February 2020 Official Voice of the International Organization of from the President State of the Union: 2020
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Vol. 56, No.1 Jan. | Feb. 2020 Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots 88th MM&P Convention Call 2020 Constitutional Convention Call Notice of Election Table of Contents The Master, Mate & Pilot is the Vol. 56, No. 1 January | February 2020 official voice of the International Organization of From the President State of the Union: 2020. 1 Masters, Mates & Pilots. © 2020 IOMMP. News Briefs 3 Alaska study shows privatization “not feasible” for most ferry The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN 0025-5033) is published bimonthly routes; crews of Maersk Columbus, Maersk Kinloss and USNS Salvor by the International Organization commended for rescue operations; three mariners bid farewell to a of Masters, Mates & Pilots. MM&P Headquarters: 700 Maritime Blvd., ship and to life at sea; Maritime Labor Alliance opposes waterfront Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD ballpark in Oakland; 88th MM&P Convention Call; 2020 Constitutional 21090-1953. Phone: (410) 850-8700 Convention Call. E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bridgedeck.org Washington Observer 15 Periodicals Postage Paid at MM&P ended 2019 and heads into 2020 having made extremely Elkridge, MD and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send significant progress on many of our most important issues. address changes to The Master, Mate & Pilot, 700 Maritime MM&P Health & Benefit Plans 17 Blvd., Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953 Trustees meetings; Medicare Part D update; vision care benefit. Don Marcus Chairman, Editorial Board News From MITAGS 19 Lisa Rosenthal MCC wins hospitality industry awards; MM&P members put Med-Pic Communications Director skills to work; photos of participants in Advanced Shiphandling and INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Basic Watchkeeping courses. Don Marcus, President Don Josberger, Secretary-Treasurer Feature “Doubt Signal,” by Jerry Hasselbach. 20 VICE PRESIDENTS Thomas Bell, Great Lakes & Gulf Notice of Election 22 Stephen H. Doherty, Atlantic Maritime Thomas Larkin, Offshore Atlantic Holiday Party Photos 26 Klaus Luhta, Offshore Gulf & Government Affairs MM&P Pensioners 31 George A. Quick, Pilots Randall H. Rockwood, Federal MM&P Directory 32 Employees Timothy Saffle, Pacific Maritime Region Cross’d the Final Bar 35 Lars Turner, Offshore Pacific Thank You Contributors to the MM&P PCF! 37 Vol. 56, No.1 Jan. | Feb. 2020 Connect With Us! About the Cover Official Voice of the International [email protected] Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Members of MM&P’s Panama affiliate, UCOC, protest in front of the Panama Bridgedeck.org Canal Administration building in Facebook.com/IOMMP December. UCOC members are sometimes required to work shifts of YouTube: MastersMatesPilots more than 30 hours without a break. Instagram: bridgedeck 88th MM&P Convention Call Twitter: @MMP_Union 2020 Constitutional Convention Call Notice of Election FROM THE PRESIDENT State of the Union: 2020 Union Sisters and Brothers, UCOC has been struggling to achieve these goals since the expansion The New Year is upon us with little rest from the many challenges of the Canal. It is hoped that a new of 2019. The Holiday Season was greatly dampened by the tragic administration at the Canal will loss of Sandy Hook and MM&P Pilot Dennis Sherwood in the recognize the value of human resources early morning of December 30, 2019 while embarking the in their quest for higher profits. We MV Maersk Kensington as it approached New York Harbor. are working with UCOC, the ITF and The loss of highly accomplished and universally respected the Nautilus Federation to make this Captain Sherwood, at age 63 – just before his impending happen. retirement– is a tragedy that once again brings to the forefront On our own shores, much the same the enduring question of pilot ladder safety. His visitation and struggle goes on with several of our memorial services in Freehold, NJ brought scores of family, own employers and one State government, the State of Alaska. friends and mariners together from throughout the East Coast. Later this month, along with other members of the Maritime His loss was particularly hard for our MM&P community. Not Labor Alliance, MM&P will be conducting a rally at the Alaska only was Captain Sherwood a member of our organization, but state capitol in Juneau and lobbying the legislature to restore critical our members also served aboard the MV Maersk Kensington and funding to the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). As this operated the Sandy Hook pilot boat when the loss occurred. is being written, only one out of ten AMHS ferries is in service The inherent dangers of our chosen profession and the need to and the future of the ferry system is in doubt. Thousands of coastal constantly work to improve safety could not be more closely Alaskans are being abandoned by a