department of
the N.M.U. has scored again!
Newspapers all over the country
carry the story of "TWO THOUS
AND FIVE HUNDRED SEAMEN
PICKET THE N. Y. WORLD-
TELEGRAM IN PROTEST
AGAINST PEGLER ARTICLES.
. Well and good/ Pegler's a
phony, but Curranitcs and
Stalinites couldn't see their way
clear to join the SIU-SUP picket
line in that bonus fight. The pres
ent war bonus was won through
a strike and picket lines but
again the Moscow boys steered
ciedr.
P
Where in the hell did the 2500
"seamen pickets" come from?
Certainly not oft the ships be
cause the picket line parade took
^ place during working hours. Cer-
' taihiy not oft the beach because
the records show that the NMU
hdd to ship replacements from
the WSA pool even while the
pick'eteers were picketing and
John Rogan was leading
his flock' of long haired boys
and short haired gals into the
Telegram building.
Don't fool yourself though!
There were 2500 people on that
picket line arid all twerity-ifLve
hundred carried paid up bpoks in
the N.M;U. They are the same
2500 that pack the headquarters
nieeting when the commies have
a special resolution to put over.
They are the same 2500 that
voted against participation in the
legitimate picket lines during the
fihk hall fights, the bonus fights
arid the Alcoa strike. They are
the same 2500 that expell any
seaman militant enough to open
ly hght the coirimie pie-cards. Out
of this 2500 caine the Marchers-
td-Washington, the picketeers
against British Imperialism, the
gahg who heljied the League for
Peace and Bureaucracy picket
the White NoUse.
YoU can find these 2500 Ship
leies seamen any day you warit to;
at the commie rallies in Madison
Square Garden, Manhattan Cen
ter, the Polo grounds, Unibri
Square or ariywhere. They are
jiri'^lihg cbllectibh cans, peddling
Daily Workers, passing out leaf
lets and waving fantastic water
color placards.
They take their suriimer vaca-:
tibhs at Cairip Uriity and Nit-
gadaget and s'et the date for the
revolution at the tables of Kav-
kas, the Village Vanguard, Cafe
Society Downtowri arid a thous
and other joints. They are the
commie reserve force who are
furriers, needle trades workers,
cafeteria workers, plumbers, taxi-
cab drivers, br irieiribers of any
outfit they can sneak into for the
glory of dear old "Pal Joey."
Sure, Westbrook Pegler is un
fair to all labor. So is Mike Gold
who conducts a "Column for the
"Dirty Worker." So far as col
umnists go it's pretty hard -to
firid any of them pro labor. But
Pegler isn't being picketed be
cause he is anti-labor. The NMU
didn't picket Pegler when he in
sinuated that seamen were a
bunch a bad actors. They didn't
even picket him when he con-
doried lynchings in San Jose, Cal
ifornia and heckled their patron,
St. Eleanor. But when he called
Currari a cbmmie and the NMU
cqpimie controlled, then the pick
et line was on.
We have no illusions. Pegler is
against Us and we are against
him. Pegler is rich and natur
ally protects the interests of the
bosses while We who are poor
working' sTTflS* protect our inter
ests through the medium of our
unions.
The sort of crap the NMU is
putting out is nothirig more or
less than a chebp form of poariu
politics and the damage it does
to organized labor is great.
A picket line is an economic
weapon, a weapon of dignity and
coiurage. Our brothers have died
on picket lines and our wages
and conditions have been won on
picket lines.
Labor itself is a thing of dig
nity and Union membership is a
badge of honor. The antics of the
NMU Coirimie stooges clearly
show that the "four freedoms"
are meaningless to the Commuri-
ist bureaucracy at horiie and
abroad.
