Viewed as a stand-alone event, the Pride of America christening last month in New York was a great success.Everything about not only the ceremony but really the entire day aboard NCL America’s newest Seafarers-contracted cruise ship was first class.
In the bigger picture, the christening went far beyond a simple public relations success. For those of us who make our living in this industry—for those of us who’ve fought tooth and nail to help revitalize the U.S. Merchant Marine—the official launch of the Pride of America symbolizes much more than one new ship. It represents continued hope for the future. It signifies a huge victory for supporters of the U.S.-flag fleet. It reinforces what I’ve said all along: Namely, that the opportunities are virtually limitless for the American-flag deep sea cruise ship industry.
Of course, I’m not overlooking the immediate practical gains for our union. Like NCL America’s first ship—the Pride of Aloha, launched last year—the Pride of America means hundreds of new jobs for Seafarers. Also like the first ship, the newer vessel is solid proof that SPAD (our union’s voluntary political action fund) helps the SIU have a voice on Capitol Hill, where much of our industry’s fate is determined. Ultimately, that’s what the SIU is all about: securing and maintaining good jobs for the membership.
Still, last month’s christening at Pier 88 seemed especially moving. Seeing a U.S.-flag cruise ship in New York reminded me of my early days as a mariner. Glancing at the New York City skyline, I thought back to the tragedies of September 11, and how the city has recovered and moved forward, even while always remembering the victims and heroes from that day. The same is true of our entire nation.
Along those lines, there’s a saying that for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. The attacks of September 11 put a temporary end to the deep sea U.S.-flag cruise industry. Some said we’d never bounce back. But we refused to stay down. We did bounce back. We found a terrific partner in NCL America. We lobbied with pro-maritime members of Congress from both parties and the administration and other allies to get the Stars and Stripes flying again in this segment of our industry.
It worked. The Pride of America, Pride of Aloha and the ship due next year, the Pride of Hawaii, are one component of the equal and opposite reaction to the attacks on our country. They are floating testimonials to the American spirit. So are the SIU-crewed Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen—world-class riverboats that also found renewed life in the wake of September 11.
I congratulate every Seafarer who has sailed aboard either of NCL America’s first two ships. You’re part of history—part of what will turn out as one of the greatest chapters in the story of the SIU. And I know you’ll keep up the great work.
Congratulations also to NCL America for sticking with your commitment to make these vessels a reality. As I said at the christening, it’s true that we sailed over some rough seas at the beginning—but only for a relatively brief time. “Growing pains” were inevitable, as we all learned many years ago when the SS Independence and SS Constitution came home. Equally certain is the long-range success of every SIU-crewed ship in your fleet.
More on Health Care
I am no less confident in America’s capability to solve the health care crisis—but it’s becoming more and more clear that something must be done right away to address this mess.
Without bogging down in statistics, did you know that since the year 2000, the average cost of health care premiums for families in the U.S. has gone up by about 60 percent? Think about that for a moment. A 60 percent increase!
Fortunately, even with the recent adjustments announced by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan, SIU members have it better than most. For example, roughly 90 percent of the people in this country who have family medical insurance pay some or all of their premiums. In other words, they have to pay just to maintain the coverage—on average about $2,600 per year. SHBP participants don’t have to pay to carry their coverage.
Nationwide, the biggest problem of all—economically and morally —may be the number of uninsured Americans. More than 45 million have no coverage whatsoever, and that figure grows by thousands each and every day. A new report states that on average, an individual with insurance pays about $900 extra each year in premiums to cover the cost of providing treatment for the uninsured.
Enough is enough. It’s time for real solutions, and the SIU will continue making this a top priority, particularly through our affiliation with the AFL-CIO.
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