callous and short-sighted brought home. MM&P is working in conjunction with governor who is trying, unsuccessfully, to fulfill campaign promises the International Marine Pilots’ Association (IMPA) at the by gutting or destroying public services – including health care International Maritime Organization (IMO) and elsewhere to and education as well as the ferry service. Some 35 communities see that there are increased measures of safety in pilot ladder depend on what until recently was a first-class ferry service for arrangements. their economic and social cohesion. Maritime labor and the coastal It is with the aim of increasing mariner input into international communities of Alaska are fighting this travesty. Please take a look regulatory matters that our General Executive Board recently voted and contribute to Friends of the Alaska Marine Highway System to bring MM&P into association membership in the International https://www.friendsofamhs.org/. Federation of Shipmasters Associations (IFSMA). Like IMPA and From Juneau with AMHS, to San Juan, Puerto Rico with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), IFSMA McAllister Towing and back to the West Coast with The Pasha has an accredited voice at the IMO. It is essential that the voice of Group – and elsewhere, MM&P is engaged in a full-time battle professional mariners is heard when maritime regulations are being to protect our jobs, working conditions and legal rights. Those developed by the IMO in London. It is towards this end and to legal rights, when it comes to enforcing workers’ rights and complement our longstanding and effective efforts through the ITF safety regulations are increasingly under siege. The National that we have joined and will be supporting the regulatory efforts of Labor Relations Board has abdicated its duties and is now under IFSMA. the charge of an individual who is philosophically opposed to As we are engaged on the regulatory side, the industrial side of the mission of the agency. Due process for workers and labor our profession is no less essential. We are not alone. On the cover organizations is being lost in a haze of legal expense, delay and of this magazine is a picture of our brothers and sisters of Union de outright malfeasance. “Justice delayed is justice denied” and delay Capitanes y Oficiales de Cubierta de Panama(UCOC). Our affiliate is the watchword for recalcitrant employers as well as officials in UCOC (Captains and Deck Officers Union of Panama) have been government and the courts who have anti-worker agendas. seeking what all unions must have from their employers: • Due process for their membership. • Safe working conditions and compliance with recognized continued on page 2 hours of work and rest. • Good faith collective bargaining. www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 1 President’s Message continued For this combat we need resources. Human resources in the form officials in all membership groups – have acted to reduce costs. Rank of committed members aboard ship and ashore who will stand and file, officials and staff all understood our need to economize in up for their rights and financial resources to fund the increasingly order to sustain ourselves for the long term. This bodes well for the costly battles in unending arbitrations, the NLRB, the courts, state future, and I would like to thank every member who has contributed legislatures and, of course, in Congress. to this effort and to our staff who understand the need for change. I am very happy to say that our members recognize these needs. 2020 is a political year. As always, MM&P will be supporting Important dues initiatives have passed with the Atlantic Maritime elected officials who take action to invigorate the U.S. flag merchant Group, the Federal Employees Membership Group and, most marine and safeguard the rights of labor. Our union is strong, recently, the Pacific Maritime Region. These are great steps forward independent and committed to serve our membership. We will steer for our Union. At the same time, Secretary-Treasurer Don Josberger a steady course, in 2020 and for many years to follow. has wasted no time in aggressively and intelligently taking steps to reduce the costs of our administration. It is not only our members Sincerely & fraternally, who have made a difference by voting to make the significant changes we needed to our various dues structures. Our staff at Don Marcus headquarters and in our ports around the country – as well as our MM&P President MARITIME JOBS AT RISK They attack us. They attack our What can YOU do to defend the programs. They attack our supporters. U.S.-flag fleet and your job? One thing we can say about our opponents: They never give up. Now, First: Vote. (But before you do, go these so-called “free trade” groups to bridgedeck.org and click on “Who are VOWING TO REPEAL THE JONES We Support” to see which candidates ACT BEFORE JUNE 2020, its 100th support the U.S.-flag merchant marine.) anniversary. Second: Contribute to the MM&P Their allies in government are fighting Political Contribution Fund.