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Official Publication of the Seafarers International Union• Atlantic, GuU, Lakes and Inland Waters District• AFL-CIO Vol. 48 No.? July 1986 Steady 'Hands' Needed in Unrep Seafarers onboard the SIU-contracted 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (Amsea) got a chance to put some of their training to use recently during an underway replenishment exercise off the Virginia Capes. See page 9 for photo coverage of the refueling. Ex-Member Uses Art Skills to Prom ~~-. S. Fleet The first thing Marcel Scuderi ever stripes extending stemward. Depend­ drew was a tugboat. Since he drew ing on the short and simple message­ his first tugboat, the 29-year-old Scu­ ' 'Our Merchant Marine Is Going Down deri has gone from '' directionless'' Fast and We Need Your Help!" "If teenager to Piney Point grad (Class We Don't Carry More Export Cargo 189) to QMED. A lot of Seafarers have Our Fleet Will Just Disappear!" "Se­ made the same large jumps in their curity and Trade Are Assured With a lives. But Scuderi has gone a bit fur­ Newly Revitalized Merchant Ma­ ther. rine!"-the ship's bow is portrayed a Four years ago he left the sea to bit differently, symbolizing the mes­ enter one of the country's more pres­ sage. tigious art schools, the Corcoran School The designs with the above mes­ of Art in Washington, D.C. Just last sages illustrate the technique. In the month he left with his Fine Arts degree first the bow points dangerously sky­ and an impressively designed cam­ ward as if the ship is just minutes from paign to help the public understand slipping under the ocean. With the the plight of the U.S. merchant ma­ warning about a disappearing fleet, the rine. how's coloring is much lighter, fading Scuderi is intense and passionate into the background. On the last, the about helping the U .S.-flag fleet and ship is quickly cutting through the seas about giving back something to the steaming ahead. Union and industry that helped him ''The images might look simple, but so much. this has to be understood by every­ "You guys showed me the world. I body-the farmers in Iowa-every­ Marcel Scuderi displays the ads he developed to help promote the U.S. merchant marine. got my QMED ticket at Union expense body," Scuderi said. and now I want to give something Apparently the series does create it. It also will be displayed at SIU him to draw during his off hours. back,'' he said, explaining why he spent an interest for people who know little headquarters this month. Finally he bought a half-empty ball­ the six months of his senior year cre­ about the U.S. merchant marine. He Scuderi has come a long way from point pen from a crewmate so he could ating the seven-poster ad series. said that during the months he worked that day aboard ship when he used keep drawing to the next port. In the Late last year he approached the on the project at the Corcoran his every pen and pencil he brought with process, he has given something back. SIU and the Transportation Institute professors began asking questions and about the project. With the encour­ became interested in the problems. agement of both organizations and Like most college grads this time of TI' s Executive Director Peter Luci­ year, he is job hunting, hoping his Inside: ano, Scuderi began his work. degree, free-lance work and intern­ The result-"I've got stacks of stuff ships, along with his impressive proj­ Vet Status Granted to WW II Seafarer Page 3 all over. It took a long time before I ect will land him a job as a graphic A West Coast Maritime Vacation-Part 2 Page 14 1 settled on a design.'' artist. His work was on display at the The centerpiece of each design is a SHLSS' s recent conference on stra­ File Your Welfare Claim for Quick Results Page 16 blue freighter bow with a large white tegic sealift where dozens of industry Cocaine Kills Across Age and Class Unes Page 17 • American flag star and blue and red representatives had a chance to view • is now in the U.S. Senate, it has given Perhaps this ITF action will make qualified support to the bill. the administration and Congress re­ res e 's Unfortunately, like so many other alize that American military might must by Frank Droza important maritime issues, there are rely on American ships and American some powerful opponents--other crews. unions, business interests and others. * * * Too many of these people are arguing Maybe persistence does pays off. If we are going to have a healthy their cases from a stance of very nar­ For years the SIU has been trying U.S.-flag fleet, a new system of sub­ row self-interest with short-sighted to find ways to increase this country's sidy for our liner companies (which opinions and sometimes blatantly false passenger ship fleet. In a nutshell, have shrunk by more than half in the statements. more passenger vessels mean hundreds last 15 years) must be designed to Let's face it. No American passen­ of jobs for American seafarers of all replace the Operating Difft~rential Sub­ ger ship has been built in the United unions. These ships generate millions sidy program which the administration States in three decades, and none will of dollars for the ports they call on is phasing out. be built. It is simply too costly. and the owners who run the ships. Like so many other issues facing In the meantime, foreign-flag ships And perhaps most important they serve the maritime community, no one can are taking billions of American dollars this country's national defense inter­ agree on what should be done. Unions, in the booming passenger ship trade. ests. companies, owners and politicians have And thousands of seagoing and shore­ But despite our years-long effort, been pulling in different directions, side jobs are being denied to American there are only two U .S.-flag passenger despite warnings from such maritime workers. ships, the SIU-crewed SS Constitution allies as representatives Mario Biaggi and SS Independence. In the past * * * (D-N. Y .) and Walter Jones (D-N .C.) several years other unions have fought that if they don't come together it will against us. Congressional leaders have While the administration appears to be too late to pass any legislation this sought compromises. The administra­ favor to a bill which could allow up have come around on the passenger year. tion refused support. to five foreign-flag passenger ships to ship issue, it still needs to look very It is time to put our differences aside But now things may be changing. re-flag U.S. While the administration closely at this country's strategic sea­ or it will be too late to do anything For the first time Marad has shown has some reservations about a bill that lift shortfall. Basically there are not but sit on our thumbs as ODS disap­ enough U .S.-flag merchant ships and pears and nothing is left. merchant sailors to carry the needed military supplies and troops if any * * * major conventional conflict breaks out. If you think every time you read my Finance Committee Checks Navy forces have increased, and column I say something about drugs, the nation's Ready Reserve Fleet has there is a reason for that. Drugs, es­ also grown. But Navy strategists admit pecially cocaine and alcohol, are ru­ SIU Expenses that is still not enough. Defenders of ining lives and too often ending them. the current sealift policy claim that The deaths of Len Bias, University the shortfall will be made up by using of Maryland All-American basketball flag-of-convenience (FOC) ships owned star and Boston Celtics' first-round by Americans and ships of our NA TO draft choice, and Don Rogers, a Cleve­ allies. land Browns' defensive back and for­ The SIU has argued that these ships mer rookie of the year, are examples cannot be counted on because they that cocaine doesn't care who it kills. are manned by crews who would not Those two young men were prob­ sail into an American war scene. A ably as healthy as anyone can be, yet resolution adopted by the Interna­ both died from single episodes of co­ tional Transport Worker's Federation caine use. There is no doubt that (ITF) Seafarers Section may finally cocaine can certainly get you high, prove our point. there should be no doubt anymore that The resolution gives seamen the it can kill too. Is that 10 or 20 minute right to refuse to proceed on ships rush worth the risk? bound for a war-like operations area. On another level, if drugs are found Maritime unions from more than 50 in your urine after a required drug test, nations, including most of our NATO which more and more of you must allies, are parties to the resolution. take if you want certain jobs, you While the SIU fought against the ac­ won't get that job. Is that 10 or 20 tion, the ITF and International Labor minute rush worth losing months of Organization has included this reso­ work for? lution in every document and issue for If you do have a problem with drugs the past 18 months or more. or alcohol, get help now. The SIU Several hundred ships this country wants to help you help yourself. Talk The Union's Finance Committee held its quarterly meeting at SIU headquarters last counts on for a military emergency to your port agent or call the Seafarers month.

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