Great News: Coast Guard Finalizes Terminal Access Rule - International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots
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Vol. 55, No.2 The International Marine Division of ILA/AFL-CIO
March | April 2019
Official Voice of the International
Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots
Great News: Coast Guard Finalizes Terminal Access Rule
Maersk Alabama Hijacking 10 Years On: Could It Happen Again?
Unions Fight Plan to Build Stadium at Port of Oakland
New Bill Introduced in Congress to Repeal the Jones Act
Table of Contents The Master, Mate & Pilot is the
official voice of
the International
Organization
Vol. 55, No. 2 March | April 2019 of Masters,
Mates & Pilots
From the President 1 (International
What makes a true labor union special? Respect for tradition and Marine Division of the ILA),
AFL-CIO. © 2019 IOMMP.
the determination to pass on to future generations the benefits that
union members have fought so hard to achieve. The Master, Mate & Pilot (ISSN
0025-5033) is published bimonthly
News Briefs 3 by the International Organization
of Masters, Mates & Pilots. MM&P
Coast Guard finalizes seafarer terminal access rule; Maersk Alabama Headquarters: 700 Maritime Blvd.,
hijacking 10 years on; maritime labor unions fight plan to build Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD
21090-1953.
stadium at Port of Oakland; new bill introduced in Congress to
Phone: (410) 850-8700
repeal the Jones Act; Matson’s second new Aloha class ship sets E-mail: communications@bridgedeck.org
sail; North Ferry contract finalized; MM&P joins South Carolina Internet: www.bridgedeck.org
Maritime Association; Morgan McManus appointed master of Periodicals Postage Paid at
TS Empire State IV. Elkridge, MD and additional
offices. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to The Master,
Interview 18 Mate & Pilot, 700 Maritime
Meet Captain John McDonnell of the MM&P Offshore Membership Blvd., Suite B, Linthicum
Heights, MD 21090-1953
Group. He says the most rewarding part of his career has been
Don Marcus
sailing as an officer aboard humanitarian relief ships. Chairman, Editorial Board
Lisa Rosenthal
MM&P Health & Benefit Plans 19 Communications Director
Medicare Part D update; Penobscot Bay and River Pilots, Reinauer
INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS
office staff, join the MM&P Health and Benefit Plan; increase in Don Marcus, President
earnings limitations for pensioners and spouses in 2020. Steven Werse, Secretary-Treasurer
News From MITAGS 21 VICE PRESIDENTS
Thomas Bell, Great Lakes & Gulf
Karen Gibis retires after 34 years at MITAGS; Maritime Stephen H. Doherty, Atlantic Maritime
Conference Center recognized for excellent service. Don Josberger, Offshore Atlantic
Klaus Luhta, Offshore Gulf &
Government Affairs
MM&P Directory 22 George A. Quick, Pilots
Randall H. Rockwood, Federal
Pensioners 25 Employees
Timothy Saffle, Pacific Maritime Region
Cross’d the Final Bar 26 Lars Turner, Offshore Pacific
Thank You Contributors to the MM&P PCF! 28
Vol. 55, No.2
March. | April 2019
The International Marine Division
of ILA/AFL-CIO
Connect With Us!
About the Cover Publications@brid
Official Voice of the International
gedeck.org
Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots
Maersk Kentucky docked in Bridgedeck.org
Houston earlier this year. The Facebook.com/IO
photo was taken by MM&P MMP
YouTube: Masters
member Ernie Caponegro, MatesPilots
who was sailing as second Instagram: bridge
Terminal Access Rule
deck
Great News: Coast Guard Finalizes
Maersk Alabama Hijacking 10 Years
On: Could It Happen Again? mate aboard the ship. Twitter: @MMP_U
Unions Fight Plan to Build Stadium
New Bill Introduced in Congress
to
at Port of Oakland
Repeal the Jones Act nion
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Through the Generations
Union Sisters and Brothers,
MM&P participated in March in the 7th Quadrennial
Convention of the International Longshoremen’s Association
Great Lakes District Council. For MM&P, as the marine
affiliate of the ILA, the event was special for several reasons.
The Convention coincided with an important meeting
of the Maritime Labor Alliance (MLA), the cornerstone of
cooperation between MM&P and five like-minded maritime
unions: the ILA, the International Longshore and Warehouse He spoke of overcoming personal adversity to devote his
Union (ILWU), the Inland Boatmen’s Union (IBU), the life to seeking economic and social justice for farm workers.
Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) and the The need “to be resolute, to be willing to make personal
American Radio Association (ARA). sacrifices and to be ‘all-in’ for life” is, in his words, what is
During the meeting, the constituent unions of the MLA required not only in the trenches of the labor movement but
reiterated their commitment to maintaining industry in any battle aimed at improving people’s lives. Baldemar
standards, upholding their fundamental, hard-earned labor Velasquez has lived such a life. The reward he has received is
jurisdictions and defending the jobs of their collective the improvement in the working conditions of many farm
membership. workers and their families.
The Maritime Labor Alliance also agreed to engage in An equally powerful speech was given by our own Captain
a more aggressive program to publicize and advance these Richard Phillips. His theme was duty: a captain’s duty to
objectives. Coming off the ILA’s tremendously successful his crew. His is the story of one man’s ability to find within
contract extension campaign, President Harold Daggett himself the personal strength and courage to rise to the
was outspoken regarding the union’s determination to resist occasion when faced with the ultimate test. Captain Phillips’s
automation’s encroachment on jobs by means of forceful story was the perfect parallel to that of Baldemar Velasquez:
collective bargaining and by maintaining the highest level of both accounts demonstrate what is best and strongest in
labor productivity on the docks. The ILA has committed to mankind.
a benchmark of thirty container moves an hour, a rate higher There was another important moment for MM&P during
than can be achieved with robotics. the ILA Great Lakes District Council Convention: the formal
“The future of work” is a topic that impacts us all: as passing of the MM&P/ILA torch to our United Inland
workers, mariners and members of society. The theme was Group-Great Lakes & Gulf Vice President Tom Bell. Tom was
repeated in meetings throughout the Great Lakes District elected to the Great Lakes District Council as Vice President.
