MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO)
         "On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"

MEBA TELEX TIMES       JANUARY 16, 2009

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 3

In this issue...
M.E.B.A. assists in aircrash on the Hudson...Merchant Marine Veterans' bill reintroduced...Resumes needed for new work...Does a dark and ominous news forecast have you stuck under a black cloud? Don't get drenched by inclement, washout newsletters that throw cold water on you and dampen your spirits. Take a raincheck from those soggy drips as we steal their thunder with a cut & dry issue that brings you under the M.E.B.A. umbrella. A shelter from the storm, the slicker all-weather Telex Times has got you covered!

M.E.B.A. WAS PART OF RESCUE OPS DURING "MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON"
M.E.B.A. mariners were part of an armada of boats that sped to the rescue on the Hudson River yesterday where US Airways Flight 1549 made a splash landing with 155 people aboard. A flock of Canadian geese took out both of the plane's engines around 3:30 pm and the pilot executed a perfect three-point landing in the river. Rescuers were able to extract all passengers and crew from the A320 airbus. Everyone survived and there were only a few reported injuries, all relatively minor. The plane left from LaGuardia Airport at 3:26 bound for Charlotte, NC. It crashed in the river near 43rd Street, on Manhattan's West side minutes later.

M.E.B.A. members aboard the FDNY fireboats were dispatched immediately. Fire company Marine 1 boat McKEAN was on scene with Capt/Pilot Robert Spadarro, C/E Lenny Burmester and Assistant Engineer Pat Astegher. The McKEAN immediately tied a mooring line to the plane to keep the two knot current from taking it down the river. Fire company Marine 9 boat FIREFIGHTER arrived shortly after the McKEAN and also assisted in stabilizing the plane. After the passengers were rescued by the NY Waterway ferries both boats kept the plane afloat and guided it down to Battery Park. The FIREFIGHTER, Capt./Pilot Joe Gagliardi, C/E Fred Domini and Assistant Engineer Dan Rowland also transported the FDNY Rescue 5 dive team to the scene. Fire Company 6 boat KANE, Capt/Pilot Shawn O'Connor, C/E William Cody also arrived on the scene and assisted in the rescue and stabilization of the airbus. After the plane was secured at Battery Park the FIREFIGHTER stood by through the night because of their ability to deliver foam.

The plane ditched miles away from where the M.E.B.A.-crewed Staten Island Ferries transit, but the 36-foot AMERICAN LEGION utility boat was sent to assist in rescue operations. Also involved were the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers aboard the M.E.B.A. contracted vessels GELBERMAN and HAYWARD. Chief Engineers Bill Carl and Ed Quirk were at the controls and Chief Engineers Dan Reddan, Tony Hans, Jim Murray and Jim Branigan provided logistical support. At the helms of these vessels were MM&P brothers Captains Brian Aballo, Dan Petrick, Liz Finn and Bill Lyness.

Also on the scene was the M.E.B.A. contracted vessel SAMUEL CORSON from the Governors Island Ferry. They arrived later and were instructed by the Coast Guard to stand by. M.E.B.A. members included Bill Welch, Barry Torey, Steve Mitchell, Seth Pinto and Ben Pedrosa.

SEAN CONNAUGHTON CONCLUDES MARAD SERVICE
Because of the change in administration, Sean Connaughton's tenure as Maritime Administrator will end on January 20, 2009. At that time, Mr. James Caponiti, the agency's Assistant Administrator, will become Acting Deputy Maritime Administrator.

Mr. Caponiti is a member of the federal government's Senior Executive Service. He was named Assistant Administrator in May 2008; prior to that, he served as the agency's Associate Administrator for National Security.

MERCHANT MARINE VETERANS BILL REINTRODUCED
The Merchant Marine Veterans bill made much more headway than predicted in the last Congress. But because the session expired without final action on the measure in the Senate, the work must start over in the new legislative session. Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA) has gotten the ball rolling once again reintroducing the "Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act." The legislation will again be tagged as H.R. 23.

The bill would provide a monthly cash benefit to qualified World War II veteran merchant mariners. In the last session of Congress, the bill passed the House but a companion bill in the Senate died in Committee. Rep. Filner will again serve as Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee where H.R. 23 will be referred. Therefore the bill has a good chance of replicating its success in the House. The bill has not yet been reintroduced in the Senate.

RESUMES NEEDED FOR NEW WORK
Resumes are being requested from members interested in new work that is opening up for Port Engineers/Project Managers. Those who have experience writing specs will find that it increases their chances as a job candidate.

Resumes should be forwarded to Baltimore Branch Agent Tom Suneson at tsuneson@d1meba.org or faxed to him at (410) 685-5355. You can call Tom at (410) 685-5353 for further information.

MARAD STUDY ADEQUACY OF MARITIME POLICY
The Maritime Administration has issued a new study that evaluates the adequacy of current U.S. maritime policy to meet the commercial, economic, security and environmental needs of the nation over the next three decades. The report titled, "An Evaluation of Maritime Policy in Meeting the Commercial and Security Needs of the United States," was researched and prepared by IHS Global Insight, Inc., of Lexington, Mass.

The 72-page report finds that current U.S. maritime policy only supports America's domestic maritime trades and is not supportive of U.S. participation in the international trades. However, the study also advises that possible reforms in national policy may lend more support to the U.S. maritime industry. The full report and its findings are available online at Maritime Administration web site, www.marad.dot.gov.

PAY YOUR DUES!
Any member or applicant two or more years in arrears on their dues and/or service charges will be put under review by the District Investigating Committee (DIC) and WILL BE DROPPED from the membership or applicant rolls. If you are in arrears and desire to retain your membership or applicant status, you must contact Headquarters immediately to make payment on your arrearage to return to good standing.

