Reprinted from past issues of the Seafarers LOG1945
In a move to appease calls for increased wages for stewards aboard Liberty and Victory ships converted to troop carriers, the War Labor Board granted a nominal wage increase to some of the ratings in the steward classification. In a hearing with the WLB, Seafarers International Union representatives described working and living conditions for stewards and the fact that the WLB’s increase did nothing to raise wages to a fair and “livable” wage.
After months of considerable discussions on SIU’s part, wages were increased an average of $12.50 a month and raises were made retroactive three months prior to this final agreement. By 1945 standards, this was a considerable increase that helped raise the standard of living for stewards.
1958
A federal court judge refused to issue an injunction against SIU demonstrations against American owners of “runaway” tonnage. The action opened the doors for SIU to call for action of the National Labor Relations Board.
Runaways are vessels flying foreign flags that were actually owned by American companies. According to the LOG, “Up until now, the runaways have been able to evade jurisdiction of U.S. labor law by claiming that they were actually foreign businesses. It is the opinion in the industry that the runaway operators would be very reluctant to go near the NLRB for the simple fact that it would acknowledge that they are essentially American businesses. In turn, that would mean their crews could be organized by the SIU and other maritime unions.”
1976
A Washington, D.C., research organization, the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, has just published an in-depth study of the nation’s transportation system, concluding that the private transportation sector can meet most, if not all, of the needs of DOD at a significant savings, and without impairing overall defense readiness. The study maintains that “the United States can no longer maintain parallel military transportation capabilities when the private sector can do the job.”
1995
Representatives of Congress, American maritime labor, U.S. flag carriers, domestic shipyards and pro-national defense coalitions reaffirmed their total support of the nation’s cabotage laws when they introduced the formation of a group to keep the Jones Act and other cabotage laws in place.
“The basic need for enacting the Jones Act— namely, national and economic security—is as valid today as it was 75 years ago,” said SIU President Michael Sacco in a meeting with members of Congress and industry representatives. “Simply put, this law has worked!”
Sacco noted that because of the Jones Act, “120,000 American citizens—employed on the domestic waterways of the United States, in domestic shipyards, and in related industries —are able to earn a decent living.”
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