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

MEBA TELEX TIMES               SEPTEMBER 29, 2006

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 39

In this issue...
Matson port engineer contract finalized...Akaka boots Jones Act hater...Combating the newsletter blues, we soldier on with a whole platoon of news armed to the teeth with industry ammunition from the front lines. A real trooper, we take command, earn our stripes and wage a war of maritime words in a literary blitzkrieg. Fall in! A badge of honor, the battle-tested Telex Times is an army of one!

CAPE R'S COMPLETE TOP NOTCH TURBO ACTIVATION
MEBA again confirmed that our members are ready for action after acing a no-notice turbo activation aboard a trio of Ready Reserve Force fleet ships managed by our contracted company Keystone Shipping. Keystone got the word from the Maritime Administration on Monday, September 18th that the CAPE RISE, CAPE RACE and CAPE RAY, all berthed in Portsmouth, VA, were being activated. All three vessels are crewed with MEBA engine and deck officers.

MEBA's Representative in Norfolk, Jeff Hauck, sprang into action and summoned up area members to fill the additional jobs required when a vessel goes into Full Operating Status. Most of the jobs were filled out of Norfolk and the rest went up on the open board around the halls where they were snatched up. All three vessels were fully crewed by the close of business on Monday. The RISE, RACE and RAY are ROS-4 (Reduced Operating Status) vessels meaning that they can fully activate and sail within 4 days of receiving notice. The three vessels sailed well before that limit was reached and each of the vessels shipped out for 72 hour sea trials. Turbo activation sea trials involve various drills, tests and exercises that confirm a vessel's maintenance, support and readiness. In the case of the CAPE R's, they could not have fared better on the sea trials. An overwhelming success, all systems held up well and the vessels were back at berth earlier this week.

The CAPE RISE is headed up by Capt. Gary Hill and Chief Engineer Hugh Yarbrough, Capt. Pat Wright and C/E Jim Matthews lead the crew aboard the CAPE RACE and Capt. David Scott and C/E Greg Freeman are the senior officers aboard the CAPE RAY.

MATSON PORT ENGINEER CONTRACT WRAPPED-UP
An MEBA negotiating team led by Executive V.P. Bud Jacque has sewn up new terms for our members serving as Port Engineers for Matson Navigation. The new language, which was negotiated as part of a wage reopener, extends the contract through June 15, 2009, the same as the Matson dry cargo vessel contract. A retroactive pay hike was implemented and future pay and wage-related items will be increased over each of the next two years. The Money Purchase Benefit contribution rate will also enjoy a boost in 2007 and again in 2008.

MEBA's Matson Port engineers have already ratified the agreement. The negotiating team consisted of V.P. Jacque, San Francisco Patrolman Ed MacCormack, and Senior Port Engineer (Hawaii) Leighton Tseu. This contract comes on the heels of the Matson deep-sea wage reopener that has also been ratified. That agreement was brokered by V.P. Jacque, L.A. Branch Agent Al Camelio, S.F. Patrolman Ed MacCormack and as rank and file group including Chief Engineers Cecil Ray, John Eaton, and Dave Nolan.

HOUSE PASSES 2007 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION BILL
The House of Representatives passed HR 5681, the 2007 Coast Guard Authorization Bill on Thursday night. The bill, which was approved unanimously, includes an authorization of $9 billion for Coast Guard operations in 2007. This represents a $1.1 billion increase over the Administration's request.

Included in the bill is an MEBA-sponsored provision that would require all seaports to amend their port security plans to include a means for mariners to gain access to vessels in the port without being forced to pay for individual port access credentials. MEBA has been working with the rest of maritime labor to reduce unnecessary regulations placed upon US mariners under the auspices of "port security." In his testimony before the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee on July 20th, President Ron Davis identified the problem that mariners were being forced to obtain multiple, costly identification credentials for various ports (even ports within the same state, such as Florida) in order to gain access to ships they are employed upon, despite possessing valid Coast Guard-issued merchant mariner documents. This provision represents the first step Congress has taken to address the issue of merchant mariner credentialing this Congress.

The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.

MEBA COMPANIES NAB MARITIME SAFETY AWARDS
Several MEBA-contracted companies were honored with safety awards this week at a function in New York attended by MEBA and company representatives.

American Maritime Safety, Inc. hands out these awards annually for those deserving few who best demonstrate compliance with Coast Guard regulations and international protocols. Three of our contracted companies were selected for awards this year on the basis of their sterling safety records.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Ltd. which includes MEBA-contracted NCL America took away the Cruise Ship Vessel Safety Award. The Quality Shipmanagement Award was handed out to Horizon Lines. Finally, Overseas Shipholding Group won this year's Maritime Safe Working Practices Award. Congratulations!

SEN. AKAKA DISPATCHES JONES ACT OPPONENT
Hawaii voters validated 82-year-old Sen. Daniel Akaka's bid to run for re-election last week when he swatted back opponent Ed Case in the Democratic Primary. Sen. Akaka, who has held his Senate post since 1990, won a majority in each of the State's four counties en route to a 54 to 45 percent victory statewide. Akaka also served in the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1990. Case is currently finishing off his second term in Congress representing Hawaii's Second District. He is a known opponent of the Jones Act who has introduced several bills attempting to rescind Jones Act protections, a stance putting him at odds with the rest of Hawaii's elected lawmakers in Congress.