HUNDREDS OF UNION MEMBERS TO MARCH IN 56th INAUGURAL PARADE
On January 20, hundreds of America's working men and women will join representatives from across the country and our armed forces to participate in the official inaugural parade for the nation's 44th president, Barack Obama. The 2009 inauguration marks the first time in recent history that representatives from America's labor unions have been invited to march in the official parade. The 265-person ensemble will include members from Change to Win, the AFL-CIO and the National Education Association.

The delegation of marchers will lead the only pro-worker float down the parade path under the theme of "Honoring America's Workers." The marchers will carry a banner with the slogan "America's Workers: United for Change" along with flags that represent the issues most important to working families: an Economy that Works for All, Great Public Schools, Good Jobs Green Jobs, and Health Care for All.

MARAD UNLOADS ANOTHER JAMES RIVER RUSTBUCKET
The Maritime Administration has sold a ship for recycling to Bay Bridge Enterprises of Chesapeake, VA. The MILWAUKEE, an AOR2-class oiler built in 1969 at the General Dynamics shipyard in Quincy, Mass, brought a purchase price of $56,410.

"Even with the recent drop in worldwide scrap steel prices, we continue to move obsolete ships out of the James River," said Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton, noting that the departure of MILWAUKEE will bring to 78 the number of ships removed from the James River site at Fort Eustis since January 1, 2001. The purchase contract for MILWAUKEE means that there will soon be only 25 obsolete ships left at the site without contracts for disposal.

RISE IN PIRACY DURING 2008
Global seafarers faced an alarming rise in pirate attacks last year, with an unprecedented 49 ships beings seized and 889 crew members held for ransom, a maritime watchdog said Friday. A total of 293 attacks were recorded in 2008, from 263 recorded in the previous year, the London-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in its yearly report from its reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. It also noted a surge in the number of violent attacks last year.

A total 46 vessels were fired upon, 32 crewmembers injured, 11 killed, 21 missing and presumed dead, the report said. The number of incidents in which guns were used nearly doubled from 72 in 2007 to 139 last year. "In terms of crew taken hostage, the 2008 statistics surpass all figures recorded," said IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan.

Attacks in the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden made up 38 per cent of the attacks at 111 cases. Other hotspots for high-seas piracy include Nigeria with 40 attacks and Indonesia with 28, the IMB noted. The IMB urged governments to heighten security patrols in their waters and ships to remain vigilant against attacks.

Unfortunately, the ransoms that some shipping companies are paying to reclaim their hijacked vessels are encouraging money-hungry pirates to redouble their efforts to make crime pay. Just yesterday, the Danish cargo ship CEC FUTURE and her 13 crewmembers that had been hijacked in early November were released after a ransom, thought to be well over a million dollars, was paid. The Japanese vessel AFRICAN SANDERLING, taken in October, was also released this week, likely following a payoff.

In a well publicized incident last weekend, Somali pirates coerced a Saudi shipping company to pay them $3 million for the release of the oil tanker M/V SIRIUS STAR, hijacked almost two months ago. One of the boats full of newly rich pirates fleeing the scene, capsized in rough weather drowning five of them. Three others onboard made it to shore alive but lost their share of the booty.

TWIC REQUIREMENTS IN EFFECT AT MORE LOCATIONS
The Transportation Identification Certificate (TWIC) Program went into force at a number of U.S. ports this week. The federal government's new biometric ID card is required for port employees, longshoremen, truckers and others for unescorted access to secure port areas.

By April 15, over 1.5 million of those accessing secure port areas will be required to have had their background checks in order to be issued cards, with biometric data and documentation confirming residency. The TWIC cards are good for five years. The following ports began their enforcement this week: Baton Rouge, LA; Houma, LA; Lafayette, LA; Morgan City, LA; New Orleans; Port Fourchon, LA; LaPlace, LA; Key West, FL; Miami, FL; Palm Beach, FL; Port Everglades, FL; Port Manatee, FL; Tampa, FL; Peoria, IL; St. Louis, MO; Newport News, VA; Norfolk, VA, and Kansas City, MO.

In order to overcome some of the difficulties with TWIC enrollment, the TSA has allowed several ports to accept alternative identification for a period of time for workers that have applied but have yet to receive their TWIC cards. Port workers who haven't yet picked up their activated TWIC card may use alternative ID in the following port regions: Hampton Roads, VA; Morgan City, LA; New Orleans; LA; Upper Mississippi River, MS; Miami; Key West, FL and St. Petersburg, FL.

According to the TSA, as of Friday, Jan. 9, 801,831 workers nationally had enrolled in TWIC. Of those, 734,341 cards have been printed and 578,676 had been activated. To learn more about activating a TWIC card, go to: www.twicinformation.com.

Coast Guard Field Teams from Sector Miami conducted spot checks at 38 port facilities Tuesday to assess compliance with the new requirements. More than 90 percent of the facilities checked that day were in compliance, however, five cargo facilities were found to be non-compliant. Of the five, two were corrected on the spot with no impact to operations. Three were ordered to suspend MTSA related operations until they have complied with the TWIC requirements. The Coast Guard is working with the three non-compliant facilities, Bernuth Marine Shipping, Port of Miami River Terminal and 5th Street Terminal to gain TWIC compliance and resume normal operations.

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, February 2 - Boston, Jacksonville, Seattle;
Tuesday, February 3 - Baltimore, Houston, San Francisco;
Wednesday, February 4 - Calhoon School; Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, February 5 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, February 6 - Honolulu.

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