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OfBclal Publication of the Seafarera lniernatlonal Union• Atlantic, GuU, Lakes andInlandWaters District• AFL-CIO Vol. 48 No. I January 1986 Strike for Fair Share a1v1s1on SIU Fishermen Shut ���!�r-....•• • , . �,- :..... \1 • • •• � .- ... , .. ...s..�, ,_,,,, �_ •ces• _� ._ · ··-'"'-- ...,.� .. · � &l l(•O ·- I New Bedford Harbor MN Rover Plucks 63 Even Ebenezer Scrooge couldn't "self-employed," the boat owners were come up with a more depressing sce able to get the fishermen working for From South China Sea nario. Faced with the prospect of a them to assume the full cost of their wage cutback in excess of 20 percent, own Social Security and unemploy- New Bedford fishermen called for a ment taxes." _ strike. Two days after Christmas, at a The strike, called against the Sea time when most people are making food Producers Association which last minute plans for New Year's, 600 represents 32 boat owners, is costing of these newly organized SIU mem the city of New Bedford $1 million a bers were braving freezing weather on day. Both sides agree, however, that picket lines at 23 sites around Mas the strike was precipitated by wors sachusetts. ening conditions in the fishing indus At the same time, however, there try. It has been hard hit by heavily was a sense of purpose and solidarity. subsidized Canadian imports, insur "I don't like doing this any more than ance problems and a recent ruling by anyone else," said SIU fisherman Mark the World Court which declared that Preference Fight Ends Farm Bill Increases U.S. When striking SIU fishermen in New Bedford put a stranglehold on the nation's busiest S S fishing harbor, the city's auction house (above) had to close its doors. Once the center of hips' hare of P.L. 480 activity, the auction house has no fish to sell. U.S.-flag ships will begin carrying ing to give up preference rights to so Saunders to a Journal of Commerce the rich fishingbanks of the St. George's IO percent more P.L. 480 cargo this called commercial export programs, reporter. "But there's a point to be are under Canadian jurisdiction. year, and by 1988 SIU and other Amer even though a federal court had ruled made." The strike has temporarily alle ican ships will haul 75 percent of those in favor of the Union's claim to pref "People can only stand so much," viated one nagging problem. Fish shipments under the provisions of the erence requirements on those pro said Jack Caffey, special assistant to prices, which were at intolerably low new, five-year, $160 billion farm bill. grams. the SIU president. "The New Bedford levels, have risen dramatically in re President Reagan signed the bill late Each house passed its version of a fishermen had to accept a de facto cent days. last month. farm bill in early December. The Sen cutback three years ago when the SIU fishermen, who make up about The approval of the farm bill sig ate bill contained the Union-backed owners persuaded the union repre one-third of New Bedford'sfishermen, naled the end of one of the most brutal compromise. The House version senting the fishermen before the SIU do not receive a fixed salary, but are and long fights over the cargo prefer maintained cargo preference regula to accept a change in their employment awarded a certain percentage of the ence issue in decades. It also showed tions at the 50 percent level, but it did status. By reclassifying fishermen as (Continued on Page 32.) what two groups who were initially not directly address the controversial opposed to each other can accomplish issue of commercial cargoes. through tough but reasonable negoti Prior to the House/Senate confer Inside: ations. ence, the House Merchant Marine The cargo preference compromise, Subcommittee held a hearing where New Build and Charter Program Page s a small part of the massive farm bill, opponents of the compromise had one increases the share of cargo for Amer last chance to try to scuttle the agree SIU Crews Float-On/Float-Off Pages ican ships from 50 to 75 percent on a ment. Representatives from the De 10-10-5 percent timetable during the partment of Agriculture, the Navy, next three years. the Agency for International Devel Overseas Alice Rescues Page 4 4 7 Up to the last stages of the farm opment and Marad spoke out against bill's passage, the administration and the compromise. They were joined in A Look Back at Pages 11-24 many large and powerful agri-business 1985 their attacks by the North American groups continued their attacks on the Grain Export Association, Millers Na- Pensioner Housing At Piney Point Pages2 compromise. The fighting continued despite compromise supporters agree- (Continued on Page 3.) of federally-supported foreign aid We are continuing to develop new President's Report shipments would not harm the econ training and upgrading programs for omy of their farming constituents. our members. Our scholarship com by Frank Drozak mittee· is presently taking applications from our members and their depend * * * ents for college scholarship programs. start the New Year facing a E Finally, I see this new year as one And, I am proud to announce that our number of serious problems. Our W of both a challenge and an opportunity school is now fully accredited to grant industry is awash in the confused seas for us. As an organization we aren't two-year college degrees to our mem of an adminis ration that cannot put t doing too badly, and we are developing bers in the field of nautical sciences. together a consistent maritime pro We are continuing to plan and work a number of new programs to make gram. Manning requirements in mili our Union even better for our mem toward our goal of having a full four tary vessel contract proposals are b.ers and their families. year degree granting program at our placing increasing strains on the ability school. During the past year we have im of maritime unions to provide fully proved our claims processing systems, trainedcrews. And the maritime unions, * * * and still newer improvements are being themselves, are unable to put together put into· place. We have set up a So, you can see that although we a unified program for survival and program for those members who want are faced with many problems as we growth. the option to get a lump-sum buyout begin this year, we are also in a place That's a tough assessment of where on their pensions. Beginningthis month, of opportunity. I believe that if we we stand as this new year begins, but we have a new program to provide continue to communicate with each I believe it's an honest and accurate housing for our pensioners at our fa other, and work together, we will con picture. cilities in Piney Point. Also this month, tinue to make progress in those areas Five years ago, the Reagan admin we begin a program to help those of that most concern us as a Union: job istration began with a promise to de our members who have a problem with security, our health and welfare, and sign a maritime program that would drug addiction. our continuing education. revitalize our badly ailing industry. That isn't bad. If you take a good That hasn't happened. Instead, we look at what's happening in this in have had to spend four years expend dustry, and especially what's happen ing much time and energy in the leg ing with the other unlicensed unions, islative halls of Congress just holding we have done quite well. But, it didn't on to what we already had. We had just happen. We have these jobs be to beat back those who would take cause we have developed the kind of from the holds of U.S.-flag ships those training programs that can prepare our cargoes that are keeping what's left of membership for new opportunities, and our nation's merchant marine afloat. because our membership is responding There were serious attempts to give to these new job opportunities by be away Alaskan oil which would have . coming qualified for them through the been diverted to foreign-flag super Seafarers' training programs. tankers. We fought a long and grueling battle with the powerful farm lobby to * * * protect the legislated right of the U.S. There are some bright spots as we merchant marine to carry foreign car begin 1986. I think that Congress is goes. finally convinced that something has Because we did our tromework:and to be done to encourage trade to pre showed up every day, and had the vent the total erosion of America's support of our membership, we were industrial base. I think Congress is able to win these battles and preserve also finally becoming convinced that the jobs of hundreds of our members. America's maritime industry needs to * * * be a viable component of this nation's trade policy for reasons having to do As.we go into 1986, the biggest game with our economy and our national in town is military work. In the past defense. year we were able to secure 35 military In the past four years we have de support vessels. This brought our veloped meaningful dialogues with membership 680 jobs which helped to members of Congress of both political SIU offset the job losses we suffered as parties. We have done this through Just before Christmas, members were in Los Angeles walking picket lines and carrying signs in support of 22,000 UFCW and Teamster meat cutters on strike in Southern many of our commercial vessels were our members' continued support of California against major California supermarket chains.