Document dDva1mM6wMQea2kEg1X2rgjJB

PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, ESSO STANDARD DIVISION OP HUMBLE OIL & REFINING CO. Vol. 2, No. 3 February 11, 1960 ETMU-SSU Blocks Early Labor Board Vote A Government-supervised election to determine the union representation for unlicensed Esso seamen was stalled last week when representatives of the SlU-affiliated ETMU refused flatly to agree to voting of the fleet at northern ports. The roadblock to a consent election, which would mean an early start on the voting, was thrown up by the ETMU-SIU during hearings held at the New York offices of the National Labor Relations Board on January 28 and 29. Despite repeated efforts by the Board's hearing officer to get the parties to come to terms on the conditions of the voting procedure, agreement could not be reached on the question of where the balloting should be done. Prior to the breakdown of discussions, the Com pany made several concessions in the hope of obtain ing the earliest possible starting date for the voting. For example, the Company agreed to the ETMUSIU proposals on who should and should not vote. The result was that any unlicensed man who served as a licensed officer or Steward for one month or more during both 1958 and 1959 cannot vote. All other unlicensed men, including temporary em ployees who served three months or more during 1959, can vote. On the first day of the hearings the ETMU-SIU representatives would not agree that their affiliation with the Seafarers International Union be printed on the ballots. On the second day they "conceded" the point and their designation on the ballots will read: Esso Tanker Men's Union, affiliated with Seafarers International Union of North America, affiliated with Maritime Trades Department, AFL/CIO. (The ETMU-SIU attempt to cover up its inter national union affiliation may seem strange to those who recall the statement in the Etmu Newsletter last July when the "peek-a-boo" ballot voting on affiliation was underway. At that time it was stated: "We have now reached the point where we find we cannot go it alone. We need representation on the national level." Isn't it odd that at such a crucial time as the present the ETMU-SIU should want to appear to be "going it alone"?) Attending the hearings were: Sydney Wire, Leonard H. Earle and Attorney Gordon L. Becker, representing the Company; Willem Kuyl, George Redepenning, George Leonard, William Boruch and John J. Collins, of the Esso Seamen's Association, and Charles Gallagher, John Jones, Stephen Piatak, Anthony Senna and Attorney Howard Schulman, representing the Esso Tanker Men's Union. Accompanying the ETMU-SIU leaders on January 28 was Erasmo Gonzales. Gonzales, formerly a crew member aboard the Esso Bangor, was fired two weeks ago following an incident aboard ship in volving a fire axe. Third Hearing on February 4 The discussions were resumed on February 4. A brief, formal hearing ensued in which the Board's hearing officer, Arthur Goldberg, recited for the record points on which the parties had reached agreement during the previous informal meetings. January 27 was named as the date of record for voting eligibility. Employees who are otherwise eligible and were on the payroll on January 27 will be allowed to vote if such employees are still on the rolls when the balloting takes place. Attorney Schulman, of the SIU affiliate, tried to put into the record material purporting to support the ETMU-SIU argument that the ships should be voted at Baytown and Baton Rouge. The hearing officer did not accept this material for the record on the ground that it had no bearing on the points under review. He did make clear to the parties that briefs may be filed in the case. Mr. Schulman asked for an extension to February 11 for filing a brief. This was granted. New Delay in Representation Vote Threatened On December 30 the New York Regional Direc tor's office of the Labor Board dismissed for lack of evidence the ETMU-SIU unfair labor practice charges against the Company. This seemed to remove the last obstacle blocking a representation vote. However, shortly after the New York office's decision, the union's attorney filed a request for a review of the case with the Board's General Counsel in Washington, D.C. A decision on the request is now pending. Should the case be reopened, it could mean months more delay in getting the balloting started. Injured Seaman Transferred From Ship to Ambulance An unusual and "neat" transfer of an injured seaman from ship to shore was recently reported by Caj>tain C. W. Tolfsby, Master of the Esso Wash ington. "While underway down the Mississippi River on the night of January 10," Captain Tolfsby wrote, "1 found it prudent to hospitalize Richard Albertsen, OS, without delay. Mr. Albertsen had fallen down a ladder and showed symptoms of brain concussion. The Plaquemine Locks were contacted by radio telephone after an unsuccessful attempt to reach the New Orleans Marine Operator in order to confer with the Marine Department at Baton Rouge. I asked the Plaquemine Locks to request an ambulance to board the ferry Iberville and to ask the ferry to come alongside to receive the injured seaman." Excerpts from the ship's log of January 10 detail the transfer: 2005 R. Albertsen reported head injury to Master. 2058 Abeam Plaquemine Locks. 2106 Let go stern anchor. 2109 Anchor brought up. 2115 Ferryboat Iberville alongside. 