Volume 31… Number 2, January 14, 2025
STORIES COVERED
In This Issue:
- Stronger Together: America’s Second Largest Union Rejoins the AFL-CIO
- Longshore Workers Reach Tentative Agreement With Ports and Shippers
- Global Seafarer, a Publication of the Nautilus Federation, Is Now Online
- Chinese Ship Suspected of Damaging Cable Off Taiwan Had Two AIS Devices
- NASSCO Lays Keel for Next MSC Fleet Oiler
- MM&P Norfolk Dispatcher Mark Nemergut Retires
- LA County Labor Federation Launches Relief Effort for Union Members Impacted by Wildfires
Important Message for All MITAGS Students:
Mark Your Calendar:
- Offshore Membership Meeting in the LA/LB Hall, Tuesday, Jan. 28
- Offshore Membership Meeting in the Newark Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 29
- Offshore Familiarization Course in Newark Hall, Jan. 28-29
- MM&P Closed for Martin Luther King’s Birthday
Job Opportunities:
And:
AMERICA’S SECOND LARGEST UNION REJOINS THE AFL-CIO
The Service Employees International Union, a giant of the US labor movement, will rejoin the AFL-CIO, the presidents of both organizations said last week.
The announcement comes almost 20 years after the SEIU split with the AFL-CIO over differences in strategy.
Its return to the national labor federation is good news for the labor movement.
Today, the 60 affiliates of the AFL-CIO, including MM&P, represent 13 million working Americans.
The SEIU’s reaffiliation will increase the federation’s membership by 2 million people.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and SEIU President April Verrett say the substantially larger membership will be a powerful force in the fight to defend workers’ rights, increase organizing wins, change regressive labor laws and fight union-busting.
“Together we are stronger in our organizing and bargaining fights because there is power in unity,” Shuler said.
“It means greater resources can be dedicated to reaching the 60 million Americans who say they’d join a union tomorrow if the laws allowed.”
“SEIU members are ready to unleash a new era of worker power, as millions of service and care workers unite with workers at the AFL-CIO to build our unions in every industry and in every zip code,” Verrett said.
She said AFL-CIO and SEIU members will work side-by-side to:
— fight for new rules to strengthen the right to organize and collectively bargain;
— expand union rights to workers who currently lack them;
— hold elected leaders accountable for doing everything in their power to ensure that all workers can have well-paid union jobs with accessible, affordable health care and the ability to retire with dignity;
— demand that every elected leader act to promote stronger labor laws, raise wages, and make sure that every public dollar spent goes toward creating good union jobs to build thriving communities for all Americans.
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LONGSHORE WORKERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH PORTS AND SHIPPERS
The International Longshoremen’s Association and US Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, reached a tentative agreement on a six-year contract a week ahead of a Jan. 15 deadline.
The two sides said in a joint statement that the agreement protects union jobs and allows ports on the East and Gulf coasts to modernize, “making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong.”
The agreement extends the current contract by a month while the ratification process is underway.
Paddy Crumlin, president of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, said the positive outcome was the result of “the ILA’s ability to hold the line and ensure workers’ demands could not be ignored.”
“Their determination guaranteed that key issues—especially job security and safe working conditions—remained front and center,” he said.
Crumlin, who also chairs the ITF dockers’ section, said international maritime unions had been “watching every step of the negotiations, standing ready to show our unwavering solidarity if needed.”
“We will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the ILA and offer support whenever called upon,” he added.
ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said the agreement underscores the importance of worker involvement in the adoption of new technologies.
“It shows that when workers are at the table—shaping and implementing technological change—supply chains are stronger, more resilient, and ultimately fairer for everyone.”
“The ILA-USMX contract should serve as a model for employers worldwide.”
“By involving workers in the decision-making process, we not only strengthen the industry and protect jobs, we ensure a fair deal for all involved.”
MM&P is one of the 670 transport unions in 147 countries that belong to the ITF, which represents nearly 18 million workers worldwide.
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GLOBAL SEAFARER, A PUBLICATION OF THE NAUTILUS FEDERATION, IS NOW ONLINE
The newest issue of Global Seafarer, the quarterly publication of the Nautilus Federation, is now online.
