Blue & Gold Fleet Wins Contract for Bay Area Ferries
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Vol. 47, No. 6 Nov. - Dec. 2011 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Blue & Gold Fleet Wins Contract for Bay Area Ferries MM&P Pilots Group VP George Quick Honored for Seafarer Advocacy Work Awards to Crews of Horizon Producer, USNS Bridge and USNS Safeguard Coast Guard Proposes Sweeping Changes to Licensing Regulations Keep Maritime Off the Chopping Block: Support the PCF! NEWS BRIEFS Table of Contents The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN 0025-5033) is the official Vol. 47, No. 6 November-December 2011 voice of the International Organization Letter From the President 1 of Masters, Keep maritime off the chopping block: support the MM&P Political Mates & Pilots (International Marine Division Contribution Fund. of the ILA), AFL-CIO. © 2011 IOMMP. News Briefs 2 Published bimonthly at MM&P Pilots Group Vice President George Quick and our members MM&P Headquarters, 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B, aboard Horizon Producer, USNS Bridge and USNS Safeguard Linthicum Heights, MD honored by maritime community; USCG proposes changes in licensing 21090-1953. regulations; Horizon Eagle celebrates three years without lost-time Phone: (410) 850-8700 injury; MM&P members in Hawaii on the front lines; Horizon Lines ends E-mail: [email protected] FSX service. Internet: www.bridgedeck.org Periodicals postage paid at Cover Story 10 Linthicum Heights, MD, and additional offices. Members of MM&P’s United Inland Group who work at Blue & Gold Fleet are celebrating a big victory: a five-year operating and POSTMASTER maintenance contract with WETA, the regional agency that manages Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot Bay Area ferry services. 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B Linthicum Heights, MD MM&P Health & Benefit Plans 12 21090-1953 Open enrollment for dependents aged 19-26; long-term care insurance Timothy A. Brown open enrollment; new vision care benefit cycle; voluntary disability Chairman, Editorial Board Lisa Rosenthal insurance; pensioner COLA; change to rules regarding pensioner Communications Director employment aboard military vessels; reimbursement of Medicare Part B premiums. INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Timothy A. Brown, President Don Marcus, Secretary-Treasurer MM&P Offshore Scholarship Winners 16 VICE PRESIDENTS News From MITAGS 17 David H. Boatner, Offshore Pacific Wayne Farthing, Offshore Gulf MM&P Federal Credit Union News 18 C. Michael Murray, United Inland Open a credit union account and never be late with your dues again. George A. Quick, Pilots Randall H. Rockwood, FEMG Steven Werse, Offshore Atlantic MM&P Directory 19 Postal Service Statement of Ownership 23 Cross’d the Final Bar 24 Beck Notice 25 Thank you for contributing to the PCF! 26 Printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks and 100% wind power. Vol. 47, No. 6 Nov. - Dec. 2011 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO About the Cover The Navy Jack is a symbol of resistance that dates back to Blue & Gold Fleet has signed a new the American Revolution. In accordance with a resolution Official Voice of the International contract with WETA, which manages made by the delegates to Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Bay Area ferry service. MM&P's United the 75th Convention of the Inland Group represents the LDOs and International Organization maintenance engineers employed by of Masters, Mates & Pilots, every issue of The Master, Blue & Gold Fleet Wins Contract for Bay Area Ferries Blue & Gold. Kvichak Marine Industries MM&P Pilots Group VP George Quick Honored for Seafarer Advocacy Work Mate & Pilot includes a Awards to Crews of Horizon Producer, USNS Bridge and USNS Safeguard in Seattle built the WETA ferries and Coast Guard Proposes Sweeping Changes to Licensing Regulations photograph of the historic Keep Maritime Off the Chopping Block: Support the PCF! designed this photo montage of the ferry flag. Gemini “in triple vision.” NEWS BRIEFS FROM THE PRESIDENT Keep Maritime Off the Chopping Block Contribute to the MM&P Political Contribution Fund Dear Sisters and Brothers: porters in Congress are moving forward with legislation to guard I have not written many columns over the past three years, against this happening again in the future. but the current situation in Washington, D.C., makes this one A special note regarding MARAD is in order here. More than necessary. a year ago, MARAD was tasked by Congress with identifying First, it was the Department of Energy. Next, it was the ways to boost American-flag shipping. Instead, the agency Maritime Administration issued a report based on incomplete information whose main (MARAD). Then the conclusion—that in the deep-sea commercial sector, it often House of Representatives. costs more to use U.S.