Council Convention. It was also discussed at length earlier This is an unpaid position that, similar to MM&P’s unpaid
during the same week at the Executive Board meetings of the positions on the ILA’s Atlantic Coast District Council and
AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD). In fact, International Executive Council, underscores our connection
the AFL-CIO has established a commission on the future of to the ILA. This is a connection that may be subject to review
work composed of representatives of all major sectors of labor. in the future, but that has endured since 1971.
Two particularly inspiring speakers addressed the It was gratifying to see Tom assume the role, particularly
Convention. One was our own Captain Richard Phillips, who in light of the contributions of two members who preceded
told of his experiences aboard the MV Maersk Alabama. The him: Jack Duff and Charles Malue. Both made tremendous
second was Baldemar Velasquez—co-founder and president of contributions to our organization and to our profession on
the AFL-CIO Farm Labor Organizing Committee—who gave the Great Lakes.
a moving description of his life as an immigrant, a migrant
farm worker, an occasional longshoremen and, in more recent
years, a labor organizer. continued on page 2
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 1
President’s Message continued
advocate for our Great Lakes members. After retiring from
MM&P, he remained with the ILA on the Great Lakes District
Council. To this day, in his 90th year, he mans the barricades
at the ILA’s Cleveland offices. For his dedicated and passionate
service, Jack was given a standing ovation at the Convention.
Charlie Malue, Jack’s spiritual successor as MM&P
representative on the Great Lakes, rose from a coal passer aboard
a Lakes steamer to a ship’s master by the time he came ashore.
Like Jack before him, Charlie had tremendous insight. He
recognized in Tom Bell (another talent that Jack had cultivated
and encouraged) a professional ready to take on the job of
MM&P’s Great Lakes representative that had previously been
held by these two outstanding men.
Tragically, Charlie passed away last year, so he could not be
there to enjoy the moment. But, for MM&P members at the
Convention, the rousing salute to Jack Duff and the knowledge
of the generational continuity and tradition passed down
from Jack to Charlie to Tom Bell was heartfelt. These Union
brothers all have the qualities described by Baldemar Velasquez:
resolution, sacrifice and commitment. And, like Captain
Phillips, they know, or in the sad case of Charlie, knew, full well
the true meaning of the word duty.
In the end, it is the passing down of commitment, service
Captains Charlie Malue (standing), with Tom Bell (seated left) and tradition from one generation to the next that makes a true
and Jack Duff. As MM&P’s Representatives on the Great Lakes, labor Union special: not for profit, nor the accumulation of
the three have shared a commitment to duty and service that wealth for anonymous investors, but for the betterment of the
exemplifies the meaning of union solidarity.
lives of working men and women and their families. Whether it
is passing the torch of union service from Jack Duff to Charlie
Malue to Tom Bell or passing the torch of employment in our
time-honored and honest profession from a father or mother to
Captain Duff got his start aboard escort carriers during World his or her son, daughter, niece or nephew—or simply from one
War II, then aboard tugs on the Ohio and Monongahela rivers, Union Brother/Sister to another—it is truly gratifying.
then on the Great Lakes. It was there as master of a bulker that It is the human bond, the connection through the generations
he met AB Charlie Malue and encouraged him to get his Mates and the achievement of collective action for a better life that
ticket and join MM&P. Jack went on to become the heart and makes unions great and enduring.
soul of MM&P on the Great Lakes. He was largely responsible
for maintaining our Union on the Lakes during an era of vicious Sincerely and Fraternally,
jurisdictional assault by District 2/AMO.
By the time he passed the torch to Charlie Malue, Jack was Don Marcus
true fire and brimstone in MM&P politics and a relentless MM&P President
2 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019
NEWS B RIEFS
USCG Finalizes Rule Implementing
Seafarer Terminal Access Legislation
The Coast Guard has published a final rule requiring facility This final rule, which implements a congressional mandate,
owners and operators to ensure free access between ship and shore ensures that no facility owner or operator denies or makes it
to seafarers, pilots and representatives of seamen’s welfare and labor impractical for seafarers or other specified individuals to transit the
organizations. facility.
The rule is the result of years of work by maritime attorney Within 14 months of April 1, the publication date of the final
and MM&P Vice President George Quick, who shepherded the rule, each facility owner or operator must implement a system
measure from legislation through agency regulatory channels. for providing “timely” access that enables individuals to transit to
The process took over ten years. and from a vessel moored at the facility and the facility gate at no
The new rule is expected to have a positive impact on the charge.
working conditions of mariners in every MM&P Membership
Group.
Specifically, it requires each Maritime Transportation Security
Act (MTSA)-regulated facility to “provide a system for seamen
The owner or operator
assigned to a vessel at that facility, pilots, and representatives of
seamen’s welfare and labor organizations to board and depart the
must ensure that the
vessel through the facility in a timely manner at no cost to the
individual.”
access required is actually
“We finally have the Seafarer Terminal Access legislation provided in all instances.
implemented in a rule by the USCG after years of work,” Quick
said.
“We are very pleased that the USCG’s final rule comprehensively Timely access means the facility owner or operator must provide
addresses the serious terminal access problems that have made the access “without unreasonable delay,” subject to review by the
life difficult for seafarers for far too long. Let us hope we see it Captain of the Port.
implemented widely and effectively enforced.” Timely access is to be determined by taking into account:
Under the rule, access procedures must be documented in each • the length of time the vessel is in port;
vessel’s Facility Security Plan and approved by the local Captain of
the Port. continued on page 4
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 3
NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
Seafarer Terminal Access Legislation continued
• the distance of egress/ingress between the vessel and facility • provide monitored pedestrian access routes between the vessel
gate; and facility gate;
• vessel watch schedules; • provide a method approved by the Captain of the Port.
• the facility’s safety and security procedures as required by law; If an access method relies on a third party, a back-up access
• any other factors specific to the vessel or facility that could method that will be used if the third party is unable to or does not
affect access to and from the vessel. provide the required access in any instance must be provided by the
The facility owner or operator must ensure that access is provided owner or operator.
through one or more of the following methods: The owner or operator must ensure that the access required is
• regularly scheduled escort between the vessel and the facility actually provided in all instances.
gate that conforms to the vessel’s watch schedule as agreed The facility owner or operator must provide the access at no cost
upon between the vessel and facility; to the individual to whom such access is provided.
