About M.E.B.A.
Since 1875, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association has represented the licensed officers who keep the U.S. merchant fleet running. 150 years of advocacy. One mission.
Est. 1875
HQ Washington, D.C.
Affiliation AFL-CIO
1875
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A Message from the President
Despite the name, you need not be an engineer to join.
With M.E.B.A. you choose where, how and when you work. Most of our officers sail about six months a year. Take a year off for family, or for a backpacking trip across Asia, then pick right back up where you left off without ever losing your benefits or your seniority.
There is no cost to the member for the M.E.B.A. Pension or Medical Plan, whether you are single or married with ten kids.
Together, let's power your future.
Read the Full Letter →President, Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association
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A Message from the President
M.E.B.A. represents approximately 4,000 licensed marine officers serving on U.S.-flag vessels. Our members are the captains, chief engineers, and designated duty engineers who operate the ships that keep this country's commerce and defense moving.
1875
Founded
4,000+
Licensed Officers
20+
Union Halls Nationwide
AFL-CIO
Affiliated
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Ocean-going vessels carrying cargo across international trade routes. The backbone of American maritime commerce.
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Government-owned ships crewed under contract for Military Sealift Command, the Maritime Administration and federal agencies. Sealift capacity when the country needs it.
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Ferries, tugs, research vessels and harbor craft working American rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Licensed work close to home, year round.
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What We Stand For
01 · Bridge & Control Room
Our leaders stood watch and sailed the ships. We speak on maritime issues with unmatched depth.
02 · Working deck
Everyone treated the same. No bribes, no favorites. Join M.E.B.A. and you join a crew that has your back.
03 · Cargo holds
A defined benefit pension, zero-premium healthcare, bankable vacation, fully funded training. No union matches it.
04 · Bow
150 years defending the Jones Act, growing the fleet, and making Congress hear the people who sail the ships.
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Good & Welfare Fund
The Good and Welfare Fund lends assistance to active and retired M.E.B.A. members and their families hit by hard times. When hurricanes, superstorms, and other tragedies strike, or when illness and death touch a member's family, the fund steps in to remove some of the sting and burden of the unexpected.
The fund is sustained by the generosity of the membership. Donations are tax deductible under IRC Section 501(c)(3), and all contributed funds go directly to supporting M.E.B.A. families in need. Contributions can be made through the M.E.B.A. electronic payment portal or at your local Union hall, where members can also ask about assistance.
Learn More (PDF)What the fund supports
Direct assistance for members and their families affected by natural disasters, from Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey to Superstorm Sandy.
Support for M.E.B.A. families facing serious illness or the loss of a loved one.
Help in the wake of major tragic events that touch the M.E.B.A. community.
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150 Years of Standing Watch
From the steamboat explosions of the 19th century to the global supply chains of the 21st, M.E.B.A. has been at the center of every chapter in American maritime history.
150 years of American maritime history, told through the engineers who lived it. The definitive account of M.E.B.A.'s role in shaping the U.S. merchant fleet.
Coming soon. The book is still being written. We will add it here once it is available.
Steamboat boiler explosions kill thousands. Engineers on the Great Lakes organize for safety and fair treatment. M.E.B.A. is founded in 1875. Early battles for licensing standards and the repeal of the Alien Law.
The union grows from 5,000 to over 22,000 members during World War I. AFL affiliation. Jurisdictional battles with rival unions. The wartime merchant fleet expands rapidly.
The Great Depression hits the maritime industry. MEBA survives. World War II transforms the merchant marine into a critical wartime asset. Engineers serve under fire on convoy routes.
Post-war expansion. The Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School is established. Major legislative victories in Washington. MEBA marks its centennial as the oldest maritime union in the country.
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Featured Story
I do this job for my family. Everything I do, I do for my family.
Keith
•
Chief Engineer, Matson
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MEBA DEC
The District Executive Committee leads M.E.B.A. on behalf of its members. Elected officers with real sea time and real industry experience.
President
Adam Vokac is M.E.B.A.’s National President serving at the Union’s Headquarters in Washington D.C.
My focus is simple, great paying jobs with full benefits, better living conditions at sea and a contract that keeps getting stronger. Together, let's power your future.
Secretary-Treasurer
Roland “Rex” Rexha serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the M.E.B.A.
Executive Vice President
Max Alper is the Union’s Executive Vice President
Atlantic Coast Vice President
Jason Callahan has served as the M.E.B.A.’s Atlantic Coast Vice President since 2017 working out of the Union’s NY/NJ hall.
Gulf Coast Vice President
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Ports & Offices
M.E.B.A. maintains union halls across the country. Some of these buildings carry decades of history themselves.
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Crew Members
M.E.B.A. officers serve on vessels operated by some of the largest and most respected companies in the maritime industry.
Liberty Maritime
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Interlake Steamship
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Chevron
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NOAA
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Army Corps of Engineers
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Alaska Tanker Company
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BluePoint Engineering
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Dynamic Concepts
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Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Force Vessels
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Alaska Marine Highway System
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Black Ball Ferry Line
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Cape May/Lewes (DRBA)
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Golden Gate Bridge Ferry
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King County Water Taxi
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Staten Island Ferry
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Washington State Ferry
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ACME Industry
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American Crewing Svcs (ACS)
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Philly Shipyard
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Charleston Industrial & Marine Repair
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City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ)
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Current Maritime
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Equiliem, Inc.
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GFC/NFOPAPE
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Impulse Consulting, LLC
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Padgett Swann Machinery
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Philadelphia Ship Service
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Professional Office and Industrial Division (POID)
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Boston Marine Transport
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Connolly-Pacific
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Florida Institute of Oceanography
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Lamont-Doherty Observatory
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NYC Department of Corrections
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N/S Savannah w. Keystone
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Pilots Assoc.-Bay/Riv. Del: Pilot Boats
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Samson Tug & Barge
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San Francisco Bar Pilots
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Maersk
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Hapag-Lloyd
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OSG
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Crowley
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Keystone Shipping
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Norwegian Cruise Line
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Overseas Shipholding Group
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Pasha/Sunrise
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Waterman
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Patriot
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APL
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Military Sealift Command
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Intl. Shipholding
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Six steps. $150 to start. The best pension, healthcare, and training in the industry from day one. Download the application or find your nearest hall.
