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

MEBA TELEX TIMES           APRIL 04, 2008

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 14

In this issue...
Maersk reimbursing TWIC costs...New fireboat contract...FRC coming up. Great Lakes news...Take 5! Putting in our 2-cents worth, we watch the industry 24-7, 86 the competition and count you in for the whole 9 yards of 3rd degree news - 100% guaranteed. We have zero tolerance for 4th rate, dime-a-dozen weeklies that bite the big 1. Their days are numbered! The 8th wonder of the world, possession of our newsletter is nine-tenths of the law. To sum up, first and four-most the Telex Times is second to none!

MAERSK REIMBURSING TWIC COSTS AS PART OF CAMPAIGN TO ZERO OUT LOST TIME INJURIES
As part of Maersk Line Ltd.'s DRIVE TO ZERO (injuries) campaign, MLL is reimbursing mariners for the cost of their Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) cards as long as they beware of lost time injuries. This is great news for M.E.B.A. officers whose advanced training and meticulous attention to detail typically keep them strangers to the LTI list.

Maersk pays the TWIC card costs (approximately $132.50) as long as the crewmember completes a minimum of 30 days on board without a lost time injury between April 1st and June 30th, 2008 and their vessel remains Lost Time Accident free for this quarter. To receive payment, the eligible crewmember must simply present the original TWIC receipt to the Master who will exchange it for cash reimbursement.

While promoting personal safety and teamwork, Maersk is also hoping that this program gives further motivation for all mariners to apply for their TWIC cards as soon as possible. The program runs from April 1 through June 30, 2008.

MARAD ISSUES TWIC REMINDER
The Maritime Administration has issued a statement reiterating the importance that all Coast Guard-credentialed mariners obtain their TWIC cards before the clock strikes midnight on September 25, 2008. Mariners must have a TWIC by that date for their license, MMD, COR, or STCW endorsement to remain valid. MarAd pointed out:

Until then, if the vessel or facility has started TWIC compliance and enforcement, mariners may present an alternate identification (MMD or USCG license and valid photo identification or USCG COR and valid photo identification) to be eligible for unescorted access to secure areas of the vessel or facility. Failure to obtain a TWIC may result in suspension or revocation of a mariner's credential under 46 U.S.C 7702 and 7703.

To obtain a TWIC, an individual must visit an enrollment center where they will pay the enrollment fee, complete a TWIC Application Disclosure Form, provide biographic information and a complete set of fingerprints, and sit for a digital photograph. Pre-enrollment is recommended as it is designed to save the applicant time by enabling them to provide their biographical information and make an appointment for in-person enrollment. The cost for a TWIC is $132.50 and it is valid for five years. Mariners who already hold a USCG credential may pay a reduced fee of $105.25 however, their TWIC will then expire when their USCG credential expires.

NEW CONTRACT FOR NYC FIREBOATS
Union officials in our New York/New Jersey hall, with a team of rank and file members, have sewn up a new contract with the City for our members serving in the Fireboat fleet. The new four-year deal, which secures a 4% annual wage hike over the life of the deal, was ratified by the bargaining unit soon after. The contract is retroactive to July 28, 2007.

In addition, the City has announced that they are constructing two new state-of-the-art fireboats that will help upgrade the aging fleet. The boats, which should be in operation sometime in 2009, will be able to pump 50,000 gallons of water a minute and will be loaded with the latest Hazmat and CBRD equipment. The new boats could spell the end for the FIREFIGHTER which has been in service since 1938 and the JOHN D. McKEAN which has operated since 1954. The Union continues to look at ways to enhance city-sponsored training for our members working in the bargaining unit.

The officials in our New York hall include Atlantic Coast V.P. Bill McHugh, Patrolman Chris Guerra and Representative Joe Martucci. Our Shop Stewards in the FDNY Fireboat fleet are Joe Gagliardi, Jim Briordy and Len Burmester.

FRC COMMITTEE ELECTIONS NEXT WEEK
A rank and file Financial Review Committee will be elected at the regular membership meetings next week. The six-person committee will assemble at M.E.B.A. Headquarters on April 21 to review Union finances from the 2007 calendar year. Committee members will be elected at meetings in Baltimore, Houston, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Once elected, FRC members should contact Ann Holmes at M.E.B.A. Headquarters to nail down travel arrangements (202-638-5355).

M.E.B.A. TAKES PART IN GREAT LAKES DELEGATION BRIEFING
M.E.B.A. officials and staff were on hand Tuesday for the 13th Annual Great Lakes Maritime Task Force briefing that took place in a Congressional Committee room on Capitol Hill. The group is a coalition of labor and management interests that pursue solutions to benefit the Great Lakes system. Our contracted company, Interlake Steamship Co., was represented at the briefing by President Mark Barker and Industrial Relations Director Brendan O'Connor. Among others, M.E.B.A. was represented by President Don Keefe, Atlantic Coast V.P. Bill McHugh, Secretary-Treasurer Bill Van Loo and Cleveland Rep. Torey Zingales. That group retired to M.E.B.A. Headquarters following the morning meeting in order to discuss various items of interest to our members sailing under the contract.

At the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) briefing a number of topics were covered including the aging Lakes infrastructure and the necessity of dredging that attendees say has developed into a crisis situation. One speaker noted that because of decades of inadequate dredge funding vessels are forced to take on lighter loads. The problem is further compounded by the near-record low water levels. Because of this, Great Lakes boats can't navigate certain affected areas and as a result other modes of transportation are being used for some cargo.

The Group pointed out that the proposed Federal budget for the coming year doesn't do enough to help out this beleaguered situation. The budget proposes a reduction in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget for maintenance of Great Lakes infrastructure by 35 percent.

