Teamwork and Solidarity at 81st Convention In the News: Maunalei ...

MEBA got replacement work with the TAGS ships which wereawarded to Horizon Lines.Second, and following directly from the Maersk Linescontract, was the demise of USSM, the management companywhich had previously run the Maersk Lines vessels. Althoughthis development was by no means a surprise, it did result inthe loss of four ships over the long run.Third, while MM&P was able to renew the contract withMcAllister for tug work in Puerto Rico, we were unable to keepMcAllister and its employees in the MM&P Atlantic & GulfPension Plan. When the previous contract ended, McAllister,which had an overfunding status for the Plan, decided that itwould no longer participate in a defined benefit plan.Construction at MM&P International HeadquartersIn late July 2005, MM&P received Department of Laborapproval to purchase the building in which MM&P Plansand the union are located. MM&P had made a commitmentto carry out the transaction in 2004, but the wheels ofgovernment turn slowly. Special thanks go to Ed Mackiewicz,Plans Counsel, for helming this project through thelabyrinths of Foggy Bottom. Most of the construction atthe International has been completed. The Plans offices thatdeal with Vacation and IRAP have been moved to what waspreviously the union side of the building, while the Healthand Benefit Department has relocated to a smaller section ofthe space it had originally occupied. The result is that MM&Pcan now rent out a sizable portion of the space formerlyoccupied by Plans. The bottom line on the building is thatthe union is paying the same amount of rent as before, Plansare paying less and MM&P is building equity in the property.The by-product is that Glen Paine finally has some money towork with at MITAGS instead of living hand to mouth as hehas had to do in years past. International Secretary-TreasurerGlen Banks and MM&P Comptroller John Gorman are to beheartily congratulated for overseeing the renovation project. Idid my best to help by staying out of the way.Change of Administrators at MM&P PlansOn July 14, Valerie Verrecchio informed me that she would beleaving her position as Plans Administrator effective aroundSept. 1. The event is both a source of disappointment and acause for happiness. It is a disappointment because Valerie hasdone an excellent job here for the almost six years that she hasbeen the administrator. It is cause for happiness in that shehas found a new job in the Portland area, where her husband,MM&P Branch Agent John Schaeffner, lives. In the new job,she will continue to work with Taft–Hartley trust plans.Valerie has been a joy to work with, a great delegator and aknowledgeable participant in meetings. While we will missher, we wish her much success in her new position.While it will not be official until the next meeting of theMM&P Plans Board of Trustees, Patrick McCullough will bethe new administrator. Patrick is home grown with MM&P,having worked for the Plans for over 30 years, the last eightor so as deputy administrator. The union trustees and thecompany trustee agree that Pat is an excellent successor toValerie. As is the case for most of us, we love to see good thingshappen to our friends. Pat and his wife, Ann Marie, made mefeel most welcome when I relocated to Baltimore in 1991. Ihope everyone will wish Valerie well in her new position andcongratulate Pat on his promotion.Other changes at the International are the hiring ofGeorge Korba, former trust accounting supervisor at Plans,to help with the numerous contracts the union has. We alsowelcome back Mike Rodriguez after a four-month tour ofduty with the U.S. Navy. Mike served with distinction in theIndian Ocean and is to be commended.ConclusionMoving forward, we must come to grips with three problems.I have mentioned them before but will list them again now, inorder of priority.1) First, we need to maintain our employment base. Partof the problem in this area would be resolved if thegovernment would recognize the need for a shipbuildingprogram for commercial vessels. Since our last meeting,only four commercial MM&P contract ships have beenconstructed in American yards.2) We have to make sure that our employer trusteesunderstand their own responsibilities in making sure thatpensions are there for all of us when we retire and thisfollows naturally from the employment base.3) We need to find creative ways to ensure that the medicalneeds of our active members and pensioners are covered.The Plan can do only so much. In my opinion, the federalgovernment has done far too little to make sure thatAmericans are protected and cared for when their workinglife is over.—Fraternally yours,Timothy A. Brown, International PresidentMasters, Mates & PilotsThe Master, Mate & Pilot September – October 2006 - -