-flag ships—isn’t news to anyone. This is Then MARAD again. particularly galling since MARAD’s mission is to promote the Month after month, it American Merchant Marine. seems as if the only thing Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, self-proclaimed that changes is who is “budget hawks” have been trying to dramatically cut food aid and going after the U.S.-flag other programs that provide cargo for U.S.-flag ships. merchant marine and one or more of our programs. Help us help those who fight for us! The only constant seems to Contribute to the PCF! be that someone is always The battle will only intensify next year: people running for trying to make American elected office will once again try to scapegoat our programs and seafarers the scapegoats for our jobs. The Senate campaign in Hawaii is a good example of everything that is wrong how far some politicians will go to promote themselves by attack- with our nation’s economy. ing the Jones Act. To listen to these voices, you would think that if U.S.-flag ship- Without friends in Congress willing to stand up to those who ping requirements were eliminated, our economy would some- would wipe out our industry and send our jobs overseas, our how miraculously be strengthened. Or that if American maritime programs will simply disappear. Unless our PCF has the neces- jobs were sent overseas and even more Americans put out of sary resources, we will not have the help we need in Congress. work, our economy would somehow be stronger. I have never seen the situation as challenging as it is today. To say that these attacks are misguided is a gross understate- The simple truth is that if we don’t elect maritime supporters to ment. We know, and our friends and supporters know, that our Congress, we stand to lose our U.S.-flag fleet. fleet contributes significantly to America’s military, economic If you have contributed to the PCF in the past, thank you and and homeland security. But like it or not, American maritime please do so again. If you haven’t contributed before, now is the jobs and the programs that guarantee the very existence of the time to stand with your MM&P Brothers and Sisters to support U.S.-flag merchant marine are at great risk. legislators who, regardless of party or political philosophy, share Join the fight to protect our fleet and your own our conviction that the United States needs a strong, competitive job by contributing to the MM&P PCF! U.S.-flag merchant marine. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy (DOE) decided to Fraternally, ignore the law and deny U.S.-flag vessels their rightful share of Timothy A. Brown cargoes financed with DOE loan guarantees. MARAD did noth- International President ing to protect these American jobs. The decision was reversed only thanks to the unrelenting pressure from our allies on Capitol Hill. The Members’ Only section of www.bridgedeck.org has more information about the PCF, including a list of candidates who have received support in Then MARAD decided to grant an unprecedented number this election cycle. If you would like to know more, please contact MM&P of Jones Act waivers for the movement of domestic oil. Our sup- International President Timothy Brown ([email protected]) or MIRAID President Jim Patti ([email protected]). The Master, Mate & Pilot - 1 - November - December 2011 NEWS BRIEFS Industry Honors MM&P Pilots Group Vice President and Our Members on Horizon Producer and MSC Ships Several hundred U.S.-flag maritime industry representatives gathered in New York City on Oct. 28 to honor MM&P Pilots Group Vice President George Quick and a cadre of other mari- time professionals. Quick was recognized for a career dedicated in large part to the protection of the legal and human rights of the world’s seafarers. In recognition of the caliber of his advocacy work, the United Seamen’s Service awarded him the Admiral of the Ocean Seas 2011 Special Recognition Plaque. “Throughout his career, Capt. George A. Quick has been a powerful voice for the world’s seafarers,” said MM&P International President Tim Brown in presenting the award. “His focus on the promotion of international and national regulations that recognize the role of the human element in shipping has led to concrete improvements in the lives of seafarers the world over, as well as to a heightened recognition of their role as maritime professionals in the global economy.” Quick has been an MM&P member for more than 60 years, 29 of them as vice president of the union’s Pilot Membership Group. He is a member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) delegation to the International Maritime “Capt. George Quick is a powerful voice for the world’s seafarers,” said MM&P International President Tim Brown (left) in presenting the award to Quick. Organization (IMO), the London-based United Nations organization with the responsibility for the regulation of international shipping.