Organized 1885 Official Organ of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific Volume LXVII No. 3 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Friday, March 19, 2004 Sailors' Union's Norwegians honor 119th Anniversary Andrew Furuseth n brisk weather on March I12, hundreds of Norwe- gians gathered in Asbygda, Norway at noon, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Sailors Union of the Pacifics crusading leader An- drew Furuseth. Asbygda is the site where a bust of the Emancipator of Sea- men stands outside of an old la- bor movement assembly house (Folkets Hus). The town is near Furuseths birthplace of Romedal and is approximately 70 miles north of Norways capital of Oslo in the municipal- ity (or county) of Stange. he Sailors Union of the Pacific this month observed the 119th The ceremony itself was mov- TAnniversary of its founding, March 6, 1885, on the old Folsom ing but festive as a brass band Street Wharf in San Francisco. With determination to gain through played and local school children democratic collective action what could not be accomplished indi- sang a song about Furuseth that Pictured in front of a bust of Andrew Furuseth in Asbygda, Norway vidually, began a record of achievement that set the standard for was composed by their teacher. on March 12, are from left to right SUP President Gunnar American sailors and continues to serve as an inspiration for sea- Lundeberg, Jorgen Kosmo, president of the Norwegian Parliament farers around the world. Jan Tyriberget, the Mayor of Stange, who organized the (Storling) and Jan Tyriberget, Mayor of Stange. Recognition, respect, and improved conditions aboard ship did event, acted as master of cer- not come easy but with a militant membership and the dedicated emonies spoke of Furuseths ac- life and work will be incorpo- Furuseth to abolish the system and tenacious leadership of Andrew Furuseth (March 12, 1854) complishments and the pride the rated into the school curriculum. with the passage of the Maguire and Harry Lundeberg (March 25, 1901), obstacles were overcome citizens of this rural area of Jorgen Kosmo, President of Act, the White Act and finally and the Sailors Union grew and developed with a lasting legacy Norway have in one of their own Norways parliament (Storting), the Seamens Act of 1915. Presi- of strength and integrity. who sailed the globe, came said that Furuseths achieve- dent Kosmo also cited In addition to the anniversary of the organization of the Union ashore in San Francisco and ments made all of Norway Furuseths participation in inter- and the birthdays of former secretaries Furuseth and Lundeberg, changed conditions for Ameri- proud. He recounted the brutal national forums that resulted in March also marks the 89th anniversary of the Seamens Act which can seamen and seamen and feudal system of seagoing improved shipping conditions was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on March 4, throughout the world. Mayor employment at the turn of the globally. 1915 after a 20-year struggle by Furuseth to free seamen from Tyriberget added that Furuseths last century and the tenacity of SUP President Gunnar indentured servitude. Lundeberg, offered greetings on behalf of the membership of Cabinet members, military leaders laud Furuseths Union. Lundeberg importance of U.S. merchant marine in told those gathered that, Few people, most notably Abraham peace and war at maritime meeting Lincoln, have the record of An- drew Furuseth. Almost single- At the Executive Council Second class postage paid at San Francisco, CA (USPS 675-180) (USPS CA Francisco, San at paid postage class Second Snow also emphasized the Transportation Security handedly he freed seamen from meeting of the AFL-CIOs Maritime Security Programs Norman Mineta told the gather- centuries of bondage. His efforts Maritime Trades Departments (MSP) value to the military, and ing that the heart and soul of in the United States and inter- (MTD) meetings on March 4 the importance of enacting a our maritime system is its mer- nationally less than a hundred and 5 in Hollywood, Florida, new and expanded maritime chant marinersthe men and years ago fundamentally Bush Administration officials program. MSP is a vital ele- women who make this system changed conditions for mari- and high ranking U.S. military ment of our militarys strategic work day in and day out. Mineta ners. It is important that his life officers declared that operations sealift and global response ca- proposed that the government and accomplishments be studied in Iraqi would not have hap- pability, so it was high time we carefully examine the tax bur- by this and future generations. pened without the U.S. mer- got a bill through [Congress] dens on our maritime industry However, Lundeberg said chant marine, crewed by highly- expanding it...because this and our mariners, with the goal Andrew Furuseth, if he was skilled U.S.