Seafarersilog OFFICIAL ORGAN of the SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES and INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO
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Vol XXiX No. 26 SEAFARERSiLOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO ', ';v . •"t.-i'J- .,-• • •, -"'i-. .. I #•# >-f' ti' »•, ' Ifl Yo all Americans, the Stars and Stripes sym bolizes the opportunity for all citizens to ^ ...r. develop their potential as human beings to ' V-: ' • ••. ••• the fullest extent. ^, • J • ,>J- '•• Since its inception, organized labor has been in the forefront of the struggle toward this goal. Unfortunately, there are factions in our nation who seek to weaken the fibre of American life by blocking progress in i^-X/yv ;•-; order to satisfy their own selfish ends. .,V; - .V ' At its recently-concluded convention, the AFL-CIO reaffirmed its dedication to move steadily ahead—for the benefit of all Amer icans in the quest for better wages, housing, education, medical care and social freedom • •-•Xv-Vv.'";:-, ., ..' for the entire nation. T " »*• 'LI:- M fjic. H iJ • I'.-)' :J. , iV:'-?: -n^ UiV..? . ' • • "'fc-' I" • ^ • ••-. 'r^ '-•» ^ " • - Page Two SEAFARERS LOG December 22, 1967 Eleven More Seafarers WinUreases; Report of Total Upgraded to Engineer Now 211 International President by Paul Hall For a nation in which it is theoretically inconsistent with the law of the land, it is interesting to note authoritative reports out of the Soviet Union that unemployment not only exists in that country but is becoming a problem of alarming proportions. When the Soviet Constitution was written some five decades ago, one of its basic guarantees to all Russian citizens was full employment Moreira Nandkeshwar Gajew^ Frattolillo Wheeler Stefani through "the liquidation of unemployment." Since World War II, however, the Kremlin has found that it can no longer merely shuffle Eleven more Seafarers have passed U. S. Coast Guard examinations qualifying them for an engi workers around at random in order to live up to this guarantee, and neer's license after attending the Marine Engineer's School operated by the SIU and District 2 of the Soviet social structure is ill-equipped to match its growing techno the Marine Engineer's Beneficial Association. A total of 211 Seafarers have now received an engi logical advances to the increased needs of the people. neer's license after upgrading at ^ Although no one could say that Russia has come anywhere near to 25 years old and joined the Union the school. Eugene Bunting was an oiler matching the United States in industrial advancement and modem before receiving a third assistant's in New York in 1963. standards, Moscow's economic experts can no longer hide the fact Eight of the men are new third license. The 34-year old Seafarer Ezio Stefani received his third Soviet Communism is experiencing growing pains and the workers are assistants, while three have re is a native of Selbyville, Del. and assistant's license. He was born in feeling the pinch. The theory of jobs for all has collapsed and Russian ceived a second a resident of Oxon Hill, Md. He Lussino, Italy, and now lives in workers, mostly unskilled, are suddenly finding themselves mechanical assistant's license. joined the SIU in 1966 in the Long Island City, N. Y. He joined ly eliminated from their livelihood all over the U.S.S.R., in a manner Juan Gomez is port of Baltimore. the SIU in New York in 1966. a new third assist similar to the more isolated case of our Appalachian coal miners in the Stefani is 35 years old and had United States. ant engineer, hav sailed as an oiler. ing previously Lauri Ovaska is 55 years old While there is still too much unemployment in America, we in sailed as FOWT. and joined the Union in 1965. Be this country enjoy far more of a "worker's paradise" than the Com Born in Puerto fore obtaining a second assistant munists who adopted the term as their own slogan. The organized Rico, Gomez engineer's license, he sailed as labor movement in the United States assures an active measure of Gomez lives in Brooklyn. FOWT. Ovaska was born in Fin protection to American workers and has fought for strong laws to He joined the land and makes his home in Lake give them a place to turn if they become unemployed. Our unions Union in the port of New York Worth, Florida. maintain or encourage training programs to prepare unskilled or dis in 1956. Gomez is 46 years old. Bunting Power A native of Yonkers. N. Y., placed workers for new opportunities in an ever more demanding Bohdan Gajewski is a new third Tomasso Frattolillo joined the national