MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO)
         "On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"

MEBA TELEX TIMES       AUGUST 07, 2009

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 32

In this issue...
Matson P.E. contract ratified...Direct observation test news...M.E.B.A. meets with Matsuda...Off the maritime menu, we order up a mouthwatering main course of nautical food-for-thought served up on a silver platter. Don't spoil your appetite on inedible, hard to swallow newsletters that'll make you lose your lunch. They'll eat their words as we give them a knuckle sandwich and dish out a feast for your eyes that's made to order. Come and get it! Take a taste of the Telex Times - it's the specialty of the house!

PORT ENGINEERS CONTRACT RATIFIED
Members ratified a new contract signed last week with Matson Navigation covering M.E.B.A. port engineers. The agreement runs for four years and two months retroactive to June 2009. Among other things, the contract raises wages each year, adds more holidays and MPB increases and jacks up contributions to the M.E.B.A. Training Plan, Joint Employment Committee and American Maritime Congress.

Members approved the contract in meeting week votes at Union Halls across the country.

DOT MOVES AHEAD WITH DIRECT OBSERVATION DRUG TESTS
Expanded drug and alcohol testing regulations are set to go into effect on August 31st after a court stay was recently lifted. Among other things, an amendment to the new rules requires transportation workers to be directly observed when providing urine specimens for necessary follow-up and return-to-duty drug tests.

This week, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final rule reinstating the requirements issued in June 2008 that was challenged by M.E.B.A. and the Transportation Trades Dept. (AFL-CIO) among others. After a lawsuit leveled by transportation worker unions, a temporary stay of the controversial amendment was granted by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit effective November 1, 2008. However, that stay was lifted on July 1, 2009 leading to DOT's reissuance of the Final Rule.

Specifically, the court ruled that DOT's regulations governing observed specimen collections were "neither arbitrary nor capricious," and concluded that the new rule "does not violate the Fourth Amendment provision against unreasonable searches and seizures."

REP. KRATOVIL VISITS CALHOON SCHOOL
Congressional Freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil who represents the First District of Maryland visited the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School this week and was very impressed with the facility. Easton, MD, where the School is located, is part of Kratovil's District. M.E.B.A. Secretary-Treasurer Bill Van Loo was on hand as Acting Director Chuck Eser shuttled the Congressman around on an extensive tour that included stops at the damage control trailer, diesel and refrigeration labs, machine shop and bridge simulator among other sections of the School. Instructors Barry Van Vechten and Lee Brown also accompanied Kratovil on part of the tour helping to better familiarize the Congressman with the maritime industry and the intricate training that mariners master before shipping out. The Congressman is already eyeing future dates to make a return to the School.

M.E.B.A. VISITS WITH NEW MARAD DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR/ACTING ADMINISTRATOR
David T. Matsuda was named Deputy Maritime Administrator by the President last week and also replaces Jim Caponiti as Acting Maritime Administrator. Caponiti returned to his post overseeing MarAd's international and strategic policy office. There is no formal word on whether Matsuda will serve as the next official Maritime Administrator or simply hold the spot until a Presidential appointment.

M.E.B.A. President Don Keefe met with Matsuda this week along with representatives from TTD, MM&P, ILA and ILWU. Topics discussed included the Maritime Security Program, piracy, short sea shipping, PL-480 food aid cargo and federal tax exemption for mariners.

Matsuda has served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy since March 2009. Prior to that, he spent seven years on Capitol Hill. While working in the Senate, Matsuda was engaged in the formulation and debate of most major federal transportation legislation from 2002-2009. Most recently he served as senior counsel and primary transportation advisor to U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey. Matsuda hails from Apple Valley, California. He earned his B.S. in engineering from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA, and a J.D. from the University of San Diego's School of Law.

LIBERTY'S SHAPIRO TO SPEAK AT PIRACY CONFERENCE
Phil Shapiro, President and CEO of M.E.B.A-contracted Liberty Maritime Corporation, will be the luncheon speaker for Marine Log's "Countering Pirates," a one-day conference scheduled for Sept. 16, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

In recent testimony before the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Shapiro urged the U.S. Government to adopt more active measures to protect U.S.-flag ships from pirates. Said Shapiro, "We greatly appreciate the response of the Navy to the LIBERTY SUN incident, and we are very grateful to both the DOD and the EU for the cooperation we have received to date. But responding after the fact is not, in our view, the most effective means of protecting the very few U.S.-flag vessels transiting the pirate danger zone." Shapiro will talk about the lessons learned by Liberty Maritime during his luncheon address.

SCALED DOWN MARINER PROTECTION ACT PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE
A bill that shields mariners from liability concerns during defense of pirate attacks passed a House committee last week. The bill is a scaled-down version of earlier legislation offered by Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and reported on in the June 26 edition of the Telex Times. The earlier bill made certain stipulations involving the Coast Guard including the deployment of maritime safety and security teams overseen by the agency. LoBiondo's new bill, H.R. 3376, was co-sponsored by Rep. Elijah Cummings (R-MD), Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, where LoBiondo is the ranking Republican. H.R. 3376 was unanimously passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Rep. LoBiondo noted, "Over the past year, there has been a significant increase in the rate of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. The U.S.-flagged vessels MAERSK ALABAMA and LIBERTY SUN were attacked, but due to the heroics of their crews and the U.S. Navy, no American lives were lost. This common-sense legislation is a necessary step in empowering U.S.-flagged vessels to fully protect their crews and cargo."

