A new tradition of membership participation in AMO National Executive Board meetings

A new tradition of membership participation in meetings of the AMO National Executive Board

By Tom Bethel
National President

When I pledged in January to open American Maritime Officers to greater and more meaningful participation by seagoing AMO members, I did not draw a discouraging line at the quarterly meetings of the AMO national executive board -- which is why three AMO members who hold no official positions in our union were on hand when the board gathered in Philadelphia the week of June 25.

Mike Finnigan, Rob Woodman and Paul Ginnane attended the meetings as invited observers, but they joined freely and comfortably in daily discussion and brought fresh perspective to the table. Brothers Finnigan, Woodman and Ginnane also participated in the concurrent meetings of the joint union-employer trustees of the AMO Plans. It was a busy, informative and important week for everyone.

This remarkable and unprecedented development took initial shape in February 2007, when I wrote to Brothers Finnigan (a deep-sea captain) and Woodman (a Great Lakes mate) and a third AMO member (a deep-sea captain), asking that they meet with me separately to talk openly about issues they had raised as strong candidates for national president of AMO in our union's election of officers in 2006.

These individuals plainly had something significant to say on behalf of the AMO members who supported them, and I wanted each of us to understand our respective positions clearly and completely.

"As a candidate for national president of American Maritime Officers last year, you focused extensively on the need for greater communication between the AMO administration and the seagoing membership of our union," I said in my letter to Mike. "I know you spent a lot of time, energy and money making your case, and I appreciate your obvious and active interest in union policy."

In my letter to Rob, I noted what Rob had seen as "flaws in the AMO National Constitution and their perceived impact on the seagoing membership of our union." I also noted: "You and I disagree on some policy issues, but we may very well agree on others. I believe we should meet to discuss specific elements of your campaign platform and any other matters that concern you. Like my office door and phone line, the agenda would be wide open."

In my letter to the third candidate, I said: "Your views matter to me, and I trust my views matter to you. In this spirit, I suggest we meet at the earliest possible time to discuss the sharp differences we have on such issues as union policy, leadership style, strategy and character. I'm sure we can air these differences in a frank, civil and productive way. Our conversation could leave us firmly at odds, or it could reveal that we have more in common than in conflict. Either way, we should make an honest effort at open dialogue for the benefit of all AMO members and their families."

Brothers Finnigan and Woodman agreed to meet with me as their seagoing work schedules permitted. The third candidate declined.

In April, as the AMO administrative support staff was planning the quarterly meetings of the AMO national executive board, I decided to invite the three unsuccessful presidential candidates to sit in on the sessions. Brothers Finnigan and Woodman accepted; the third individual did not respond.

I invited these individuals to observe the AMO national executive board meetings because I had seen the week in Philadelphia as a convenient opportunity to meet as I had suggested.

I also knew that, because of their 2006 campaigns and their still-fresh criticisms of the administration and aspects of AMO policy, these men would be viewed by AMO members at sea not as administrative cronies, but as independent, free-thinking vessel officers who would not check their opinions or any dissenting views at the door.

In addition, I wanted these AMO members to know from first-hand experience what the board meetings are like. I wanted them to know that their elected officials and representatives had nothing to hide, and that they were not spending their days in Philadelphia chowing down on cheesesteaks.

During the week, Brothers Finnigan, Woodman and Ginnane witnessed veteran AMO officials and newcomers working together, talking candidly and in sometimes dull detail about subjects that bear directly on long-term job and benefit security for all deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters AMO members and their families. They were presented with comprehensive reports on union finances, legal and legislative developments, collective bargaining, government charters, additional opportunities in development for the AMO membership, AMO Web site enhancements, and ongoing efforts to change our union for the better.

Most importantly, they saw that AMO policy is not a product of some sinister cabal, and that official resistance to long-sought, common sense administrative reforms is a thing of the past -- the recent past, but the past nonetheless.

Membership participation in AMO national executive board meetings will become the new standard in our union. Meeting locations and schedules will be announced sufficiently in advance-- if you are in the area, feel free to drop by and join in.

A footnote: By now, many of you are wondering how Paul Ginnane (a deep-sea deck officer) found himself at the meetings in Philadelphia. Brother Ginnane was in town on personal business when he ran into Paul Cates (a member of the AMO National Executive Board) during a mid-day break. Cates invited Brother Ginnane to attend both the AMO board and AMO Plans trustees' meetings.

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