|
|
|
|
MARINE
ENGINEERS'
BENEFICIAL
ASSOCIATION
(AFL-CIO)
"On
Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"
MEBA
TELEX
TIMES
APRIL
28, 2006
The Official Union Newsletter
NUMBER
17
In this issue...
PRIDE OF HAWAII is state-side...FRC wraps
up work...T-AGS jobs...Lawmakers do a stop-by...In an infomercial edition, we
present the amazing Ronco salad-shooting maritime news of the week - not sold in
any store. It slices, it dices! How much would you pay? But wait, there's
more! Call in the next 10 minutes and receive a travel-size wood chipper! The
miracle-strength, all-in-one pocket Telex Times-o-matic.Act now - operators are
standing by!
CHARM
CITY GETS A GANDER AT PRIDE OF HAWAII
Norwegian Cruise Lines-America unveiled its
latest entry into the burgeoning U.S.-flag Hawaii cruise ship market - the
stunning new PRIDE OF HAWAII. The ship made its American debut at the Locust
Point Cruise Terminal in Baltimore, MD after sailing in from Holland mere weeks
after rolling off the ways in Germany's Meyer-Werft shipyard. Charm City was a
worthy host as representatives from the MEBA and SIU joined NCL officials,
including President and CEO Colin Veitch and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger,
who oversees the district, in welcoming in the largest U.S.-flag cruise ship
ever built.
MEBA Pres. Ron Davis was pleased to meet up with many of the 32 licensed MEBA
officers assigned to this majestic 965-foot cruise ship beauty. The PRIDE OF
HAWAII weighs in at over 93,000 gross tons and will carry over 2,400 passengers
along with almost 1,000 crewmembers.
The ship is taking on the rest of its crew in Baltimore. They are also set to
undergo Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection drills before their departure date
next week. Soon after, the ship will sail to Miami before making its way through
the Panama Canal and on to the West Coast. After a series of promotional events
and its christening in Los Angeles, the vessel ships off to Hawaii to begin its
regular inter-island itinerary beginning on June 5.
NCL also took the opportunity to host a brief ceremony on Capitol Hill on
Thursday to celebrate the PRIDE OF HAWAII and honor the Hawaii delegation which
did so much to resuscitate the U.S.-flag cruise industry. Among others in
attendance were Sen. Daniel Inouye, Sen. Daniel Akaka and Rep. Neil Abercrombie.
FRC
COMPLETES WEEK OF WORK - ISSUES REPORT
An elected rank and file Financial Review
Committee (FRC) spent three productive days at MEBA Headquarters in Washington
D.C. this week reviewing the Union's finances. The Committee found that the
union "is operating on solid financial footing" and is running with a
significant surplus which balances the budget. The text of the report is being
sent to each of the Union halls and will be read and put to a membership vote at
the regular meetings in May. Charles Feist (New Orleans) served as Committee
Chairman. He was joined by Dominic Walsh (Baltimore), Robert Fauvell (Houston),
Gerald Bellows (San Francisco), Larry Brown (Seattle) and Joseph McElhinney (New
York) who served as the lone alternate.
SOME
OPENINGS IN HORIZON T-AGS FLEET
There are opportunities for Chief Engineers and
1st A/Es in the Horizon Military Sealift Command fleet. MEBA contracted
Horizon Lines manages the seven Oceanographic Survey (T-AGS) vessels for MSC
that include the USNS MARY SEARS, USNS BRUCE C. HEEZEN, USNS SUMNER, USNS
BOWDITCH, USNS JOHN McDONNELL, USNS PATHFINDER and USNS HENSON.
Our Representative in Norfolk, Jeff Hauck is MEBA's point man for the survey
ships and should be contacted immediately about the openings in the fleet. You
can call him at (757) 440-1820.
LAWMAKERS
TALK MARITIME AT HEADQUARTERS STOP-IN
Congress was back in session this week after
the Easter break and a pair of lawmakers took the opportunity to drop by at MEBA
Headquarters to visit Pres. Ron Davis and talk with MEBA members. Rep. Neil
Abercrombie (D-HI) chatted with our members for almost two hours on Monday. He
is a member of the Armed Services committee including the Readiness
subcommittee. He also serves on the Resources committee and was a member of the
old Merchant Marine & Fisheries committee.
Congressman Abercrombie is a great friend to the MEBA and the industry and has
an impressive grasp of maritime issues. Along with Sen. Daniel Inouye and Sen.
Daniel Akaka, Neil Abercrombie was instrumental in revitalizing the U.S. flag
passenger vessel market in Hawaii.
He thanked MEBA for its support which dates back two decades to his first term
in Congress. He is also this year's recipient of the prestigious "Salute to
Congress" award which will be presented in Bethesda, MD next week. The award
honors lawmakers who have shown strong leadership on behalf of the Merchant
Marine.
Joining MEBA members in our conference room at Headquarters, the Congressman
discussed topics such as LNG and ANWR, issues on which Abercrombie stands
shoulder to shoulder with the MEBA. He also talked about defeating
anti-Jones Act forces and discussed ways to help revitalize U.S.-flag shipping.
