Seafarers Log
Excellent Opportunities Although the global COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, there’s a lot of discussion about what various workplaces will look like when it’s finally, fully behind us. Employers and employees alike have seen the benefits of telework – and, if they’re being honest, they’ve seen the drawbacks, too. I’m sure…
Seafarers Log
Two legislators with long, steady histories of backing the United States maritime industry were honored recently in the nation’s capital. The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, on June 17 presented U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) and U.S. Rep. John…
Seafarers Log
The SIU in late June won an arbitration decision that is expected to result in thousands of dollars’ worth of overtime being paid to eligible Seafarers employed by Crowley Maritime and its subsidiaries. New York-based arbitrator Jay Nadelbach on June 25 sided with the union in its efforts to secure…
Seafarers Log
Worldwide progress against the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, but the union recently got some unwelcome reminders that it’s definitely not finished. Six Seafarers from the Maersk Montana, four from the Millville (Keystone) and three from the USNS Curtiss (Crowley) tested positive for the novel coronavirus while aboard the respective vessels…
Seafarers Log
Seafarers could be forgiven for wondering if there’s a calendar somewhere that lists 2021 as the year of the contract. Three more SIU agreements recently were ratified, on top of a half-dozen that were finalized earlier in the year – and more are on the way. The most recent pacts…
Seafarers Log
David J. Tolan, a longtime Sea-Land executive who helped modernize the American maritime industry, died July 6 in Cary, North Carolina. He was 88. A former mariner, Tolan came ashore in 1957 to work for Alcoa Steamship Co., and became an industry stalwart for decades. His tenure included serving as…
Seafarers Log
The head of America’s largest labor federation recently said it’s time to enact pro-worker legislation that would reshape the country for the better. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, a longtime friend of the SIU, spoke June 29 during an online meeting organized by Jobs With Justice, a workers’ rights organization. He…
Seafarers Log
In early May, the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) announced it was partnering with the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) to solicit articles on strategic sealift. These articles were posted online during what was dubbed “Strategic Sealift Week” in late June, and included insights from eight different subject matter…
Seafarers Log
As announced during the July membership meetings, the Seafarers Appeals Board (SAB) recently took action that extends the maximum tour of duty for A- and B-seniority Seafarers above entry ratings. This step was taken due to ongoing effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Full text of the new regulation follows.…
Seafarers Log
A pair of SIU-crewed vessels, the USNS Bob Hope and USNS Yuma, played key roles in the recently completed Defender-Europe 21, an annual, large-scale U.S. Army Europe and Africa-led, multinational, joint exercise. Conducted from March through June, Defender-Europe 21 was designed to build strategic and operational readiness and interoperability between…