Seafarers Log
July 2016 SIU President Michael Sacco says recent wins in Congress for the Jones Act and MSP underscore why the union remains politically active Two recent victories for our industry in the U.S. House of Representatives firmly underscored why the SIU has always been politically active and must remain so.…
Seafarers Log
July 2016 Given the regular turnover on Capitol Hill as well as ongoing attacks against U.S.-flag shipping, the importance of the annual Maritime Industry Congressional Sail-In arguably has never been greater. With that in mind, SIU officials and industry allies were quite motivated and enthused to deliver pro-maritime messages throughout…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 Editor's Note: The event's Facebook page can be viewed here. For photos from the event, visit our Gallery here. The 4th Annual Seafarers Waterfront Classic was another overwhelming success, according to organizers as well as anglers who participated in the annual outing. Held April 26 at the SIU-affiliated…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 For AB Sean Wilson, devoting time, money and personal supportiveness to help impoverished kids is as much a part of life as going to sea. One of his bigger outreach projects took place early this year, when Wilson and other volunteers teamed up to donate school supplies and…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 Experts from many segments of the maritime industry recently convened on the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC), which played host this year to the annual PHC Advisory Board meeting. Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Maritime Administration, Comprehensive Health Services (CHS),…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 By overwhelming majorities, SIU members employed by Crescent Towing recently approved new, three-year contracts calling for wage increases while maintaining benefits and securing other gains. One of the contracts covers SIU boatmen based in New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia, while the other applies to Seafarers located in Mobile,…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 SIU-contracted Crowley Maritime Corporation recently christened the third of four new product tankers at the Julia Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans. The vessel, named the Louisiana, will join two sister ships, Texas and Ohio, in the Jones Act trade, and will carry a crew of SIU mariners.…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 Newly Recertified Steward Antonio Mendez Cruz knows first-hand that even the most challenging obstacles can be overcome, provided the proper mix of humility and perseverance is employed in one’s undertakings. His SIU career to date provides evidence that such a proposition not only has merit, but also oftentimes…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 Anyone doubting the capabilities of U.S. shipbuilders hasn’t paid attention to General Dynamics NASSCO lately. The San Diego shipyard – a union facility – recently hosted christenings for two state-ofthe- art, SIU-contracted, Jones Act tankers: the Garden State and the Magnolia State, respectively. The vessels are part of…
Seafarers Log
June 2016 SIU President Michael Sacco discusses this year’s Seafarers Waterfront Classic, plus the importance of grassroots action For the fourth straight year, the SIU and our affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland, were proud to host the Seafarers Waterfront Classic, benefiting both the Wounded Warrior Anglers of America and…