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

MEBA TELEX TIMES           NOVEMBER 21, 2008

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 47

In this issue...
Direct observation rules made "optional"...Good & Welfare fund is tax-deductible...Trio of maritime labor figures sail into the sunset...Piracy update...Out of this world! In a cosmic, shooting star edition we heat up as we enter the atmosphere and shower you with the meteoric maritime news of the week. Don't fall to pieces over spaced-out, crater-faced competitors that really burn you up! On a fiery news streak, we hurtle your way and send shock waves through the industry as our down-to-earth issue drops right out of the sky. A smashing success, the high-impact Telex Times makes a huge impression!

DOT "DIRECT OBSERVATION" DRUG TESTS MADE OPTIONAL FOR TIME BEING
In response to a court-ordered stay, the Department of Transportation is making it optional, rather than mandatory, for employers to require transportation workers to be directly observed when providing urine specimens for necessary follow-up and return-to-duty drug tests. The DOT is returning to the language that existed prior to November 1 when this controversial amendment was supposed to take effect, until the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit resolves a lawsuit challenging the observed urination rule. M.E.B.A. has been fighting this amendment and submitted comments making our views known. The temporary stay was granted following the lawsuit leveled by several transportation workers unions including the AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Department. M.E.B.A. is a founding member of the TTD which represents 35 member unions in the maritime, aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, and related industries.

M.E.B.A. "GOOD & WELFARE" FUND RULED TAX-DEDUCTIBLE
The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that M.E.B.A.'s "Good & Welfare" Fund is exempt from Federal Income tax. The Fund is used to help members and their families in case of crisis. It proved very useful following Hurricane Katrina when money from the fund helped members recover from the devastating aftermath of the storm. Your contributions to the fund are tax deductible so please give liberally in order to help a Union brother or sister in need. Seek out your local Union hall for further details.

FORMER M.E.B.A. PRESIDENT C.E. DeFRIES HAS DIED
Clayton "Gene" DeFries passed away at his home on Sunday in Panama City, Florida. He was 80 years old.

Born in Ennis, TX, DeFries was part of the M.E.B.A. for 41 years, joining M.E.B.A. Local 40 (Galveston) in 1951. He was first elected to office in 1961 as Patrolman in the Port of Houston, shortly after the merger between District No. 1 and the Pacific Coast District. He was later elected as Branch Agent in Houston, Gulf Coast Vice President then Executive V.P. He also served as National M.E.B.A. Secretary-Treasurer.

Following the retirement of Jesse Calhoon at the end of 1984, DeFries assumed the presidency of M.E.B.A. District No. 1. Calhoon remained National M.E.B.A. President until October 1985 when DeFries took over that position as well. C.E. DeFries resigned in 1992 and returned to Florida.

He was a resident of Panama City for the last 26 years and enjoyed fishing and farming. He is survived by a wife, two daughters, a brother and two grandchildren. Gene DeFries will be buried in Covington, Louisiana.

FORMER M.E.B.A. OFFICIAL PAUL MUSOTTO SAILS INTO THE SUNSET
Paul Musotto, a Chief Engineer who briefly served as our Representative in Norfolk died unexpectedly on Friday at the age of 47. He came over to the M.E.B.A. from the AMO and aided our Union's efforts in reestablishing a presence on the Great Lakes. He supervised the construction of the Norwegian Cruise Lines passenger vessel PRIDE OF AMERICA in Bremerhaven, Germany and became the ship's first Chief Engineer when it entered service in 2005. He was a resident of Flagler Beach, FL where he moved ten years ago from Baltimore.

He enjoyed golfing, working out, bike riding, outdoor activities, and the beach. Paul is survived by his wife of 12 years, Theresa, daughters Bella Angelina Musotto, Carmela Gianna Musotto, and Madonna Sophia Musotto, his mother and father, three sisters and two step-brothers.

You can visit the funeral home's website at www.craigflaglerpalms.com to express sympathy or impart a memory of Paul.

AMO'S ED KELLY PASSES
Ed Kelly, Vice President At Large for the American Maritime Officers died on Sunday at the age of 75. He was a familiar presence in maritime circles around Washington D.C. and was active in the AFL-CIO's Maritime Trades Department, Propeller Club, Navy League, Kings Point Alumni groups and many others.

A 1956 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Ed served in the U.S. Navy and will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by his wife Barbara, two daughters, four brothers and sisters and eight grandchildren. An M.E.B.A. contingent paid tribute at his funeral mass today in Bethesda, MD. Speakers at the mass included former Maritime Administrator Vice Admiral Al Herberger and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

MM&P OFFICIALS RE-ELECTED
M.E.B.A. will continue to closely work together with familiar faces at the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots after MM&P members re-elected their officials to new four-year terms. Capt. Tim Brown will continue to head up the union as President joined by International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks; Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh; Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus; Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May; Pilotage Vice President George Quick; and United Inland Group Vice President C. Michael Murray.

