Deadlines Loom for TWIC, VSO Endorsement
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Vol. 45, No. 2 March - April The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO 2009 Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Deadlines Loom for TWIC, VSO Endorsement New Contracts With LMS Ship Management, Westar Coast Guard Replaces License With Endorsement Sandy Hook Pilots, Maryland Pilots, in the News USNS Byrd Rescues Starving Fishermen 553649_IOMMP.indd3649_IOMMP.indd cc11 44/7/09/7/09 112:15:452:15:45 PPMM Table of Contents Vol. 45, No. 2 March - April 2009 The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN From the President 1 0025-5033) is the official The MM&P Political Contribution Fund promotion is off to a good start. Let’s build on this voice of the initial success. International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (International Marine Division of the ILA), AFL-CIO. News Briefs 2 © 2009 IOMMP. New contract with LMS Ship Management; Maryland Pilots employees in heroic rescue; Published bimonthly at MM&P members at Westar ratify new contract; USNS Byrd saves starving fishermen; Sandy MM&P Headquarters, 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B, Hook Pilots Harbor Inspection Cruise; USCG replaces license with endorsement; Maersk Linthicum Heights, MD seeks to cut $1 billion; more ships laid up; deadlines for TWIC, VSO endorsement. 21090-1953. Phone: (410) 850-8700 E-mail: [email protected] Washington Observer 12 Internet: www.bridgedeck.org Maritime, transportation infrastructure on front burner as 111th Congress starts work. Periodicals postage paid at Linthicum Heights, MD, and additional offices. News From MITAGS 15 POSTMASTER Grand River Navigation’s AB to Mate Class; new environmental course at MITAGS and PMI; Please send changes to: new travel reimbursement policy for trust students; new MM&P trust student benefit guide The Master, Mate & Pilot book; congratulations recent Chief Mate/Master graduates. 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953 MM&P Plans 16 Timothy A. Brown Chairman, Editorial Board Medicare Part D update; pilot stop-loss coverage and open enrollment; pensioners’ Lisa Rosenthal continuation of coverage; new pharmacy discount card; pension plan and IRAP limitation Communications Director changes for 2009; MM&P Offshore Pension Plan meetings May 19-20. INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Timothy A. Brown, President Glen P. Banks, Secretary-Treasurer Pensioners 19 VICE PRESIDENTS Bob Groh, Offshore Gulf Don Marcus, Offshore Pacific Cross’d the Final Bar 20 Richard May, Offshore Atlantic Michael Murray, United Inland George A. Quick, Pilots Directory 22 Contribute to the MM&P PCF! 26 The Navy Jack, a symbol of resistance which dates back to the American Revolution, flies today on the jack staff on About the Cover the bow of all naval vessels. In accordance with a resolu- New York, the largest cruising tion made by the delegates to the 75th Convention of the pilot cutter on station in the International Organization of United States, hosts the Sandy Masters, Mates & Pilots, every Hook Pilots Harbor Inspection issue of The Master, Mate & Cruise. Pilot includes a photograph of the historic flag. 553649_IOMMP.indd3649_IOMMP.indd cc22 44/7/09/7/09 112:15:512:15:51 PPMM FROM THE PRESIDENT A Positive Start — A Long Way to Go We embarked last year on an intensive campaign to Think about how much more we can accomplish get more active and retired members of our union, for our union if we keep succeeding in electing and more employees of people who want to ensure that our laws encourage MM&P and our associated companies to do business with American labor, organizations, involved in our political activities. I in the United States and under the U.S. flag. am extremely pleased to let you know that this cam- Program (MSP) that existed when the last Administration paign has started out very and Congress ended, and which threatened the continued successfully. By the end operation of the MSP fleet that is so critical to the jobs of of 2008, more individuals our Offshore Membership Group. Equally important, the supported our union’s Political Contribution Fund (PCF) new Congress and Administration took immediate steps than in any other year, and more money was voluntarily to begin to respond to the problems confronting pension contributed to our PCF by MM&P members, MM&P plans due to the downturn in the economy. For our United retirees and MM&P and Plans employees than in any other Inland Group, the economic stimulus bill passed by the twelve-month period. new Congress contains much-needed funding for the Ferry Of course, the real challenge is to build on this initial Boat Discretionary Fund that helps state ferry systems success, so that those members, retirees and employees operate and grow. who contributed to our PCF last year do so again this year, But putting aside for a moment these initial successes, and so that those members of the MM&P family who did let’s think about how much more we will be able to accom- not contribute last year get on board now so that we can do plish for our union and our industry if we keep succeed- even more in Washington to protect American maritime ing in electing people who care about American jobs and jobs and to grow our U.S.