U.S. maritime unions say jobs protected with USSM vessel transfer

U.S. maritime unions say jobs protected with USSM vessel transfer    Three U.S. maritime unions told their members working on U.S. Ship Management’s 15 U.S.-flag vessels that their jobs would be protected if the company is absorbed into Maersk Line Ltd.
   In a letter, the unions — International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots; Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association; and Seafarers International Union — said they have “job preservation agreements” in place with USSM that will transfer unchanged to Maersk Line Ltd.
   The U.S. Maritime Administration is accepting comments from the shipping industry regarding the tentative approval of Maersk Line Ltd.’s request to take control of the 15 USSM vessels enrolled in the Maritime Security Program (MSP)
   MSP was created under the 1996 Maritime Security Act and is managed by MarAd. The program provides the federal government with immediate access to 47 military-useful commercial container and roll-on/roll-off vessels during times of war and national emergency. To help offset the higher vessel operations costs, the federal government pays the MSP vessel operators $2.1 million per ship annually.
   In November, Maersk Line Ltd., the U.S.-flag subsidiary of A.P. Moller/Maersk Sealand, made the request to MarAd for the transfer of the USSM ships to its fleet. Maersk Line Ltd. said that under its 1999 MarAd-approved time charters that USSM agreed to transfer direct operations of the vessels to Maersk should Maersk Line Ltd. elect to become the MSP contractor. The transfer, if approved, would raise Maersk Line Ltd.’s MSP fleet to 19 ships.
   “MLL (Maersk Line Ltd.) has the ownership interest in the vessels, not USSM. MLL owns the containers and intermodal systems associated with the vessels, not USSM. MLL owns port terminals and facilities all over the world, not USSM. Basically, USSM does not own any assets that are required by the Maritime Security Program,” the unions said.
   The unions warned their members “not to be tricked” into believing that they would lose their jobs if the USSM vessels are transferred to Maersk Line Ltd.
   “We advise that you not sign any letters that have been prepared by USSM,” the unions told their members. “Instead, the unions will be forwarding to the respective members form letters that in turn should be signed and sent to the Department of Transportation — letters that will protect your jobs.”