West Coast Sailors

February 2004

The American Union movement endorsed Senator John Kerry (D-MA) for president on February 19, at a meeting of the AFL-CIO General Board.

January 2004

U.S.-flag ships crewed by U.S. citizen
merchant mariners have embarked on a new round of sailings to support the rotation of U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq and the postwar rebuilding of that nation, according to the U.S. Navy?s Military Sealift Command, which is headed by Vice Admiral David L. Brewer III, USN.

December 2003

Admiral Thomas H. Collins, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has called for the elimination of substandard ships on the world?s sea lanes.

November 2003

Landmark legislation passed both houses of Congress this month which will be the successor to the Maritime Security Program (MSP).

October 2003

In the wake of the introduction of three bills in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) that would repeal the Jones Act, the SUP and the MFOW fired off a letter to Don Young (R-AK), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urging that the proposed legislation be ?filed and flushed.?

September 2003

At a Special Convention of the California Labor Federation in Manhattan Beach on August 26, 539 delegates representing two million organized workers, voted unanimously to reaffirm labor?s position for a strong NO vote on the recall of Governor Gray Davis, slated for October 7.

August 2003

Representative Ed Case (D-HI) introduced three bills in the House of Representatives that would gut the Jones Act provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, the cornerstone of U.S. cabotage and maritime policy.

July 2003

Legislation that provides for a new Maritime Security Program (MSP) to replace the current program when it expires on September 30, 2005, was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on June 26.

June 2003

After months of vacillating on whether to purchase two containerships being built at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard, Matson Navigation Company will christen the first vessel? m/v Manukai? on July 12.

May 2003

Matson Navigation Company issued a press release on May 20 stating that it will ?own and operate? the two Manukai-class vessels currently under construction at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard.

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