In this issue of Global Seafarer:
— “fake” deep-sea pilots operate freely in Northern European waters—putting lives at risk—because some flag states fail to properly vet their qualifications;
— a new survey on hours of work and rest finds the average work week at sea is about 75 hours, while almost 90 percent of seafarers say they don’t have a weekly day off;
— MM&P files an unfair labor practice charge against APL;
— the International Maritime Organization commemorates seafarers killed in Houthi missile attacks on shipping—at least four people have died since the attacks began in October 2023.
MM&P is one of the 22 maritime labor unions that belong to the Nautilus Federation.
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CHINESE SHIP SUSPECTED OF DAMAGING CABLE OFF TAIWAN HAD TWO AIS DEVICES
A spokesperson for Taiwan’s coast guard said the Chinese ship suspected of damaging an undersea telecommunications cable off the north coast of Taiwan appeared to have been using two different AIS transponders.
The incident began on Jan. 3 at about 1240, when Chungwha Telecom notified the authorities that a high-speed fiber optic cable off the coast of Keelung had been damaged.
Several hours later, a Taiwan coast guard patrol boat intercepted a Cameroonian-flag freighter, XING SHUN 39, at a position near the cable break.
The vessel reportedly declined to stop for inspection.
The coast guard originally identified the freighter as the SHUNXING-39, but it emerged that the International Maritime Organization had no record of a vessel by that name.
Authorities now say the vessel was operating with two different AIS devices and two different identities: its legitimate name, XING SHUN 39, and a fake name that was similar, SHUNXING-39.
A spokesperson for the Taiwan coast guard said that the ship created a false, interrupted AIS record by switching back and forth between the two.
The New York Times reported that the vessel appeared to switch AIS transponders at more or less the same time that the Taiwan coast guard asked it to halt for inspection.
SHUNXING-39 disappeared from AIS tracking at 1651 hours on Jan. 3, and XING SHUN 39 appeared a minute later at a position about 50 feet away.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the home state of the vessel is not obliged to give other countries access to it.
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NASSCO LAYS KEEL FOR NEXT MSC FLEET OILER
The keel for the next John Lewis-class replenishment oiler was laid last month during a ceremony at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.
The vessel is named for civil rights attorney and jurist Thurgood Marshall, the first Black justice to serve on the Supreme Court.
Before his appointment to the Court, Marshall led the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, arguing 32 civil rights cases before the Court, including Brown v. Board of Education, which found that school segregation was by its nature unconstitutional.
NASSCO has contracts to build five other John Lewis-class oilers.
MM&P represents the licensed deck officers, pursers and medical services officers aboard all Military Sealift Command vessels manned by Civil Service mariners.
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MM&P NORFOLK DISPATCHER MARK NEMERGUT RETIRES
Mark Nemergut, who began working as a dispatcher in MM&P’s Norfolk Hall in 2009, retired at the end of 2024.
His journey with MM&P began on June 15, 1979, when he walked through the doors of the New York Hall to sign up as an applicant.
Mark went on to sail with MM&P offshore and on the Great Lakes, on vessels that included the SS MONTEREY, the MARGARET LYKES, and the GREEN RIDGE, before going to work with American President Lines, where he sailed for 17 years.
“After retiring from sailing in 2009, Mark brought his experience and dedication ashore, taking on the role of Norfolk dispatcher,” MM&P Atlantic Ports Vice President Tom Larkin said in a ceremony that took place in the Norfolk Hall in December.
To honor his years of service to the membership, Larkin presented him with a framed copy of his original MM&P application from 1979, “a reminder of where it all began.”
“Mark, your commitment to this hall and to our members has been unwavering, and I have no doubt that you will continue to support MM&P in the years to come,” Larkin said.
“On behalf of all of us, thank you for your decades of service and for everything you have done to strengthen this organization.”
Peter Petrulis, another longtime MM&P member who has been part of the Norfolk Hall team for many years, is now the union’s full-time dispatcher and representative in Norfolk.