We believe in the freedom of
the press and all freedoms. We
have fought Westbrook Pegler
from the beginning and wiU con
tinue to fight him, in the Ameri
can way. Our weapons and our
labor press, although puny when
measured in pulp, are mighty, in
effect. For ourselves, we find
it difficult to either read or be
lieve dhe Moscow pre-fabricated
columns of Mike Gold in the
Daily Worker and Curran in the
Pilot. At least Pegler's technique
is better arid his style more in
teresting, although in their own
ways both he, Curran arid Gold
serve the same purpose, the des
truction of the labor movemerit.
Sirre racketeers have been
found in the labor movement,
but thank God not so mifny
as the boss controlled press, the
•Communist Party and the Na
tional Association Manufacturers.
We also tiake pride in the fact
that "We have a medium of rid
ding ourselves of undesirables.
The medium of open discussion,
of referendum vote. The medium
of Democracy, the American
medium.
JOiE VbLPlAifl, Patrolman
NEW ORLEANS
no man then to sail during the
midst of a war for his party.
Further and more so, I wonder
if moose-jaw figured the check
off system which the rank and
file demands (sic) would be too
hard to talk the officials into. It
(the booklet on the subject) states
that this will give the patrolmen
more time to settle beefs. My
uridefstandirig is that all that is
needed to settle beefs in the NMU
was a red pencil to scratch out
more than the mate did.
Roosevelt Decrees
Shackle Labor Unions
rtfe-HE-Rb
The Convention ordered
The meri obeyed
While the rank and file sat back
and wondered
Our he-he-fo sailed away.
To get to Russia was his aim
So as Bos'n he did ship.
To do or die out o'er the main
And prove his worth in Red
Stateship.
His column it was left fiat,
dis ghost writers on vacation.
The brains are not beneath his
hat,
Thank God crys a suffering
Nation.
He spoke his liries and played his
part.
Left home sweet home where
things are humming.
To Limey Land to get his start
Distributing The Yanks Are Not
Comirig.
Reactionary elements moved
rapidly last week to further
shackle labor in the name of the
war effort, but none moved more
swiftly and decisively than Presi
dent Roosevelt himself. By an
executive order he established
severe penalties for any worker
who strikes in protest against
any War Labor Board decision.
The decree subjects the trade
unions to some of the most
sweeping restrictions in the coun
try's history.
Here are the three principal
effects of the order:
1. It imposes compulsory arbi
tration on the workers. They
must abide by War Labor Board
decisions. If they don't, the
plant in which they work can be
seized by the government, and
all their rights and benefits under
the union contract can be abro
gated.
2. It re-establishes the hateful
"blacklist"—this time administer
ed 1>y the government instead of
the private employer.
3. It lays down the ultimatum
"work or fight." Workers who
protest boss provocations may
have their draft deferments can
celled and be shoved into a imi-
Shipping here in the garden
spot oif trie world is very very
slow. More men than the law
calls for, quite a few west coast
ships are keepirig the deck mov
ing. Steward and engine are
slower than I am.
,
Why, oh why, do we have so
much trouble lately with allot
ments? Companies that have
been more then exact on this are
now being late on these pay
ments. It isn't a bit funny when
woman with a couple of kids
depends on the money her hus
band is leaving her and the crieck
anywhere from one to three
weeks late. I think about one
good law suit oft this would snap
all hands out of it.
Intercoastal Shipping
Resumption of i n t e rcoastal
shipping services — whether pri
vate or official operation—is be
ing seriously considered by the
War Shipping Administration and
Maritime Commission.
Spurred to action by the Office
of Defense Transportation it is
expected that some move will be
made shortly to place ships in the
intercoastal trade for the purpose
of relieving the transcontinental
and Southwestern railroads from
the strain imposed by the in
creasingly heavy traffic moving
from east of the Mississippi to
California ports.
form where they will be disci
plined by labor-hating brass hats.
The Roosevelt decree was is
sued to strengthen the notorious
Smith-Connally Act. This move
came as a blow to those leaders
of the labor movement who have
generally looked upon the White
House as friend and champion.
