'> Story Page 3 Committee Report Pages 15-18

^Te«Ercar=ar.-.u:oiea5y4 January SEAFARERS*LOG 1970 T OFFICIAt ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES ANO INLAND WATERS DISTRICT . AFL-CIO \ AMENDED SlU CONSTITUTIDN I APPROVED BY WIDE MARGIN ,'> Story Page 3 Committee Report Pages 15-18 Page Two SEAFARERS LOG January, 1970 Nixon Sends New Morltime Program to Congress Aims to Revitalize U.S. Fleet; Mood on Capitol Hill Is Hopeful President Richard M. Nixon has sent to Capitol Hill his long-awaited leg islative proposals for the overhaul of the U.S.-flag merchant marine—setting the stage for Congressional action in 19 /0 to restore vitality to the lagging American shipping and shipbuilding industries. With this action, Mr. Nixon became the first American President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt to come forward with a positive program for development of the nation's maritime potential. It was during FDR's tenure that the present merchant marine legislation was placed on the statute books. The Administration's detailed plan for revising and updating the Mer chant Marine Act of 1936 followed, by two months, a special message to the Congress in which the President had called for "a new era in the mari time history of America, an era in which our shipbuilding and ship operating industries take their place once again among the vigorous, competitive in dustries of this nation." The major thrust of the Nixon proposal would be to broaden the nation's maritime program beyond the liner trade making its benefits available to the bulk trades, as well. Since 1936, the sole beneficiaries of direct federal as sistance have been 14 selected berth-line operators—despite the fact that, today, bulk trade accounts for 85 percent of America's exports and imports. President Nixon studies pn^sed maritime program at his desk in the White House. Includes Construction, Operating Subsidies on all phases of maritime in order to "build a sharper record" on the question Under the Nixon program, subsidies would be extended for construction of maritime legislation. and operation of bulk carriers, as well as for liners—a breakthrough long Declared Garmatz: sought by the SIUNA in its fight to preserve and enlarge job opportunities "I think we run the risk of doing half a job—^when a whole job is needed for Seafaf'ers. to sustain and strengthen our maritime industry—if we consider only the At the same time, the President called for extension to the bulk-cargo proposals suggested to us by the President. Whether or not we enact leg segment of the industry the same right to put money aside in tax-deferred islation in all these areas will depend on need, resources and judgment on the construction reserve funds enjoyed for decades by the 14 subsidized liner alternatives presented. companies. This, too, has been at the heart of the SIUNA drive for mari "But we must, in my opinion, consider such problems as passenger ship time revival, since it would provide a channel for long-sought private invest operations; the need of domestic operators, as in the Great Lakes, for tax- ment to modernize and expand the American fleet. deferred benefits for ship construction; and strengthening of our cargo pref The Nixon measure also calls for direct subsidization of the shipbuilding erence programs as an alternative to extension of operating subsidy for dry industry, instead of funneling construction differential subsidies through the bulk cargo carriers. Legislation in these areas has already been introduced shipping line. This procedure, the Administration declared, would make in this Congress and referred to this Committee for action." possible the block-building of cargo vessels, leading ultimately to reductions A similar view was expressed by Rep. Joseph E. Karth (D-Minn.), at an in shipbuilding costs—making American shipyards more competitive with AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department luncheon. His concern, he said, was their foreign counterparts. over the fact that the Administration bill was "silent" on a number of "cru The President's proposals were greeted with general enthusiasm on Cap cial" points. Among them: itol Hill, where for years attempts to rewrite the nation's maritime laws have • How to achieve Nixon's goal, enunciated in the 1968 campaign, to been frustrated by lack of White House support for meaningful reform. increase U.S.-flag carriage of imports and exports from the present 5 percent One measure of the attitude of the Congress, and the bipartisan approach level to 30 percent by the mid-1970's. which has been the hallmark of maritime legislation, was the fact that the • How to improve U.S.