• an on-call escort between the vessel and the facility gate; The terminal operator must document the facility’s system for
• arrangements with taxi services or other transportation services, providing access under the rule.
ensuring that any costs for providing the access described in This documentation must include:
this section, above the service’s standard fees charged to any • location of transit area(s) used for providing access;
customer, are not charged to the individual to whom such • duties and number of facility personnel assigned to each duty
access is provided. associated with providing access;
If a facility provides arrangements with taxi services or other • methods of escorting and/or monitoring individuals transiting
transportation services as the only method for providing the access through the facility;
described in this section, the facility is responsible for paying any • agreements or arrangements between the facility and private
fees for transit within the facility. parties, nonprofit organizations, or other parties, to facilitate
The facility is also required to: access;
• make arrangements with seafarers’ welfare organizations to • maximum length of time an individual would wait for the
facilitate access; access, based on the provided access method(s).
Measure to Repeal the Jones Act Introduced in Congress
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has introduced legislation that would trade between U.S. ports is a huge loss for American consumers
repeal the Jones Act to allow foreign-flag, foreign-owned, foreign- and producers,” he added.
built and foreign-crewed vessels unrestricted access to U.S. The truth is that the Jones Act does not restrict trade and has
waterways. never been shown to significantly affect prices paid by consumers
In introducing the bill, Lee cited the same type of in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. It does, on the other hand,
misinformation about the Jones Act that is regularly circulated guarantee essential, state-of-the-art shipping services to local
by opponents of the U.S.-flag fleet, and in particular the negative communities there and elsewhere in the country.
propaganda that was disseminated following the hurricanes that It also keeps thousands of American mariners, shipyard and
struck Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico in 2017. associated workers in family-supporting jobs and available to
“It is long past time to repeal the Jones Act entirely so that support our country’s defense and homeland security needs.
Alaskans, Hawaiians and Puerto Ricans aren’t forced to pay higher MM&P and MIRAID will be working closely with our
prices for imported goods and so they rapidly receive the help they colleagues in the industry and our friends in Congress to defeat this
need in the wake of natural disasters,” Lee said in introducing his short-sighted, misguided legislative proposal.
bill, the “Open America’s Water Act of 2019” (S 694). “Restricting
4 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019
The Hijacking of the Maersk Alabama 10 Years On:
Could It Happen Again?
A pril 9, 2019, marks the 10th anniversary of the hijacking
of the U.S.-flagged freighter Maersk Alabama. It was
the first time in more than 200 years that pirates had
boarded an American-flagged vessel.
The immediate
“The piracy situation has only changed in one geographic area:
off the coast of Somalia,” he says.
“Piracy globally continues. In Nigeria, it’s happening all the
time: with people taken, ships taken. The de-escalation has only
been in that one area and it’s all because of Captain Phillips. If he
aftermath of the hadn’t been taken, this wouldn’t have happened. The threat is still
attack—the kidnapping high in other parts of the world. Rich Phillips was the catalyst;
by the pirates of hundreds of sailors had been taken before but it didn’t make the
Captain Richard news.”
Phillips—held the Is the key factor the presence of armed security details? Are
world transfixed for there other factors, for example ships traveling farther from the
five days. Phillips coast, in areas that are harder for pirates in small boats to reach?
was held hostage in a “Places like the Singapore Straits and Indonesia you just cannot
covered lifeboat until get far from the coast due to the geography of the area,” Staples
Navy sharpshooters says.
aboard the guided-
missile destroyer USS
Bainbridge intervened,
killing three of the Could it happen again?
pirates.
What has changed Captain Richard Phillips
Captain Richard Phillips believes it since April 9, 2009?
is essential that U.S. policy-makers, Could another U.S. says “Absolutely.”
shipowners and international navies keep ship be hijacked today?
their guard up to protect against future
hijackings of U.S. ships.
“Absolutely, if we
let our guard down,” “You are basically coastwise for days and in close proximity to
Captain Phillips says. shoals and other vessels.”
“Now there are cops on the beat—armed security guards aboard “And when you make an entry into a country, you have to cross
ships in addition to international navies patrolling pirate-prone the demarcation line at some point,” he adds.
areas—but if that situation changes, it could definitely happen After the Maersk Alabama hijacking, security teams aboard at-
again.” risk ships had as many as five components. “Now companies are
He says “there are so few U.S.-flag ships now that it’s unlikely down to two or three people, which is not enough to face down,
one would be hijacked. But are there still risks for American for example, Abu Sayyaf or another terrorist group,” Staples says.
mariners? The answer is yes.” He and Captain Phillips believe the terrorist threat to ships—
Captain James Staples, a security expert who works at the including those flying the U.S. flag—is now greater than the threat
Maritime Institute of Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in Linthicum of piracy.
Heights, MD, agrees.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 5
NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
Maritime Labor Opposes Plan to Build Stadium
at Port of Oakland
Maritime unions are warning that a proposal to build
a new stadium for the Oakland A’s at the Port of
Oakland’s Howard Terminal could interfere with ship
traffic and compromise port operations.
The unions say pilots navigating the narrow estuary
and turning basin would be blinded by the ballpark’s
lights. They also warn that the construction of the
stadium—along with a hotel and 4,000 housing
units—could spark a development boom that
ultimately crowds out maritime operations entirely.
MM&P Coast Agent Jeremy Hope expressed labor’s
opposition to the plan during the February meeting of
the Port of Oakland.
He was joined by Inland Boatmen’s Union Regional
Director Robert Estrada, International Longshore and
Warehouse Union Local 10 President Melvin Mackay
and Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association Executive
MM&P Coast Agent Jeremy Hope, MEBA Vice President Adam Vokac, ILWU Local
Vice President Adam Vokac. 10 President Melvin Mackay and IBU Regional Director Robert Estrada “stormed”
The Marine Firemen’s Union, the Sailors’ Union of the Port of Oakland’s monthly meeting to protest plans to build a stadium at Howard
the Pacific and the San Francisco Bar Pilots have also Terminal. Unions and other opponents of the plan worry that state lawmakers are
come out strongly against the plan. being pushed into passing a measure to fast-track the permitting process.
The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA)
and a number of environmental groups are likewise opposed.
Although Howard Terminal is no longer used for container operations, Port of Oakland longshore workers train there. Terminal
employers also use it for trucking operations and for staging and storing containers.
