In this issue...
Constitutional committee report accepted by members...Ocean Ranger program trial successful...Duplicate ballots available... Referendum Tallying committee elected...In a punishing, over-the-knee edition we lash out with a hard hitting, open-handed issue that'll smack some maritime sense into you. We take pain-in-the-butt industry weeklies to the woodshed, teach them a lesson and make them our whipping boys. Never missing a beat, get ready for our brand-spanking-new Telex Times - you're gonna get it now!

MEMBERS CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE REPORT COMPLETED
Members at the regular meetings this week voted to approve a Constitutional Committee report regarding proposed amendments to the M.E.B.A. By-Laws. The report, available in all the Union halls, was put together by a rank and file committee elected in August. The committee crafted the report with input from members and a special e-mail address was set up to enable the process.

Committee members elected to prepare the report included Gerard Dundon (Chairman), Joel Cordish, Mark Corrales, Kevin Nichols, Frank Peters, Alan Valley and Dominic Walsh.

BREAK IN ALASKA'S OCEAN RANGER PROGRAM AS CRUISE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
The newly created Ocean Ranger program in Alaska has successfully concluded this season. Alaska law required a licensed marine engineer be on board all large passenger cruise vessels to monitor and assist with enforcement of state water quality standards and other environmental concerns. M.E.B.A. engineers served aboard various vessels this summer in Alaska as part of the inaugural program that ended when the cruise season in Alaska terminated in late September. The State of Alaska has called for proposals to fully staff the Ocean Ranger program in 2008 and 2009.

YOU DON'T HAVE A BALLOT!?! YOU'VE STILL GOT TIME
Members in good standing who have not yet received a ballot and want to vote in the upcoming District election still have time. Ballots for the District election were mailed to members' homes on Saturday, September 1. If you did not receive a ballot or if yours was lost or destroyed you need to contact the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and request a ballot in writing from: Mr. Kenneth Egger, American Arbitration Association, 230 South Broad Street, Floor 12, Philadelphia, PA 19102-4199. Phone No.: (800) 273-0726; Fax No.: (215) 985-0977, E-mail: eggerk@adr.org. If the original ballot and duplicate ballot are both cast, neither will count. Address clarifications should also be forwarded to Headquarters and to the Plans Office.

Members have until November 30th to fill out their ballots and return them to a depository in Washington D.C. They will be collected by the Impartial Administrator and an elected rank and file tallying committee on December 3, 2007 and tabulated.

REFERENDUM TALLYING COMMITTEE ELECTED
A rank and file Tallying Committee was elected at this week's regular membership meetings. The seven person committee will oversee the tabulation of ballots returned in a referendum that was put before members. Elected committee members include: Michael O'Sullivan (Baltimore), Frank Berner (Houston), John Fountas (L.A.), Bill Cadden (New York), Thomas Knowlton (Seattle), Christian Yuhas (S.F.), and Ed Lee, Jr. (New Orleans). On October 16th, this Tallying Committee will join the Impartial Administrator in Washington D.C. and count the ballots.

PORTS LOOKING FOR SHIP EMISSION REDUCTION
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), which represents 150 of the leading public port authorities in the hemisphere, is pushing for new, tougher standards guarding air emissions from foreign and domestic ships. The emissions-limiting agenda sought by AAPA follows a U.S. government proposal for more stringent international rules for ocean-going vessels.

The recommendation calls for strict emission limits for particulate matter and oxides of sulfur, beginning in 2011; limits on new engines to achieve oxides of nitrogen reductions of at least 15 percent beginning in 2011 (compared to existing emissions levels); and phased-in requirements on "legacy" engines (built before Jan. 1, 2000) to achieve a 20 percent oxides of nitrogen reduction starting in 2010. The approach to cut emissions is through a combination of new fuel standards in certain coastal areas and new engine system standards.

At its Oct. 3 meeting in Norfolk, AAPA's members agreed to support the EPA in its quest to set new international standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) for tier two and tier three ships' engines, new standards for particulate matter and oxides of sulfur (SOx) for all vessels, and standards for oxides of nitrogen for existing vessels.

LOOMING BUDGET VETO SHOWDOWN
The Senate and House have passed the Transportation and Housing bill providing funding for the Maritime Administration and Federal Maritime Commission as well as many other agencies. The Maritime Security Program will be fully funded at $156 million. This represents a victory for M.E.B.A. and maritime labor which stayed engaged with Members of Congress to raise the funding level up from the lower dollar amount recommended by the President in his budget. Among other provisions, the bill also provides money for ship disposal, Title XI and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

However while Democrats were joined by some Republicans in Congress to pass four spending bills - homeland security, military construction and veterans, state department and foreign operations, and transportation and housing - President Bush is threatening to veto those spending bills over a difference of $22 billion more in these bills than what Bush requested (for a frame of reference the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost about $10 billion a month). This impasse could result in a budget shutdown similar to the one seen in 1995 between President Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress.

