Legislation signed on October 17, by President Obama to reopen and fund the federal government through January 15, 2014, included full funding for the MSP. The next battle for the U.S.-flag maritime industry is preserving Food for Peace.
West Coast Sailors
Testifying before the USCG and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, former Maritime Administrator William Schubert said, ?Perhaps nothing is more important to the viability of the privately owned U.S. flag commercial fleet than adequate cargo preference enforcement. MarAd must substantially improve its cargo preference efforts to prevent a significant decrease in the number of vessels under U.S. flag.?
New legislation announced that will significantly strengthen American ports, including many in the Pacific Northwest.
The SUP, MFOW and SIU-Marine Cooks, which comprise the SIU-Pacific District, completed bargaining with Matson on June 29, after ten meetings including those covering the respective Unions? Work Rules and Maintenance Agreements.
The SUP, MFOW, SIU-A&G are bucking strong headwinds in bargaining with Matson Navigation Company. The agreement covering the company?s U.S.-flag fleet expires on June 30, as does the SUP and MFOW Maintenance Agreements. The SUP membership has authorized a strike against the company if an agreement is not reached.
Navy League urges congressional leaders to reject administration proposal to decimate Food for Peace
The drastic changes in the Food for Peace program proposed in President Obama?s fiscal year 2014 budget, prompted Bruce Butler, Executive Director of the Navy League of the United States to send a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Kentucky) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California).
Cash replaces Food for Peace eliminating U.S.-flag carriage of commodities overseas
Maritime industry, agricultural interests, members of Congress mobilize to defend program essential to American interests
United States Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) Director George Cohen issued a statement on February 1, announcing that the International Longshoremen?s Association (ILA) and the employer group, the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have reached a tentative agreement on a new, six year labor agreement.
SUP-contracted Matson Navigation Company has expanded its operations to the South Pacific by acquiring four vessels and 1,500 containers from a New Zealand-based shipping company.
Among the Union's objectives is "to support a journal which shall voice the sentiments of the seafaring class, and through its columns seek to maintain the knowledge of and interest in maritime affairs." The first issue of the West Coast Sailors, in June of 1937, noted that "Common sense, fearlessly applied, brings success to a Union."