Wcs October 2012
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Organized 1885 Official Organ of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific Volume LXXV No. 10 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Friday, October 19, 2012 This is no time to weaken Protect & Defend Our Work! American maritime laws by Tony Munoz, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of The Re-elect President Obama Maritime Executive and MarEx Newsletter by Gunnar Lundeberg, n a recent New York Times article, Senator John McCain de- President/Secretary-Treasurer scribed the Jones Act as “protectionist” law serving only U.S. Ishipping companies and maritime Unions. He said the argu- he American labor ment that the Jones Act is needed for national security is “laugh- movement is solidly able.” He would have us believe that foreign shipping companies T behind the re-election of are as patriotic as American companies trading on U.S. coastlines President Barack Obama and the and inland waterways. membership of the Sailors’ The world is a dangerous place where international laws are Union, active and retired, breaking down, and geopolitical change is unpredictable and car- should be too. President Obama ries all sorts of risks. The Arab Spring, which fostered hope, has honors the values of hard work, turned into a bloody winter of discontent, and Americans have of mutual respect, and of solv- been killed in the sanctuary of their own embassies. ing problems together —not ev- Meanwhile, the U.S.’s strategic objectives and mission abroad ery person for himself or her- are also changing rapidly. China and Russia are now building mas- self. He believes that together sive military complexes as “defensive” measures against the over- we will get through the most whelming presence of U.S. military capability in Asia Pacific, the challenging economic crisis in Middle East and Europe. China is expanding its national security memory and restore opportunity perimeters and has threatened war with its neighbors over natural for all. Republican presidential President Barack Obama resources and maritime borders. The Russian leadership, including candidate Mitt Romney and his Vladimir Putin, is preparing for war and plans to spend nearly a running mate Paul Ryan, on the on the job; he has worked for a Think about whether you want trillion dollars over the next decade on intercontinental ballistic other hand, have pledged to up- fair resolution of the housing President Obama to continue to missiles, fighter aircraft, submarines and sophisticated warships. hold the special privileges of crisis and he put his confidence work with us to make sure the and administration unequivo- On September 16, an international Mine-Sweeping Coalition Wall Street and the 1% —privi- Maritime Security Program is consisting of more than 30 nations began an unprecedented 10-day leges that have produced historic cally behind the workers and funded each year. We need exercise off the coast of Iran with an armada of warships, includ- economic inequality and companies in the American auto President Obama who agrees ing U.S. Nimitz-class vessels transporting about 70 tactical fight- drowned out the voices of work- industry —a move that saved that U.S.-flag vessels and U.S. ers. The muscle-flexing in the Strait of Hormuz was meant to in- ing people in America. hundreds of thousands of jobs crews will be available to sup- port our country’s economy and timidate the Iranian leadership. Moscow let it be known that “wars President Obama took and is helping to revive the security, rather than a president often begin through a provocation,” and Beijing concurred that America from the brink of a sec- economy now and for the future. like Mitt Romney who would ond Great Depression by press- On the maritime front, the continued on page 2 weaken the program as sug- ing Congress to pass the Ameri- future growth and viability of the gested by his maritime mentor can Recovery and Reinvestment U.S.-flag fleet and the jobs of Senator John McCain. Candidates declare for Act, which saved or created 3.6 American maritime workers in Think about whether you want million jobs. He championed all segments of the industry de- a president like Barack Obama triennial SUP election comprehensive health insurance pend heavily and directly on the who supports American cargo reform, which —while far from re-election of President Obama. Sixteen Sailors’ Union mem- dacy for the upcoming triennial preference laws. We need Presi- perfect— set the nation on a path I ask that you and your fam- bers have declared their candi- election of Union officers by ac- dent Obama who agrees that toward health security that had ily think very carefully about cepting the nominations made American vessels should carry eluded our country for nearly how the outcome of this elec- at the September coastwise U.S. government cargoes. There 100 years. He insisted upon tion will affect your job and the meetings. is no doubt that Romney would Wall Street reform —passed jobs of all American maritime The Committee on Elections/ follow McCain who consistently over the objection of almost ev- workers. Candidates met at Headquarters voted against cargo preference ery Republican— that is now Think about whether you want on October 15, to verify the eli- so that foreign vessels with for- beginning to reverse decades of a President like Barack Obama gibility of those accepting the eign crews would carry U.S.