Typical of the bewilderment of
the boys who put all their eggs in
Roosevelt's basket, is the com
ment of Johnathan Stout, Wash
ington correspondent for the New
Leader, organ of the Social-Dem
ocrats, (Administration support
ers from way back):
"But the President's Executive
Order . . . shores up all the weak
points (from the bosses' point of
view) of the Connally Act and
really makes it an efficient oper
ating anti-labor instrument.
"That this should be done by
the man who vetoed the Connally
Act is what stunned Labor cir
cles. When labor-baiters like
Smith and Connally write anti-
labor legislation, there is little
occasion for gasps and surprises.
But that a friend of labor should
do so . . . !"
What labor now fully under
stands is that Roosevelt's origin
al veto of the Smith-ConnaUy
Bill was but a meaningless ges
ture, and that he made no real
efforts to have his veto sustained.
Moreover, his recent moves to
strengthen the act make it ex
tremely unlikely that labor will
be successful in its present drive
to have the bill repealed at the
next session^ of Congi-ess.
In the meantime," Washington
is moving full steam ahead to
jail workers who resist the Smith-
Connally umon crusher. On Aug.
30 twenty-seven members of the
Umted Mine Workers received
six-month suspended prison sen
tences and three years probation
from a Federal Court in Pitts
burgh. These men were convict
ed because they ..struck for a liv
ing wage in the coal fields.
First arid fo'reiriost, fori the last
few weeks the entry ftorii this
cornier has been missirig, sad but
true. The spirit didn't move or
words to that effect. (No sir
Baidy, not the bottled spirits, you
know that always moves me.)
To catch up with the news of
the World, in case you birds can't
keep up with the papers, 'the war
is now in the bag. For proof our
Hamheaded friend is so sure that
Uncle Sam doesn't need him that
he broke out of his high pressure
and took off. Greater love hath
We have had a little trouble
i ately with the crews the NMU
have been puttmg aboard these
west coast ships. A lot of the
boys don't like some of the men
that are shipped and the result is
that they pile off the scow and
we have to dig up replacements.
Personally I believe our troubles
are now over, R. Davis of the Pa
cific Coast MFOW&W is now in
town to take care of the MFOW
iri the Gulf. To break him in we
had the Utahan in with a trans
portation beef, we both made it
and we told the boys to sit tight.
ARMY, Agent
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOB
WEEK OF AUG. 16 tO 21 INCLUSIVE
DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
SHIPPED
REGISTERED
294
243
260
270
200
114
754
627
Out of the Focs^l
by
S"
The decision against the South Atlantic Company for violation
of present working agreements, and the payment of overtime for
the crew of the S.S. SCHOHARIE involved, was good news for the
members in our organization.
There were only a few members of the crew of the S.S. SCHO
HARIE who raised the beef about the breaking of watches, and who
brought the beef to Headquarters for the benefits of all the men
irivolved. We always contend that if a ship's crew has three men
who know the score, there will be less beefs for the Patrolmen to
handle when the ship arrives in a home port. You'll meet brothers
who beef aboard a ship about everything and when the ship re
turns home they're the first to pay off and that's the end of it. These
are the men who carry a book and Who tell you what militant men
they are.
AAA
We were on our vacation for the past two w§eks, visiting Balti
more and Norfolk, and finally windinig up in up-State New York.
We had dinner with Joe-Flanagan. Attended a meeting while there,
and had a few drinks with Paul Hall at Joe's Tavern. While there
we met Peggy O'Shaughnessy for the first time.
•In Norfolk we had a hard time finding the Branch Office, until
we almost walked into the Portsmouth ferry. The boys are kept
busy there, with all these new ships coming to their port. There is
^nly one good restaurant in thfe town and its hard to get any drinks.
