Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (AFL-CIO) 444 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 800 Washington, DC 20001-1570 Hot Off the Press TEL: (202) 257-2825 FAX: (202) 638-5369 To: All Ports From: Marco Cannistraro Total Pages Including Cover: 5 Date: 5/7/15 Telex Times #19 E-Mail: [email protected] w MARINE ENGINEERS’ BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO) “On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875” M.E.B.A. TELEX TIMES The Official Union Newsletter NUMBER 19 MAY 7, 2015 In this issue//Important Plans Info Sent Out//MarAd Tabletop Breakout Exercise – Members Needed!//House Defense Bill Expresses Support for U.S.-Flag Shipping/MarAd Advisory for Ships in Strait of Hormuz//Selva Nominated to Joint Chiefs//3rd A/E Needed on NCL Ship// NW Michigan College Opening for Engineering Instructor//Maritime Issues Discussed with DOT Secretary//FRC Report Accepted//MOU for SEAKAY SPIRIT//Fast Track to Lower Wages? IMPORTANT PLANS INFORMATION SENT TO PARTICIPANTS Notice of important changes made to the M.E.B.A. Pension Plan was mailed to the homes of all participants last week. The information was also made available and discussed at membership meetings this week. In addition, Headquarters sent the Pension mailing and additional follow-up information electronically to all Members and Applicants through their email address on file. PAPER BREAKOUT: M.E.B.A. MEMBERS BEING SUMMONED FOR SIMULATED BREAKOUT ON TUESDAY; MEMBER PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL The Maritime Administration is testing whether our mariners are ready for action as it launches its annual tabletop activation of MarAd and Military Sealift Command Surge sealift vessels on Tuesday. M.E.B.A. accounts for almost 30 of the ships that will need to be crewed up virtually. This is a paper exercise and mariners are not actually required to report to the vessels. MarAd will attempt to make telephone contact with a sampling of mariners taking part to verify their readiness to crew the vessels. Once the paper activation starts, agreeing to a virtual ship assignment does not preclude a mariner from subsequently taking an actual shipping job. M.E.B.A. Deck and Engine officers in all positions will be needed for this exercise. It is important to check in with your hall and let them know you’re available. Member participation in this exercise should take no longer than 5 minutes on the phone. Make sure your local hall has your latest contact information and expect a quick phone call from an M.E.B.A. official or Dispatcher between Tuesday and Friday of next week. Deck officers are especially encouraged to add their names to the list. The two-week Command Post Exercise will simulate the activation of the Ready Reserve Force and MSC surge fleet to test procedures and coordination necessary to meet strategic sealift requirements. The exercise runs from May 12 through May 22, though the virtual ship crewing will consume the first week, beginning on Tuesday, with the second week dedicated to agency follow up and verification of data. M.E.B.A. members have been through this many times before and have always come through – in virtual breakouts and for the real thing. Please help us ensure that the mariner workforce holds up its end in Breakout 2015. -1- HOUSE DEFENSE BILL CONTAINS STRONG STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF U.S.-FLAG FLEET The National Defense Authorization Act that is winding its way toward a vote on the House Floor contains a Sense of Congress statement expressing strong support for the U.S.-flag fleet and Maritime Security Program. Section 3502 of the NDAA points out that losses in the U.S.flag international fleet have helped diminish the nation’s pool of qualified U.S. mariners critically needed for crewing the U.S. commercial fleet and surge sealift vessels. The statement acknowledges that a lack of defense and food aid cargoes continues to impair U.S. shipping and has dire repercussions for national security. The Sense of Congress statement says that they are concerned “that future reductions in U.S.-flag commercial vessels, especially militarily useful vessels in the Maritime Security Program, could put at risk the Nation’s ability to fully activate, deploy, and sustain Armed Forces around the globe.” MARAD ADVISORY FOR SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ The Maritime Administration has issued an advisory to mariners sailing near the Strait of Hormuz after a pair of worrisome recent incidents. The Marshall Islands-flagged MAERSK TIGRIS was seized from the Strait last week by Iranian authorities, allegedly based on a nonpayment issue. (Negotiations finally paid off and the MAERSK TIGRIS and her crew were released today and on their way to Jebel Ali). In addition, four Iranian gunboats shadowed the M.E.B.A.-crewed MAERSK KENSINGTON off the coast of the UAE a few days before the TIGRIS was taken. The KENSINGTON didn’t acknowledge the boats which eventually broke off their pursuit without further incident. The Navy had been escorting U.S. and British-flagged ships through the Strait following the incidents but ended that protocol on Tuesday. The Advisory issued this week prescribed the following actions for any future incident: If a U.S.-flag vessel engaged in transit through the Strait of Hormuz or its approaches is hailed by Iranian forces, it should provide its vessel name and affirm that it is exercising the right of transit passage in accordance with the international law of the sea. If boarding of a U.S.-flag vessel engaged in transit through the Strait of Hormuz or its approaches is requested by Iranian forces, the ship's master should, if the safety of the ship and crew would not be compromised, decline permission to board by noting that the vessel is in transit passage and not subject to coastal state enforcement jurisdiction. If a boarding by Iranian forces occurs even after declining permission, the boarding should not be forcibly resisted by persons on the U.S.-flag merchant vessel. Refraining from forcible resistance in no way indicates consent or agreement that such a boarding is lawful. U.S.-flag vessels are advised to report such incidents immediately to coalition naval vessels on VHF channel 16, via e-mail to [email protected], and by phone to 011-973-1785-3879 and are also encouraged to report such activity to MarAd at [email protected] SELVA NOMINATED AS JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN The Commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) General Paul Selva has been nominated by President Obama to be the next Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At the same time, Marine General Joseph Dunford was nominated as the next Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman – the principal military advisor to the President and his national security team. -2- Gen. Selva recognizes the importance of U.S.