"Any reduction in the Corps dredging budget for the Lakes would be a double whammy of the worst kind," said Patrick J. O'Hern, President of GLMTF. "The Lakes are already suffering with extremely low water levels. An adequately-funded maintenance program doesn't solve the problem, but it certainly helps offset the impacts of falling water levels. Now is absolutely the worst imaginable time for any reduction in Great Lakes dredging funds." Congress and the Administration approved nearly $140 million for Lakes dredging in 2008. The Administration's proposed budget for 2009 requests just $89.3 million, a decrease of $49 million, or 35.5 percent. The Task Force says that the cut flies in the face of reality. The Corps of Engineers acknowledges it needs more than $215 million to clear the backlog of dredging projects throughout the Great Lakes navigation system.

Cargo movement on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway approaches 250 million tons a year, or nearly one ton for each resident of the United States.

On another topic, the Task Force annually presents an award to a Member of Congress who has demonstrated a commitment to bettering shipping on the Great Lakes. This year, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) was selected as "Great Lakes Legislator of the Year" by the GLMTF.

"As a native Clevelander, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones has firsthand knowledge of the benefits of shipping on the Lakes," said Patrick J. O'Hern, President of GLMTF and Vice President and General Manager of Bay Shipbuilding Company. "The terminals along the Cuyahoga River receive raw materials that drive the city's steel, manufacturing, and construction industries. The port authority docks handle overseas cargos that further strengthen the city's economy. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones has made keeping those cargos flowing a priority since being elected to the House of Representatives in 1998."

Congresswoman Tubbs Jones is also the co-author of legislation to revive ferry service on the Great Lakes. "The Short Sea Shipping Enhancement Act of 2007, which she co-sponsored with Rep. Phil English (R-PA) would be a great boon to our region's economy and environment," said John D. Baker, 3rd Vice President of GLMTF and President of the ILA's Great Lakes District Council. "By putting non-bulk cargos on vessels, we will ease congestion on our highways and rail lines and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the process."

Congresswoman Tubbs Jones said, "If we don't dredge our ports and waterways, if we don't renew our Coast Guard's icebreaking assets, we put family-sustaining jobs throughout the Great Lakes basin at risk. I will champion Great Lakes shipping for as long as I am in Congress."

KEY ISSUES REVIEWED AT "MARITIME BACKGROUNDER"
Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton and a panel representing a cross section of industry interests spoke at a 'Maritime Backgrounder' this week at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. Designed as a briefing on key industry issues for the National news media, eight speakers delivered remarks during a session that lasted just over 90 minutes. Administrator Connaughton talked about the need to keep up with the ever-expanding demands of world trade. He noted that the U.S. has become more integrated in global trade than it ever has before yet our ports are lagging behind. Perennial issues such as dredging, aging infrastructure and expanding congestion, he said, are preventing us from keeping pace. He noted that MarAd is working on a national port strategy which views our seaports as a system rather than as individualized ports. Another area that MarAd is taking a leadership role on is America's Marine Highway Initiative formerly known as Short Sea Shipping. MarAd recently met some success in winning federal funding for their plan to alleviate congestion on the nation's highways.

The Coast Guard's Rear Admiral Brian Salerno, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Security, briefed the gathering on his agency's daunting task of keeping America's waterways safe without restricting the flow of commerce. That's not an easy task with 95,000 miles of coastline and over 360 commercial ports. He shuttled attendees through the complex procedure employed by authorities when an international vessel sails into a port. After a ship forwards a laundry list of information about its crew and cargo for the required 96-hour advance notification, it sets a mind-boggling process into action where multiple agencies scour their databases, crosscheck a mountain of information and share intelligence with various Government agencies to ensure that our waters remain safe.

MM&P Vice President Capt. George Quick gave a fascinating presentation decrying the worrying trend of bringing criminal charges against mariners involved in ship accidents or oil spills. The media often elevates such incidents into high-profile matters that bring on political attention and have people playing demanding a scalp. "But the fact remains," said Captain Quick, "most maritime accidents are just that, industrial accidents without criminal intent and without the elements of gross negligence that would normally justify charges of criminal negligence." He discussed how overzealous authorities are applying age old laws such as the Migratory Bird Act of 1918 and the Refuse Act of 1899, which were written for completely different purposes, to prosecute mariners when an incident occurs. Capt. Quick spoke for all mariners when he said that he believes that producing a scapegoat to explain the accident is a disservice and is "counterproductive to the goals of marine safety."

"The goals of accident investigations," he declared, "should be determining the causes for 'lessons learned' to avoid similar accidents in the future. Because of the thirst for blood following such incidents, vessel crews are often less cooperative with authorities until legal representation can advise them. "The policy of aggressively pursuing criminal charges in accidental pollution cases is in conflict with the policy of conducting safety investigations to determine the root causes of accidents to prevent them in the future. There is no deterrent value or preventive goal in throwing the unfortunate mariner who had an accident in prison, he stated. "There is a need for Congress to address the public policy issue of whether criminal prosecution of mariners after a maritime accident, absent the normal standards for criminal negligence, really serves the public interest." Quick concluded, "Is it sound public policy and an effective means of deterring accidents? The answer is clearly NO!"

JAX MEETING DAY WILL SHIFT TO MONDAYS STARTING IN MAY
The Jacksonville Union hall will change its regular membership meeting day from Tuesday to Monday beginning at the meeting in May. The April meeting is still set to take place this Tuesday, April 8. Members should remember though, that Jacksonville will share its meeting day with Boston and Seattle beginning on Monday, May 5. The hour and location of the meetings will remain the same.

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, April 7 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, April 8 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, April 9 - Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, April 10 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, April 11 - Honolulu.

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