Heard @ Headquarters 2003 Archive

DOL inducts Paul Hall into Hall of Fame (10/1)

The U.S. Department of Labor on Oct. 1 inducted the late SIU President Paul Hall into its Hall of Fame.

The Department issued a news release after the ceremony. It is available HERE

SIU President Michael Sacco addressed the audience of approximately 200 people, which included past and present SIU officials and students from the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education.

“Today, we honor the memory of a man who was totally committed to the rank-and-file Seafarer,” Sacco stated. “I think it’s worth noting that through his unwavering support of the U.S. Merchant Marine, he also was dedicated to the national and economic security of the United States. Not only that, he was also a great champion of many, many other workers throughout the trade union movement.”

Full coverage of the ceremony will be published in the November issue of the Seafarers LOG.

The U.S. Maritime Administration has issued a news release concerning two SIU-crewed Ready Reserve Force vessels.

The release begins, “U.S. Maritime Administrator Capt. William Schubert today announced that two RRF ships successfully completed readiness activation exercises. The two activated ships were the SS Flickertail State and the SS Cornhusker State, both berthed in Newport News, VA.

The entire release is available HERE

The current agreement between the SIU and Seabulk Tankers has been extended to Oct. 31, 2003. Negotiations on a new contract are continuing.

The International Maritime Organization issued a press release concerning World Maritime Day.

"Today (25th September 2003) marks the celebration of World Maritime Day, the annual event which is used around the world to focus attention on the global importance of the maritime industries to world trade and to emphasize in particular IMO's work to promote safety and security in shipping and to help protect the marine environment," the release begins.

It continues, "Addressing the international maritime community in his World Maritime Day message, IMO Secretary-General William O'Neil recognized the considerable efforts that have been made, and continue to be made, to ensure that ship operations today are as safe, secure and environmentally friendly as they can be and, more particularly, on the many people who work tirelessly and diligently to achieve these objectives."

The full release is available HERE

The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) staged a half-dozen rallies and also launched television and radio ads this month urging President Bush to keep his commitment to workers and the steel industry by maintaining tariffs that have benefited the industry since last year.

Seafarers participated in the USWA’s rally Sept. 23 in Washington, D.C. Three days earlier, the Steelworkers conducted demonstrations in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota and Alabama.

The tariffs are supposed to run through 2005, but the International Trade Commission’s mid-session review (due late this month) may recommend an earlier end to the program. USWA President Leo Gerard said the program has led to billions of dollars in new investments, productivity gains and innovative labor- management partnerships that have brought new health to the industry.

In recent years, steel has battled unfair foreign competition that has cost more than 50,000 jobs, forced dozens of steel firms into bankruptcy and cost 200,000 retirees their health care coverage.

“Our message to the Bush administration is clear,” said Gerard. “Our union and the integrated steel companies have kept our pledge to streamline the industry. We’ve negotiated breakthrough agreements to make that consolidation possible. Now the president needs to stand his ground against the unfounded claims of our foreign competitors and hold to his original commitment by keeping the steel tariffs in place until 2005.”