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

MEBA TELEX TIMES       JANUARY 25, 2008

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 4

In this issue...
National M.E.B.A. Convention set...Watson-class bid delayed... Memorial brick order coming up...Ka-boom! On a short fuse, we go out with a bang as we detonate an explosive new issue that'll create a firestorm. Don't go ballistic over the proliferation of incendiary newsletters that blow up in your face! We wipe those duds off the map and knock them back to the stone-age with a megaton of news that sends shockwaves through the industry. Having a blast, the thermonuclear Telex Times is "the bomb!"

NATIONAL CONVENTION TIME/PLACE SET
The National M.E.B.A. Constitution decrees that the N.M.E.B.A. shall stage its Convention on the third Monday in March every three years. That date falls on March 17, 2008. The National Executive Committee has decided that the 109th National M.E.B.A. Convention will take place at the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School to commence at the stroke of 9 a.m. The District elections which concluded on December 3, 2007 determined the 20 Delegates who will conduct National M.E.B.A. business on that day. One of the first orders of business at the Convention will be to elect a new National Executive Committee. It will consist of a National President, National Secretary-Treasurer, National Vice President and two NEC Members.

A Notice of Nomination and Election of N.M.E.B.A. Officers and National Executive Committee members was contained in the October-November 2007 M.E.B.A. Marine Officer sent to the membership. Nomination qualifications and procedures are outlined in the notice. In order to assist nominees to make their nomination, a form is available at all M.E.B.A. Union halls.

To be timely, nominations must be received at National Headquarters located at 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20001 during the month of February 2008. Nominations received after February 29, 2008 will not be considered valid nominations. If you have any questions, please call M.E.B.A. Headquarters at (202) 638-5355.

BID PROCESS FOR WATSON-CLASS VESSELS DELAYED
The management contract to be awarded for the operation of eight Watson-class LMSRs hit a snag after the Military Sealift Command altered elements of its bid process. Under the original plan, the contract would have been awarded late last year. However, the MSC made what it calls, "a shift in fundamental practices of operations" that would streamline costs and procedures associated with operation of government-owned vessels. Because of that, the Request for Proposals had to retooled and the process was pushed back by several months. Bidders have until February 11, 2008 to respond to the revised RFP. Several M.E.B.A.-contracted companies are expected to bid for the vessels.

The eight ship were all constructed between 1997 and 2001. They include the USNS WATSON, USNS SISLER, USNS DAHL, USNS RED CLOUD, USNS CHARLTON, USNS WATKINS, USNS POMEROY and USNS SODERMAN. M.E.B.A. is currently working out a new Tri-Partite Agreement with the officers' unions on account of the revised RFP.

HEARD AT THE HEAD -- DEC MEETS; OTHER M.E.B.A. ITEMS OF INTEREST
The M.E.B.A. District Executive Committee (DEC) met this week at M.E.B.A. Headquarters to hash out important Union business. One of the items they addressed was the designation of officials to serve as Trustees on the various M.E.B.A. Benefit Plans. Union-side M.E.B.A. Plans Trustees will include M.E.B.A. President Don Keefe, Executive V.P. Ed MacCormack, Secretary-Treasurer Bill Van Loo, Gulf Coast V.P. Marc Huber, Atlantic Coast V.P. Bill McHugh, and L.A. Branch Agent Mike Nizetich.The Union's early support for Bobby Jindal appears prescient. M.E.B.A. was there for him as he ran for Louisiana's 1st congressional district office in 2004 winning the seat vacated by David Vitter. An Indian-American Republican, Jindal successfully ran for re-election in 2006 for the seat. In October 2007, with continued M.E.B.A. support, he won his election to succeed Kathleen Blanco as Louisiana's Governor. The 36-year old Jindal is the first non-white Louisiana Governor since reconstruction. M.E.B.A.'s New Orleans Union hall is excited to work with Jindal over the next few years. Our Patrolman Wil Jones attended the new Governor's inauguration earlier this month. Seattle's new TWIC center recently opened. Branch Agent Karol Kingery told the Telex Times that members will be happy to hear that it is only a short walk away from our hall. Karol will be happy to point you in the right direction.

NEXT BRICK ORDER IS JAN. 31; BENCH PRICES RISE
The Calhoon Alumni Association will be placing the next order for memorial bricks for the M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial on July 31st. Memorial bricks can be engraved with names of loved ones and are part of the retreat at the Merchant Marine Memorial Park located on School grounds in Easton, MD. The park, a tribute to fallen mariners, is shaped like a 600-foot merchant vessel complete with 5-ton anchors, a ship's bell and a stern section with a six-bladed, 22-foot diameter bronze propeller.

