We are barely a third of the way through 2006 and already it has been a great year for the SIU.Near the end of April, there was a lot of excitement at SIU headquarters and at our affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education as members, officials and employees anticipated the arrival in Baltimore of NCL America’s newest cruise ship, the Pride of Hawaii. This is the third SIU-crewed ship we have welcomed into NCL America’s fleet since 2004, and needless to say, it doesn’t get old.
The Pride of Hawaii is a big headline-grabber, but it’s not the only recent story signifying new and future jobs for Seafarers. This year alone we have crewed up a new ATB on the Gulf Coast and applauded the announcement of an order to build a ninth T-AKE ship that will be crewed by members of the SIU Government Services Division. We’ve kept an eye on the ongoing construction in Philadelphia where new tankers are being built, and on the West Coast where the fourth Alaska-class tanker and another Government Services ship are being completed.
In case you missed it in last month’s LOG or at the April membership meetings, during the recent conference of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department executive board, Captain Robert Johnston, senior vice president of SIU-contracted Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), announced that his company is primed to invest in 17 new U.S.-flag ships for the Jones Act trades. Brothers and sisters, that is news that’s worth reporting at least twice!
Around that same time, SIU-contracted Horizon Lines announced an agreement to charter five new American-flag ships beginning early next year.
We’ve made progress this year in other areas, too. On the West Coast, work is being done to help us move from our old hall in San Francisco to a better facility in nearby Oakland. This isn’t a new trend: Since 1988 we have opened or relocated to new halls in Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Ft. Lauderdale, New Orleans, Anchorage, Joliet, Tacoma and Guam. We have refurbished several of our other halls.
I’m very proud of the recognition Seafarers have received this year for their efforts assisting hurricane relief missions along the Gulf Coast. Once again, the SIU delivered when called upon. Even though the rebuilding process in the Gulf of course is far from finished, it was fitting that our members and other mariners were acknowledged for pitching in during the critical earliest stages.
Those are just some of the highlights from the first four months of this year. We have plenty more to look forward to—and plenty of challenges to meet.
No challenge—or responsibility—may be more important than our grassroots participation leading up to Election Day in November. This year, the entire U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the U.S. Senate are up for election. There are a number of state and local elections as well, including those for about three-dozen state governors.
It’s no exaggeration to say that most Seafarers understand the great impact that politics has on our livelihoods. SIU members know that our industry was heavily regulated long before September 11 and before the unrelated, amended STCW convention. Since then, you could say, we have to jump through a few more hoops before climbing the gangway.
Seafarers also understand that our political efforts never end. There is regular turnover at every level of government. With those changes comes the need to educate newly elected representatives about the tremendous importance of the U.S. Merchant Marine. Of course, it’s also necessary from time to time to remind even the most seasoned legislators about our role in boosting America’s national and economic security. That’s true not just during election years.
Once again, I appreciate SIU members’ support of the voluntary fund known as the Seafarers Political Action Donation. SPAD is nothing short of essential in helping deliver the right message to the right people.
At the same time, SPAD isn’t the only way that members can pitch in to help elect pro-maritime representatives. That’s why I’m confident that you will answer the call when your local SIU representatives ask for your time to assist in grassroots campaigning between now and November 7.
The greater the success we have in politics, the more good news we’ll report each month.
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