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

MEBA TELEX TIMES       NOVEMBER 23, 2007

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 47

In this issue...
Latest TWIC center schedule...Special meetings Monday...One week to vote in election...Guilty parties being rooted out in Oakland suit...Feast your eyes on a plump new issue stuffed with all the maritime trimmings and nautical giblets. We carve up fowl, bird-brained newsletters that leave a bad taste in your mouth and ruffle their feathers. They just don't fly! Get on the gravy train and gobble up a self-basting, butterball-sized edition served up on a silver platter. The oven-ready Telex Times is talking turkey!

LATEST SCHEDULE FOR TWIC ENROLLMENT CENTER OPENINGS
The Transportation Security Administration has put out its latest schedule for opening dates of Transportation Worker Identification Credential centers across the country. This week, TWIC enrollment began in Baltimore/Dundalk, MD; Minneapolis, MN; St. Paul, MNvand Lake Charles, LA.

Online pre-enrollment is helping to speed up the process for members needing a TWIC. You can get related information by visiting TSA's website at www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm. Members can register online by creating a username and password which will allow you to pre-enroll. Once your information is entered online you need to schedule an appointment at one of the enrollment centers. This can be accomplished by calling the TWIC helpline at 866-347-8942.

It should be noted that the enrollment centers are still being established and there may not be one in your area at this time. Once your appointment has been scheduled, you will need to bring identification to the enrollment center and a form of payment. Your valid U.S. passport or MMD can be used for a single qualifying piece of identification.

The TSA announced the following enrollment centers through the end of the year:
Nov. 28 - Charleston, SC.
Nov. 29 - Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Port Fourchon, LA.
Nov. 30 - Boston, MA.
Dec. 5 - Brownsville, TX; Mobile, AL.
Dec. 12 - Brunswick, GA; Milwaukee, WI.
Dec. 13 - Philadelphia, PA. Mid December - Albany, NY; Indiana Harbor, IN; Long Beach, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Tulsa, OK.
Late December - Joliet, IL; Kansas City, MO; Kauai, HI; New York/New Jersey #1; Peoria, IL.

SPECIAL MEETINGS TO ELECT TALLY COMMITTEE ARE THIS MONDAY
The M.E.B.A. District No. 1-PCD election period is in its final week. This Monday, November 26, seven Union halls will host special meetings to elect a rank and file Tallying Committee which will help oversee the tabulation of ballots. In most cases, those halls will hold their special meeting following job call but make sure you contact that particular hall in advance to confirm because times could vary.

The branches electing one member each to the Tallying Committee are New York, Baltimore, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Houston. The branches electing an alternate member are New Orleans and San Francisco. Members elected must be in good standing; i.e., dues paid through the fourth quarter of 2007. No officer or candidate for office or job shall be eligible for election to this Committee.

On December 3, this elected Committee will be in Washington D.C. with an Impartial Administrator to tabulate ballots received. Please urge all members to attend and participate in this special meeting.

LAST WEEK TO CAST YOUR BALLOT
Members in good standing who have not yet received a ballot and want to vote in the District election only have one week. Ballots for the District election were mailed to members' homes on Saturday, September 1. If you are in good standing and you made sure to update Headquarters with your latest mailing address, you should have received a ballot. The balloting period closes this Friday.

If you did not receive a ballot or if yours was lost or destroyed you need to contact the American Arbitration Association (AAA) immediately and request a ballot in writing from: 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 who fill out their ballots only have until November 30th to 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.

ADMISSION OF CORRUPTION IN OAKLAND HALL LAWSUIT
As has been reported previously, M.E.B.A. is suing a number of individuals and companies involved in the demolition and renovation of the M.E.B.A. Oakland Hall. Recently there was a significant breakthrough in the case. One defendant has admitted to breaching his fiduciary duty to the Union by acting against the interests of the M.E.B.A., and among other things, taking illicit profits at the expense of the Union; failing to adequately monitor the work performed to ensure that all work was performed correctly and competently; failing to disclose all relevant facts concerning the project to M.E.B.A.; and engaging in self-dealing. This same defendant also admitted to intentionally interfering with contractual relations by colluding with job site providers to prepare and submit false and fraudulent invoices to the Union. M.E.B.A.'s investigator has already turned up a number of instances of phony, forged and bogus bids.

In addition, the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Labor are continuing to investigate the Oakland Hall project for possible criminal and civil wrongdoing. M.E.B.A. is committed to fully cooperating in these federal investigations.

