Paul Hall, our union’s second president, had an all-consuming passion for helping Seafarers better themselves and improve their standard of living. He was so devoted to the membership and so completely committed to the SIU.
But, Paul’s enthusiasm for work wasn’t his only strength. In many ways, he was a visionary—and that never was more evident than in 1966, when the SIU acquired land in southern Maryland to consolidate its training efforts. A year later, the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship opened on that site.
Believe me, the early days of the school in Piney Point were no picnic. The property only contained old wooden military barracks, a two-story hotel and some piers.
Paul Hall saw far beyond the sparse accommodations. He believed that education was vital to members bettering themselves, and he understood the potential that existed at the school. In fact, back in the 1950s he led the union in implementing training and upgrading programs at halls in New York, Baltimore, Mobile, New Orleans and Houston. Piney Point represented the next logical step—a chance to not only offer training at a central location, but also to affiliate with a facility that could expand with the needs of the U.S. fleet.
If Paul were alive today, I’m positive he would be pleased—but not surprised—at the success of what is now known as the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. The school truly is world class, from the instructors and staff to the facilities and training equipment. It’s an absolutely comprehensive institution offering everything from entry-level training to license preparation to academic support and more. In short, it lives up to the hype.
The Paul Hall Center really is a successful partnership between labor and management. It is jointly administered by boards of trustees representing, respectively, the union and our contracted operators. They do a great job of keeping the school—and its students—at least one step ahead of the constantly changing needs in our industry.
On that note, I’d say it’s very fitting that the U.S. Department of Labor’s first-ever endorsement of an apprentice program for U.S. mariners arrived in time for Paul Hall’s birthday. When U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao sent the news last month, it marked another proud, historic moment for a school named after someone who always believed that SIU members were the best and deserved the best.
Like the school itself, the trainee program has grown from humble beginnings. Today, the curriculum is second to none—and the importance of the program is unsurpassed. That’s because the new people entering our industry are the future of the SIU.
And it’s going to be a bright future, thanks to the work of today’s Seafarers; thanks to your support of this administration; and thanks to the unrelenting and perceptive leadership of our late, great President Paul Hall. On August 18, when we observe what would have been Paul’s 89th birthday, I encourage all Seafarers to spend a quiet moment remembering him and what he did for our union.
Health Care Emergency
Last month, administrators from the health plans of the U.S. maritime unions met at SIU headquarters to begin investigating ways of working together to fight against the constantly increasing costs of health care. It was a positive meeting and it represented a good start as maritime labor pulls together during the national health care emergency. Other maritime unions have committed to take part in upcoming meetings as part of the group.
Across the country, the rising costs of medical coverage are hurting working families. It’s a complex issue, but there are a few basic truths that stand out. For starters, there are more than 41 million Americans who don’t have health coverage—and most of them live in households with working family members.
Also, according to various newspaper and magazine reports, as much as 20 percent of every dollar spent to carry health coverage represents the cost of caring for the uninsured. In other words, the people who have benefits pay for those who don’t.
Union members are feeling the effects of this crisis. More and more, health care has become a main issue in collective bargaining. In many cases, it is the focal point of negotiations. As anyone who has recently served on a bargaining committee knows, it becomes harder and harder with each contract to maintain good, affordable benefits.
The SIU has never been afraid of a fair fight, and we’re determined to make progress in this battle. At times, though, it seems as if America’s working families have our hands tied behind our backs in the struggle to secure and maintain decent, affordable health coverage.
We will be reporting more on this topic in the coming months. I hope that all SIU members will follow this issue.
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