In this issue...
MOLA pact finalized...Employee Free Choice Act passes House... ATC M.E.B.A. members recognized...SACAGAWEA delivered... Fit as a fiddle, we sound the bugle call and pipe up with a top brass issue that harps on the latest maritime happenings. We chime in, strike a chord with readers and toot our own horn as our one-man band trumpets the latest organ-grinding news. Drum roll please... Hitting all the right notes, the Telex Times is not just key, it's instrumental!

MEMBER COMMENTS ON MOLA INCORPORATED
M.E.B.A., working together with the MM&P, has incorporated comments made by both memberships into a new alliance agreement that will be submitted to the memberships for approval. Final language of the M.E.B.A./MM&P Merchant Officers' Labor Alliance (MOLA) has been posted on our website and is being made available to the union halls.

The revised language includes further safeguards for the memberships and addresses concerns that were forwarded by members. The MOLA agreement had been a topic of discussion at the January and February union hall meetings around the country. Both unions initiated a formal comment period for input from the membership. Members have also submitted their views on the arrangement through letters and phone calls.

The MOLA charts a path of greater cooperation between the unions who already coordinate on items of parallel interest. It is NOT a merger but rather an understanding that would allow the unions to better pursue common goals and achieve particular aims. A date has not yet been firmed up for the mail ballots to go out but it will likely be before the end of the month. The Telex Times will update you on new information.

HOUSE APPROVES EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would enable workers to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions by restoring their rights to form unions. The Employee Free Choice Act would reform a broken union election process in which employers frequently intimidate, harass, reassign, or even fire workers who support the formation of a union.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney called the House vote, "a momentous turning point in the growing movement to restore our nation's middle-class. Today, the voices of tens of millions of working people who deserve the right to make a free choice to bargain for a better life have been heard and heeded on Capitol Hill."

Members of Congress approved the bill 241-185 with 13 Republicans joining 228 Democrats voting for the measure. Only two Democrats voted against it. The legislation will have a tougher time winning passage in the Senate where Democrats have the slimmest of majorities. President Bush has indicated he would veto the legislation if a passed bill were put on his desk for signature.

Under the Employee Free Choice Act, if a majority of workers in a workplace sign cards authorizing a union, then the workers would get a union. This majority sign-up process is permitted under current law, but only if the employer allows it. Many employers instead force employees to undergo an election process administered by the National Labor Relations Board.

Sweeney noted, "Because of today's vote, the future looks a little brighter to all Americans who have watched corporations celebrate record profits, but have themselves been shut out of the party, left with stagnant wages and facing soaring costs. A union card is the single best ticket into the middle-class and, thanks to the Employee Free Choice Act, working people may finally have the chance to be part of a union."

Working families have made this bill a key priority. The AFL-CIO sent more than five million e-mails messages to online activists on Employee Free Choice Act. During a week of action, workers in more than 100 cities met with members of Congress and community leaders to push for passage of the Act. Actions included conferences, worker roundtables, rallies and other gatherings, with workers and union and community leaders meeting with at least 130 members of Congress.

M.E.B.A./SIU MEMBERS HONORED BY ATC
This week, M.E.B.A. contracted company Alaska Tanker Company recognized the two unions that crew their vessels and contributed to a remarkable safety record. At the Maritime Trades Department meetings in Las Vegas, part of an AFL-CIO summit, ATC President Anil Mathur presented an engraved "weather station" to both M.E.B.A. President Ron Davis and SIU President Mike Sacco. The crews of the ATC fleet have racked up ten million man-hours without a Lost Time Injury. M.E.B.A. officers crew the engine rooms of the ATC ships including four newbuilds recently constructed at NASSCO's San Diego shipyard. SIU represents the unlicensed crew. The honor was also given to recognize the fantastic working partnership the company enjoys with both unions - a relationship that has benefited all parties. Pres. Davis accepted the award on behalf of our members and credited our hardworking engineers in the ATC fleet for their astounding LTI streak as well as the union officials who have continued to build our relationship with ATC.

M.E.B.A. TAKES PART IN MARAD LNG TRAINING STANDARDS MEETINGS
M.E.B.A., represented by Baltimore Branch Agent Bill McHugh along with the Calhoon School's Deck Department Director Scott Conway took part in a productive three-day meeting on LNG Standards this week. The Maritime Administration put together the workshop, held at MITAGS, to discuss training standards for U.S. mariners in LNG shipping. MarAd has fronted an effort to get U.S. labor back aboard vessels carrying LNG into this country. The event took place Tuesday through Thursday of this week and was also attended by other maritime unions and merchant marine academies. We expect to update you on further news from this productive workshop once details are finalized.

NASSCO DELIVERS LATEST T-AKE SHIP TO NAVY/MSC
San Diego's NASSCO ship has rolled out its latest vessel in its massive T-AKE construction project that is supplying a slew of newbuilds to the Military Sealift Command fleet. The yard just delivered the USNS SACAGAWEA to the U.S. Navy. The vessel will then be transferred to the MSC and crewed with M.E.B.A. engineers. The ship has been named in honor of the Native American woman who helped guide and interpret for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their legendary exploration of the American West in the early 1800s.

Construction of SACAGAWEA began in September 2004. The ship is the second in an expected class of 11 dry cargo-ammunition ships that will sail in the MSC fleet. The T-AKE class incorporates international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system, to minimize operating costs during its projected 40-year service life. The first ship of the class, USNS LEWIS AND CLARK, was delivered to the Navy last June.