You might also be interested in purchasing a memorial bench in honor of a departed loved one. Unfortunately the price for benches has risen. Due to the cost of materials, the manufacturer has increased the price to $1,400. 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. Anyone wishing to purchase a brick or bench must complete and return a donation form and monies before the next order date. Please continue to help the cause - donations are greatly needed for the maintenance of the park!

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

NUT JOB RUNNING AROUND D.C. WITH SHOTGUN, SAMURAI SWORD
38-year Michael Gorbey, a convicted felon from Utah, was quickly taken into custody last Friday in front of M.E.B.A. Headquarters after he exited his car with a loaded shotgun, samurai sword, and bow and arrow. In addition, he was wearing a tactical vest and his pockets were full of ammunition. Indications are that he was seeking to trek over to the Supreme Court - a five minute walk from Headquarters - with his arsenal of weapons. No shots were fired and no one was injured. Multiple police units arrived and cordoned off the area for hours. Police viewed the suspect's vehicle, parked within yards of the M.E.B.A.'s "Hall of the States" building, with suspicion and immediately looked into the possibility that it was rigged to explode. Allegedly, wires could be seen coming out of the glovebox in the man's vehicle and initial reports said police saw what appeared to be propane tanks inside. A powerful water cannon was used to blast the interior of the vehicle and police revealed that no explosives were discovered.

Incidents around Capitol Hill along with plenty of false alarms are not uncommon as Headquarters employees know. The HQ staff has had disaster response training and each employee has their own gas mask, just in case. That training was not needed during an amusing incident several months ago when the Old Post Office and parts of Union Station across the street from Headquarters were temporarily closed after a suspicious package was discovered. Soon after, the "all-clear" was given when authorities alerted the public that the suspicious object was only a soiled diaper.

WOUNDED VETS WILL RECUPERATE AT KINGS POINT
Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced this week that the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point (USMMA) will be opened to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps veterans recovering from combat injuries for assignment. The Academy will provide an opportunity for wounded sailors and Marines to continue active duty as they recuperate from their injuries in a setting that is relatively close to their homes and families. Students at the Academy will benefit through interaction with veterans with recent combat experience, she added.

Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton, along with Navy Secretary Donald Winter and Representative Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces, joined together to develop the new program. The participating veterans will be eligible for light duty assignments at Kings Point, such as classroom instruction and student mentoring, under the Navy's Safe Harbor Program and the Marine Corps' Wounded Warrior Regiment. Connaughton noted, "We will be honored to welcome these heroes to Kings Point. It will provide them a safe haven for recovery, and provides the benefit of their knowledge and experience for the faculty and staff, as well as the midshipmen."

CONGRESS GETS UPDATE ON TWIC ENROLLMENT
Members of Congress talked TWIC this week as the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hosted a handful of witnesses who briefed them on the progress of the implementation of the new system. Transportation Worker Identification Credentials are required for all Coast Guard-credentialed workers by September 25, 2008. Members who are not carrying a TWIC at that time will not be able to sail. Enrollment began three months ago and the hearing this week was scheduled for a progress report. The TWIC is a biometric credential to ensure that workers who pose a risk to national security do not have unescorted access to secure areas of sensitive maritime facilities including ports and vessels.

The Transportation Security Administration is responsible for the issuance of TWIC cards to individuals. TSA has contracted with Lockheed Martin to manage the enrollment process. The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for enforcing the use of the TWIC card to control access to secure parts of facilities and vessels. According to TSA, a total of 147 permanent enrollment centers will eventually be opened in the U.S. They began opening on a rolling basis starting in mid-October, 2007. The TWIC card is valid for five years from the date of issuance.

Subcommittee Chairman Elijah Cummings has been vigilant in his oversight of the new TWIC regime staging multiple hearings on the subject. He let it be known that the TWIC program has been a long time coming and that numerous delays have hampered the process since it was passed into law in 2002. "However," he said, "while we have waited several years for the roll-out of TWIC, it appears that this time was used constructively to put in place the processes that are enabling the relatively smooth roll-out that is now underway, and I commend the parties involved, including TSA and its contractor, Lockheed Martin, for their efforts."

Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship Rear Admiral Brian Salerno told the Subcommittee that for the most part the TWIC roll-out is proceeding smoothly though the complexities of such an encompassing new system bars a completely trouble-free process. One aspect of the new regime that hasn't gone well is the unavailability of card readers to take advantage of the TWIC's biometric capabilities. The program will come online without them and TWICs will essentially be used as "flash cards" until technological and logistical improvements allow the placement of permanent and reliable readers in each port. RAdm. Salerno said that authorized personnel will scrutinize the credentials in the meantime and the Coast Guard will conduct vessel and facility inspections as well as spot checks using handheld readers to confirm the identity of TWIC holders and the validity of the credential. "We are also on track to develop the systems necessary to implement the provision for newly-hired employees to work while they await issuance of a TWIC." He said. "Internally, we are crafting policy for enforcement of the TWIC program in our ports and will seek collaboration with other law enforcement agencies."

TSA's TWIC Program Director Maurine Fanguy told the Subcommittee that the initial roll-out has been a success with the agencies involved making steady progress. As of January 15, 2008, nearly 109,000 people had pre-enrolled for the program, 48,783 enrollments had been completed, 25,366 cards had been printed, and 11,795 cards had been picked up and activated. Lockheed reported that average enrollment time was about 10.561 minutes, although there have been reports from applicants of wait times ranging from two to five hours. Fanguy stated that the system ensures privacy pointing out that the data collected at enrollment centers is deleted from the center's work stations after its transmission to TSA. "The entire enrollment record -- including all fingerprints collected -- is stored solely in a secure TSA system, which is protected through role-based entry, encryption, and segmentation to prevent unauthorized use," she said. "No paper records with personal identification information are created in the enrollment process."

Lockheed Martin Transportation & Security Solutions President Judith Marks told the Subcommittee that since the process began, they discovered that they underestimated the amount of workers requiring TWIC credentials in the Gulf Coast. As a result, wait times in areas such as Baton Rouge and Lake Charles were much longer than average. She noted they implemented "surge" plans and took several actions to address the situation. "In Baton Rouge, we have increased our capacity to five times greater than the number of  enrollment stations originally deployed. In addition, we have scheduled mobile enrollment at four additional sites. We are also working to extend the operating hours and increase staff."

A similar approach was taken in Lake Charles and at the New Orleans center that recently opened. Three mobile enrollment locations are also being utilized. "We have seen a significant improvement in both throughput and wait times." she noted. In addition, another center in South Louisiana is set to open the week of February 18th. The Houston center came online with a higher capacity and longer operating hours to cater to the large expected demand. "To date," she said, "Houston throughput has been the highest of any site to date, averaging 250 enrollments per day with good wait times. We will continue applying these lessons learned and adjust and surge as required to meet the demand."

John Porcari, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation brought a port perspective to the Subcommittee. He said the Port of Baltimore has been taking a range of measures to ease the process for enrollees who, at times, have faced various delays in the process. He noted that there have been a few cases of TWIC applicants forced to make multiple visits to the port because of TSA computer outages, lost information on TSA servers or other issues that slow the process down. Such delays, he mentioned, involve such issues as "cost of the card; payment arrangements by public and private institutions; and reluctance of individuals because of concerns about disqualifying background criteria." Working together with the TSA and Lockheed, the ports are trying to provide more frequent updates and a better awareness of the process for relevant parties.

Porcari asserted that some transportation workers have bemoaned the fact that they don't have accessible computers at their workplace or the computer knowledge to allow them to go through the process of online pre-enrollment. He told the Subcommittee that management officials should make computers available for pre-enrollment or should allow work time to travel to and from enrollment centers. "Labor union employees have been encouraged to enroll for TWIC now while TWIC is not yet being enforced. By enrolling now, an employee who did not receive their card early could possibly appeal, and if successful receive a TWIC card prior to TWIC enforcement."

POSITIONS STILL AVAILABLE ABOARD USNS HAYES & WATERS
Patriot Contract Services, LLC is accepting resumes for positions on the USNS HAYES and USNS WATERS. The HAYES will turn over to Patriot operation on approximately February 28th. The vessel operates in and out of Port Canaveral, FL. The WATERS will turn over to Patriot on approximately April 30th. The vessel splits time between the Pacific and Atlantic, operating from Hawaii and Southern California when in the Pacific, and from Port Canaveral, Florida when in the Atlantic. Completion of the Government Operations Course, HAZMAT, Damage Control, MSC Environmental Programs, CBRD and CPR & AED Certification are required for these positions. Individuals must be eligible for a secret security clearance. For further information, send questions or a resume by e-mail to john.howe@asmhq.com,  or fax your resume 877-573-1094.

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, February 4 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, February 5 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, February 6 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, February 7 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, February 8 - Honolulu.

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