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

MEBA TELEX TIMES               NOVEMBER 03, 2006

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 44

In this issue...
TWIC meeting...Positions at Aker...Election update... Al Camelio retires...MEBA MSC ships in the news...Piracy update...You've come a long way, Baby! We roll our own as we light up an unfiltered, aromatic plume of industry news that's never a drag. Always kool, we make a habit of smoking out an addictive low-tar maritime blend that'll leave you breathless. We'll never quit! Come to where the flavor is -- Telex Times Country... (Warning: not recommended for teens or pregnant women.)

ENGINEERS, DECK OFFICER RESUMES NEEDED FOR POSITIONS AT AKER
MEBA members are needed for positions overseeing construction of a series of product tankers at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. Both deck officers and engineers with the requisite experience are needed for port captain and port engineer type work at the yard. Tanker experience is preferred and FRAMO knowledge is a plus. The yard is in the process of fulfilling a multi-ship order for OSG Shipping - an MEBA contracted company. Chief Engineers and Captains are in demand immediately but other ratings are desirable as well for additional work. Housing will be provided. Please e-mail your resume to Mark Gallagher at MEBA Headquarters. He is at mgallagher@d1meba.org.

The first of the OSG product tankers, the OVERSEAS HOUSTON, is nearing completion. The vessel will have its naming ceremony next week and will undergo her sea trials soon after. Progress has already been made on the next two vessels in the series.

ELECTION UPDATE - MAKE SURE YOU VOTE!!
Congress was in recess for the month of October with members back in their home states and districts campaigning. Up for grabs in the midterm elections are control of the House and Senate. Many political analysts see the elections as a referendum on President Bush and the Iraq War. House Republicans and Democrats alike have been plagued by scandal with Congressmen Tom DeLay (R-TX), Mark Foley (R-FL), and Bob Ney (R-OH) resigning in the past year.

Election Day - Tuesday November 7, 2006
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate are on the ballot this Tuesday as well as gubernatorial races and state legislative races in a majority of states including New York, California, Texas and Florida.

House - What's at Stake
If they hold onto the majority, Republicans have not indicated if they would replace Dennis Hastert (R-IL) as Speaker of the House in light of the Foley intern scandal. If the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives they are expected to elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Speaker of the House. Pelosi would be the first woman Speaker and second-in-line for the presidency after Vice President Cheney.

Senate - What's at Stake
If the Republicans hold on to the Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will likely replace Bill Frist (R-TN) as Majority Leader. Frist is retiring from the Senate at the end of his term in January 2007. If the Democrats take control of the Senate they are expected to elect Harry Reid (D-NV) Majority Leader.

If you haven't already voted absentee, get to the polls on Tuesday and vote!!!

POPULAR L.A. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Longtime member Al Camelio who has proved a popular and effective official for nine years is retiring after a productive MEBA career. Al recently achieved the 20 pension credit plateau and, according to his plan, decided to call it a career. He hands the reigns over to L.A. Patrolman Mike Nizetich who he has groomed for the part. Brother Nizetich formally took over as Branch Agent this week.

Members and retirees along with guests that included representatives from MEBA affiliates ALADS and CAPE gathered on Monday at our hall in San Pedro, CA to wish Al the best. Brother Camelio is a 1983 graduate of the Calhoon MEBA Engineering School and shipped out of the West Coast for years before his appointment as Portland Representative in 1992. He was active in the M.A.D. Committee in the early 1990s that helped restore democracy to the Union. In 1997, he took over as Representative in San Francisco before being elected to the office of Patrolman in L.A. the next year serving with then-Branch Agent Duncan Ballenger. In 2001 and again in 2004, Al was voted in, by large margins, as the L.A. Branch Agent. He is also a staunch trade unionist who has been active in his community on behalf of labor. Enjoy your well deserved retirement Al!

Mike Nizetich has served with Al since 2001 at the hall. He is a Calhoon graduate and sailed for sixteen years before taking office. He is a native of the area and a second generation member. He announced this week that the hall is taking on a new Representative - Greg Revers - who will help service the membership in the nation's busiest port.