MARAD'S CONNAUGHTON NAMED 2007 MARITIME PERSON OF YEAR
The International Propeller Club has named Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton the 2007 Maritime Person of the Year at its 81st annual International Convention held in Athens, Greece. Administrator Connaughton was honored for his "leadership, vision and determination for an innovative, competitive and vibrant U.S. maritime industry."

Bart Goedhard, Chief Operating Officer of the International Propeller Club of the United States, said the 10,000 members of the Propeller Club of the United States chose to recognize Administrator Connaughton for his outstanding leadership within the maritime community. He "has brought about ideas and supported issues that will provide positive changes to those in the maritime industry."

The International Propeller Club is a non-profit grassroots organization that promotes the interests of the maritime industry on both the national and international arenas. The primary goal of the International Propeller Club is to educate policy makers and the general public on the importance of the maritime industry and waterborne commerce.

WSF PULLS STEEL-ELECTRIC FERRIES FROM SERVICE
Washington State Ferries (WSF) pulled its four Steel Electric class vessels out of service on Tuesday after their final run of the day over safety concerns. This decision meant that the Port Townsend-Keystone car ferry route was closed beginning Wednesday until further notice.

Washington State Ferries owns four 80-year-old Steel Electric class vessels - QUINAULT, KLICKITAT, ILLAHEE and NISQUALLY. These vessels predominantly serve the Port Townsend-Keystone and San Juan Islands inter-island routes. They are the only ferries in the system capable of operating in Keystone's narrow and shallow harbor. Expert M.E.B.A. mariners serve aboard the ferries in the WSF system.

"After meeting with staff concerning the most recent inspections of the Steel Electric hulls, I have decided that we must pull these ferries from service to examine each of the hulls more extensively," Washington State Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond announced. "Ongoing work on the QUINAULT has revealed significant hull pitting along the keel that likely extends to all four Steel Electric vessels."

On Wednesday, the EVERGREEN STATE began providing service on the San Juan Islands inter-island route. "Safety is our number one priority," said Hammond. "It cannot be compromised. We have kept up with the repairs on these vessels, but we are at a turning point that requires emergency action.

"I realize the timing of this couldn't be worse," added Hammond. "It is Thanksgiving weekend. We are doing everything we can to make this easier on the traveling public and the communities we serve."

To help lessen the impacts of the loss of passenger-vehicle service on Port Townsend-Keystone, WSF will:

- Operate three vessels on the Edmonds-Kingston route from Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday evening, November 25 to handle the extra traffic expected over the Thanksgiving weekend. This route is the best detour for people traveling from the Olympic Peninsula to Whidbey Island.

- Operate the high-speed passenger ferry SNOHOMISH between Port Townsend and Keystone. WSF is making every attempt to have the service up and running by Friday, November 23 to serve customers during their Thanksgiving travel. The passenger ferry will maintain the current schedule.

EVER SAIL ON A NEW "MARINER CLASS" SHIP?
Capt. Charles Lund is doing background research for a possible book about the Maritime Commission-designed Mariner vessels. He would like to hear your stories and sagas about these "new, state of the art" ships of the early 1950s. His research includes just how different these vessels were from the WWII era ships.

The SCHUYLER OTIS BLAND was supposed to be the prototype ship of the future, but no sisters were ever built. Information on the BLAND is very hard to find, so Lund is looking for information about her too, as part of his research. Then there was the Mariner C4-S-1a design, 35 ships designed and built by and for the Maritime Commission.

If you have information he can use, Mr. Lund would like to get your vessel's name(s), voyage itineraries, your job(s), and how these new ships compared with the WWII C1s to C4s, Liberty ships, Victory ships, and even the SCHUYLER OTIS BLAND. Were they better or worse, how and why? What were your feelings about these ships? Got any good photos of the vessels? When the ships were eventually purchased by the various steamship companies, what changes did they make in order to fit their respective needs? If you can help him out, please drop him a line:

Capt. Charles Lund, MM&P (retired)
1620 N 203rd Pl.
Shoreline, WA 98133-3309
e-mail: lundmop@juno.com

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, December 3 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, December 4 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville; San Francisco
Wednesday, December 5 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, December 6 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, December 7 - Honolulu.

SPECIAL MEETINGS THIS MONDAY, NOV. 26
Baltimore; Houston; Los Angeles; New Orleans; New York; San Francisco and Seattle.
Call the hall to find out times.

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