San Francisco Bar Pilots President Joseph Long has written a letter to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission saying that in the event the stadium is built, pilots navigating the estuary would be blinded by the ballpark’s lights,
“similar to that experienced by the motorist facing an oncoming car with its high beams on.”
“Even when the lights are not shining directly into the pilot’s eyes, the ambient light from the ballpark will also affect the pilot’s
night vision, making it nearly impossible to see navigation aids,” Long wrote.
He added that navigating a container ship through such congested waters “would substantially increase the risk that a small vessel
or kayak will be damaged or sunk… resulting in personal injury or fatalities, or cause the ship or tugs to go aground or strike a pier
in evasive maneuvers, resulting in an oil spill.”
Tenants of the port, for their part, are concerned about the impact on truck traffic.
Stadium backers are reportedly working on a schedule that would have it open in time for the 2022-23 season.
Unions and other opponents of the project worry state lawmakers are being pushed into passing a measure to fast-track the
permitting process.
6 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019
APL LDOs Meet With Bargaining Committee,
Attend Training at MITAGS
Lilly Gallo and other APL licensed deck
officers participating in the APL Chief Mate
APL licensed deck officers who participated in training courses at MITAGS in February-March
Operations Course covered topics that
are shown here with bargaining committee members. (Front row, left to right) Tom Larkin,
included: cargo loading/stability programs;
Christopher Cruz, Naldo Garcia, William Fitzpatrick, Christian Ranosa and Mark Garcia; (back
safety management systems; and weather
row) Eric Furnholm, MM&P Coast Agent Jeremy Hope, Jonathan Komlosy, Lilly Gallo, Kerry
routing. The instructor of the course was Bob
Phillips, Kellen Murphy and MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President Lars Turner.
Kimball. Gallo sailed her first trip as captain
last fall aboard the President Roosevelt.
ILA Great Lakes District Council Quadrennial Convention
Officials of MM&P and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Captain Richard Phillips and MM&P Secretary-
attended the ILA Great Lakes District Council Quadrennial Convention in Treasurer Steve Werse with Chief Engineer Bob Lee. The
March. At the meeting, which took place in Tampa, Fla., MM&P Great Lakes three, who sailed together aboard the MV Green Bay,
& Gulf Vice President Tom Bell was elected to serve as Vice President of the ILA attended the ILA meeting
Great Lakes District Council. In the photo are (front row, left to right) Ray Sierra,
John Baker Sr., John Baker Jr., Mike Baker and Carlos Brown; (back row, left to
right) Chris Caplan, John Reed, Andre Joseph, Tom Bell and Bill Yockey.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 7
NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
MM&P-Crewed Maersk Ships Cross Paths in Norfolk
Ernie Caponegro took this photo of Maersk Iowa
docking in Norfolk on the morning of March
15. He took the photo from the bridge wing
of Maersk Kentucky. Both vessels are crewed by
MM&P licensed deck officers.
Morgan McManus Appointed Master of TS Empire State IV
Morgan McManus has been appointed master of the TS Empire State IV, the SUNY Maritime College
training ship.
McManus, a long-time member of MM&P, has over 12 years’ experience sailing as master, including
on the SS Cape Jacob, the sister ship to the TS Empire State VI. His sailing career has taken him on various
types of commercial ships including steam, motor, breakbulk, container, car carriers, tankers and cutting-
edge dynamic positioned drill ships. He also served as watch officer aboard TS Empire State VI during a
summer training cruise.
McManus graduated from SUNY Maritime College in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in Marine
Transportation.
“Captain McManus’ current shipping experience in the areas of navigation and safety, and his industry knowledge, will be of great benefit
to the students and college,” said SUNY Maritime President Rear Adm. Michael Alfultis.
“Most importantly, his current and wide range of experience will help us as we seek to elevate our license programs to new levels through
rewarding applied learning experiences.”
“As the Maritime Administration (MARAD) commences construction of the first academy training ship, which is due to replace
TS Empire State VI, Captain McManus’s experience with new-build ship construction projects will be beneficial to Maritime College and
MARAD,” Alfultis added.
It’s All in the Family
Brothers Kellen and Shane Murphy are
both experienced professional mariners.
In the photo, which was taken aboard
the President Cleveland in January, Kellen
(on the left) was relieving Shane as master
aboard the APL vessel.
8 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019Forging New Ties in Charleston:
MM&P Joins South Carolina Maritime Association
MM&P has joined the Maritime Association of South Carolina (MASC), a member-based
trade group for businesses, local government and other organizations that operate in and
around the Port of Charleston.
The association serves as a platform for collaborative efforts to protect and advance the
interests of its members.
“Representation in MASC is an excellent opportunity for MM&P, with mutual benefits for
both sides,” says MM&P Offshore member Ryan Guthrie, who lives in the Charleston area.
“Through membership, MM&P will achieve recognition in the maritime community and a
strong voice in local and regional interests that affect our members.”
MM&P’s affiliation with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is itself a great
“calling card” in Charleston: in particular Ken Riley, president of Local 1422, had always been
an advocate for MM&P members and the union as a whole.
Guthrie began considering whether membership in the port’s trade group would bring
additional advantages.
Terminals at the Port of Charleston—like others in this age of heightened security—
periodically implement new limits on access. Mariners are all too familiar with the downside:
the risk of being slowed down, sometimes for an inordinate amount of time, on the way to
work. After the port introduced vehicle access decals, “I would have to get down to the gate 30
minutes early,” Guthrie says.
He decided to discuss the situation with the chief of police for the Port of Charleston. “He
wasn’t familiar with MM&P,” Guthrie says, “and I wondered ‘are we really flying that far under
the radar’?”
MM&P member Ryan Guthrie with his
He proposed the idea of joining MASC to MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Don
children Bitsy and Townes beside the
Josberger, who saw the merits of the plan and approved it. MV Charleston Express. He says MM&P’s
“MM&P does a great job getting the word out in Washington, D.C., and getting the word affiliation with the local maritime
out to our members,” Guthrie says. association is a “win-win” for
“It’s good for us to get the word out at the local level.” the union, MM&P members and
He says the benefits could include positive press for the union and new business the Port of Charleston.
opportunities for the organization. Going forward, other association members will be able to
look to MM&P for perspective and assistance in the union’s areas of strength and expertise.