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LA COUNTY LABOR FEDERATION LAUNCHES RELIEF EFFORT FOR UNION MEMBERS IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES
As you know, catastrophic fires are raging in the Los Angeles area.
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and its community service arm, Labor Community Services, have launched relief efforts for union members and their families.
To access information on the emergency assistance program, please use this link thelafed.org/resource/california-wildfire-resources and share the link with your network.
Many of you have asked for ways to contribute.
Please follow this link for information on how to support the relief efforts:
Thank you for your continued support of the labor movement’s disaster relief efforts.
If you are an MM&P member who has been negatively affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, contact your MM&P Area Vice President.
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IF YOU HAVE TO CANCEL, MAKE THE CALL – BE A GOOD SHIPMATE
— As soon as you know you can’t attend, call 866-656-5568 or email admissions@mitags.org.
— If at all possible, give us two weeks’ notice. This allows us to fill your spot with another student who may be waiting for an opening.
— Last-minute changes? Contact us anyway! Even if you call on the day of the class, it’s better to call than to leave us in the dark.
Why it matters:
— Your cancellation may allow another student to take the course.
— The resources of MITAGS are finite. No-shows impact the availability of classes for everyone.
If you have to cancel, make the call—it’s the right thing to do.
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MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN LA/LB HALL, JAN 28
There will be an Offshore Membership Meeting in the Los Angeles/Long Beach Union Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 28
The meeting will begin directly after the 11:00 job call.
Secretary-Treasurer Lars Turner and Pacific Ports Vice President Melany Velleca will present their reports and respond to questions.
The MM&P Los Angeles/Long Beach Hall is located at:
533 N. Marine Ave., Suite A
Wilmington, CA 90744-5527
If you have items that you would like to have placed on the agenda or questions that may require research, please email them to mskippen@bridgedeck.org or call the LA/LB Hall: 310-834-7201.
All Offshore members and applicants are encouraged to attend the meeting.
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OFFSHORE MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN THE NEWARK HALL, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29
There will be an Offshore membership meeting in the MM&P Newark Union Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 1100.
The Newark Hall is located at:
570 Broad Street, Suite 701
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 201-963-1900
All Offshore members are encouraged to attend the meeting.
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OFFSHORE FAMILIARIZATION COURSE IN NEWARK HALL, JAN. 28-29
The Offshore Familiarization Course will be held in person in the MM&P Newark Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 28 and Wednesday, Jan. 29.
There is no sea-time requirement to take the course.
All Offshore applicants, potential transferees from other membership groups and other interested Offshore members are encouraged to take the course as soon as possible.
If you are interested in participating in the course, please contact Ana Victorio at avictorio@bridgedeck.org.
Here is the schedule:
— Day 1, Jan. 28, from 0930 to 1500.
— Day 2, Jan. 29, from 0930 to 1100.
— Day 2 Jan. 29, from 1100 to 1330 OS membership meeting.
The Newark Hall is located at:
570 Broad Street, Suite 701
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 201-963-1900
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MM&P CLOSED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING’S BIRTHDAY
All MM&P union halls, the MM&P Federal Credit Union, MM&P headquarters, and the Plan Office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, for Martin Luther King’s birthday.
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OFFSHORE JOBS
CM SLNC Goodwill
CM SLNC Pax
LMSR positions available.