MEBA AT TWIC MEETING IN NY
Maritime leaders met Tuesday, October 31st at the Seamen's Church Institute in New York City for a round table discussion co-hosted by the Marine Society of the City of New York. The centralization of the Coast Guard Regional Examination Center functions in West Virginia and the implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) were addressed. USCG Admiral North (ret.) moderated the discussion and representatives from USCG and the TSA provided updates on these issues.

MEBA and MM&P representatives were on hand and questioned the government officials as to the possible effects upon their respective memberships. REC consolidation in West Virginia is on schedule and the TWIC final rule is expected sometime in January. MEBA is working with the USCG National Maritime Center regarding REC centralization and with USCG & TSA officials regarding TWIC for mariners.

MEBA COMBAT STORES SHIP COMES TO AID OF BRITISH SAILOR
MEBA members sailing aboard the Military Sealift Command combat stores ship USNS SPICA were part of a crew that came to the aid of a British submariner with acute appendicitis. On October 2nd, the MSC ship got orders from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command to divert from its course and head for the southern Red Sea.

Crewmembers prepared one of the ship's rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) for action and readied for the arrival of an inbound SH-60 Seahawk helicopter from USS NICHOLAS. When they reached the submarine, they launched the RHIB along with a search and rescue swimmer as a precaution. Just over ten minutes later, the RHIB returned with the stricken British sonar operator repairman. The SPICA's medical services officer quickly examined the man as SPICA's flight deck crew refueled the Seahawk helicopter and transferred the patient within a half hour. The submariner was then flown to the USS SAIPAN where he underwent a successful appendectomy.

"I'm proud that SPICA's civilian mariner and military team was able to assist this submariner," said Navy Cmdr. Rod Hubbard, SPICA's military detachment officer-in-charge. "Life at sea is an adventure, but you always hope that something like this won't happen to a fellow sailor."

USNS KANAWHA WRAPS UP UNREP MISSION DURING ISRAEL-LEBANON CRISIS
In the months following the outbreak of the Israeli-Lebanon crisis in July, the MEBA-crewed Military Sealift Command Oiler USNS KANAWHA performed more than 50 underway replenishments. During that time the crew, which includes MEBA officers, transferred 9.2 million gallons of fuel and delivered 1,200 pallets of provisions, cargo and supplies in support of the U.S. European Command's Joint Task Force Lebanon. The crisis had a significant impact on the crew of the KANAWHA, ramping up the pace of what had been a routine deployment. Despite the ship's busy schedule supporting the crisis, KANAWHA and its crew still managed to fulfill their previous commitments refueling ships not involved in JTF Lebanon, including USS SAIPAN, which was transiting through the Mediterranean on a routine deployment to the Persian Gulf.

SOMALI PIRATES CAUGHT BY U.S. NAVY FOUND GUILTY
Ten Somalis detained by the United States Navy off the coast of Somalia were found guilty of piracy by a Kenyan court this week. U.S. sailors boarded a ship in January in waters off the Somali capital Mogadishu that was carrying the ten along with sixteen Indians, believed to be hostages.

After being handed to authorities in neighboring Kenya, the Somalis claimed they were stranded fisherman who boarded the Indian-owned ship seeking refuge. The men are expected to be sentenced early next month. Their lawyers said they would appeal against Thursday's conviction which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

IMB NOTES PIRACY DECREASE THOUGH HOTSPOTS REMAIN
A recent study conducted by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), notes that reported piracy attacks worldwide are on the decline. Statistics documented in the latest edition of the Kuala Lumpur-based organization's report "Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships" found that the number of attacks through to the end of the 3rd quarter 2006 decreased to 174. This is 31 less attacks than the 205 that occurred in the first three quarters of 2005. Of the 174 total attacks listed in the report, vessels were boarded in 113 cases and 11 ships were hijacked. 163 hostages were taken, 20 crew members were kidnapped, and six were killed.