Now, MM&P’s new “profile” on the MASC website highlights: the professionality of our members; the union’s state-of-the-art training
facilities in Linthicum Heights and Seattle; and MM&P’s strong ties with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).
“It is my sincere hope that this endeavor will have lasting benefits for MM&P members,” says Guthrie.
For his part, he says, he has welcomed the chance “to get more involved with the union—not just on ship.”
Photo Credit: Ryan Guthrie
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 9NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
North Ferry Contract Finalized
The MM&P members who work at North Ferry have a
new contract, thanks to a team effort by members of the
negotiating committee, MM&P representatives, ballot
officials and management. Congratulations to the North
Ferry crews and the entire Atlantic Maritime Group!
The North Ferry negotiating team. (Left to right) Tommy Graffagnino,
Ed Dunne, Joe Coconower and Lance Willumsen.
(Not pictured: Jeffrey Brewer.)
Members Rod Bisson and Angel Freire
assisted with the ballot count.
Stella Lagudis and Bridgford Hunt MM&P Representatives Paulina
are the managers of North Ferry Czernek and Mike Riordan worked
together with the members to
finalize the contract.
New President/Secretary-Treasurer for Sailors’ Union of the Pacific
MM&P extends congratulations to Dave Connolly, the long-time SUP official who became the union’s
President/Secretary-Treasurer in March.
“MM&P looks forward to continuing the close relationship between our two unions under the leadership
of SUP President Dave Connolly,” said MM&P President Don Marcus.
Gunnar Lundeberg, who was first elected SUP President/Secretary-Treasurer in 1990 and then re-elected
multiple times, did not run for office in the recent election. The members elected Connolly to lead the union
going forward.
“MM&P recognizes outgoing SUP President Gunnar Lundberg for his uncompromising service on behalf
of maritime labor and the American Merchant Marine,” said MM&P President Don Marcus.
Dave Connolly was elected “It has been a pleasure to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Gunnar over the years in the fight to defend the
President/Secretary-Treasurer working conditions of union members in the maritime industry and beyond.”
of the Sailors’ Union of the
Pacific (SUP) in March.
10 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019Matson’s Second New Aloha Class Ship Sets Sail
Matson’s new Aloha class containership Kaimana Hila set sail on
April 5 on its transit voyage to the West Coast via the Panama Canal.
The vessel is the second of the company’s two new Aloha Class
containerships. The first is the Daniel K. Inouye, which entered
service in November 2018. Matson plans to use both vessels in the
Hawaii trade.
The two are the largest ships ever built in the United States and
also the company’s fastest, capable of a top speed of nearly 24 knots.
Both were built at Philly Shipyard. The two have dual-fuel engines
that can be adapted to use liquefied natural gas.
All the licensed deck officers aboard Matson vessels are members
of Masters, Mates & Pilots.
Kaimana Hila Master Ted Bernhard and Chief Mate Travis Seely
took time from their busy schedules at the shipyard to talk with
MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Donald Josberger and Pacific
Ports Vice President J. Lars Turner.
“It was a pleasure to see the newest addition to the U.S.-flag
container fleet manned by members of our proud union,” Turner
said.
“It is great to see our members working together to facilitate an
efficient transition from the yard to a fully operational vessel.”
He added: “Brothers Bernhard and Seely expressed gratitude for
the professional solidarity and knowledge sharing they received
from Brothers Frank Reed and Leonard Lambert who recently went MM&P Pacific Ports Vice President Lars Turner (left)
and Atlantic Ports Vice President Don Josberger (right)
through a similar process with the Daniel K. Inouye.”
with Chief Mate Travis Seely and Captain Ted Bernhard.
MM&P Members at St. Johns Pilots Welcome Union Reps
Union members at the Jacksonville office of the St. Johns Bar Pilots Association met with two MM&P officials in February. MM&P
Great Lakes & Gulf Vice President Tom Bell and San Juan Representative Eduardo Iglesias spent time talking with four members of the
union: Edward Jumbelick and Chris Savitz; Judy McQuaide; and the President of the Association Captain Nathan Cook .
(Left to right) MM&P Vice President Tom Bell with Bell and Iglesias with Judy McQuaide, Bell and Iglesias with Pilots Association
dispatcher Edward Jumbelick, pilot boat captain Chris who works in the office of the President Captain Nathan Cook.
Savitz and MM&P Representative Eduardo Iglesias. St. Johns Bar Pilots Association.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 11NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
MM&P Officers Attend SUNY Maritime Event
Masters, Mates & Pilots is a proud supporter of the Organization of Black Maritime
Graduates (OBMG). The group was formed in 1994 to educate, recruit, mentor and
network with the goal of increasing diversity in the maritime industry.
OBMG members gathered in February to award scholarships to hard-working
young people motivated to pursue a career in maritime.
Keynote speaker Braxton Lumford with MM&P
Secretary-Treasurer Steve Werse. Lumford currently
sails with MM&P as chief mate. He has sailed
aboard general cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off vessels
and government-owned vessels.
MM&P captains Keith Poissant, Robert Cook and Howard Wyche.
Union Meeting in Cleveland
Members of the MM&P Great Lakes & Gulf Group held a union meeting in March with MM&P President Don Marcus. (In the photo,
left to right) Don Marcus, Jon Waldeck, Tom Banar, David Kostik, Jeff Porinchok, Mariann Duff, Bill Slattery (wearing hat), Jack Duff,
Joe Heaney (standing on riser in back), Mark Walrath (wearing Cavaliers shirt), Chris Booth (wearing black hat), George Finley (wearing
flannel shirt), Bridget Nagle, Mike Cannon (wearing hat), Ryan Bright, Esther Galindo-Pajak and MM&P Great Lakes & Gulf Vice
President Tom Bell. “The meeting was very well-attended,” Bell said.
12 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019Another Successful Career Day!
MM&P believes that outreach to young people on the cusp of a
maritime career is an essential union function. This important work is
carried out in part by the officials, representatives and members who
attend maritime academy career days and events such as MARAD’s
Women on the Water. In the photo, representatives of the union interact
with cadets at SUNY Career Day: (left to right) AMG International
Representative Keith Poissant, Cadet Kayla Kelly, MM&P Secretary-
Treasurer Steve Werse, Cadet Emma Crawford and AMG International
Representative Paulina Czernek at SUNY Maritime Career Day.