The boys say they would appreciate if any of the fellows coming
dowri from New Yrirk would bring some liquor along and they wili
gladly pay them for it.
k.ViiL'u.'Ww :'.;i -.J,
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
:,,j;--.-T'v..:W'
K ^
Page Four THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, Sopiember 3, 1943
Big Gains Under SlU Banner
f*
(Continued from Page 1)
ering 300 miles of the Florida
coast, took a general strike vote
pf all cojnmercial fishermen on
August 12 and tied up the entire
fishing fleet in this area on Aug-
list 17. The Union immediately
petitioned all buyers for a meet
ing to negotiate a contract with,
the SIU but only five of the buy-,
ers showed up at this meeting.
They evidently had been sent
there to get what Information
they could for the Florida Fish
Exchange which is controlled by
the buyers of the state and is one
of the most anti-union outfits in
the south.
Nothing was accomplished at
this meeting and all buyers were
notified by registered mail to at
tend another meeting three days
later. At this meeting not a single
buyer attended and we learned
that this was the order of the
Florida Fish Exchange.
During all this time the fish
ing fleet was tied up with a loss
of fish estimated at 175,000 lbs.
per day.
HOLCOMBE CONCILIATES
We immediately petitioned the
Conciliation Service of the U.S.
Department of Labor to send a
conciliator into St. Petersburg
and see what could be done tow
ard forcing the buyers into a
meeting. Commissioner Bryce P.
Holcombe was assigned to the
case and arrived in St. Peters
burg on August 22. He immedi
ately notified the buyers on the
west coast of Florida that he was
calling a meeting in the Suwan
nee Hotel that afternoon. This
meeting was well attended but
though some progress was made,
nothing definite could be done
until the buyers from the out
lying localities showed up.
buyers that recognized the union.
Since that time the Florida Fish
Exchange has fought us with
everything they have including
some of the highest paid lawyers
in the State of Florida.
In one port they have control
of the icehouse and to date the
icehouse has refused to deliver
ice to any fisherman who is a
member of the union. We are de
manding a federal investigation
of the entire operations of the
Florida Fish Exchange and also
cases of discrimination against
members of the union through
ice houses and supply houses.
Another meeting was held on
the 23rd of August with buyers
•from a majority of the ports out
on strike and a committee from
the SIU fishermen. At this meet
ing a tentative agreement was
reached by the buyers present
and the Union which gave the
SIU fishermen the exclusive bar
gaining rights for all fishermen
in that area. It also increased the
price of fish to 8c per pound
which was the price demanded
by the union and is to remain in
effect until a master agreement
C£m be signed with all the fish
buyers on the Gulf Coast. This
will be done just as soon as the
' other branches can set up and a
nieeting can be called in a cen
tralized port.
A RECORD GAIN
This was the biggest gain ever
made by Florida fishermen as
they have always been cut to
3,%c per pound every year when
the large catches started coming
in.
Eighteen buyers signed the
agreement which was negotiated
under the supervision of Commis
sioner Holcombe. A majority of
the fishing boats around St. Pe=
•tersburg started back fishing;
iiowever, two buyers in St. Pe
tersburg and buyers in all the
other branches have refused to
sign this agreement with the re-
suit that over 700 fishermen are
Kstill out on strike. The only fish-
^iipien back to work are the ones
whd,were fishing for the eighteen
m
MORALE HIGH
The morale of the men is bet
ter than it has ever been before
and with the financial assistance
being given them by the SIU, we
are certain that they will win
this strike.
In the meantime we have an
alyzed the earning capacity of
the net fishermen throughout the
Gulf area and learn that the av
erage weekly wage over a period
of twelve montias is less than
$20.00. This is in comparison
with a $4,000.00 annual income
for the Atlantic- Fishermen's
Uruon in Bosthn, Mass., and an
even greater annual income nn
the Pacific coast for fishermen.
The OPA has been contacted
in this case but for some un
known reason they are hot inter
ested in the production of fish in
the Gulf of Mexico even though
Secretary Ickes has asked for
over seven billion pounds of fish
this year and has "already. been
told that it would be impossible
for the fishermen to produce over
three billion pounds.