P.A.F. REWARDS PROGRAM STILL IN PLACE
A key tool that enables the M.E.B.A. to foster friendships and solidify political relationships in Congress, the White House and in State Capitols is the M.E.B.A. Political Action Fund. Giving to the P.A.F. is voluntary, but we all benefit from a strong political advocacy program.

If the U.S. Merchant Marine is to continue to remain healthy, we need greater participation from the membership in this important Fund.

As a reminder to members who wish to help fortify the Union and maritime industry for future generations, M.E.B.A.'s PAF rewards program, which was expanded last year, is in place for those who contribute during calendar year 2009. Earlier this year, three different levels of specially-produced challenge coins were given to those who contributed over $100 to the PAF. Those who contributed over $1,000 received all three coins and had their choice of a his or hers M.E.B.A. watch, a Meat Lover's steak knife set, or a great M.E.B.A. multi-tool/mag-lite set. Those and additional rewards will be available for 2009 contributors including all-new challenge coins.

Every dollar helps. To help guarantee the future of your Union, please contribute to the M.E.B.A.'s Political Action Fund!

MARAD PUSHING DEVELOPMENT OF HAWAII HARBORS
The Maritime Administration has awarded a contract designed to streamline development efforts that modernize Hawaii's commercial harbor facilities. A partnership between the Maritime Administration and the State's Harbors Division was established in 2005 to facilitate the redevelopment and expansion of Hawaii's port system.

The seven year "Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity" contract with a maximum value of $400 million was awarded to TEC, Inc., through a competitive procurement process. The company has a major presence in Hawaii and has been active for many years in the fields of engineering, environmental planning, architecture, infrastructure development, and energy management. The Maritime Administration will oversee TEC's personnel as they manage and complete all phases of the port redevelopment project. MarAd will partner with other federal agencies, the State, and local Hawaiian governments to implement time sensitive and cost effective infrastructure improvements that stimulate sustained economic growth. These efforts are expected to be completed within the timeframe of the contract and will ultimately transform Hawaii's port system to improve transportation efficiency, air quality, and create jobs.

USNS COMFORT COMPLETES HUMANITARIAN MISSION, RETURNS TO BERTH
Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS COMFORT, crewed with M.E.B.A. civilian mariners returned to its layberth in Baltimore this week after completing a four-month humanitarian and civic assistance mission. A few days before the ship's return to Baltimore, First Lady Michelle Obama greeted the COMFORT and delivered remarks at a homecoming celebration for the ship and the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group at Naval Station Norfolk.

The humanitarian mission, called Continuing Promise 2009, was designed to build strong and enduring partnerships and demonstrate the lasting commitment of the U.S. to Latin America and the Caribbean. During the mission, the COMFORT delivered medical and dental care to more than 100,000 people in the region.

COMFORT visited Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Panama. At each stop, the ship's crew of about 63 CIVMARs worked tirelessly to transport mission personnel and patients between ship and shore by small boat. The ship's size precluded it from pulling into port at all stops but Panama. The crew was also responsible for maintaining electricity and water supplies to the shipboard hospital where 1,657 life changing surgeries were conducted.

While the CIVMARs operated and navigated the ship and transported patients via small boats, Navy medical personnel worked side-by-side with partners from other U.S. military services, host and partner nations, and non-governmental organizations to staff COMFORT's shipboard hospital and shoreside medical treatment sites.

In addition to medical services, COMFORT's team included veterinarians who treated 13,238 animals and Navy Seabees who completed 13 construction projects ranging from minor renovations of facilities to building new schools.

U.S.-PHILIPPINES PLAN TO FIGHT PIRACY
Along with Philippines President Gloria Arroyo, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed the first joint nonbinding Memorandum of Cooperation between the two nations to address the piracy issue. The agreement calls upon both nations to develop best practices to enhance vessel security, conduct drills to ensure seafarers are prepared to respond to acts of piracy, and share information. The two countries will also examine ways to strengthen legislation and regulations to address this problem.

It is estimated that pirates have carried out more than 82 attacks this year, just in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast; more than 199 seafarers are currently being held captive. The Philippines is the world's largest supplier of seafaring labor.

CONTINUE FORWARDING DONATIONS FOR LOURIM MEMORIAL BENCH
Further donations are needed for a tribute to popular member Kirk Lourim who recently sailed into the sunset after a motorcycle accident. He was 54 years old. Friends and shipmates are looking to purchase a memorial bench for Kirk at the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School's Memorial Park.

You can contact the M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation and pledge a donation in Kirk's name toward the purchase of a memorial bench. Call Anne Higgins at (410) 822-9600, ext. 338 or e-mail her at ahiggins@mebaschool.org.  Checks should be made payable to MMMMF, Inc, P.O. Box 2443, Easton, MD 21601. Visit the Memorial section of the School's website at www.mebaschool.org.

Kirk retired in 2004 as a Chief Engineer. He was an avid fisherman and loved to travel the country on his Harley. A memorial service for Kirk will take place this Saturday in Point Pleasant, NJ at 11:00 am. A second memorial service will be held, according to his wishes, during Bike Week 2010 in the Daytona, FL area. You can visit a special Facebook tribute page set up for Kirk for details and locations upon their announcement: www.facebook.com/pages/Kirk-Lourim-1954-2009/97564709079.

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, September 7 - Labor Day - No Meetings
Tuesday, September 8 - Baltimore/Calhoon School (at CMES), Boston, Houston,
Jacksonville, San Francisco (Oakland), Seattle;
Wednesday, September 9 - Charleston, New Orleans;
Thursday, September 10 - L.A. (Wilmington), New York (New Jersey), Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, September 11 - Honolulu.

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