- financial deregulation that put who has worked with us to keep nomination and to select an Im- the Jones Act strong and ex- taxpayer-fund commodities. partial Balloting Agent to con- our entire economy at risk. cluded from international trade There is too much at stake in duct the election as required by Although the labor movement negotiations. We need President this election —both for President the SUP Constitution. has sometimes differed with the Obama who believes that only and for members of Congress— president and often pushed his The Committee’s report is on U.S.-flag vessels built in Ameri- for many of us to be misled and administration to do more and page 5 and is subject to mem- can shipyards and crewed by sidetracked into looking at do it faster, we have never bership approval at the Novem- American mariners will carry things that are not important and doubted his commitment to ber coastwise meetings. cargo along our coasts and on relevant. When all is said and The secret mail balloting for working families. He has our rivers and the Great Lakes. done, this election is about your SUP officers for the 2012-2015 worked hard to create good jobs; Republican candidate Mitt Rom- job, your future and your Periodicals’ postage paid at San Francisco, CA (USPS 675-180) term and Constitutional amend- he has made the revival of the ney has given every indication family’s future. ments and a Shipping Rule manufacturing sector a hallmark that he wants to repeal the Jones VOTE YOUR JOB! amendment will begin on De- of his jobs agenda; he has moved Act, a move that would give our cember 1, 2012, and continue aggressively to protect workers’ jobs away to exploited foreign VOTE OBAMA! through January 31, 2013. rights, pay and health and safety workers. VOTE DEMOCRATIC! ESU News: Page 7 USNS Martin Wages: Page 8 Labor Endorsements: Pages 10-11 Page 2 WEST COAST SAILORS Friday, October 19, 2012 No time to weaken U.S. maritime laws continued from page 1 SUP Honor Roll the U.S.-led exercise was “extremely has sold more than $25 billion worth, Voluntary contributions from the membership to the following funds: explosive.” including $10 billion since 2003, mak- But the stuff really hit the fan on Sep- ing Taiwan the largest recipient of U.S. Organization/ tember 17, when Secretary of Defense arms sales during that period. West Coast Leon Panetta announced the U.S. intends Senator McCain is way off base about General Fund Sailors to build another missile defense station in the unimportance of the Jones Act for Japan aimed at “rogue states.” The Rus- national security. Must “free trade” Calvin Browning sians and Chinese were incited further and mean total access by foreign carriers to estate ................... 204,562.44 Archie Aki ...................... 50.00 William Berry ................. 10.00 increased their opposition rhetoric about America’s coastlines and inland arter- Clinton Gregg.................. 85.00 being encircled by U.S. aggression. Mos- ies? McCain has continually voted Reginald Clark ................ 50.00 Steven Ross ..................... 50.00 cow said, “today there is imminent dan- against any measure that would afford Douglas Crute ................. 25.00 Robert Turner ................. 50.00 ger of a thermonuclear confrontation with more Americans jobs, but always votes Aaron Wiebe ................... 10.00 D.L. Fukano ................... 25.00 the U.S. Beijing warned, “its longstanding for agricultural interests so that highly John Hamann .................. 25.00 nuclear policy of ‘no first use of nuclear subsidized farmers can sell a few more Thomas Larkin ................ 20.00 weapons’” has changed. bushels overseas. Political Fund Ronald Pittman ................ 25.00 Taiwan is another flashpoint for the Javier Riano in memory U.S. as Beijing is claiming sovereignty Brett Barthelmy ............... 50.00 of John Elghanti ............ 25.00 over the nation of more than 20 million. Timothy Benton .............. 125.00 George Schemoon ............. 25.00 China has strategically positioned about SUP Meetings Reginald Clark ................ 50.00 1,600 Dong Feng 16 missiles aimed di- William Wood .................. 5.00 These are the dates for the regularly Reynaldo Clores ............... 50.00 rectly at the island nation. Meanwhile, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act requires scheduled SUP meetings in 2012/2013: David Connolly ............... 100.00 that the U.S. sell arms to Taiwan, and it Hdqs. Branch Jennifer Corner ..............