Great Lakes & Gulf
Members at MITAGS
for LAP Class
In February, members of the MM&P Great Lakes
& Gulf Group participated in the LAP Class at
MITAGS. (Left to right) Glen Paine (MITAGS);
Chris Gibson (Grand River Navigation); Bill
Slattery (Grand River Navigation); MM&P
Great Lakes & Gulf Vice President Tom Bell;
Chris Edyvean (MITAGS instructor).
MM&P Members at Statue Cruises Complete 100T Captains Class
Congratulations to four members of
the MM&P Atlantic Maritime Group
who successfully completed their 100T
Captains Class in February. (Left to right)
Anthony Terzakos, Jose Rivera, Captain
Robert Anderson (instructor), Luis Mateo
and Peter Rivera. Great job!
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 13NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
U.S.-Flag Fleet Goes to Capitol Hill to Advocate for
American Ships and Crews
Representatives of the maritime labor unions, U.S.-
flag shipping companies, the maritime academies
and industry trade groups headed to Capitol Hill
in March to advocate for the U.S.-flag fleet and the
men and women who crew American vessels.
The occasion was the “Congressional Sail-In,”
now in its 10th year, an advocacy campaign aimed
at consolidating relationships with friends of our
industry in Congress and establishing new ties
with legislators who in the past may have had only
moderate awareness of maritime issues.
Over the course of one day, representatives
of the U.S.-flag fleet held nearly 200 separate
meetings with members of the House and Senate
and their staffs. The schedule included meetings Group led by MM&P Gulf Ports & Government Affairs Vice President Klaus Luhta (far
with legislators on key committees charged with right) with aides to Sen. Ben Cardin. Participants included: Wendi Carpenter, executive
oversight and legislation that affects the U.S. director of The Captain Richard Phillips-Lane Kirkland Maritime Trust; Russ Paret,
president of Bold Ocean LLC; Eric Ebeling (president and CEO of American Roll-on
maritime industry, as well as conversations with
Roll-off); and RJ Klein (past-president, Council of American Master Mariners).
many newly elected members. In the center are Congressional staffers Juan Urcia and Johnathan Ng.
Over the course of one day,
representatives of the
U.S.-flag fleet held nearly
200 separate meetings with
members of the House and
Senate and their staffs.
More than 150 men and women from across
the industry participated in the discussions:
they included licensed mariners, labor relations
professionals, ship owners and operators, retired
Coast Guard and Navy officers and experts on
maritime training and education.
The discussions centered on the strategic national
MM&P United Inland Group-Pacific Maritime Region Vice President Tim Saffle
imperative of having a strong American Merchant (second from left) and Inland Boatmen’s Union (IBU) President Marina Secchitano
Marine, along with the benefits to our country— meeting with staff in the office of Rep. Doug La Malfa. Participants in the group
including the significant return on investment—of included Cole Scandaglia (AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department)
the Maritime Security Program (MSP), which must and MEBA Vice President Jason Callahan.
be fully funded by Congress on an annual basis.
continued
14 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019U.S.-Flag Fleet Goes to Capitol Hill continued
Another priority: dispelling myths, misconceptions
and misunderstandings about the Jones Act and
Cargo Preference.
Sail-In participants urged Congress to ensure that
as our government works to promote “Buy American”
and “Hire American,” it also guarantees that U.S.
cargo is “Shipped American.” Shipping American
is an important way to create jobs in our country,
bolster the economy and strengthen our commercial
sealift capability.
The group also appealed for the long overdue
recognition of the significant contributions of World
War II merchant mariners, including the award of the
Congressional Gold Medal.
MM&P was represented by: President Don MM&P Coast Agent Jeremy Hope (far right) and a group led by MEBA’s
Marcus; Vice President-Gulf and Government Affairs Erick Siahaan (left) with Congressman Matt Cartright (center).
Klaus Luhta; Vice President-Great Lakes Tom Bell; Other members of the group included Ivy Callais (MFOW),
Gunnar Lundeberg (SUP) and Nick Celona (SIU).
Vice President-Pacific Maritime Region Tim Saffle;
Pacific Coast Representative Jeremy Hope; Atlantic
Maritime Group Representative Paulina Czernek; and
MIRAID staffers Steve Wines and James A. Patti.
Representing the Captain Richard Phillips-Lane Kirkland Maritime Trust were Executive Director
Rear Adm. Wendi Carpenter (U.S. Navy, Retired) and Board Chair Klaus Luhta.
Holiday Photo Caption Correction
The captions for two photos in the Holiday Party section of the January-February 2019 issue of The Master, Mate & Pilot were incorrect.
The correct captions are published here. We apologize for the mistake.
Boston: Doug Fifield, Ron Colpus, Jeff Bridges, Boston: Paul Rochford, Frank Morton, Scott Despersis.
Rachel Slade and Dave Sulin.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 15NEWS B RIEFS (CONTINUED)
Attention Maritime Professionals
MM&P is preparing a paper to highlight the inherent conflict of interest built
into the ISM/SMQS structure.
This conflict, between promoting safety and the pressures of economic
competitiveness, has increasingly put ships’ masters, chief engineers,
vessel inspectors and other maritime professionals at risk.
The paper, to be drafted in conjunction with an outside
organization, is expected to be presented at the World Maritime
Rescue Conference in Vancouver, Canada, later this year and
submitted to the International Maritime Organization in
London.
Among the contributors will be John Loftus, retired
MM&P master and successful maritime industry
whistle-blower.
MM&P is seeking input from our membership
and other maritime professionals to assist us in
documenting coercive pressures facing front line
professionals in our industry.
Specifically, we are seeking examples of undue influence
exerted by employers to discourage front line professionals from
submitting Corrective Action Reports (CARS) or from otherwise
providing appropriate documentation or recordkeeping of shipboard
deficiencies which may or may not be known to shipowners/ship managers.
This input may be submitted anonymously or documented as desired by the
individual respondent.
Personal interviews will be conducted during the week of May 20-24, 2019, at MM&P
International headquarters in Linthicum Heights MD.
If you would like to participate in this important project, please contact or submit
information to Star Dorsey at MM&P HQ: sdorsey@bridgedeck.org or 410-850-8131.