2122 Removed injured seaman Albertsen to am bulance. 2124 Ferry away. 2125 Start heaving anchor. 2135 Anchor aweigh, proceeding to New Orleans. Mr. Albertsen was taken to the Baton Rouge Re finery Medical Office, where it was determined that his "brain concussion" symptoms were, fortunately, more the result of a case of tonsilitis than a bump on the head. Captain Tolfsby expressed his gratitude for the excellent cooperation extended to the ship by the people of Plaquemine and for Pilot A. Chotin's helpful advice on local conditions. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing employees of Esso Standard, Division of Humble Oil & Refining Co., Marine Department: J. D. Rogers, Gen eral Manager; James E. Stoveken, Assistant General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Editor; R. M. Sheridan, Editorial As sistant. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, ESSO FLEET NEWS, Room 1713, 15 West 51st Street, New York 19, N. Y. Radar Observer Qualification To Be Made Mandatory for Deck Officers The day is coming when Masters and Mates must be qualified radar observers in order to sail in any vessel over 300 tons equipped with a radar set. This will be the effect of a proposed U. S. Coast Guard regulation which will require that on and after January 1, 1961 every radar equipped vessel of 300 gross tons and over which is issued a Certificate of Inspection for navigation on ocean, coastwise or Great Lakes waters shall have in its complement of deck officers (including the Master) only officers who have qualified as radar observers. Actually, the Coast Guard's proposed regulation merely spells out officially what is already accepted today--that all deck officers aboard radar equipped vessels are expected to be able to use the radar correctly and know how to interpret the information it can give. This radar "know how" (or rather the lack of it) has figured prominently in the findings of several recent "radar assisted" collision cases. As a member of the Port Staff said in commenting on one of the Coast Guard hearings: "It sounds terrible to hear a Master admit on the witness stand that he doesn't know how to use radar information properly." In the Esso fleet many officers have taken the radar observer test and received their letter of quali fication. More, however, have not. As of February 1, 151 replies to a Company questionnaire on radar qualification have been returned to the Port Captain's office and, of these, 51 men report having received the qualification letter and 100 have not. Port Captain Adolv Larson and Assistant Port Captain Ivar Boklund have offered all possible as sistance to Masters and Mates wishing to take the test. Notes on the type of questions asked and the answers have been prepared and are available on request. Appointments for the five-day course at the Maritime Administration's Radar School in New York, which usually require three to four weeks' advance notice, can be made through our Port of New York Office. All Coast Guard offices with licensing sections give the radar qualification examination with- out appointment. All that is required is to bring your license and a discharge from ship or, in the case of a Master, a letter of service from the Company or an outport Agent. Captain Boklund insists that the examination, which takes about 3 V2 hours to complete, should not prove difficult for Esso officers who have participated in the Company's training program and continued to practice plotting. Any plotting method that is graphically correct is acceptable. What if you don't pass the test? Study some more and apply again in a week. After obtaining the Radar Observer Qualification, a short note should be sent to Captain Larson stating where and when you sat for the examination and whether or not you attended a radar school, so that this information may be credited on your record. No Lost-Time Accident Records Made By Four Vessels in 1959 There will be twice as many "Green Cross for Safety" flags flying above Company ships this year as last. Four of them-- Esso Bermuda, Esso Florence, Esso Havana and Esso Lexington--completed 1959 without a lost-time accident. The Esso Havana came closest to having a perfect safety record, with just a single non-lost-time mishap during the year. Five other vessels, including 1958 flag winners Esso Raleigh and Esso Zurich, each had one lost-time accident. The Raleigh and Esso Lima were within days of completing the year without a major mishap. Both had their lone lost-timer during December, the Esso Raleigh's coming after 26 accident-free months. The other "one time losers" were the Esso Allentown and Esso Scranton. Jersey Dividends and Earnings The Board of Directors of Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) declared a cash dividend of 55 cents per share on the capital stock, payable on March 10 to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 8. This dividend is the same as that paid in the first quarter of 1959. Dividend payments for the full year 1959 totaled $2.25 per share. A preliminary report released January 25 by M. J. Rathbone, President of Standard Oil Company (New Jersey), estimated consolidated earnings for the year 1959 at $626 million, or $2.91 per share based on the average number of shares outstanding during the year. This represents an increase of 11 per cent over the final audited results for the year 1958, which were $562.5 million or $2.72 per share on the average number of shares then outstanding. The increased earnings were attributed primarily to record sales volumes as well as more efficient use Speaking of Pictures This outstanding example of good composition was taken aboard the Esso Lima by Edwin J. Fellows, presently sailing as Second Mate in the Esso New York. In addi tion to being an excellent bit of photography, Mr. Fellows' picture also serves as a reminder that ESSO FLEET NEWS is looking for photographs of interest to members of the fleet. We'll pay $5 for each one accepted and will return the originals in good order. Black and white prints and negatives, color prints and transpar encies are all welcome. Send them to: The Editor; ESSO FLEET NEWS; Esso Standard, Division of Humble Oil & Refining Company; Room 1713; 15 West 51 Street; New York 19, N. Y. of facilities in handling the higher operating levels attained in the year. Continued rise in petrochemical sales was also cited as a factor contributing to the gain. The earnings improvement, Mr. Rathbone pointed out, was achieved despite continuing severe competitive conditions, with crude prices below 1958 and average product prices, in general, showing no improvement. EXX-MOR-006674 Captain George E. Bridgett Esso's Oldest Annuitant, 97, Dies Captain George E. Bridgett, "senior citizen" among Standard Oil annuitants, died February 4 at the age of 97. A long-time resident of San Francisco, Captain Bridgett had been retired for 33 years--11 years longer than his Company service. He put in 16 years as Master of Standard Oil tankers on the West Coast and, from 1921 until his retirement on December 1, 1927, commanded the Benjamin Brewster and John D. Archbold. During World War II Captain Bridgett, then 80 years old, added another chapter to his seagoing career, which began in British sailing ships when he was a lad of 14. He was Master of the Liberty ship Pierre S. duPont on an eight-month globe circling voyage and later was trial trip skipper of 30 new destroyers. Taffrail Talk THOMAS F. LARKIN, JR., who sailed in the fleet as Third and Jr. Third Assistant Engineer, has been ashore since March 11, 1959, serving as a Re pair Inspector on tank coating work. He transferred February 8 to the Marketing Department of the Humble Division, where he will do sales and coor dinating work in connection with Humble Rust-Ban 190____ ROBERT T. WILLIAMS, JR. returned to the Repair Department January 18 after complet ing a 12-month nuclear training course conducted by the Babcock & Wilcox Co. Mr. Williams had nine months of classroom work and three months of field training, during which he studied nuclear installa tions at Hanford, Wash.; Vallecitos, Calif., and Oak Ridge, Tenn., and in the NS Savannah at Camden, N. J. He also spent several additional months at B&W's nuclear laboratory near Lynchburg, Va., to assist in conducting atomic fuel experiments. J. D. ROGERS, General Manager of the Marine Department, has been elected to a three-year term as a member of the American Bureau of Shipping's Board of Managers. Mr. Rogers was also re-elected to the Board of Directors of the American Merchant Marine Institute, Inc., at the Institute's annual meet ing on February 2. A. GIALLORENZI, former Manager of Inland Waterways' New York-New England Branch, has been appointed Manager of the Marine Services Divi sion of the Bayonne Refinery. He succeeds J. J. Mooney, who died December 13. G. W. LOWE has become Manager of the New York-New England Branch and L. D. HUGHES, JR. replaces Mr. Lowe as Assistant Manager. BOB BRUCE, formerly The Ships' Bulletin's "star" reporter, joined Esso Research on February 8 as Editor of the Esso Research & Engineering News. Obituary Annuitant Charles Muller, who joined the fleet in December, 1939 as Third Mate in the Beaconoil and sailed as a licensed officer until his retirement Feb ruary 1, 1958, died at his home in Florida on Decem ber 4. Death came to annuitant John Willadsen on Jan uary 6 in St. Vincent's Hospital, Staten Island. He was 78. Mr. Willadsen, who was Chief Engineer in the Standard for nearly 18 years, retired January 1, 1946 with 28 years' credited service. Chief Engineer Albert B. Hall, Inland Waterways' oldest annuitant, died December 4 in Baton Rouge. Mr. Hall, who was 90, had been retired since July 1, 1933. He began his service in April, 1916 as Chief in the fire tug Istrouma and held this assignment throughout his career. Stephen McAdams, a former Purser/Pharmacist's Mate, died January 15 at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is survived by a brother and a sister. Henry L. Jones, father of Chief Cook Cleveland Jones and a member of the fleet for over 23 years, died January 3 in Unity Hospital, Brooklyn. Except for a few berths as Second Cook, Mr. Jones was a Chief Cook throughout his career, which ended with his retirement on January 1, 1946. Death came to annuitant August F. Anderson on November 26 in the Jersey City (N. J.) Medical Center. Mr. Anderson, 78, started his career as Oiler in the O. T. Waring on July 14, 1922. He sailed as Pumpman from January, 1925 until his retirement September 1, 1942. Funeral services were held January 18 in Staten Island for Inland Waterways annuitant Francisco Fernandez. Mr. Fernandez, who was 69, died January 14 in Clearwater, Fla. He was credited with 33V2 years of service as Fireman when he retired February 1, 1956.