Vol. 44, No. 1 January - The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO February 2008 Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots Patriot Wins Contract for Hayes and Waters 82nd MM&P Convention Call PCF Campaign Underway! MM&P Holiday Party Photos Table of Contents Vol. 44, No. 1 January - February 2008 The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN News Briefs 1 0025-5033) Energy saving at Headquarters, MITAGS and MM&P Plans; 82nd MM&P Convention Call; is the official Washington State Governor meets with MM&P members; Patriot Wins Hayes and Waters voice of the International Organization contract; retirement party for Captain Frank Medeiros; big win for MM&P in suit involving of Masters, Mates & Pilots Westar and Brusco; PCF campaign up and running; Military Sealift Command accepts (International Marine Division delivery of USNS Byrd; MM&P legal team wins national recognition. of the ILA), AFL-CIO. © 2008 IOMMP. Published bimonthly at Washington Observer 9 MM&P Headquarters, First session of 110th Congress is one of unprecedented activity and progress for MIRAID 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD and MM&P. 21090-1953. Phone: (410) 850-8700 News From Headquarters 11 E-mail: [email protected] MM&P continues efforts to ensure mariners involved in marine casualty investigations are Internet: www.bridgedeck.org treated fairly by investigating authorities in the United States and overseas. Periodicals postage paid at Linthicum Heights, MD, and additional offices. Health & Benefit Plans 13 New optical benefit cycle begins; optical benefit provider and prescription benefit manager POSTMASTER change names; IRS IRAP and pension limitations for 2008. Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot 700 Maritime Blvd, Suite B Pensioners 15 Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953 Timothy A. Brown Offshore Scholarship Recipients 16 Chairman, Editorial Board Lisa Rosenthal Communications Director Directory 17 INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Timothy A. Brown, President Cross’d the Final Bar 21 Glen P. Banks, Secretary-Treasurer Scholarships named after Karl Fanning. VICE PRESIDENTS Bob Groh, Offshore Gulf Don Marcus, Offshore Pacific Sailing Through Time 23 Richard May, Offshore Atlantic Michael Murray, United Inland MM&P Holiday Party Photos 24 George A. Quick, Pilotage The Faces of MITAGS 29 About the Cover The Navy Jack, a symbol of resistance which dates back to the American Revolution, flies today on the jack staff on Captain Mike Smith beside the propel- ler of the Horizon Falcon. The photo the bow of all naval vessels. In accordance with a resolu- was taken by Captain Tom McDorr tion made by the delegates to the 75th Convention of the when he and Smith were in Korea to International Organization of take delivery of the Horizon Hawk. Masters, Mates & Pilots, every Both the Horizon Eagle and the Horizon issue of The Master, Mate & Falcon were under construction at the Pilot includes a photograph of time. the historic flag. NEWS BRIEFS The Greening of MM&P, Plans and MITAGS MM&P headquarters, MM&P Plans and MITAGS are imple- menting a range of new strategies to preserve resources, boost efficiency and promote environmental conservation. At headquarters, the recent building renovation has provided an opportunity to install energy efficient heating and air con- ditioning, including sensors that regulate the temperature to save energy when rooms are unoccupied. At the end of last year, headquarters staff began recycling paper and cardboard, as well as bottles and cans. Enormous changes are underway at MITAGS, where countless energy-saving innovations have been made under the oversight of Director of Conference Center Operations Colin Mepstead, a systems engineer. Among the projects that have been completed: the installation of new air conditioning units, that use only one third the power of those they replaced, in the South Tower conference rooms and South Tower bedrooms; the introduction of “soft start” motor As part of MM&P’s drive to conserve energy and resources, the union has controls for the water cooling tower, that start slow and then added drought-resistant plants to the landscaping around the headquarters speed up, resulting in about 60 percent energy savings; instal- building. (Above) International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks and a friend lation of temperature and water flow controllers for bathroom survey some of the new plantings. showers and faucets. Signs have appeared in residents’ rooms, informing guests that years ago, says Plans Administrator Patrick McCullough, and sheets and towels will only be changed daily if requested. And each employee now uses his or her own cup. Plans also buys effective Jan. 14, 2008, MITAGS/CCMIT began recycling office