M.E.B.A. President Don Keefe is delighted to continue our strong working relationship with the MM&P and issues congratulations to all their officials.

NOAA'S ALBATROSS IV DECOMMISSIONED
M.E.B.A.'s Boston Representative Bill Campbell and Government Fleet Rep. Randi Ciszewski attended the decommissioning of the NOAA ship ALBATROSS IV this week at a ceremony in Woods Hole, MA. The vessel performed fishery and marine research on the Atlantic seaboard and has turned in 45 years of federal service.

The Chief Engineer for the ship, M.E.B.A.'s Kevin Cruse, was honored last week and presented with a bronze propeller clock.

Overseeing the ceremony was Rear Admiral J.W. Bailey, Director of NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations; Dr. Nancy Thompson, Director of Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) and Dr. William Brennan, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere who previously spent time aboard the vessel as a civilian mariner.

Since entering service in 1963, the ALBATROSS IV logged 453 research cruises and sailed an estimated 655,272 miles. 209-foot NOAA Ship HENRY B. BIGELOW, which will soon enter service, will carry on the work of the retired vessel.

HORIZON LINES ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURING PLAN
Horizon Lines, Inc. announced a non-union workforce restructuring initiative targeted at reducing annualized labor-related costs by an estimated $7 million to $10 million. The company intends to reduce its workforce by at least 10%, or approximately 70 of its 700-plus non-union employees. Initially, the company will offer a voluntary severance program to certain eligible non-union employees. If the company is unable to achieve anticipated reductions from the voluntary program, it intends to implement an involuntary severance program for non-union employees. Horizon expects to complete the workforce reduction initiative by January 31, 2009, and it is expected to result in a fourth-quarter 2008 charge of approximately $3.5 million to $5 million pretax, or $0.11 to $0.16 per fully diluted share. The final annualized savings and associated costs of the initiative will depend on the actual mix of associates who are ultimately included in either the voluntary or involuntary program.

SOMALI PIRATES SEIZE OIL TANKER
Somali pirates are demanding a $25 million ransom for the return of the Saudi oil tanker SIRIUS STAR and her crew after it was hijacked earlier this week. It happened off the coast of East Africa on Saturday more than 450 nautical miles from the port of Mombasa, Kenya. The Liberian-flagged ship is carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude valued at about $110 million. The 25-person crew was overcome just 16 minutes after the pirates raced onto the scene. Reportedly the ship was too poorly defended and too oil-laden to outmaneuver the pirate speedboats and fight them off. This year there have been about 100 attacks on ships by pirates just in the Gulf of Aden.

In other piracy news, an Indian warship off the coast of Somalia foiled two hijack attempts and sunk a pirate "mother ship" this week. India has become more aggressive in the war against piracy and reportedly have reached an agreement with the Somali government to "take the battle right to the pirate hideouts in high seas of Somalia."

The saga of the Ukrainian ship FAINA that was hijacked by pirates on September 25th continues. The ship is loaded up with 20 crewmembers, 33 Russian tanks, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns. The situation has become a stalemate with a slew of international warships still surrounding the vessel and the pirate demanding a large ransom for the release of the ship and its crew.

CNN reports that more than $150 million has been paid to pirates around the Horn of Africa over the past 12 months. Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said that these ransom payments are encouraging pirates to continue and become more brazen in their attacks.

MAERSK UPDATES POLICY FOR SHIPS ENTERING GULF OF ADEN
In order to continuously ensure the safety of crews as well as vessels and cargo, A.P. Moller - Maersk has updated the policy for their vessels entering the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of East Africa.

They state that vessels without adequate speed or freeboard will for the time being avoid the Gulf of Aden and seek alternative routing south of the Cape of Good Hope and east of Madagascar. However, based upon availability of escorts these vessels may join naval convoy transit in the Gulf of Aden.

An official said that, "the policy change will primarily impact our tanker vessels. Only three container vessels will be affected and we expect to further limit the impact by redeployment...We believe that piracy in the Gulf of Aden is a threat to important international trade lanes and therefore an international security issue. It must be addressed by relevant authorities and the international community."

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, December 8 - Boston, Jacksonville, Seattle;
Tuesday, December 9 - Baltimore, Houston, San Francisco;
Wednesday, December 10 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, December 11 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, December 12 - Honolulu.

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