REMINDER: PUBLICATIONS HAVE ELECTION-SEASON FORMAT
As the balloting period for the M.E.B.A. election continues, the Telex Times continues to adhere to election season rules. During this time, the newsletter will refer to candidates for M.E.B.A. office only by position, if applicable, and not by name until the ballots have been tabulated. The Telex Times began honoring this policy in mid-July following the Credentials Committee report that revealed the M.E.B.A. candidates for office. We will continue with this format until the ballots have been tabulated on December 3, 2007.

This policy exceeds regulations laid down by Section 401(g) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 ("Landrum-Griffin"), 29 U.S.C. 481(g).

WWII SHIPS SET VETERANS DAY WEEKEND CRUISES
Two East Coast-based World War II ships have announced upcoming cruises taking place on Veterans' Day weekend. The SS AMERICAN VICTORY, built in 1945 and berthed in Tampa, FL, is doing its annual Salute to Veterans Cruise taking place on Saturday, November 10. M.E.B.A. traditionally has a great turnout for this event and members and retirees have volunteered their time on many occasions to continue the upkeep of this historic Victory ship that currently serves as a floating museum.

The vessel is the only restored Victory Class merchant cargo vessel on the East Coast and one of only two Victory ships of the original 534 that are still sailing. Special ceremonies will honor America's lost merchant mariners, veterans of all wars and active duty servicemen and women. Those who want to take part in the cruise will witness heart-pounding vintage aircraft flyovers, touching memorial services, great vistas of Tampa Bay and participate in shipboard routines like marking time on the ship's bell and sending Morse Code radio messages around the world. Boarding takes place at 7:30 a.m. that day and wraps up around 5 p.m. Departure is from the dock behind the Florida Aquarium, 705 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Parking is available in the Florida Aquarium Parking Lot or Port Authority Parking Garage. Tickets are $99 each and include continental breakfast, box lunch, entertainment, self-guided ship tours, World War II re-enactor weaponry and uniform demos and much more! Go online at www.americanvictory.org for more info or call (813) 228-8766. The SS JOHN W. BROWN will also honor veterans on Saturday Nov. 10 when she cruises Baltimore Harbor during her annual Veterans Day Celebration.

The Liberty ship JOHN BROWN is a 441-foot troop/cargo vessel that made eight missions to Europe during World War II. Recently she returned from a "very successful" three-week voyage up and down the east coast drawing 12,000 visitors. The nonprofit ship's honored guests will be four former prisoners of war and four Gold Star Mothers who lost sons or daughters in battle. The registration deadline is October 31, 2007. One of the ex-POWs includes 88-year old Charles "Blackie" Blockston, an M.E.B.A. retiree who currently serves as a volunteer crewmember in the BROWN's engine room. In 1942, Blackie was captured by the Germans in Norway three weeks after a U-boat sunk his cargo ship, the CARLTON, trying to carry goods to the Soviet Union. He and shipmates spent three weeks in a lifeboat in Arctic waters. He was a POW for more than two years before being repatriated.

Passengers make reservations by filling out forms and mailing them to Project Liberty Ship. These applications are located on the PLS Web site www.liberty-ship.com or by calling PLS at (410) 558-0164 and asking for forms to be mailed to prospective passengers. The completed reservations cost $20 per person (veteran and one companion). Finished forms and check or money order should be mailed to Project Liberty Ship, P.O. Box 25846, Highlandtown Station, Baltimore, MD 21224-0546. Checks should be made payable to "Project Liberty Ship." For port security reasons, all reservations must be received by Project Liberty Ship by Wednesday, October 31, 2007. This includes passengers and media.

The Nov. 10 program aboard the BROWN features self-guided tours of the ship, historical narration, a memorial service for veterans, music, snacks and entertainment. The ship leaves North Locust Point, Baltimore, at 10 a.m. Saturday November 10. She will sail under the Francis Scott Key outer harbor bridge, turn around and return to the dock by 12:30 p.m. The ship will stay at the pier and be open for visits for several hours before the crew returns her to her home base across the harbor at Pier One, Clinton Street, Canton, East Baltimore.

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