Although the number of attacks world-wide has declined, piracy continues to plague hotspots such as Bangladesh and Nigeria. Bangladesh recorded an alarmingly high 33 incidents - 22 actual and 11 attempted. The majority of these attacks occurred in and around the port of Chittagong, making it the world's most dangerous port. Attempts have been made to deal with the problem in Bangladesh, notably a recent joint coast guard and navy operation to capture pirates in the Bay of Bengal. This large-scale operation involved 17 naval vessels and 3,000 coastguard personnel who sought to clear pirate infested areas of the bay. Two pirates were killed in a fire fight that occurred during the operation.

Nigerian waters also remain extremely dangerous. Despite a relatively small number of attacks, six actual and three attempted, three of these attacks led to 17 crew members being kidnapped and held for ransom.

Nigerian attacks had great potential for violence, with pirates recorded as carrying guns, knives or both in most instances. A growing trend in Nigeria is the large number of pirates involved in attacks. In one instance, 40 people attacked a vessel from three canoes and kidnapped four crew members.

In another, a ship was attacked by 23 pirates armed with knives. These attacks are symptomatic of a rise in the number of incidents against foreign oil workers in Nigeria.

Eight attacks were reported off the eastern coast of Somalia where pirates armed with guns and grenades attacked ships and fired upon them. Although there have been no recent incidents, the eastern and north-eastern coasts of Somalia continue to be high-risk areas for hijackings. IMB warns that ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should stay at least 75 miles or as far away as practical from the coast.

One area that has seen a reduction in piracy attacks is Indonesia. Incidents of piracy and armed robbery in Indonesian waters dropped from 61 to 40 in 2006, versus the same period in 2005. However, Indonesia still accounted for more attacks than any other country, consolidating its position as the world's hottest piracy hotspot.

Elsewhere, the IMB report notes that the Malacca Straits have been dropped from Lloyd's of London's list of dangerous waterways. This decision is thought to be largely the result of improvements to security implemented by the littoral states bordering the Straits. Worldwide, there have been more attacks on container ships (37/24) and fishing boats (15/3) in the first nine months of 2006 compared with the same period last year, while the number of attacks on bulk carriers, general cargo ships and tankers have diminished.

AFL-CIO VOLUNTEERS MAKING FINAL PUSH TO GET OUT THE VOTE FOR LABOR
Over 100,000 union activists will be the driving force behind the AFL-CIO's "Final Four" GOTV push, talking to union members and their families door-to-door across the country in the final four days of the campaign. As part of this final push, they will be knocking on 3.5 million doors starting early tomorrow, and plan to make more than 5 million phone calls and pass out 1.75 million worksite leaflets before the elections on Tuesday. Working America, the AFL-CIO's community affiliate for workers who don't have a union on the job, is playing a key role in three battleground states where it is hiring 500 canvassers - - mostly students - for the "Final Four" push.

The AFL-CIO's member mobilization, the single largest organizational GOTV program in the country, is focused on more than 13.4 million union voters in 32 states and 175 races.

Check AFL-CIO's website (www.aflcio.org) for times and locations or call (202) 637-5018 for more info.

FORMER TRAINING SHIP TO BECOME ARTIFICIAL REEF
A Maritime Administration vessel, the Texas Clipper, began its journey to becoming an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico where it will boost the underwater diving economy and benefit marine life, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week. MEBA members sailed on the vessel when it was a training ship for cadets in the Maritime Program at Texas A&M. The ship was towed from the Beaumont Reserve Fleet and is headed for Brownsville where it will be cleaned and then sunk 17 miles off the Texas coastline in
134 feet of water on the sandy floor of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Texas Clipper has had several useful lives," said Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton, noting that the vessel had been built as a troop transport ship, and used for commercial cruises and for training by Texas A&M University before entering MarAd's Beaumont Reserve Fleet. "Its new life as an artificial reef will help the environment by creating new marine life, and benefit the local economy by enhancing tourism."

The Texas Clipper is now part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission's "Ships to Reefs" program. According to state officials, creation of the new artificial reef will serve to enhance Gulf Coast fishery resources, and eventually the make waters above and around the submerged ship a destination for divers and fishermen.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday November 6 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, November 7 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, November 8 - Calhoon MEBA School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, November 9 - Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa.

--------FINISHED WITH ENGINES---------