-flag carriage of government-sponsored cargoes, Republican Administration's bill was introduced formally by two Democrats and how to overcome the present situation under which "the American share —Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Warren G. Magnuson (Wash.) goes unequally to the subsidized lines." and House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward A. Garmatz (Md.) • How to solve the present plight of American-flag shipping on the Great Lakes, which is just as much under the gun of foreign competition as is the With the introduction of the legislation, the focus now shifts to the 91st deep-sea fleet. Congress, where other measures dealing with maritime affairs have been held in abeyance for more than a year, pending White House recommendations. Karth put particular stress on the cargo issue, declaring: "Without cargoes, we'll wind up building ships that go directly from the shipyards to the bone yards." Some Reservations Expressed Expressions of concern came, as well, from President Nixon's own politi But while the response in Congress was generally favorable, there were cal party. Rep. Howard W. Pollock (R-Alaska), also speaking to an MTD some reservations being expressed as to the scope of the program it envisions. luncheon, expressed concern that the fishing industry had been ignored in the Just prior to introduction of the Administration bill, for example. Con legislation. gressman Garmatz announced the scheduling of a series of separate hearings '^Definitive National Program'* Needed "The decline of the U.S. fishing fleet has been just as severe as the decline of our deep-sea cargo fleet," the Alaska Republican said. "Our neglect of the fisheries and the living resources of the sea has been just as wrong as our neglect of our shipping and shipbuilding capabilities." Pollock's proposed solution: A "definitive national program" covering "the entire area involved with the seas around us," coupled with a "national budget" for the full and coordinated development of the total maritime po tential—shipping, shipbuilding, fishing and oceanography. But despite the reservations about the Nixon bill, and despite the fact that other legislation already introduced conflicts with the Administration pro posals in several areas, the mood on Capitol Hill at this point appears to be generally hopeful. Congress and the Administration may disagree on meth ods and approach but, for the first time in decades, both appear dedicated Rep. Edward A. Garmatz Rep. Joseph E. Karth Rep. Howard W. Pollock to the same goal: The revitalization of America's merchant marine. ! ! Jmnnary, 1970 SEAFARERS LOG Page Three 4 i Union Tallying Committee Reports I ¥ Members Vote Approval of Amended SlU Constitution By a Wide Margin Members of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District have voted over whelmingly in a secret referendum to adopt the proposed amendments to the constitution, marking the first time in almost 10 years that significant changes have been made in the Union's constitution. Results of the balloting mittee report covers all of the of paying dues make no over- f . were announced in the report details of the conduct of the all change in the amount of of the elected six-member balloting procedures. dues paid annually by the rank and file Union Tallying Among areas in which' the membership, Committee. The Committee members voted to amend (Headquarters calls to the reported membership accept AGLIWD constitution were attention of the membership Gil Borge, who came all the way up through the shaft alley—thanks ance of the proposed constitu those dealing with qualifica- that dues or assessments that to the SlU-MEBA District 2 upgrading programs—proudly displays tional changes by a wide mar tion for membership in the had already been paid for the his new Chief Engineer's license as he receives the congratulations gin. Union, and those covering year 1970, or thereafter, will of SIU Vice President Earl Shepard. It was a proud moment for both. In its report, the Committee dues, initiations and assess be credited to coincide with ments. None of the changes the terms of the amended Seafarer Climbs to the Top pointed out that under the terms of the constitution, the have any bearing on job rights constitution.) proposed amendments to the of Seafarers. The Union Tallying Com Borge Makes Chief Engineer constitution became effective These job rights are pre- mittee's report indicated that Jan. 1, 1970, as called for in served within the rules as part the financial propositions, as the constitutional amendment. of the contract between the well as the amended constitu- Through SlU-MCBA School (The full text of the Union Union and the shipowners, tion, itself, carried oyer- t Nearly 400 Seafarers have a licensed rating. Sigwart Niel Tallying Committee report is The constitutional changes whelmingly in the balloting, upgraded themselves as licensed sen was 63 and had more than deal only with Union rights. Serving on the Committee t published on pages 15 through members of the engine depart 20 years of sailing time with 18 of this issue of the Sea In voting for the constitu- Edward Polise, chair- ment through the training pro the SIU behind him, when he farers' Log.) tional changes, the member- man, Book No.

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