Current Edition

President’s Column

Bipartisan Backing in D.C. Newer members of the SIU may not know that our headquarters operations weren’t always based in Maryland. For a little longer than half of the organization’s existence, the SIU was headquartered in New York, starting with our founding in 1938. We relocated to the Washington, D.C. area in 1982, and it…

Union Membership Grows, Though Obstacles Impact Density

Newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found an overall increase in union membership across the country in 2023 along with a very slight drop in member density. Published on Jan. 23, the annual report also concluded that union members, on average, earn more money than workers who do not have…

House Hearing Examines Red Sea Threat

Testifying at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the volatility of Red Sea shipping, SIU President David Heindel underscored the U.S. Merchant Marine’s commitment to delivering the goods while also calling for continued safeguards that protect all mariners transiting the area. SIU President David Heindel Heindel spoke on behalf of several maritime labor organizations…

SIU Welcomes New Jobs as ARC Honor Flags In

SIU members are sailing aboard the newest addition to the American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) fleet: the ARC Honor. Operated by Seafarers-contracted TOTE, the ARC Honor – formerly the M/V Tulane – was reflagged to American registry and renamed on Feb. 2 in the port of Incheon, Korea, with U.S. Coast Guard personnel on hand.…

Freedom Star Facilitates Practical Training

Hands-on training has always been a staple of numerous courses at the SIU-affiliated school in Piney Point, Maryland, dating to its founding in 1967. The Freedom Star docks in Piney Point For nearly the past eight years, one of the most visible tools that’s utilized for practical instruction at the school is the Freedom Star,…

Former Seafarer Cooks Up Sauce, Success

The Seafarers LOG office sampled the signature sauce, and found the ranch-like sauce to be both delicious and hard to describe. Houston-based “Chef Machete” has famous clients and award-winning restaurants – but to the SIU, he’s known as Chief Cook Trinidad Gonzalez, who sailed from 2013-2019, primarily on tugs in the Gulf of Mexico. “The…

SIU Helps Promote Maritime Careers

Careers in the U.S. Merchant Marine are viable and rewarding. The SIU helped amplify that message Jan. 15-16 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where an industry event involving the multi-mission training ship Empire State took place. SIU Assistant Vice President Amancio Crespo and Safety Director Ricky Rivera took part in the gatherings, which included hundreds…