Pilot Exam for Bays of San Francisco,
San Pablo and Suisun
The Board of Pilot Commissioners for the
Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun
is pleased to announce plans to host an exam
for entrance into its Pilot Trainee Training
Program during the week of June 3. Details
are posted at: www.bopc.ca.gov/application
16 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019Award to United Seamen’s Service in Yokohama
The United Seamen’s Service Center in Yokohama
received a surprise visit in February from Military
Sealift Command (MSC). MSC Commander Rear
Adm. Dee Mewbourne and MSC Director, Total
Force Management Michael Morris presented
a plaque to Jack Spiwak, the Director of the
Center, for outstanding service to seafarers.
Congratulations to all involved!
Automated Terminals Not As Fast As Those Operated By People,
Consultants Say
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is advising Maersk—which operates APM terminals—to consult a recent study by
McKinsey & Company that finds that automated ports are “generally less productive than their conventional counterparts.”
Researchers at McKinsey concluded that “while operating expenses decline [at fully automated terminals], so does productivity, and the
returns on invested capital are currently lower than the industry norm.”
In 2015, Maersk forecast that its new Rotterdam terminal would provide 40 percent increased productivity, but statistics show it only
moves 25 containers per crane per hour. In comparison, APM’s second terminal in Rotterdam, APMTR, which is not automated, moves
30-33 containers per crane per hour and can move as many as 40.
Citing these and other statistics, the ITF is asking
Maersk to work with the International Longshore and
Warehouse Union (ILWU) to address the impact of
proposed automation at the Port of Los Angeles.
“The ITF delegation at the Maersk Annual General
Meeting delivered an invitation to the company to create
a constructive dialogue to ensure that the terminal at Pier
400 remains productive, competitive and profitable for the
company as well as the workforce and communities that it
sustains,” said ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith
in a statement.
“We urge all Maersk shareholders to join us in calling
on the company to meet with the ITF and the ILWU and
address the grave concerns surrounding automation plans
at the Port of Los Angeles,” she said.
Smith said the ITF stands in solidarity with the ILWU in
defense of union members’ working conditions and jobs.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 17INTERVIEW
John McDonnell
MM&P Offshore Membership Group
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in central Pennsylvania and that’s where I grew up. I was probably about six
when I saw my first ship, the Woods Hole Ferry, and I remember being very impressed. In
high school, I talked with two former students who were Kings Point cadets returning
from their sea year. I knew then that sailing was what I had to do with my life.
Describe your career. Captain John McDonnell aboard Africa Mercy
When I graduated Kings Point in 1965, the Vietnam War was underway and it wasn’t with a young patient and her mother.
hard to find sailing jobs. I got my first master’s job on the American Robin in 1973 when “I gave blood for Cherine’s surgery and now her
I was 29. I retired from Lykes Lines, where I had been sailing as permanent master of the mother says I’m her daddy,” McDonnell says.
“I’m proud of my African family.”
Letitia Lykes, in 1995.
My license was up for renewal, and the United States had just signed the STCW
Convention. To renew would have meant spending a lot of time and money getting certified. I did not want to renew a license that was good
only for continuity since I had spent 30 years getting it.
I worked on riverboat casinos for a few years and learned a lot about the rivers, but soon those boats were permanently moored and deck
crews were no longer needed.
In 2001, I read a magazine article by a Mercy Ship captain about working in West Africa. I contacted Mercy Ships and they provided me
with a free basic safety training course. I was soon sailing as chief officer on the Caribbean Mercy.
I sailed aboard that ship to Honduras, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and then aboard the Africa Mercy to Benin, Togo and
Madagascar.
I also sail for Youth With a Mission (YWAM), which operates large ships in Papua New Guinea and small ones, usually donated yachts, in
other parts of the world. Doctors on Mercy ships perform surgery. Volunteer medical personnel on YWAM vessels provide general primary
care, cataract surgery, immunizations, dental care, eyeglasses and pre-natal screening to people in villages who have never seen a doctor.
With Mercy Ships we spend six or eight months in major ports; YWAM ships seldom stay more than a week in any one place before
moving to another village. Every two weeks we find a port with scheduled air service where volunteers can get on and off.
In New Guinea there are few charts, and none of a scale that we can use going into small villages up rivers or between coral reefs. I have to
use Google Earth and send a zodiac into the area I want to navigate to get the ship to a safe anchorage.
Humanitarian relief work has been the best part of
my career. I was afraid that working with Evangelical
Christians might be a challenge, that they would ask me
to confess all my sins or sit around quoting scriptures. As
it turns out, they are great people who enjoy telling jokes
and going ashore, just like everyone else.
I love working with young people and teaching
them seamanship and navigation. I am amazed by our
patients, many of whom have never seen electric lights,
motor vehicles or flush toilets.
It makes you appreciate the many blessings that we
take for granted. My MM&P pension has allowed me
to do this work. The fact that my wife is a pediatrician is
also a factor; someday, the two of us may be able to sail
together to remote corners of the world.
I want to encourage members who can spare some
Crew of YWAM Liberty, February 2019. McDonnell says sailing aboard time to volunteer. Check out www.mercyships.org or
humanitarian relief ships has been the most rewarding part of his career. www.YWAMships.net. You’ll be glad you did.
18 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019Masters, Mates & Pilots Plans
Administrator’s
Column
PATRICK MCCULLOUGH
Board of Trustees Meetings Penobscot Bay and River Pilots and Reinauer Office
Staff Join the Health and Benefit Plan
As you might have read in the last issue of The Master, Mate
The Trustees ratified the action of the Chairman and Secretary in
& Pilot, the first meetings of the Board of Trustees for this year
approving participation, effective Jan. 1, 2019, for the Penobscot
were held Feb. 5–7, 2019. In the last issue, I did not provide the
Bay and River Pilots, who have four participants, and in approving
schedule of meetings for 2019 or the tentative schedule of meetings
participation effective April 1, 2019, for the Reinauer Office Staff
for 2020. At their February meetings, the Trustees agreed to the
of approximately 130 participants.
following schedule of meetings for 2019:
• June 4–6, 2019
Pensioners’ Continuation of Coverage
• Oct. 15–17, 2019 The Trustees agreed, in principle, to extend the Continuation of
Coverage Program until the earlier of termination of a participant’s
The Trustees also tentatively agreed on the following 2020
coverage or June 30, 2020. The Trustees have had this program in
meeting dates:
place since 1987. The Trustees requested that a Plan Amendment
• Feb. 4–6, 2020 be drafted for their review at the next Trustee meeting.
