“With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the races, for the developing of character in man, than any other association of men.” -Clarence Darrow

The first Maritime Union was formed in 1888 as a result of terrible and inhumane living and working conditions aboard ships.

Professional sailing men were few and far between and shipowners would often resort to kidnapping men off the street or in taverns and saloons.

Farmers would come to market and sell their produce and stop for a drink and wake up on a ship, far at sea, on voyages that lasted up to two years.

The bartender would slip opiates into the drink and make some extra cash.

This was called being “Shanghaied,” because that’s where some fellows ended up.

Families often had no idea of what happened to these men.

The waterfronts became violent as thugs were hired by companies to beat and sometimes they even killed the striking men who were trying to better their desperate situation.

It took many years and the efforts of many brave men and women to build strong trade unions across America that fight for the rights of working people, to make a decent wage and take care of their families.

It is an ongoing struggle.

I belong to the Seafarers International Union affiliated with the AFL – CIO.

The SIU is based in Camp Springs, Maryland.

We have union halls in every major port city on the U.S. Coasts, Inland waters and the Great Lakes.

The SIU has a proud history of service to the country and to those shipping companies who still fly the U.S. Flag.

In 1920 the Jones Act was established which provides that all cargo moved between U.S. ports is to be carried aboard U.S. built, owned, and flagged ships.

Once the U.S. flagged fleet was a major factor in worldwide shipping but in later years many vessels were allowed by our government, under pressure from ship owners opposed to the Jones Act, to re-flag their ships to other countries such as Panama, Liberia and the Bahamas to sail to and from the United States.

These are known as “flags of convenience.”

This re-flagging caused the U.S. fleet to be diminished greatly.

By allowing this to happen, greedy ship owners could hire foreign crews and evade U.S. taxes and inspections.

These unscrupulous owners often will buy old ships and insure them heavily and run them until they sink.

There are many ships and seamen lost every year.

The Jones Act is still in effect but is threatened constantly by those who oppose it.

It is vital to the U.S. Merchant Marine and to America that the Jones Act remains in place.

U. S. ships are also needed to provide transport of military cargo when necessary.

Ships flagged under “flags of convenience” are dangerous accidents waiting to happen, and you have in the past and will continue to read about them in the newspapers quite frequently when maritime accidents occur.

The vast majority of seamen on those ships are Filipinos and Indonesians who make a pitiful wage and live and work under sometimes terrible conditions.

In many instances they are not even allowed to leave their vessels while in port.

The officers are from different countries and there is no common language, save for “pidgin” English.

These conditions exist on most cruise ships as well.

There are only two U. S. flagged cruise ships in the world and they are based in Hawaii.

They are manned by well trained U.S. mariners.

The foreign flag cruise ship industry has lots of “dirty little secrets” that the vast majority of people know nothing about while cruising around the Caribbean.

U.S. Maritime unions provide well trained and professional mariners to work aboard U.S. flagged vessels all over the world.

The SIU has a training program which can lead to promising careers at sea for those who are interested in joining.

There is a comprehensive training facility located on the Chesapeake Bay in Piney Point, Maryland that features the latest advances in technology and has many programs for advancement in the field, as well as a knowledgeable and caring staff.

The Union also has scholarship programs for members and dependents.

For more information about the SIU, and the Jones Act please go online to Seafarers.org

Next Week: Piracy…Aarrgghh! Shiver Me Timbers!