He touched upon a plan to lend government assistance to shipbuilders as a means
to help American mariners. Finally, he urged MEBA members to make sure they
register to vote in the fall elections and get out to the voting booths or send
in their ballots. MEBA will be providing absentee ballot information to each of
our Union halls later this spring.
Rep. Abercombie strongly supports Sen. Daniel Akaka's bid to win the Democratic
primary this September. Sen. Akaka is pitted against Congressman Ed Case who is
fiercely against the Jones Act.
On Tuesday, Congressman C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger
stopped in for a visit and discussed numerous issues of interest with members
and Pres. Davis. Dutch serves on the Government Reform Committee and on the
House Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also a co-chair on the
Congressional Port Security Caucus. A staunch friend to the MEBA and the
industry, his district includes the city of Baltimore including, of course, the
Port so he's well versed on seaport issues. Therefore, the discussion with
members was weighted heavily with port security issues and terrorist threats to
the nation's infrastructure. The Congressman is in favor of expanding the
presence of U.S. Customs overseas to certify that containers coming into this
country are deemed safe before they are placed on a ship. He also expressed
interest in expanding the role and number of U.S. mariners to ensure the safety
of U.S. citizens and our assets. He also solicited the members for advice on how
to upgrade the U.S. Merchant Marine. MEBA President Ron Davis outlined several
areas in which Congressional action would greatly assist U.S. mariners including
beneficial tax relief for seagoing members. Dutch asked Pres. Davis to forward
an outline of our suggestions to him and promised to work with the MEBA well
into the future.
SUPPORT
THE MEBA MERCHANT MARINE MEMORIAL PARK
The MEBA Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation
will be placing the next order for memorial bricks on July 5th. Anyone
interested must complete and return a donations form and monies prior to this
date.
For more information and to obtain the form please visit the following link:
www.mebaschool.org/memorial?SESS=96986ed9337d90f199720a3b602942b5&time=11462
30221 or go to the homepage (www.mebaschool.org)
and click on the Memorial logo at the bottom right of the page. You can also
contact Jessica Milligan at (410) 822-9600 ext. 306 or email her at:
memorial@mebaschool.org.
CUSTOMS
ROLLS OUT NEW AGE RADIATION PORTAL MONITORS
With great fanfare, the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) unveiled the newest radiation portal monitors that will be used
to inspect some of the nearly 11 million cargo containers entering U.S. seaports
every year. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ratcheted up its
efforts to produce tangible results of late in the area of port security. House
Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King joined DHS and Customs officials
as they touted the new technology that will serve as a key tool for CBP to keep
terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the country.
Presently, CBP operates over 680 radiation portal monitors at our nation's ports
(including 214 radiation portal monitors at seaports), uses over 174 large scale
non-intrusive inspection devices to examine cargo, and has issued 566 hand-held
radiation isotope identifier devices and nearly 13,000 personal radiation
detectors for CBP officers working at ports across the country.
"At the Committee on Homeland Security, port security remains our top priority,"
Rep. King said. "We must do everything in our power to prevent another terrorist
attack on U.S. soil. That means working with DHS to strengthen our domestic
security measures, improving capabilities to target high risk containers and
providing our ports with the most advanced security technology, such as mobile
Radiation Portal Monitors."
DHS
GIRDS FOR 2006 STORM SEASON
Taking early measures to avoid the ill-received
Government response to last year's hurricane Katrina, the Department of Homeland
Security is preparing for this year's storm season.
The department has predesignated five teams that will coordinate the Federal
government's role in support of state and local governments in preparing for,
and responding to, major natural disasters this storm season. In total, 27
Federal officials have been appointed, each with unique expertise and
considerable experience.
"Designating these teams now will give state and local officials a chance to
plan, train, and exercise with their Federal counterparts before a disaster
strikes," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "It is imperative
that officials at all levels of government, and able bodied citizens alike,
understand emergency management roles and individual responsibilities going into
this storm season."
D.C.
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE WILL FEATURE FOURTH ARM OF DEFENSE
MEBA members and retirees are being invited to
march in the Washington D.C. Memorial Day Parade taking place on May 29. The
event is organized by the National Memorial Day Parade Committee, a coalition of
military, veteran and civic groups in association with the White House
Commission on Remembrance.
The organizers note that the event "honors all those who have served our country
in uniform from the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and seeks to
educate American's about the sacrifices made by those who served to secure the
liberties we enjoy today." The Parade begins on the National Mall in front of
the U.S. Capitol, a few blocks away from MEBA Headquarters. The Fourth Arm of
Defense will march behind a special Merchant Marine banner and will include
members and retirees from MEBA, SIU and MM&P among others. We are eager to
listen to any ideas about the form of MEBA's participation in the Parade and
look forward to hearing from active and retired members who want to join us.