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MITAGS ACADEMIC NOTES
For registration contact our Admissions Department: 866.656.5568 or admissions@mitags.org
Classes are 5-day unless otherwise noted
Class dates followed by an * are full
AB – Able Seaman (5-Day): 02/10/25, 04/28/25
ARPA-OIC– Automated Radar Plotting Aids (4-Day): 02/03/25, 03/24/25
AZIPOD (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
BRM – Bridge Resource Management (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
BRMP-EMR –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots with Emergency Shiphandling – (Now also included in BRMP-Refresher) (3-Day): 04/07/25,
BT – Basic Safety Training (5-Day): 02/03/25, 02/24/25, 04/14/25, 09/08/25
BT-Revalidation (2-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years): 01/20/25, 03/24/25, 05/05/25, 06/09/25, 09/22/25, 10/20/25, 11/12/25
BT-Refresher (3-day): 01/20/25, 05/05/25, 06/09/25, 09/22/25
CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling Basic (5-Day): 02/17/25
[CMM – Chief Mate and Master Courses]
ADVSTB – Advanced Stability (5-Day): 03/24/25, 04/28/25
ADVWX – Advanced Meteorology (5-Day): 03/17/25, 04/21/25, 06/02/25
CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10 Days): 01/20/25
CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations (5-Day): 02/10/25, 05/12/25
CM-OPS 2 Maersk – Chief Mate Operations II Maersk Specific (5-Day): 02/17/25, 05/19/25
ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (5-Day): 03/31/25
LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills (5-Day): 03/10/25
MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants (5-Day): 03/03/25
(DCS-1 available on request – contact Admissions)
SHMGT-CMM- Ship Management (5-Day): 02/17/25
SHS-ADV-I-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 1) (5-Day): 02/03/25, 03/10/25, 04/07/25, 05/05/25, 06/09/25
SHS-ADV-II-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 2) (5-Day): 01/20/25*, 02/10/25, 03/07/25*, 04/14/25, 05/12/25, 06/16/25
VPEN-CMM – Voyage Planning & Electronic Navigation (5-Day): 04/28/25
WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping (5-Day): 02/24/25
WX-HW-PAC – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Pacific Ocean (2-day): 03/01/25, 04/26/25, 08/02/25
CIW-DPA/IA – Continual Improvement Workshop: Designated Person Ashore & Internal Auditor (3-Day) ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program **
Online: 02/19/25
CNAV-OIC– Celestial Navigation (15-Day): 05/05/25
DDE – Great Lakes (20-Day): Not currently scheduled
ECDIS for Pilots (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
ERM – Engine Resource Management (5-Day): 03/17/25
FF-ADV – Advanced Firefighting (4-day): 03/03/25
FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced (5-Day): 02/03/25, 04/14/25, 09/08/25
FF-ADV-Rev (1-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation: 01/22/25, 03/26/25, 05/07/25, 06/11/25, 09/24/25, 11/22/25, 11/14/25
FF-ADV-REF (2-day) – Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher: 01/23/25, 05/08/25, 06/12/25, 09/18/25, 11/10/25
FSM – Fatigue, Sleep, & Medications (1-Day): Not currently scheduled
GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): 02/07/25
GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (10-Day): Not currently scheduled
HAZ – Hazardous Materials (5 day): 02/24/25
LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 03/10/25
LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): 02/10/25
LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Program for Original 3rd Mate, Oceans, Any Gross
Ton License (15-Day): 06/03/25
LEG – Legal Aspects of Pilotage (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
LNG-BADV – Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations (3 Day): 01/13/25*, 03/12/25*, 04/21/25, 06/04/25
LTS –Leadership and Teamworking Skills (Formerly MCL-OIC) (1-Day): 02/24/25
MEECE – Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment (Assessments /not included): Not Currently Scheduled
MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 01/20/25*, 04/07/25, 05/12/25
MED-PIC-REF– Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 03/03/25, 04/28/25
MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: (5-Day): 02/03/25, 04/07/25, 05/12/25
MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day): 01/25/25, 03/08/25, 04/12/25, 05/03/25, 05/17/25
[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]
MSC-ATO-II – Military Sealift Command Anti-Terrorism Officer II (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
MSC-CBRD-OFF – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Officer (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