-flag fleet. want to ensure that American tax and other laws encour- The money you voluntarily contribute to our PCF is age companies to do business with American labor in the used to support the election of individuals, without regard United States and under the American flag. None of us can to party affiliation, who support MM&P and the U.S. or should sit back and let someone else carry the burden maritime industry. None of the money is used to sup- for us. We all need to pitch in and do whatever we can. If port MIRAID, our Washington office. The money is used we build on the successes of 2008, if we continue to grow to help elect Democrats and Republicans, congressmen our PCF, we will all be doing our part to protect the Jones and senators, who will work with us to build a stronger, Act, to strengthen cargo preference, to build and fund more competitive U.S.-flag merchant marine and to keep MSP, to develop a marine highway system, and to help the American maritime jobs here at home. These are the United States begin to recapture the worldwide maritime people we go to time after time to stand up for us and to presence that our country once enjoyed. fight back against the efforts of foreign-flag shipping inter- I encourage all of you who want more information ests to take away our jobs. These are the people that we, in about our union’s PCF, the candidates we support and turn, must be in a position to help when they are fighting the issues we advance to contact me at Headquarters, to to keep their seats in Congress and to withstand the attacks contact our Washington office at [email protected], or to of those who oppose the interests of the U.S.-flag shipping check-out our webpage, www.bridgedeck.org. industry and American labor. ―Fraternally, Think about it. In the short time that the new 111th Timothy A. Brown Congress has been in session, we have been able to make- International President up the shortfall in funding for the Maritime Security Masters, Mates & Pilots The Master, Mate & Pilot - 1 - March - April 2009 553649_IOMMP.indd3649_IOMMP.indd 1 44/7/09/7/09 112:15:542:15:54 PPMM NEWS BRIEFS New Contract With LMS Maryland Pilots Employees Ship Management in Heroic Rescue PCTC Green Bay. MM&P and LMS Ship Management have signed a new, three-year contract that covers the six PCTCs. MM&P and LMS Ship Management have signed a new, three-year contract that covers the six Pure Car/Truck Carriers (PCTCs): Green Ridge, Green Bay, Green Cove, Green Dale, Green Point and Green Lake. The contract calls for wage and wage-related increases of three percent to take effect Jan. 1, 2009, Jan. 1, 2010 and Jan. 1, 2011. “We enjoy a good working relationship with LMS,” said MM&P Gulf Ports Vice President Bob Groh. “I’m pleased that we’ve secured a contract on the car carriers.” ASSOCIATION OF MARYLAND PILOTS The Association of Maryland Pilots boat Patuxent. Three of the association’s employees helped save the lives of a group of fishermen. MM&P Members Ratify New Several Association of Maryland Pilots employees helped rescue a group of fishermen whose boat had overturned in the icy Contract With Westar waters of the Chesapeake Bay in January. The fishermen had only a 5-watt handheld radio, but both the Coast Guard and Tim Barco, a tower operator for the Maryland Pilots, picked up the mayday message. Barco radioed Maryland Pilots launch cap- tains Reed Sutherland and Matt Bailey, who had just dropped off pilots at two container ships, to advise them to be on the lookout. “Launch captains train every week for man-overboard situations,” wrote journalist Lon Wagner , who chronicled the rescue in an article in The Virginian-Pilot. “Every day, they pull their vessels alongside container ships or coal colliers and, while both are Westar vessels in San Francisco. MM&P members have just ratified a new, three-year moving at 8 to 10 knots, pass a pilot to the ship.” contract with the company, which operates a fleet of 34 launches, tugs and barges. As they neared the scene of the accident, Sutherland and By a 2-1 margin, the members of MM&P’s Pacific Maritime Bailey saw six people in the water.