Area meetings provide members, officers valuable opportunity to address issues of a challenging year

Area meetings provide members, officers valuable opportunity to address issues of a challenging year

By Don Cree
National Vice President, Great Lakes

Our annual series of Great Lakes area meetings once again turned out to be a great opportunity for AMO members to get a full briefing on the important developments within the union over the course of the year and to hear first-hand how AMO is addressing the key issues affecting mariners on the lakes, and in the U.S. industry as a whole.

The meetings are also a great opportunity for us as elected officers to speak with a lot of AMO members who don't regularly attend membership meetings because of their schedules or their distance from Toledo. Because we travel with AMO Plans Director Steve Nickerson, Director of Benefits Mike Naftaniel and Smith Barney Vice President Larry Goldstock, who manages the AMO 401(k) Plan, we're able to answer a lot of questions relating both to union business and the benefit plans.

This year's informational meetings gave AMO members a chance to meet and hear from the union's new leadership. AMO President Tom Bethel attended and spoke at the area meetings and provided those in attendance with a complete run down of his goals and objectives for the union. Tom also made in-depth presentations on all that has happened since the 2006 AMO election.

The meetings gave me an early opportunity to speak with and field questions from AMO members as the AMO Great Lakes vice president, the position I was recently appointed to after Dan Smith was named to fill the national executive vice president's post, which was held by Bethel until January 2007.

The meetings also gave a lot of people the chance to meet Brian Krus, the new assistant vice president for the Great Lakes. Brian came ashore this year to replace me in that position. Brian has been sailing for 29 years and earned his license in 1984. He has been sailing as a chief engineer for 17 years and as a permanent chief for eight years. He most recently worked for American Steamship on the American Courage (formerly the Fred R. White).

Brian has been manning the picket line on the M/V Cort since March 10 with the officers from the ship who were fired by an Interlake Steamship Co. subsidiary for refusing to switch to Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association representation. I was on the line with them in Duluth, and I'd like to recognize these men for their determination and thank them for their dedication. They represent our union well. Since the meetings, AMO has put a lot of ink into informing the membership on the issues surrounding the latest Interlake outrage. That company's hostile engagement with AMO and its dealings with MEBA threaten to drive down wages and labor standards for everyone in Great Lakes shipping.

I'd like to highlight one issue we addressed during the area meetings: shore access for mariners aboard vessels docking at Zug Island. Despite the seasonal realities of lakes shipping, the Coast Guard has closed the doors of discussion on its policy of restricting shore access for mariners through the plant. While the company has established a launch service for shore access, it cannot operate during the winter months.

AMO continues to work with our representatives in Congress to reopen this problem for discussion. As Dan put it during the meetings: "We've been waiting for the political winds to blow our way, and they have." So it's possible that we may yet achieve some progress on this issue.

Steve Nickerson and Mike Naftaniel provided AMO members with a thorough briefing on the state of the AMO Plans, including pension and medical. I'm happy to relay here that all of our benefit plans are extremely well-managed and financially sound. Larry Goldstock apprised those attending the meetings of the investment options and cost-free financial consultation available to AMO members in the 401(k) and Money Purchase Benefit Plans. Larry is an excellent investment advisor and his group is providing union members with superb service.

Mike Reny explained the services available to AMO members through the Coast Guard Legal Aid Program. Mike also touched on the implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential this year, a program that will affect all AMO members who work aboard vessels with defined "secure areas" under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, as well as anyone who has to move through a port or terminal with a defined "secure area."

The AMO members I spoke with at this year's area meetings seemed pleased with the information they received and satisfied with the thorough answers from AMO and AMO Plans officials. I'm always grateful for the opportunity to meet with so many members during the winter lay-up. This is a great tradition we have here on the lakes and its value is understood fully by the new administration.

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