Many Gains in 2007By the time most Seafarers read this article, the New Year will have arrived, undoubtedly bringing with it the usual assortment of resolutions and personal goals for the next 12 months. It goes without saying that I wish all the best to our members and retirees and their families in 2008 and the years that follow.
Professionally, this is the time of year when most organizations take stock of their activities from the previous 12 months, as well as look ahead. For the SIU, while we’re a multi-faceted union, our first measure of success is protecting members’ job security and gaining new shipboard employment opportunities for the present and future. On that front, I’m happy to report good news in 2007.
Among other gains, we saw significant progress in the new tanker construction projects in Philadelphia and San Diego. We welcomed new work in the Government Services Division, including aboard ammunition ships. We climbed the gangways when new tonnage arrived in the private sector, whether the ships were replacement vessels or outright additions. This was true not only in the deep-sea fleet but also the coastal and inland trades, where our members gained employment on new, state-of-the-art ATBs and tugs.
If you’ve read the LOG or attended membership meetings during the past year, you know that Seafarers continued delivering the goods in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Those stories may almost seem routine by now, but if so, that’s a credit to the men and women of the SIU who have been so reliable from the first moments of OIF and OEF. My hat is off to them, and I also appreciate the numerous military officers and government representatives who’ve gone out of their way to publicly acknowledge the fine work of Seafarers around the world.
Similarly, it was hard to miss the fact that the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education last year celebrated its 40th anniversary. Without trying to recap all of the history in this limited space, I must say the school remains a source of pride and a true leader in the maritime industry. I’m sure that its namesake, the SIU’s second president, is looking down at the Piney Point campus, nodding in approval – and probably chomping down on a cigar, too.
As mentioned, not all of our activities are specific to maritime. We are part of not only the overall labor movement, both domestically and internationally, but also members of our communities as a whole. That’s why we continue working closely with the International Transport Workers’ Federation and its other affiliates. It’s why we continue throwing our efforts behind grassroots activities that will benefit not only Seafarers but all working families. In particular, we will not give up the fight for affordable health care for every American. And, we will not be discouraged at temporary setbacks involving the Employee Free Choice Act – badly needed legislation that would restore fairness to the process of workers’ choosing whether or not to form a union.
This is just a sampling of what we accomplished in 2007 and what we’re still working on as the calendar turns to 2008. I remain confident in our future, grateful for your support, and enthusiastic about promoting our membership at every opportunity.
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