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

MEBA TELEX TIMES               DECEMBER 15, 2006

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 50

In this issue...
MEBA inks NYC Fireboat contract...Congressional round-up... Tonnage tax expanded...Happy Hanukkah! Put on your yarmulke and grab our latest matzo ball sized edition as we schlep out a kosher issue of industry tchotchkes that won't cost you a shekel. Goys & moyels can nosh on a newsletter filled with maritime chutzpah that you can't Passover. Oy vey! Come schmooze with the newsletter for the chosen people that answers to a higher authority. Reading the Telex Times is pure Jewbilation!

M.E.B.A. LOCKS UP NEW FIREBOAT CONTRACT
M.E.B.A. members serving on the New York City Fireboats resoundingly ratified a new 4 ? year contract covering the three boat fleet. With assistance from Atlantic Coast V.P. Don Keefe and input from the fireboat fleet, our New York Rep. Erik Barton and Baltimore Branch Agent Bill McHugh headed up the contract process with the City of New York. As is the case with many agreements brokered with a state or municipality, the contract was made substantially retroactive ? to January 1, 2003. Former NY Rep. Jim LaRiviere had initially begun work on this contract before he retired and handed off the baton to Erik Barton. M.E.B.A. represents the pilots, marine engineers and assistant marine engineers aboard the FIREFIGHTER, JOHN J. HARVEY and JOHN D. McKEAN.

CONGRESSIONAL ROUND-UP
The 2006 Election officially ended on Tuesday December 12, 2006, after a runoff election in Texas's 23rd Congressional District in which Democrat Ciro Rodriguez defeated incumbent Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla in the San Antonio based district. Rodriguez was heavily supported by the AFL-CIO. Earlier in the cycle Rodriguez received a contribution from the M.E.B.A. Political Action Fund.

In other Congressional news, Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi released her recommendations for committee assignments. Many M.E.B.A. supported candidates will serve important assignments and be positioned to support MEBA?s legislative agenda. These nominations will be voted on by the full Democratic Caucus.

Congressman Mike Honda of California, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz will join the Appropriations Committee. Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Congressman Kendrick Meek will join the Ways and Means Committee. Congressman-elect Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania has been selected for the Armed Services Committee. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will welcome MEBA-supported Congressman-elect Bruce Braley of Iowa, Congresswoman-elect Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Congressman-elect Nick Lampson of Texas, Congressman-elect Jerry McNerney of California, and Congressman-elect Zack Space of Ohio. Joining the Education and Workforce Committee are Congressman-elect Phil Hare of Illinois and Congressman-elect John Sarbanes of Maryland.

CONGRESS EXPANDS TONNAGE TAX AS PART OF LAST MINUTE LEGISLATION
The last week of the 109th Congress brought one last bit of good news for the maritime industry. H.R. 6111, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, passed the House on December 5th, and in the Senate on December 7th. The bill included a number of provisions with bipartisan support, including extension of some tax breaks, an expansion of off-shore oil drilling, and a variety of trade issues. It also included two provisions that amended the 2005 tonnage tax, expanding it to include vessels between 6000 and 10000 tons, and allowing U.S.-Flag operators on the Great Lakes to participate in the program. This language was supported by many in the maritime industry, and will allow a number of M.E.B.A. contracted companies to participate in the tonnage tax program that were previously unable to do so.

The tonnage tax, originally passed as part of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, was the first real maritime tax reform in over a decade. The new regime is similar to those found in many maritime countries and was designed as part of an ongoing effort to provide a level playing field for U.S.-flag operators internationally.

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR LATEST CONTACT INFO ON M.E.B.A. WEBSITE!
As a reminder, those members and retirees who have changed their addresses over the last year or so should update their contact information with Headquarters. Active and retired members should know that the M.E.B.A. Plans office in Baltimore and Headquarters databases are NOT linked and information updated with plans will not be represented on the Headquarters mailing list if HQ has not been informed of the address change.

It is the responsibility of members, applicants and retirees to inform M.E.B.A. of any change in your contact information. We have facilitated the process with our easy update form sheet accessed online. Just visit our website at www.meba.us and hit the "Forms" link that will bring you to the "Union Update Form." You can go to it directly at www.meba.us/cgi-script/CSMailto/forms/update03.htm.  The information you submit is 100% secure. Simply post your contact information into the appropriate slots. When the form is complete, hit "submit" and the "Form Confirmation" screen will pop up indicating that your information has been successfully forwarded. At this point you are done and you can proceed with your life. It's that easy!