industial structure. assistant. He is 27 years old and Joseph F. Power was an FOWT SIU in New York in 1964. The It is interesting to note that two separate societies, whose economic lives in Bayonne, N. J. Gajewski before earning his third assistant's 51-year-old Seafarer sailed as i systems derive from two entirely different philosophies, are experiencing was born in Poland and joined the license. Born in Calvert, New FOWT before earning a tempo a common problem. However, this country, through the efforts of a SIU in New York in 1966. The foundland, Canada, Power now rary third assistant's license. He free' trade union movement, has shown concern for its unemployed and 27-year old Seafarer had sailed as lives in Dorchester, Mass. He is now lives in New York City. established programs to aid them in their time of need. a FOWT. <0 * Ramdhanni Nandkeshwar re Instead of putting its support behind the rebuilding of a new mer ceived a second assistant engineer's chant fleet which would supply the nation capably in time of war and license after sailing as FOWT. Cuban Stowaways Aboard Del Sud profitably in times of peace, the U. S. government has again served no The 38-year-old native of British tice on the U.S. maritime industry that it plans to dig up the cumber Guiana lives in Brooklyn and Granted Asylum by U.S. Government some ghost of the foolishly-spendthrift Fast Deployment Logistic ship program buried by Congress only five months ago. joined the Union in New York in NEW ORLEANS—Two Cuban refugees are safely in the 1959. United States to stay after stowing away aboard the SlU-contracted From recent statements by the MSTS Admirals to a gathering of Del Sud. shipping officials, it is obvious that Defense and Navy Department Clearance by the U.S. Immi- ^ arguments in favor of FDL are going to be as illogical and basically un sound as they ever were, and Congress is unlikely to swallow them. gration Department came only vital to the economy because of his know-how. He managed to ten minutes before the vessel Any claims by the Administration that it is withholding support of escape to Spain three years ago a new maritime program because of a current economy drive on would have been forced to return and last year made his way to them to Brazil. federal spending, hold very little water when that same Administration Brazil. Since then, he had been indicates willingness to spend more of the taxpayers' money on these Victor Manuel Steuart, 25, and waiting for the first opportunity to big seagoing warehouses than Congress is asking for the construction Reynaldo Camara, 52, had stowed get to the United States. of a modern merchant fleet capable of peak speed and efficiency. Ovaska Rivera away aboard the Delta cargo-pas Steuart, a seaman who was in senger ship in Rio de Janeiro jured in an attempt to reach shore Elmer Wheeler is a second as some two weeks before in a des from the anchored Del Sud, later sistant engineer who had sailed as perate effort to reach freedom told newsmen that he was afraid FOWT. He joined the union in here. he might not be permitted to stay New York in 1956. A native of Discovered just a day out of in America and "would have rath the State of New Jersey, Wheeler Rio by the ship's captain, George er died than return to Cuba." Ac now resides in Williamstown, N.J. W. Smith, the two were placed in tually, Steuart did reach sanctuary He is 59 years old. a stateroom for the rest of the in the U.S. three years ago after Engine department Seafarers voyage and treated like first class defecting from a Cuban freighter are eligible to apply for the up passengers by the crew. in Hamburg, Germany, in 1961. grading program if they are 19 Once here, however, they en He said he had established resi years of age or older and have countered some red tape with the dence in this country at that time 18 months of Q.M.E.D. watch Immigration authorities which but later found that he had lost standing time in the engine de never would have been necessary his residency rights when he partment plus six months' expe if they had not arrived in such shipped out again as a seaman. rience as a wiper or equivalent. comfort by way of the South He had been waiting in Rio, where Those who qualify and wish to American port. he met Camara last year, for a enroll in the school can obtain "If they had escaped from Cuba chance to get back to the States. additional information and apply and been picked up in a boat, they Camara had formally applied in for the. course at any SIU hall or wouldn't have had any trouble Rio for an inunigrant visa to the write directly to SIU headquarters getting in," said Mrs.