PORT
WORKER BACKGROUND CHECKS ANNOUNCED AS DHS INTENSIFIES EFFORTS ON PORT SECURITY
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
announced that they will begin conducting name-based background checks on nearly
400,000 port workers within the United States. The announcement comes several
weeks after the Department came under fire for their inability to implement the
promised Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The
TWIC is a tamper-resistant credential that contains biometric information about
the holder that renders the card useless to anyone other than the rightful
owner. Following the Dubai Ports World furor, DHS promised to put TWIC
development on a fast track. The Department called the background checks "an
initial measure" as they continue to expedite the TWIC rollout.
"It is fundamental that individuals who pose a security threat do not gain
access to our nation's ports," said DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. "The
name-based checks will provide an immediate security boost while we
simultaneously complete the work to implement a secure national transportation
worker credential."
The preliminary name checks will be completed by the summer of 2006 and will
initially be required for longshoremen and maritime employees of facility owners
and operators. Ultimately, all individuals will require a TWIC in order to be
eligible for unescorted access to secure areas. Basic identifying information
will be collected by the U.S. Coast Guard during the name-based checks. This
information will allow the Transportation Security Administration to vet workers
against terrorist watch lists through the Terrorist Screening Center. U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will ensure workers are legally
eligible to work in the United States.
CG
PLAYS DOWN THREATS TO WSF; URGES CONTINUED VIGILANCE
The Coast Guard is playing down a recent report
indicating that the Washington State Ferry (WSF) system is a top target for
terrorists while issuing reassurances that government agencies are doing their
best to counteract threats. Last week's Telex Times included coverage of a
Justice Department Inspector General report concluding that Gulf Coast tankers
and WSF system ferries were the highest risk maritime targets for terrorists. In
the article, we noted that the DOJ conclusions were based on numbers of specific
threat incidences primarily consisting of suspicious activity reports. As stated
in last week's article, the conclusions may have been skewed somewhat because
the WSF enjoys an abnormally high level of vigilance and reporting system for
suspicious activity based on the continued efforts of government and local
officials. A recent Coast Guard statement stresses that there is "no specific,
credible intelligence information indicating an attack is planned against the
ferry system."
They note, however, that Coast Guard, FBI, Washington State Ferries and
Washington State Patrol continue to closely coordinate on identifying threats
and addressing potential vulnerabilities in the Washington ferry system and the
rest of the maritime transportation sector. They pointed out that ferry
passengers should be assured that behind the scenes, those partner agencies are
working around the clock investigating reports, analyzing information, carrying
out security measures on the ferries and terminals, and patrolling the waters to
ensure the safety of the ferry system and all of Puget Sound.
Finally, they assert that although the current Maritime Security classification
remains at its lowest level everyone including the general public has to remain
alert. "Vigilance is very important and as always, we encourage all citizens on
or near the region's waterways to keep a watchful eye for items left unattended
or suspicious activity and report these incidents, in the case of a ferry to a
ferry crew member or to local authorities immediately or call 911,
1-800-424-8802 or 1-877-24WATCH. Remember: "See Something...Say Something"!"
UNIONS
OBSERVE WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY
Workers who have received injuries or developed
illnesses on the job leading to their deaths are being honored today around the
world on this Workers Memorial Day. Decades of struggle by workers and their
unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. But the
toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year
more than 56,000 workers die from job injuries and illnesses and another 6
million are injured.
The first Workers Memorial Day was observed in 1989. April 28 was chosen because
it is the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and
the day of a similar remembrance in Canada. Every year, people in hundreds of
communities and at worksites recognize workers who have been killed or injured
on the job. Trade unionists around the world now mark April 28 as an
International Day of Mourning. For more information visit the AFL-CIO website at
www.afl-cio.org.
AFL-CIO has issued a new job safety report which reveals that the rate of fatal
workplace injuries increased for the first time in a decade. "Death on the Job:
The Toll of Neglect -- A National and State-by-State Profile of Worker Safety
and Health in the United States" shows the reported rates of workplace
fatalities rose overall and the reported rates of illnesses and injury declined
slightly.
"Our nation is still grieving the Sago mineworkers' deaths and we find it
outrageous that in this era more than 150 workers die on the job each and every
day," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. "It doesn't have to be this way.
America's corporations must invest more in health and safety protections for
working men and women, and our nation's leaders must start holding them tightly
accountable."
On an average day in 2004,152 workers lost their lives as a result of workplace
injuries and diseases and another 11,780 were injured, according to the study.
Protections across the states vary widely. Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, West
Virginia and Kentucky had the highest fatality rates, while Rhode Island, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware and Massachusetts had the lowest.
The study is part of Workers Memorial Day which is going into its 18th year.
Tens of thousands of union members and concerned community members will hold
events this week to honor those hurt and killed on the job.
NEXT
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
Monday, May 8 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, May 9 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, May 10 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, May 11 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, May 12 - Honolulu.
CAA Reunion is June 30th-July 2,
2006. Plan accordingly and support the CAA!
--------FINISHED
WITH
ENGINES---------
