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Great Promise for Maritime’s Future These are genuinely exciting and promising times for the American maritime industry, due in large part to the impending re-introduction of the SHIPS for America Act, along with a recently issued executive order aimed at boosting domestic shipbuilding while addressing shipboard manpower concerns. We got word right around press time…

Annual Maritime Sail-In Promotes Industry to Lawmakers SIU officials, members and staff eagerly participated in this year’s record-breaking Congressional Sail-In event, which took place on April 8. Over 140 members of the maritime industry met with Congressional members and their staffers and discussed the most pressing issues presently facing Seafarers. Participating from the SIU: President…

This year’s SIU group at the Maritime Congressional Sail-In featured a record number of rank-and-file Seafarers, including six bosuns and six stewards from the combined recertification class that wrapped up April 7. The quotes were collected subsequent to the Sail-In. Members were asked for their impressions of the event. Ryan Scott Recertified Bosun I enjoyed…

The union’s executive board has unanimously approved recent personnel recommendations from SIU President David Heindel to fill a handful of positions. These openings resulted (directly or indirectly) from rank-and-file membership approval of constitutional amendments that were part of the most recent SIU election. Pat Vandegrift and Hazel Galbiso are the union’s newest vice presidents, while…

U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) on April 1 joined together to introduce the Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at restoring collective bargaining rights for unionized federal employees. The legislation would reverse the executive order titled “Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs,” which aimed to eliminate collective bargaining rights across…

‘Something Different’ Becomes Worthwhile Second Career for MacDonald SIU member Diane MacDonald enjoys some time ashore in Japan. Editor’s note: This article by SIU member Diane MacDonald is the first in an occasional series spotlighting female mariners. Our aim is to increase awareness about maritime career opportunities, and in particular to underscore the fact that…

As a show of solidarity and support for the SIU’s own population of our sister Seafarers as well as those across the globe, union representatives attended a group Zoom call hosted by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) on March 7, preceding International Women’s Day (March 8). They discussed the state of affairs for seafaring…

Twelve SIU members recently completed a combined recertification class at the union-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland – and they had plenty of good things to say about their career choice. Six bosuns and six stewards graduated April 7, following two weeks of blended and department- specific training. They met with a number of instructors,…

Ashton Luuloa-Apprentice Seafarer Editor’s note: Rafael Alvarez recently crossed the North Atlantic on the Maersk Ohio as a correspondent for the Seafarers LOG, and filed this story. The son of a lifetime SIU member who sailed as chief engineer, Alvarez has been a working reporter for nearly 50 years. In his younger days he sailed…