recycled paper for reports and copies, and is preparing to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, and aluminum cans. bottles and cans. Collection containers have been placed throughout the school. MM&P recently received word that MOSAIC, printer of The MyCleaning Maid Services properly disposes of the recycled Master, Mate & Pilot, is now 100 percent powered by wind. The material every evening. Master, Mate & Pilot has been printed on recycled paper, using a The recycling program was introduced at MITAGS in waterless, non-toxic printing process, since last year. response to direct requests from students and guest comments. “MM&P is proud to do its part for the environment,” says The Plans office stopped using Styrofoam cups a number of International Secretary-Treasurer Glen Banks. 82nd MM&P Convention Call June 23-25, 2008, Linthicum Heights, MD Brothers and Sisters: proposed resolutions must be forwarded to the In accordance with Article IV, Section 2, International Secretary-Treasurer at least of the International Constitution, you 30 days prior to the opening day of the are hereby notified that a convention Convention for inclusion on the Agenda of the MM&P will be convened at and determination by the Convention. 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 23, 2008, Please post this call in a prominent at the Maritime Institute of Technology location in your offices so that our and Graduate Studies, 692 Maritime Membership will be aware of the time Boulevard, Linthicum Heights, Maryland and place of the 82nd Convention. 21090. Nominations for elective office will take place at this Convention. Fraternally, You are also hereby notified that in accordance with Glen P. Banks Article IV, Section 6., Subsection b), all International Secretary-Treasurer The Master, Mate & Pilot - 1 - January - February 2008 laceholder NEWS BRIEFS Criminalization of Mariners Washington State Governor Involved in Accidents Merits Meets With MM&P Members Congressional Attention, MM&P Says Ensuring that seafarers involved in marine casualties are treated fairly is a topic that must be part of current efforts to retain the professional maritime workforce and attract qualified young people to the industry, according to MM&P. The union restated this position in response to a request for information from members of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, who were following up on MM&P’s Oct. 17 testimony on the topic of maritime training and the workforce. During the Oct. 17 hearing and in follow-up correspondence, Mike Rodriguez, Executive Assistant to MM&P International President Tim Brown, urged the subcommittee to consider leg- islation that would put an end to the criminalization of mariners involved in unintentional acts, calling such an effort essential to improving morale, along with employee retention rates. MM&P supports the proposed International Maritime Organization’s Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation Into a Marine Casualty, an international code that would require seafarers be informed of their right to counsel if and when investigating authorities begin gathering informa- tion with an eye to possible criminal prosecution. The IMO code also calls for safety investigation functions to be separated from criminal prosecutions and other disciplinary actions. At the very least, MM&P argues, seafarers involved in an accident must be Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire met with officers informed of the nature of the investigation and the possibility and members of MM&P’s Offshore and United Inland Groups, that their testimony may be used against them. MM&P was rep- and other representatives of labor organizations, at the Marine resented at the IMO meetings by Pilot Membership Group Vice Engineers’ Beneficial Association’s Seattle Hall on Nov. 1. Labor President George Quick and Mike Rodriguez. representatives took the opportunity to thank Gregoire for her The U.S. delegation to the IMO supported the code until last strong support of America’s working families. (Left to right) June, when, apparently under pressure from the Department of Katharine Sweeney, Pacific Ports Vice President Don Marcus, Justice, the Coast Guard representative stated instead that the Scott Braymer, United Inland Group Vice President Michael United States had changed its position on the fair treatment code Murray, Lee Andersen, Christine Gregoire, Heide Lamm, Jon and would now oppose it. Binns and Marsha Morse. PHOTOS BY FRED AT GREGG NYE PHOTOGRAPHY Patriot Awarded Contract to Operate USNS Waters and USNS Hayes Patriot Contract Services has been awarded the contract to operate Patriot is accepting resumes for officer positions on the Hayes the USNS Waters and the USNS Hayes starting in February 2008. and Waters. Early identification of all officer