SACAGAWEA's primary mission will be to deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions from shore stations to combat ships at sea. The 689-foot-long ship has modular cargo holding and handling systems onboard and can carry more than 6,600 tons of dry cargo and nearly 23,500 barrels of fuel. The ship will remain in San Diego for about six weeks to conduct crew familiarization and final outfitting before it departs for its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.

EARLY RETURN RULES NO LONGER IN EFFECT
At the February 2007 meeting, the Board of Trustees of the M.E.B.A. Vacation Plan suspended the Special Early Return rules that were approved on a temporary basis in January, 2003. As of March 1, 2007, all early return days must be made up in accordance with the Vacation Plan Rules and Regulations.

The Vacation Plan Rules and Regulations state that Officers may not return to Covered Employment until their vacation period has ended unless they have the prior written permission from the Union. If such permission is granted, then any "early return days" must be made up before the next vacation period starts. Please remember that the permission must be given at the time the officer returns to work, not at the time he/she files for vacation benefits.

Please call the Vacation Department at M.E.B.A.'s Plan Office if you have any questions - (800) 811-6322.

BBS USERS NEED TO RECONFIRM INFO - PIN NUMBERS WILL CHANGE
Please be advised that new pin numbers will be issued for access to the membership bulletin board. If you are a member, you will need to send a valid e-mail address as well as the itemized number on your dues receipt or state that you are on dues check-off and the company you sail with. If you are a retiree, you will need to supply a valid e-mail address and must list the year in which you retired.

The bulletin board is for members and retirees only and pin numbers cannot be given to non-members. Only those issued pin numbers will be permitted to view and post messages on the bulletin board. You may begin sending in the required information as soon as possible. Once the information is received, the bulletin board may be taken out of service for a short period of time that will be used to perform maintenance and to update the service. Please send the required information to mebabbs@d1meba.org.

MARITIME ALLY SIMPKINS IS IN BAD SHAPE
United Seamen's Service President Tal Simpkins is in bad shape in a Fairfax, VA hospital after a car traveling in the opposite direction crossed the double lines and smashed into his vehicle head-on. Tal, who had also served as Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Maritime Committee, suffered terrible injuries including head trauma, a dislocated femur, broken ribs, broken sternum, broken hip, torn spleen and other internal injuries. He is currently in serious condition at a trauma center and the next few days will prove critical for his hopeful recovery. His family would greatly appreciate cards of support that can be sent to Tal at his home address so they can be brought to his hospital room. The address is: Talmage Simpkins, 5105 Faldo Drive, Haymarket, VA 20169.

Tal is a staple and frequent face at maritime industry gatherings and was even honored with a special AOTOS award in late 2002 for a lifetime of contributing to the industry. We would appreciate your prayers and thoughts for him during this difficult time.

FORMER MATSON PRESIDENT MULHOLLAND, DEAD AT 65
C. Bradley Mulholland, former President and CEO of Matson Navigation, died last week at the age of 65 from cancer complications. He had joined Matson in 1965 as an assistant auto-booking clerk and worked himself up to the top in his 38 years with the company. He was a 1996 AOTOS recipient and a valuable participant in maritime meetings and events nationwide that helped forward the industry. You can visit an online guestbook where you can read more about his life and impart your thoughts to the family at www.legacy.com/SFGate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=86638925.

PURCHASE BENCHES & BRICKS FOR MEMORIAL PARK AT SCHOOL
The M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation (4MF) is looking for those people who would like to provide a suitable tribute for departed mariners at the Memorial Park located on School grounds. A memorial bench would be a lasting honor and a wonderful mark of respect to a loved one. With spring just around the corner, visits to the memorial will increase and a bench is a perfect vantage point to gaze around the park and reflect upon the contributions of mariners who have sailed into the sunset.

The engraved benches can be purchased for $1200 and are worth every penny since the proceeds go to the continued beautification of the Park.

In a related story, no one is confusing the Telex Times Editor with 'Cupid' or calling for him to host "Love Connection" after his suggestion that members buy a memorial brick for a Valentine's Day gift. Members stayed away in droves from that proposal in fear that their sweethearts would use the brick against them in terrible ways. However, now that Valentine's Day is behind us, buying a brick is back in vogue again. The bricks, engraved with the names of mariners that have been memorialized by friends and loved-ones, are part of the retreat at the Park. You can purchase yours by contacting Jessica Milligan at (410) 822-9600 ext. 306. The e-mail address is memorial@mebaschool.org. You can also get a donation form from the School's website located at www.mebaschool.org  and by clicking on "What's New."

SYSTEM FOR ADDRESS CHANGES ONLINE REVISED
As reported in past issues, M.E.B.A. has revised its system for accepting address changes online to make it more secure. Because we are now requiring a signature for validation along with address change info, the webform previously available online has been removed. In its place, we have provided a copy of the actual address change form, in either a .pdf or a Word document that can be printed out by the member or retiree, filled out completely with a signature and returned to Headquarters.

The forms can be mailed or faxed. Those of you with scanners can complete the document add your signature then scan it and e-mail it back to us.

From the main M.E.B.A. webpage (www.meba.us) go to the "Members Only" tab and scroll down to "Address Change." That will take you to another page with instructions and the link to the actual form.

Those active and retired members who have not received mailings from Headquarters such as the Marine Officer or other important information may want to log onto our website to clarify their address. Because the M.E.B.A. Plans office in Baltimore and Headquarters databases are NOT linked you must also forward a signed change of address form to the Plans Office if you wish to update your information with them.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday March 5 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, March 6 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, March 7 - Calhoon M.E.B.A. School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, March 8 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, March 9 - Honolulu.