At the present time there are
over 400 fishing boats tied up and
the Gulf Coast District Fisher
men's Union has received letters
and wires from ports all the way
from Savannah, Ga., to Browns
ville, Texas, asking that an or
ganizer be sent in to set up their
locals. We will get to these other
ports as fast as possible, but in
the meantime we must realize we
have a tough fight on our hands
which must be won first.
U. S. DfEPARTMENT OF LABOR
United States Conciliation Service
^AGREEMENT
It is hereby mutually agreed between the Fish Buyers and
Wholesalers of West Florida and the Gulf Coast District Fishermen's
Union of the Seafarers International Union that the following terms
shall prevail on a tentative basis pending the negotiation of a Mas
ter Agreement between the Fish Buyers and the Fishermen's Union
as above named:
1. The undersigned Fish Buyers and Wholesalers do hereby
recognize the above named Union as the exclusive bargaining
agency covering all people who catch and deliver fish products to
said Buyers and Wholesalers.
2. It is further agreed that the parties signatory hereto will
upon due notice assemble and negotiate jointly with the aforesaid
Union terms and conditions of the Master Fishermen's Agreement.
3. It is mutually agreed that the Buyers and Wholesalers shall
pay the Fishermen eight cents (8c) peri pound for round grouper
and seven cents (7c) per pound for round mullet, pending the con
summation of the Master Agreement. Tt is understood, however,
that should fishermen be required to draw grouper, such drawn
grouper shall be nine cents (9c) per pound, or one cent (Ic) per
pound fpr drawing.
4. It is, agreed that should either party, the Buyers and Whole
salers, or the Fishermen's Union, have any dispute over the terms
of this Memorandum of Agreement, the Director of the United
States Conciliation Service shall be requested to assign a Commis
sioner to adjust any such differences.
5. It is further agreed that upon the signing of this Memoran
dum by Buyers and Wholesalers, the members of the Fishermen's
Union shall return to work catching fish without further delay.
DONE this 24th day of August, 1943, at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Witnessed by:
BRYCE P. HOLCOMBE.
Commissioner of United
States Conciliation Service,
U. S. Department of Labor
M. D. BIGGS. Vice President
Seafarers International Union
PAUL COSSER, President
Gulf Coast District Fishermen's
Union
These Men Cash In On
Schoharie Overtime
(Continued from Page 1)
This beef was won primarily because two members of the
crew kept exact records of when watches were broken, and
turned in the beef to the union with all the necessary informa
tion. If all ships' crews would keep a record of sea watches,
dates and hours of work performed, our shoreside officials
would be in a better position td drive through all legitimate
overtime demands, and our contracts would be enforced 100%.
Give your union officials better cooperation and you will
receive every cent that is due to you under our contracts.
i
New U.S. Ships
Allocated British
WASHINGTON, D. C. — A
wartime charter program, de
vised by President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill for the
purpose of bareboating Ameri
can-built ships to Allied nations
having excess seamen as com
pared with cargo vessels, was
announced today by War Ship
ping Administrator Emory S.
Land.
The charter implements an
arrangement made by the Presi
dent and Prime Minister Church
ill shortly after Pearl Harbor un
der which Great Britain agreed
to devote the bulk of her build
ing power to war vessels and the
United States would become the
merchant shipbuilder for the
war.
Basic Reasons Listed
The announcement included a
copy of a letter addressed by
Admiral Land to Senator Josiah
W. Bailey, chairman of the Sen
ate Commerce Committee, and
Representative Schuyler Otis
Bland, chairman of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries, in which he des
cribed the program and said
that the rapidly increasing
Uni|jpd States fleet might shortly
"stretch" the resources of the
maritime training program.
Macauley's Smear
Is Exposed
Honor Roll
W. T. Pollock, Pollock Fish Co.
Harry H. Bell & Son, Per Harry H. Bell
O. L. Her, Iler's Fish Co.
Robert W. Groth, Flordia Wholesale Meat Cg.