-flag shipping and has made many statements of support for our industry saying that the U.S. would be ill-equipped to project its power in any future contingency without the invaluable contributions of a robust U.S. Merchant Marine. TRANSCOM is responsible for the global, joint movement of combat units, sustainment cargo, and service member household goods and privately owned vehicles. A successor at TRANSCOM has not yet been nominated. Gen. Selva is expected to face relatively smooth sailing through his Senate confirmation. 3rd A/E NEEDED FOR NCL CRUISE SHIP Norwegian Cruise Line, America is looking for a relief 3rd Assistant Engineer on the PRIDE OF AMERICA. The job runs approximately from May 9, 2015 to August 29, 2015. Preference will be for Group I Members. A valid physical and drug free certificate is preferred. If you are interested in the position please e-mail or fax a resume to Headquarters c/o Mark Gallagher at [email protected] or by fax to (202) 638-5369. Even if you have sent a resume to HQ prior to this, M.E.B.A. needs to know your availability. NW MICHIGAN COLLEGE SEEKS ENGINEERING INSTRUCTOR Northwestern Michigan College is seeking to fill three full-time positions including Maritime Engineering Instructor - Department Head; President's Office Assistant; and Nursing Instructor Mental Health. Applications must be submitted online. For more details or to apply, go to https://nmc.edu/jobs "Click here to apply" to view the posting and job description. At the bottom of the posting under "Apply," click "New Resume" or "Existing Resume/CV" to apply to this posting. MARITIME ISSUES MULLED DURING ROUNDTABLE WITH DOT SECRETARY Last week, the M.E.B.A. took part in a roundtable hosted by the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) to promote its policy agenda with Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. M.E.B.A. is a founding member of the TTD which represents 32 member unions in the maritime, aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, and related industries. There was extended conversation on highways, aviation and rail, but maritime issues important to the M.E.B.A. were addressed at the meeting. M.E.B.A. President Marshall Ainley and SecretaryTreasurer Bill Van Loo attended on behalf of the Union. “Working to ensure critical investments in our transportation system has always been one of TTD’s greatest strengths,” said Secretary Foxx. “At the Department of Transportation, we recognize our transportation union partners as essential allies in keeping workers safe and maintaining America’s competitiveness in the global economy.” “Washington, DC is too often defined by dysfunction and inaction,” said TTD President Edward Wytkind, following the roundtable. “Today’s dialogue with Secretary Foxx focused on how we can cooperate to break this cycle of gridlock and make meaningful progress on the transportation issues that confront the nation.” -3- FRC REPORT ACCEPTED The report presented by a member-chosen rank and file committee that reviewed the Union’s finances from the year 2014 was accepted in a vote this week at the M.E.B.A. Union halls. The six-person Financial Review Committee spent three days at M.E.B.A. Headquarters in April. Their findings were presented at the May membership meetings and put to a vote to either “accept” or “reject” the report. This year’s committee consisted of Brian Evjen (Houston Chairman), Scott Bell (Seattle - Recording Secretary), Gabriel Gillogly (Oakland), Vincent Quinones (NY/NJ) and Ray Rokicki (Norfolk). MOU COVERING NEW SEAKAY SPIRIT M.E.B.A. has agreed to terms With Keystone Shipping on a new Memorandum of Understanding covering the SEAKAY SPIRIT, a tanker recently brought into the U.S.-flag fleet. Expert M.E.B.A. engine and deck officers will be crewing up the vessel next month. The Suezmax tanker will operate between the East and Gulf Coasts making stops at oil refinery ports. The MOU will be sent to Union halls for review by members. It will be put before the membership for a ratification vote at the regular membership meetings in June. The company is still considering resumes from committed PIC-qualified steam engine and deck officers for this great opportunity. You can send them to Keystone’s Dave Schultze at [email protected]. FAST TRACK TO LOWER WAGES? Labor continues its opposition to legislation that would allow trade deals (like the Trans-Pacific Partnership) race closer to reality without the necessary debate to ensure worker protections. Fast Track legislation introduced in both House and Senate would establish a process that would help speed up trade deals toward a vote in Congress with no amendments and limited debate. Pres. Obama has been championing the effort with Republican support. So far, the legislation has drawn support from only a handful of Democrats which promises a tight vote on the respective House and Senate floors later this month. Labor has been pushing hard to stop the legislation in its tracks. They say that once legislators have the Fast Track ticket in their hands, they are free to agree to provisions that will send jobs overseas, reduce the bargaining power of workers, jeopardize health and safety regulations and give corporations more control over our economy and our trading partners' economies. “We say ‘no’ to Fast Track, we say ‘yes’ to fair trade,” declared Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). “We’re tired of the race to the bottom, we’re tired of an $11 trillion trade deficit in the United States.” M.E.B.A. DATABASE UPDATE Make sure to help update our database with your latest info. Fill out the form at a hall or online at http://mebaunion.org/update.pdf REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS Monday, June 8 – Boston@1200; Seattle@1300; Tuesday, June 9 – Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School@1430; Charleston@1400; Houston@1315; San Francisco (Oakland)@1230; Wednesday, June 10 – Jacksonville@1300; New Orleans@1315; Thursday, June 11 – New York (New Jersey)@1300; Norfolk@1430; Tampa@1300; Friday, June 8 – Honolulu@1100; L.A. (Wilmington)@1230. -----FINISHED WITH ENGINES----- -4-
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