MSC-CBRD-1 – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Orientation (Basic) (1-Day): 03/13/25, 05/08/25, 06/12/25
MSC-DC – Military Sealift Command Damage Control (2-day): 03/14/25, 05/09/25, 06/13/25
MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day – Evening Class): 03/16/25, 05/11/25
MSC-SMA – Military Sealift Command Small Arms Qualifications (4-Day): 02/11/25, 03/17/25, 04/15/25, 05/12/25, 06/16/25
MSC-Security Watch Basic (1-Day/ 8-hour): 03/15/25, 05/10/25, 06/14/25
MSC-Security Watch Advanced (1-Day): 02/10/25, 03/16/25, 04/14/24, 05/11/25, 06/15/25
MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day): 01/17/25*, 03/31/25, 05/13/25, 06/20/25
NSAP-MMP – Navigational Skills Assessment Program-MM&P (2-Day): 03/25/25*, 03/27/25, 04/29/25, 05/01/25*, 07/08/25, 07/10/25, 08/26/25, 08/28/25, 09/30/25, 10/05/25
PSC – Personal Survival Craft (Lifeboatman) (5-Day): 02/17/25, 04/21/25
PSC-REF – Personal Survival Craft Refresher (2-Day): 01/16/25, 04/28/25,
RFPNW – Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (3-day): 01/29/25
ROR-1N – Radar Observer Renewal Evening Classes (1-Night): Contact Admissions
ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Unlimited: 01/27/25, 03/17/25
SAR – Search & Rescue – (Now with OIC and CMM assessments) (3-Day): 02/26/25
SHS-BAS-OIC – Basic Shiphandling: 03/07/25, 04/14/25
SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling (5 Day): 01/27/25, 04/21/25, 06/23/25
STB-OIC – Ship Construction and Basic Stability: 02/10/25
TCNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): 01/20/25
TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: 03/03/25, 05/05/25
TTT – ** NOT covered by the MATES Program: Not currently scheduled
VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 02/26/25, 05/14/25
WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (Operational Level) (10-Day): 01/20/25, 04/21/25
WX-OIC –Meteorology (Operational Level): 03/10/25
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MITAGS–WEST ACADEMIC NOTES
2024 Fall/Winter
SCHEDULE OF COURSES – (Please also see our schedule and enroll online at www.mitags.org)
FOR REGISTRATION CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT 866.656.5568 OR admissions@mitags.org
January 2025
20-24 Basic Training
27-31 Lifeboatman/Proficiency in Survival Craft
27-31 Medical Care Provider
27-31 Advanced Shiphandling I
27-7 Medical Person-In-Charge
February 2025
3-21 Celestial Navigation
10-14 Basic Training
10-14 Advanced Shiphandling II
17-21 Able Seaman
19-20 Basic Training Revalidation
21st Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
24-27 Advanced Firefighting (Original)
24-28 Meteorology (Operational Level)
March 2025
3-4 Basic Training Revalidation
3-7 Leadership & Managerial Skills
3-7 Basic Shiphandling
5th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
10-14 ECDIS
10-14 Basic Training
10-28 Terrestrial & Coastal Navigation
17-20 Advanced Firefighting (Original)
17-21 Lifeboatman/Proficiency in Survival Craft
24-28 Able Seaman
17-28 Watchkeeping (Operational Level)
31-4 Radar Observer Unlimited
31-4 Basic Training
April 2025
7-8 Basic Training Revalidation
7-9 Basic Training Refresher
7-9 Security Officer – Vessel, Company & Facility
7-11 ECDIS
9th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
10-11 Advanced Firefighting Refresher
14-17 Advanced Firefighting (Original)
14-25 Watchkeeping (Operational Level)
21-24 ARPA
21-25 Medical Care Provider
21-2 Medical Person-In-Charge
2-2 ECDIS
28-9 GMDSS
May 2025
5-9 Basic Training
5-16 Watchkeeping (Operational Level)
12-15 Advanced Firefighting
12-30 Terrestrial & Coastal Navigation
19-20 Basic Training Revalidation
21st Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
June 2025
2-6 Radar Observer Unlimited
2-6 Leadership & Managerial Skills
2-6 Basic Training
9-13 Med PIC Refresher
9-13 Advanced Shiphandling I
16-17 Basic Training Revalidation
16-20 Advanced Shiphandling II
18th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
23-26 Advanced Firefighting
23-27 Advanced Stability
The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly is the official electronic newsletter of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, 700 Maritime Blvd., Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953. Phone: 410-850-8700; Fax: 410-850-0973. All rights reserved. The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly©2023. Articles can be reprinted without prior permission if credit is given to The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly.
For subscriptions, address changes or messages to the editor, send an email to communications@bridgedeck.org.