COAST GUARD MAY PUT DISCHARGE CERTIFICATES IN CYBERSPACE
The US Coast Guard is proposing a new format for Merchant Mariner Certificates of Discharge moving away from the carbon copy booklets to a new format where they would be available for download on the internet. Under the proposed format, signatures from the ship's captain and the discharged mariner would still be required. The proposal was put forward in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and would help with the availability of the necessary forms.

Comments on the proposal are requested and should be submitted by January 16, 2007. For further information you can contact Arthur Requina, Office of Information Management, phone (202) 475?3523 or fax (202) 475?3929, for questions on these documents; or Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, (202) 493?0402, for questions on the docket.

DP WORLD TO SELL U.S. PORT OPERATION TO DOMESTIC INVESTMENT GROUP
DP World has entered into an agreement to sell P&O's U.S. marine terminal operations to the AIG Global Investment Group for an undisclosed price. If finalized, the sale will end a saga begun early last year after the UAE-based DP World purchased Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. for $6.8 billion. As part of the sale, DP would have provided management services for six U.S. ports (New York/New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami, Philadelphia and Tampa). However, uncertainty began to arise on Capitol Hill over the wisdom of handing oversight of critical U.S. port functions to a foreign-based company. The national uproar that prompted DP World to agree to sell off their North American port oversight responsibilities to a U.S. based firm.

The new agreement seems to fulfill that promise. Mohammed Sharaf, DP World Chief Executive Officer, said, ?With the sale of the U.S. assets, we have concluded the process and our commitment to the American people that we began in March, 2006. Meanwhile, we continue to expand globally in response to our customers' needs.

The transaction is subject to a series of regulatory and other approvals. It is expected to close during the first quarter of 2007.

DHS, DOE INITIATIVE HELPS TIGHTEN GLOBAL PORT SECURITY
The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE) announced the first phase of the Secure Freight Initiative, an effort to build upon existing port security measures by enhancing the federal government's ability to scan containers for nuclear and radiological materials overseas and to better assess the risk of inbound containers.

The announcement garnered endorsements from a broad coalition of terminal operators, ocean carriers, and shippers, who pledged to support the effort at facilities they operate overseas.

The initial phase of Secure Freight involves the deployment of a combination of existing technology and proven nuclear detection devices to six foreign ports: Port Qasim in Pakistan; Puerto Cortes in Honduras; Southampton in the United Kingdom; Port Salalah in Oman; Port of Singapore; and the Gamman Terminal at Port Busan in Korea. Beginning in early 2007, containers from these ports will be scanned for radiation and information risk factors before they are allowed to depart for the United States. In the event of a detection alarm, both homeland security personnel and host country officials will simultaneously receive an alert.

DHS will allocate nearly $30 million to fund the radiography equipment and the DOE?s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will contribute $30 million to fund the installation of radiation portal monitors. NNSA will also lead the effort to integrate the data from equipment for use in-country. DHS will be responsible for installing the necessary communications infrastructure to transmit the data to the United States and will work with the host governments during the alarm resolution process.

Data gathered on containers bound for the United States in foreign ports participating in the Secure Freight Initiative will be transmitted in near real-time to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working in overseas ports and to the DHS National Targeting Center. This data will be combined with other available risk assessment information such as currently required manifest submissions, to improve risk analysis, targeting and scrutiny of high-risk containers overseas.

HELP HONOR FALLEN MARINERS WITH A MEMORIAL BRICK
The M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation will be placing the next order for memorial bricks on February 16, 2007. Anyone interested must complete and return a donation form and monies prior to this date. Please place your order now - donations are greatly needed for the maintenance of the park!!

For more information and to obtain the form please visit the School's website: www.mebaschool.org and click on. "What's New" or contact Jessica Milligan at (410) 822-9600 ext. 306 - email: memorial@mebaschool.org.

DEADLINES FOR FILING 2006 YEAR-END VACATION AND PORT RELIEF CLAIMS
Wednesday, December 27, 2006, is the last day that vacation and port relief checks, dated in 2006, can be issued in the outports. 12:00 noon, Thursday, December 28, 2006 is the last day checks will be issued from the Plan Office in Baltimore.

Any member who requires that his/her check be dated in 2006 must file before these deadlines. Remember, December 25, 2006 and January 1, 2007 are holidays and the outports and the Plan Office will be closed. Please check with the individual outport offices for their holiday schedule.

If you have questions, call your local outport office or the Plan Office in Baltimore.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday January 8 ? Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, January 9 ? Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, January 10 - Calhoon M.E.B.A. School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, January 11 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, January 12 - Honolulu.

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