Republican Cynthia Thielen, a 73-year old State representative, will face off against Akaka in the general election in November. Sen. Akaka is the early favorite in the Democratic leaning state.

Sen. Akaka stopped by our Headquarters this week to thank MEBA, the American Maritime Congress and host of unions that helped beat back the Case challenge. He and Congressman Neil Abercrombie, who also dropped by, are both terrific friends of the maritime industry. They took the opportunity to introduce Mazie Hirono to MEBA and representatives of fifteen unions gathered at MEBA Headquarters. Hirono, the former Lt. Governor of Hawaii, is seeking to take over the House seat vacated by Rep. Ed Case.

Maritime unions represented at the function included MEBA, MM&P, ILWU and SUP. The Jones Act was one of the topics of discussion -- Mazie expressed her strong support of both Jones Act and the Maritime Security Program.

Other unions represented included AFSCME, AFGE, the Letter Carriers, the Operating Engineers, AFL-CIO, TWU, Brotherhood of Railroad Stewards, the Boilermakers, the Ironworkers, the Machinists, the Building Trades Department, and our affiliate PASS.

OSG WILL PURCHASE MARITRANS
Overseas Shipholding Group has announced that it is entering into a merger agreement with Maritrans Inc. that will result in OSG's purchase of the U.S. flag crude oil and petroleum product shipping company.

The transaction combines two fleets with strengths in different trade routes and allows OSG to offer expanded services to current and future customers of both companies.

Maritrans' has a fleet of 11 articulated tug barges (ATBs) and five product carriers, as well as three large ATBs under construction. As part of the acquisition, the labor pools aboard those vessels will be unchanged.

This transaction will have no bearing on MEBA's contract with OSG nor will it affect the series of newbuilds OSG is constructing at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. The purchase is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

COAST GUARD REVAMPING MEDICAL GUIDELINES FOR MMD APPLICANTS
The Coast Guard has announced that it is accepting public comment on a plan to replace existing medical and physical evaluation guidelines for mariners trying to obtain merchant mariner credentials.

The new guidelines were developed from recommendations and input by the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) and experienced maritime community medical practitioners. This draft Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) was developed to replace the existing NVIC 2-98 entitled ''Physical Evaluation Guidelines for Merchant Mariner's Documents and Licenses.''

The proposed NVIC contains revised guidelines for evaluating the physical and medical conditions of applicants for merchant mariner's documents (MMD), licenses, certificates of registry and STCW endorsements. It also provides guidance for evaluating the physical and medical conditions of applicants for merchant mariner credentials (MMCs), if and when the Coast Guard begins issuing MMCs.

The Coast Guard noted that the information contained in the proposed NVIC does not change current agency practices with respect to the physical and medical evaluation process. Rather, they say that it puts the current practices into writing, making them transparent for all to see and promoting their consistent application. They do not believe the proposed NVIC will result in significantly higher rates of disqualification for mariners, or result in increased processing time for credential applications with physical and/or medical issues. Actually, the Coast Guard expects the process to be fairer and less subjective, and anticipates a reduction in application processing time since all parties will know precisely what information is needed at the outset of the application process.

The Coast Guard is asking for comments by November 27, 2006. For further information you can call Mark Gould, Maritime Personnel Qualifications Division, Office of Operating and Environmental Standards, Commandant (G-PSO-1), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, telephone 202-372-1409, or e-mail him at Mark.C.Gould@uscg.mil.

COAST GUARD TO REQUIRE PILOTS TO SUBMIT PHYSICAL EXAM DOCS
The Coast Guard has announced that it will require all first class pilots on vessels greater than 1600 Gross Registered Tons to provide a copy of their annual physical examination to the agency by December 27, 2006. Following that, pilots will be required to submit a copy of their annual physical examination to the Coast Guard no later than 30 calendar days after completion of the physical examination each year. The annual physical examination by regulation, must be completed within 30 calendar days of the anniversary date of the individual's most recent satisfactorily completed physical examination.

For further information contact Stewart A. Walker, National Maritime Center who can be reached at (202) 493-1022 or e-mailed at Stewart.A.Walker@uscg.mil.

MEBA SHIP DEPLOYED ON WARFARE EXERCISE WITH BATTLE GROUP
MEBA members serving aboard their Fast Combat support ship USNS BRIDGE took part in a series of joint-warfare scenarios that help mold Navy battle groups into cohesive units. Part of Carrier Strike Group Three, the BRIDGE is one of the many MEBA-crewed Military Sealift Command Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force ships supporting Navy vessels.

CSG-3 is also known as the JOHN C. STENNIS Strike Group named for the Aircraft Carrier that heads up the group. They underwent their Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) on Sept. 21 involving all the constituents of the STENNIS Strike Group including Destroyer Squadron Twenty One (DESRON 21), Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW 9) and strike group Air Defense Commander, USS ANTIETAM.

Until now, each constituent of the group had only been involved in the first phase of training which provides drills for warfare commanders in individual mission critical areas such as operational tasking and combat decision-making.

This second phase is geared around team building. It employs battle scenarios that require the strike group to act as a coordinated, combat-ready force. The purpose is to stress the players, closely resembling real-world engagements. "Phase I is like being on the court shooting basketball by yourself," said Strike Group Commander Rear Adm. Kevin M. Quinn. "You might be great by yourself, but it takes teamwork to win a real game - and teams need practice."

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday October 2 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, October 3 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, October 4 - Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, October 5 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, October 6 - Honolulu.

--------FINISHED WITH ENGINES---------