The foreign maritime worker issue rears itsgly head yet again!

Maritime News
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State (DOS) today announced the creation of an annotated version of the B-1 visa—issued to foreign citizens visiting the United States for business purposes—that will make foreign maritime workers eligible to apply for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric identification card that maritime workers must obtain in order to gain unrestricted access to secure areas of maritime facilities.

“Strengthening the security of our maritime global supply chain is critical to protecting our nation from evolving threats,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. “This new TWIC process is a critical step toward [B][I][U]ensuring that foreign maritime workers can quickly and efficiently obtain the necessary credentials to do their jobs and help grow the American economy.” [/U][/I][/B]

Under this process, foreign maritime workers who need to acquire a TWIC for the performance of their official duties must provide notice of their need for a TWIC to DOS upon application for a B-1 visa, as well as a letter from their employer indicating that the individual will be required to perform service in secure port areas. Upon receipt of the new TWIC-annotated B-1 visa, each individual will apply separately for a TWIC. As is the case for all visa and TWIC applicants, these foreign maritime workers will undergo rigorous background checks, including checks against the terrorist watchlist, criminal history, and immigrations records. This new process will apply to the approximately [U][I][B]4,000 to 6,000 foreign workers[/B][/I][/U] in U.S. ports who are required to have a TWIC for the performance of their official duties.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published a TWIC final rule on Jan. 25, 2007, allowing non-citizens to apply for a TWIC provided that they meet one of TSA’s eligible immigration categories. Following input from maritime industry stakeholders, DHS and DOS collaborated to create a process allowing essential maritime personnel who fall within the B-1 visa category and require a TWIC to acquire one—designing an annotated B-1 visa to meet the needs of the TWIC Program as well as the maritime community.

What is this SHIT about foreign workers being needed to “grow the American Economy”! The unmitigated gall of our own Federal Govenment to say such a thing! They have no conscience whatsoever about the welfare of their own citizens. It is all about one thing only…PROFITS FOR CORPORATIONS! This is horrible enough already for Janet Neapolitano to have the BALLS to say, but note the total numbers quoted…4000-6000 foreigners taking jobs from Americans citizens who want and need the work to supprt American families. 4-6k jobs are not chump change. How many mariners on here are looking for work? How many feel that they deserve this work? How many want it? How many feel harmed by the policies of their own government?

I’m sorry for the profanity but we American Mariners are getting more than just fucked here…WE ARE GETTING RAPED! The sadest part is that we are collectively being held hostage by our rapist who has shown no intention to stop the violations anytime soon. So there is the proof right there staring each and every one of us in the face. The question is now are we going to allow ourselves to be raped repeatedly by some sadistic captor because we are too afraid to fight or are we going to battle to save our own lives because that is exactly what we are facing here!

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[B]IMHO[/B]…one personal note…this is just the “tip” of the proverbial “iceberg”!!I for one am sick and tired of the “whole mess”!!as I am one who saved my money and invested wisely??my current plan is to turn my back on the entire “maritime mess” this country’s government has created and retire at age 62 in 18 months!!I suspect that there are many like minded mariners out there??what a waste if all the “grey beards” have similar plans!!

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I don’t like it very much on its face. I think Americans should be doing everything stateside, but I cannot overlook the fact that just as many American mariners work overseas, and it usually comes with a higher premium than working at home. I really would like to see the numbers to see how globalization is weighted - one way or the other - just to see how short the stick is that we’re getting. 4000 - 6000 foreign maritime workers sure is a lot. I wish DHS and DOS would break down these numbers into active workers, industry, and the authorization Act waiver that they’re using to gain employment. I could guess, but it’s kinda hard to fight anything without being armed.

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There is a lot of information missing on how those numbers were summed. Not everyone who needs or wants a TWIC is a seafarer or can be accused of taking an American job. The reference to a B1 visa is a tipoff … that is a business visa, the sort that an employee of a foreign company, would need to work temporarily in the US for his foreign company that has an office here. A class surveyor is a good example, Lloyds or RINA, or GL might have an office on or near a port and their resident surveyor needs regular access. That is not a threat to any American job and it actually brings business here.

Large foreign flag yachts that must use commercial port facilities are crewed by foreign seafarers who enter on B1 visas. They are not taking American seafarer jobs. They are bringing huge amounts of cash to the port though.

Before I get too excited I want to know who they are defining as “maritime workers.”

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[QUOTE=Steamer;46871]Before I get too excited I want to know who they are defining as “maritime workers.”[/QUOTE]

I don’t think that definition matters since any B1 Visa grants the holder the right to work in the US so no matter how you slice it, somebody who is not a US citizen or holder of a Resident Alien Permit (Green Card) is doing a job on our soil which without said Visa would be done by an American…period!

