Vol. 42, No. 2 The International March – Marine Division April 2006 of ILA/AFL-CIO Official Voice of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots International Shipholding Corp. Contracts Signed News on Green Ridge, Trinity Award to MM&P-Crewed Nancy Foster The Master, Mate & Pilot March – April 2006 - 1 - Vol. 42, No. 2 March – April 2006 Table of Contents The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN 0025-5033) is the official voice of the International Company News 1 Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots International Shipholding Corp. contracts signed; new contract on (International Marine Division of the ILA), Energy Enterprise; newly contracted Green Ridge gets visit from AFL-CIO. Published bimonthly at MM&P MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May; news on Trinity, Headquarters, 700 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941. McAllister and Matson; Maersk Line absorbs PONL and Farrell Telephone: (410) 850-8700 Lines trademarks; Matson converts C-9 to combination Ro/Ro E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bridgedeck.org News Briefs 4 Periodicals postage paid at Linthicum Heights, MD, and additional offices. Call for 81st MM&P Convention; heroic member quells fire on dredge; ILWU leaders visit PMI; Nancy Foster is MOC Ship POSTMASTER—Please send changes to: The Master, Mate & Pilot of the Year; active duty in Naval Reserves for MITAGS Bob 700 Maritime Boulevard Kimball and Mike Rodriguez of MM&P HQ; ILO approves Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1941 historic seafarers’ bill of rights; “Adopt-a-Ship”; prestigious Timothy A. Brown Chairman, Editorial Board appointments for MM&P Associate Counsel Gabriel Terrasa Lisa Rosenthal Washington Observer 10 Communications Director INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Congress to take up MSP 2007 appropriations; some progress made Timothy A. Brown. President in limiting scope of National Security Personnel System; bills to promote Glen P. Banks. Secretary-Treasurer short sea shipping would eliminate multiple taxation of waterborne cargo VICE PRESIDENTS Health & Benefit Plans 13 Steve Demeroutis. United Inland Member rewarded for saving MM&P Plans $39,000; contraceptive Bob Groh. Offshore Gulf coverage for members added to Plans benefits; prescription drug benefits Don Marcus. Offshore Pacific changes; future pensioners health account; MM&P, other multiemployer Richard May. Offshore Atlantic plans, speak out in Congress on pending pension legislation George A. Quick . Pilotage Pensioners 20 Scholarships 21 Cross’d the Final Bar 23 Pilots Lyman, Murray, die in on-the-job accidents Contribute to the MM&P PCF 26 MITAGS News 29 Employee service awards dinner The Navy Jack, a symbol of About the Cover resistance which dates back to the American Revolution, flies today SS Meteor and SS Comet in their Alameda, Calif., berth. The two “stick on the jack staff on the bow of ships” are maintained and operated by MM&P-contracted Matson Navigation all naval vessels. In accordance Company as part of the Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force (RRF). with a resolution made by Horizon Lines and Patriot Contract Services also manage RRF vessels, for the delegates to the 75th a total of 13 MM&P-contracted ships in the program. The RRF is the surge Convention of the International component of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, which ensures the United Organization of Masters, Mates States has sufficient sealift capability and infrastructure to support vital home- & Pilots, every issue of The land and national security interests. The success of the RRF program is a result of productive partnerships between MARAD, the Department of Defense, ship Master, Mate & Pilot includes a managers and sea-going labor. photograph of the historic flag. COMPANY NEWS International Shipholding Corp. Contracts Signed MM&P Vice Presidents Bob Groh, Don Marcus and Car carriers Rich May, along with Gulf Ports Agent Wayne Farthing, 5% - 10/1/05 4% - 10/1/06 4% - 10/1/07 are pleased to announce that on March 8, International Containerships Shipholding Corp. and MM&P signed collective bargaining 4% - 10/1/05 4% - 10/1/06 4% - 10/1/07 contracts covering vessels operated by Central Gulf/ LASH vessels Waterman. The contracts, which cover car carriers, contain- 4% - 10/1/05 4% - 10/1/06 4% - 10/1/07 erships and LASH vessels, are all for a duration of 10 years with reopeners in 2008 and again in 2011. All are retroactive The vice presidents extend their thanks to: the members to Oct. 1, 2005. who participated in direct contract negotiations; the fleet The contracts call for a five percent IRAP contribu- captains and chief mates who provided input; and Mike tion per man per day, as well as full pension and health and Cameron of Central Gulf/Waterman, for his help in getting welfare contributions. All second and third mates will receive the contracts completed. an additional day of vacation for each 30 days worked, retro- In addition, MM&P and Central Gulf