-citizen mariners. country needs you more than of improving our fleet and here today, would be outraged Treasury Secretary John Snow ever before, the Treasury Sec- workers ability to compete in- at the conditions most of the paid a ring tribute to U.S. mer- retary proclaimed. This is a ternationally. worlds mariners now work un- chant mariners and U.S.-flag program that services America Mineta stated that the Bush der. After having fought tire- carriers for their role in support- well. It is a program that must administration has great respect lessly and successfully for a bet- ing U.S. operations in Iraq and be and will be preserved. MTD continued on page 4 continued on page 3 Afghanistan. ESU News Page 6 & 7 SUP & MFOW Respond to USCG Page 9 Page 2 WEST COAST SAILORS Friday, March 19, 2004 Matson raises fuel surcharge SUP Honor Roll Due to sustained increases in fuel costs, Matson will raise its fuel surcharge in its Hawaii and Guam/Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands services from 7.5 Voluntary contributions from the membership to the following funds: to 8.0 percent, effective March 14, 2004. While fuel prices impact virtually all businesses, as well as consumers, the costs Organization/ West Coast are especially significant for transportation companies, said Dave Hoppes, vice General Fund Sailors president, ocean services. Matson burns approximately 1.9 million barrels of fuel annually. For every dollar increase per barrel of bunker fuel, Matson experiences *In lieu of dues increase. George Boyeas ................. 25.00 an approximate $1.9 million increase in annual operating costs. We cannot continue to absorb these additional fuel-related operating costs. We will continue to monitor Howard Christian............. 50.00 Alfred Byoff .................... 25.00 fuel prices and adjust the surcharge accordingly. Rafael Cooper ................. 20.00* Lyle Calvin .................... 250.00 Historically, Matson has adjusted its fuel surcharges up or down based on estab- Linda Cramp .................. 20.00* Thomas Casynn .............. 100.00 lished trends in oil prices. Sean Dougherty ............... 20.00* Howard Christian............. 50.00 Matson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. of Honolulu. Mike Duvall .................... 20.00* Romaine Dudley............... 20.00 Vernon Haik ................... 40.00* Patrick Flynn .................. 25.00 Mike Henneberry ............. 30.00* George Foster ................. 100.00 APL parent NOL set for record earnings George Jordanides ............ 10.00 James Graham ................ 25.00 Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) is set to announce record earnings when it reports Melvin Kessler ................ 100.00 Burnett Green ................. 40.00 its 2003 results. A year ago, NOL was reporting record losses. It had just lost its Gunanr Lundeberg ........... 50.00 Carl Hansen .................... 25.00 former chief executive, Flemming Jacobs, and it would be several months more Dave Munroe .................. 20.00* Paul Herriott ................... 25.00 before former PSA head and ex-govern- Ted Ochoa ...................... 10.00 George Jordanides ............ 40.00 ment minister David Lim was installed SUP Meetings Ricky Pangan .................. 50.00 Egon Jorgensen................ 50.00 as the new CEO. These are the dates for the regularly Mike Potenti in memory of Art Kardinal ................... 30.00 According to consensus estimates, NOL is seen posting a net profit of $109.4 scheduled SUP meetings in 2004: Joe Potenti ................... 50.00 Melvin Kessler ................. 75.00 million for its fourth quarter ended De- Hdqs. Branch Thomas Riley .................. 20.00* Francis Kim ................... 100.00 cember 31, 2003. A full-year profit of April 12 19 Gary Rymel .................... 20.00* Richard Kingsburg ........... 25.00 some $400 million from a net loss of $330 May 10 17 Jack Stasko ..................... 20.00* Jacob Kipperberg ............. 40.00 million in 2002. Its biggest annual net June 14 21 Ernest Stimach ................ 20.00* Marc Lara ...................... 25.00 profit so far was $178 million in 2000. July 12 19 Fred Trensch................... 50.00 Chester Mael ................... 35.00 The 2003 profit would include an excep- August 9 16 tional gain of about $100 million mainly Gene VanKlinken ............. 20.00* John McKeon .................. 10.00 September 13 20 from the $445 million sale of its U.S. Rick Meleski ................... 25.00 October 12* 18 Political Fund tanker business American Eagle Tank- November 8 15 Reynold Minoli ................ 20.00 ers to Malaysia International Shipping December 13 20 Saleski Musukawa