SIU Answers the Call
We have all heard variations of the saying, if you can do what you say you can do, it’s not bragging. In that spirit, I begin this month’s message with heartfelt thanks and congratulations to our entire team for your response to last month’s turbo activations. You all did an extraordinary job, and you deserve accolades.
It is nothing new for SIU members, officials and staff to step up when needed. But this particular activation occurred at an especially challenging time. We all know about the manpower difficulties in the maritime industry. We’re not immune from them, and we’re working hard to meet those challenges.
What may not be as widely known is that this entire year has been loaded with long-term activations. Some of those ships went out for four or five months, and one went out for 10 months. On top of those operations, we’ve filled new jobs on the incoming ships in the new U.S. Tanker Security Program, and on some separate flag-ins.
Despite those circumstances, we powered through the no-notice turbo activation in basically two days, with support from all three coasts. The first call from the U.S. Maritime Administration came in on a Thursday afternoon, initially involving four ships. Three more vessels were added to the mission on Friday. By Saturday morning, we were down to needing to fill a dozen jobs, and by Saturday night, down to a single billet.
As with past activations, I’m aware that on some level, our response is simply a case of doing our jobs. But this one warrants a special shout-out to everyone involved, because of what I described earlier. We all know we’re a vital part of America’s fourth arm of defense, and we embraced the role for this activation. My hat is off to all of our SIU sisters and brothers. Congratulations on a job well done!
Conferences Roll On
Reporting good news never gets old, and on that note, I’m pleased to note that our initial wave of benefits conferences has gone quite well. If you’ve attended one of these gatherings, I’m confident you’ve found it worthwhile, and I appreciate you devoting the time. If your port is due to host a benefits conference, I strongly encourage you to be there. If you’re on a vessel at that time, please suggest that one or more of your dependents attends. Families are most welcome. We have a great array of benefits through the various Seafarers Plans, and it’s to your advantage to fully understand them. The Plans team constantly strives to refine and improve those offerings, and they also add new benefits from time to time.
I’ve enjoyed chatting with members, pensioners and their families at the first handful of benefits conferences, and I look forward to meeting or catching up with more of you in the months ahead. More importantly, these gatherings are packed with useful information that’ll help you get the most from your benefits.
Colorful Debut
If you happened to miss the prior edition of the LOG or otherwise didn’t see the announcement, welcome to our publication’s new look. It coincides with the SIU’s 85th anniversary and helps us keep up with the times by taking advantage of new printing technology. I’m excited about this change and I think you’ll agree it’s an improvement.
Meanwhile, be sure to check out our Labor Day coverage, specifically including recent polling data that shows overwhelming support for unions. Nothing comes easy for organized labor, and that’s okay – all we’ve ever asked for is a level playing field when it comes to protecting people’s legal right to choose union representation. But in the current climate, we’ve got a real opportunity to rebuild our ranks across many industries and across the country.
The SIU remains fully committed to doing our part.
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