negotiated a six- active to Oct. 1, 2005. On Oct. 1, 2007, second and third year contract for Energy Enterprise that extends through June mates working on the car carriers will receive an additional 30, 2011. The contract provides for a three percent increase day of vacation for each 30 days worked. Wage increases are in wages retroactive to July 1, 2005, and an additional three as follows for the first three years: percent increase each year on July 1. An additional vacation day will be paid effective July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2007. MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Welcomes Green Ridge MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Rich May met recently with licensed deck officers aboard the newly contracted Green Ridge. For the pure car and truck carrier, (Left to right) it was the first New York Second mate J.D. Schampera with port call since entering MM&P Atlantic the MM&P fold, subse- Ports VP Rich May, quent to International Third Mate Jen Ship Holding/Central Phurchpean and Capt. Kurt Melcher. Gulf Lines being granted an additional slot in the Maritime Security Program (MSP) that commenced October 1. Second mate Schampera Built to load cars, trucks, at the chart table. bulldozers, heavy equip- ment and even yachts and jet airplanes, this class of vessel is the largest car carrier in the world, with a capacity of 6,000 standard size cars. The vessel will carry cars from the Far East to the United States and back-haul military or project cargo. The massive vessel at berth. The Master, Mate & Pilot March – April 2006 - 1 - COMPANY NEWS Alcatraz Ferry Protests Continue MM&P members and their supporters in San Francisco rallied for the retention of union jobs following the contro- versial decision by the National Park Service to award the concession for the Alcatraz ferry to a non-union company. Members of MM&P and the Inland Boatmen’s Union (IBU) have crewed the ferries for Blue & Gold Fleet, the largest ferry operator in the Bay area, since Alcatraz was opened to the public in 1973. Blue & Gold has turned to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to protest the Park Service’s failure to IBU Regional Director Marina Secchitano rallies the apply the Service Contract Act and the resulting award of the crowd. Behind her are members of the ILWU drill team. contract to Hornblower, a non-union company. The Service Contract Act requires federal contractors to pay either the prevailing wage or the wages and benefits in the collective Matson Contract Reopener bargaining agreement of the previous concessioner. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and AFL-CIO President Appears Headed for Arbitration John Sweeney both issued statements in support of MM&P After three negotiating sessions with Matson Navigation and the IBU. “No Park Service contractor should be able Company on January 11, 12 and 27 in San Francisco, the to underbid another company by offering lower wages and 2005 MM&P-Matson contract reopener appears headed fewer benefits,” Pelsoi said. “That’s just plain wrong.” for arbitration. Negotiations to determine wage and wage- related increases for January 1, 2006, January 1, 2007 and January 1, 2008 aboard Matson’s standard contract vessels stalled with the company’s insistence that MM&P licensed deck officers accept a wage freeze. The MM&P bargaining committees, negotiating in concert with the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association and the American Radio Association (ARA), expressed disappointment at the company’s unwillingness to share its record profits. “When you consider that the inflation rate is running at 3-4 percent and that Alexander & Baldwin (A&B), the parent corporation of Matson, proclaimed 2005 a ‘benchmark year’ for profits, it is not surprising that MM&P and the company will have to resolve our differences in arbitration,” said MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President MM&P San Francisco Branch Agent Ray Shipway addresses the crowd. (Left to right) Linda Hallford of the IBU; Dan Don Marcus. A&B’s president and chief executive officer Bernal of Rep. Pelosi’s office; Sailors Union of the Pacific has stated that in 2005, the company’s transportation busi- President Gunnar Lundberg; Tim Paulson, president ness achieved a 22 percent year over year increase in oper- of the San Francisco Labor Council; Aaron Peskin, San ating profit. Net income in 2005 for the corporation was Francisco Board of Supervisors; and San Francisco Port Commissioner Michael Hardeman. Capt. Andy Miller of $126,000,000, up 25 percent from last year. Blue & Gold Lines stands with his back to the camera. As this issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot went to press, Behind Shipway are members of the International no arbitration date had been set. Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) drill team. - 2 - March – April 2006 The Master, Mate & Pilot COMPANY NEWS Matson to Convert C-9 P&O Nedlloyd, Farrell Vessels MV Mokihana to Now Under Maersk Name Combination Ro/Ro A.P.