Life for the 10 people who staff the manpower department at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education recently has been anything but monotonous. 
Over the last several months, the Piney Point, Md.-based team of specialists has worked virtually around the clock seven days per week in response to the recent wave of vessel activations by the U.S. Maritime Administration. Agents, patrolmen and staff members at the various SIU ports around the nation likewise have been working extended hours due to the activations.
“Our job is to monitor the shipping and registration of all vessels under contract to the Seafarers International Union,” said Bart Rogers, manpower director. “We ensure that all SIU-contracted vessels are crewed in a timely and efficient fashion.”
He added that the manpower office also monitors the number of people who are registered on the beach and maintains crew lists as well as “skill tables” on mariners so that individuals with specific endorsements easily can be matched to particular requests from various SIU-contracted companies.
“Since the activations commenced, we’ve been working an average 16 to 17 hours every day, seven days per week to keep pace with the demand for manpower,” Rogers continued. “Our people at the hiring halls have been on the same type of schedule because they are the ones who actually have been filling the jobs. The long hours worked at both levels ensure that we are able to stay on top of all manpower requests and that the open jobs do not get out of hand.”
In January, the manpower office processed about 2,000 jobs—a sharp increase from the normal number.
As of press time for the Seafarers LOG, Rogers and his staff (Bonnie Johnson, Carol Johnson, Leo Bonser, Sal Aquia, Pat Vandergrift, Sylvia Texeira, Janice Geisz, Ginger Bagwell and Giselle Viohl) this year had crewed well over 100 vessels—50-plus in response to the activations, the rest as part of normal operations.
“I’m proud of the job that the staff and the people at the various ports are doing,” Rogers shared. “But the real credit goes to the mariners who—in keeping with the Seafarers’ proud tradition of service—are stepping up without hesitation to answer their country’s call to duty.”
Added Gene Albert, director of labor relations for SIU-contracted Marine Transport Lines, “Since January 17, MTL has activated 12 vessels—soon to be 14. The crew at manpower has done a wonderful job during this time. I really appreciate the commitment and dedication they have shown during our country’s calling of Operation Enduring Freedom.”
Printer Friendly Page