Dick Roberts, John's Pass
Rollins Fish Co., G. N. Rollins
J. E. Bishop, P. L. Rick, St. Petersburg Fish Co.
Robert Ernest, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jake's Fish Market
W. E. Rousseau, Rousseau..Fish Co.
Chas. Clymer. St. Petersburg, Fla.
Mann Fish Co« H. T. Mann. «• ^ v
Hibbs Sea Food, Walter M. Hibbs. ; ; ; •
George S. Sermons. Tarmon Springs, Fl». : ;
-..Vj
S. S. ROBIN SHERWOOD
STEWARD DEPT $29.00
S. S. ROBIN GREY 26.00
J. TENNANT 18.00
S. S. TARALYON BROWN 16.50
S. S. BLENHEIM , 14.00
S. S. SCHOHARIE 13.00
S. S. BAYO CHICO 12.00
S. S. PETER DONAHUE. .. 11.00
'S. S. ROBIN SHERWOOD.. 11.00
D. C. ROYALS 8.00
H. VAUGHN 8.00
(Continued from Page 1)
words, Vincent's ambition is such
that he will even sabotage Mac
auley's plans for labor if it means
a build-up for himself.
And so for once, a carefully
laid WSA trap has been sprung,
only to catch a bureaucrat instead'
of a worker.
But we don't consider this any
precident. We have no doubt
that the swivel chair artists will
resolve their own jealousies in
the greater interest of presenting
a united front against the main
enemy—^the American seamen.
—iMii ••Ciiiiiii
lei^
TOTAL
The following men have
lers, telegrams and packages in
the . New York hall:
R. Martin Christensen, Earl A.
McEwen, R. Dairs, W. E. Warren.
Jr., H. Hamilton, M, A. Gonzales,
Floyd C. Nolan, C. W. Maddox,
W. Shaw, C. Rehkoff, R. Daniels,
C. Hamley, W. J. Iruine, J. J. B.
Gehm, A. G. Garth, J. R. Land-
ron„ C. H. Kath, W. Schiller, W.
M. Jackson, L. Ladmirault, W«
Szostak, J. F. Rodriguez, J. D.
Hawkins, F. Francis, H. Graham,
A. G. Hornsby, W. F. Urp, Char
les Szakacs, Harry Thomas, Jim-
mie Shaw, K. Van Amberg, L.
Garabedian, J. D. Fitzgerald, R.
A. Novak, R. G. Narelle, R. Gra
ham, T. Tallon, - B. Morrow, A.
Graft, R. M. Snow, R. M. Hill, T.
L. Bowers, Jr., H. Lynch, F. Hurt,
H. Genzalick, L. Berwick, E. M,
Janke, R. C. Drain, T. Erlund,
George Ruf, Fred England, Ro
land Rae, Neil Fitzgerald, John
Ingold, Fred E. Phillip, Perry
Klauber, James Corsa, C. O.
Pairone, R. W. Gavigan, Lester
Hoth,.Harry Klieger.
The following men have checks
in the New York Halh
O.^W. Barfield, Jr., Government
$166,50 . Mail, Verle Travis.
MONEY DUE
Crew of S.S. Able Stearns can
collect port bonus for Sydney.
See Captain Respess, Bull Line,
New York City.
J. Pantoja has money coming
from the Bull Line for the last
voyage of the Eleanor.
The following crew members
of the SB. Ironclad have bonus
money coming from the Water
man Line: L. Hall, A. DeFelice,
E, Bright, J. Lafaso, J. Narovas,
G. Small, J. Naylor, J. McKenna,
and E. Talbot. .
INGEBRITSEN: You have 61
hours overtime coming from the
Robin Line.
• MCLAUGHLIN: You have 8
hours overtime coming from the
Robin Line.
Any members of crews of fol
lowing vessels at time of
should coUect $125 attack bonus
from companies: BenjanUa La-
trobe, Robin Gray, Panama City,
Richard Henry Lee, John Daven
port, PM Gulf, Kofresi, Jo|ui
Sevens, Francis Marion.
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