• June 2–4, 2020
• Oct. 13–15, 2020 Earnings Limitations for Pensioners and
Spouses Under 65 for the 2019 Calendar Year
Health & Benefit Plan I would like to remind pensioners and spouses under age 65 about
the MM&P Health Plan Earnings Limitations for calendar year
Medicare Part D Update 2019. On Dec. 14, 2018, the Plan mailed an earnings letter to all
The Trustees received the Administrator’s report that the 2019 affected participants and dependents with an affidavit that must
subsidy application has been approved and that, as of Dec. 31, be returned to the Plan Office. If you have not yet returned the
2018, the Plan has received subsidy payments from the Medicare affidavit, it is advised that you complete and return it as soon as
Part D Program for last year totaling approximately $805,000. possible.
The Trustees also received the Administrator’s report that Part D
Increase in Pensioners Earnings Limitation
Advisors, which is reviewing the filings of previous year subsidies,
Starting Jan. 1, 2020
estimate that if they are allowed to reopen the 2013 application,
they will be able to collect approximately $30,000 in additional The Trustees agreed, in principle, to increase the Plan’s pensioner
subsidy money already approved by CMS on pensioners and annual earnings limitation, effective Jan. 1, 2020 to $41,000.
dependents. The Trustees authorized the request. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, pensioners who are under 65 and who have
retired under the MM&P Pension Plan with 20 or more years
Open Enrollment for Coverage of pension credit, along with their dependents under 65 who are
Effective Jan. 1, 2019 employed, will be able to receive annual earnings of up to $41,000
The Trustees received the report that during the Annual Open without losing their health coverage under the Plan. The Trustees
Enrollment period from November to December 2018, the Plan also agreed to increase this limit by an additional $1,000 per year
received new requests for coverage, with a Jan. 1, 2019 effective effective each Jan. 1 thereafter up to a maximum of $46,000 per
date, for 10 Pilots, three AMG and Great Lakes members and 22 year. The Trustees requested that a Plan Amendment be drafted for
dependents. their review at the next Trustee meeting.
www.bridgedeck.org - The Master, Mate & Pilot 19Masters, Mates & Pilots Plans
Individual Retirement Account Plan, you may also be able to have this form notarized at your bank or
Pension Plan and Adjustable Pension Plan financial institution for little or no cost to you.
Please be advised that the Plan needs to receive this form,
Annual IRS Limitations for 2019 properly completed, by the time you are scheduled to receive
your May pension benefit payment. We will have to withhold
For your reference, we have listed below the Internal Revenue
that benefit payment, and all future payments, until the properly
Service limitations for 2019. The defined benefit plan limits listed
completed form is received.
below apply only to participants in the Offshore Pension Plan
If you have any questions, please contact a Plan Office benefit
and/or Adjustable Pension Plan. The 401(k) limits apply only
advisor at 410-850-8647, 410-850-8625 or 410-850-8636.
to members whose collective bargaining agreements provide for
IRAP/401(k) participation.
Pension Plan
IRS Limitations for 2018 Pension Plan Missing Participants
2019 2018
The Plan has been trying to get in touch with the following
Maximum Annual 415 Payout at Age $225,000 $220,000 participants, and they have not responded to the Plan.
62 from a Defined Benefit Plan
2018 Annual Pension Confirmation Forms Needed for
Maximum Annual Contribution to $56,000 $55,000 Plan Year 2017
an Individual’s Defined Contribution
Account Under 415(c) Betty Mays
Dionicio Velez
Maximum Effective 401(k) Deferral $19,000 $18,500
Earnings Limitation for Pensioners and/or Dependents
401(k) Catch-Up Limit-Age $6,000 $6,000
Under the Age of 65 for Plan Year 2018
50 and Older
Frank Colebrissi – spouse only
Maximum Amount of Annual $280,000 $275,000 Robert Crawford – spouse only
Compensation That Can Be Taken If you know where these individuals have moved, or if you have
Into Account for Determining
a phone number, please contact the Pension Plan benefit staff at the
Benefits or Contributions Under
Plan Office at 410-850-8636.
a Qualified Plan
Wage Base: Plan Amendments
a) for Social Security Tax $132,900 $128,400 DRAFT AMENDMENT NO. 144 TO THE
b) for Medicare No Limit No Limit M.M.&P. HEALTH AND BENEFIT PLAN
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Please note, as of January 2013, individuals with wages/earned 1. Article III (Eligibility), Section 2.A.5. (Pensioners – Initial
income of more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples Eligibility – Co-Pay Requirement (Pensioners)) and 2.A.6.
filing jointly) pay an additional 0.9 percent in Medicare taxes. This (Pensioners – Initial Eligibility – Pensioners Receiving a
Medicare surcharge is paid along with annual income taxes. Lump-Sum Payout) are amended by changing the references to
“2018” to “2020”.
Annual Verification of Pensioner Benefits–Pension 2. Article IV (Benefit Provisions), Part A (Comprehensive
Plan–Adjustable Pension Plan Major Medical Benefits), Section 2.J.2 (Covered Charges –
To safeguard pension benefits for all participants and their qualified Transplant Surgery – National Organ Transplant Program),
spouses, as they have over the past few years, the Trustees require all Section 3 (Deductible Amount), Section 4 (Benefits), Section
pensioners to verify on an annual basis that they have received their 5 (Limitations) and Section 12 (Out-Patient Surgical Benefit);
pension benefits for the previous year. Part B (Prescription Drug Benefit), Section 3 (Retail Program
The annual verification of pensioner benefits form must be for Short Term Medication) and Section 4 (Mail Order Drug
notarized and returned to the Plan Office. If the pensioner resides Program); and Part F (Dental Benefits), Section 3 (Benefit
in a city with an MM&P Port Office, the MM&P Port Official Amount) are amended by changing all references to “January
can sign the form instead of a notary. It is our understanding that 1, 2019” to “January 1, 2021”.
20 The Master, Mate & Pilot - March | April 2019You can also read