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[QUOTE=c.captain;46878]I don’t think that definition matters since any B1 Visa grants the holder the right to work in the US so no matter how you slice it, somebody who is not a US citizen or holder of a Resident Alien Permit (Green Card) is doing a job on our soil which without said Visa would be done by an American…period![/QUOTE]

Unless they have changed the law a B1 visa holder cannot draw a salary or be on the payroll of a US company. The B1 visa was designed for people to come to the US, buy products, make contracts etc for their business in their home country. H1-B and Residents can work but not B-1’s.
If you know of someone working in the US with a B1 visa let us know. Maybe there is a loophole.

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OCS-B1 Visas

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Uh, oh. OCS B1. I did some more checking.
In English that means outer continental shelf business visa, in other words foreign workers can take jobs previously reserved for US citizens.
Where’s the Tea Party? Why isn’t Fox News, CNN etc raising hell about this? Where are the champions of the US workers?
No one in the media or political parties seem to want to do anything but I am writing to my congressman and I am sending a contribution to my union’s PAC [political action] fund letting them both know that when US unemployment is at record high numbers the last thing we need to do is make it easier to let foreign workers in to do jobs we are capable of doing. Why do US taxpayers support the maritime schools and then give the maritime jobs to foreign workers? The letter I write and the contribution I make is not much but you got to do something if you’re going to look your grandchildren in the eye a few years down the road. I mean sooner or later people are going to notice that round tubular thing in your backside and it’s going to be an embarrassment if you haven’t at least complained about it.

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If that is truly the case then I will be among the loudest voice of protest but I don’t believe the OCS B1 visa is under discussion since it is already “annotated” as OCS.

There are many legitimate workers, as I noted in my first post. Those workers are employed by foreign companies and are here temporarily, do not take money out of the US kitty and contribute a large amount to it and the community they live in while they are here. That is the same situation any of us would be in if we were in a foreign shipyard or assigned to the foreign office of our employer. We are not taking a job from a local but we are spending money in their economy.

I have sent a pile of letters out to DHS, DoS, and several industry media sources in an attempt to find out who the maritime industry consultants were who asked DHS to allow those mysterious 6000 to acquire a TWIC, and just as importantly, who the 6000 are and where they work. Part of the answer might be in the Congressional hearing with DHS and the House Committee on Homeland Security but it will take a while to wade through the transcripts.

As I originally posted, I am going to find out what exactly this latest news really means before throwing rocks. If we go directly to the attack on every modification of policy without knowing who requested it or why, we will only diminish the little voice we have remaining.

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[QUOTE=tengineer;46883]Uh, oh. OCS B1. I did some more checking.
In English that means outer continental shelf business visa, in other words foreign workers can take jobs previously reserved for US citizens.
Where’s the Tea Party? Why isn’t Fox News, CNN etc raising hell about this? Where are the champions of the US workers?
No one in the media or political parties seem to want to do anything but I am writing to my congressman and I am sending a contribution to my union’s PAC [political action] fund letting them both know that when US unemployment is at record high numbers the last thing we need to do is make it easier to let foreign workers in to do jobs we are capable of doing. Why do US taxpayers support the maritime schools and then give the maritime jobs to foreign workers? The letter I write and the contribution I make is not much but you got to do something if you’re going to look your grandchildren in the eye a few years down the road. I mean sooner or later people are going to notice that round tubular thing in your backside and it’s going to be an embarrassment if you haven’t at least complained about it.[/QUOTE]

[B][U]IMHO[/U][/B]…although I admire your spunk…suspect there are forces at work way beyond anyone’s control…might as well step up to the bulwark and piss to windward…best luck with all that though!!

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Call me naive perhaps, but I think a major issue is the fact that US mariners themselves don’t speak with one voice on an united front.

The major maritime unions all have excellent PAC machines and lobbyists as well as raising lots of cash from members to keep up the political pressure in DC.

http://www.seafarers.org/log/2011/022011/Prescolumn022011.xml

Most of the major US shipping companies are on-board with unions as the Jones Act insures there is no foreign competition in the domestic trades and that’s good for US shipping companies.

http://www.usamaritime.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Maritime

But what about OMSA?

http://marinelink.com/news/article/omsa-says-offshore-jobs-should-go-to-americans/333817.aspx

How about inland waterways and the AWO?

http://americanwaterways.com/about_industry/2008_MCTF_Annual_Report.pdf

How about the commercial fishing industry?

http://www.atsea.org/industry.php

If you, as a professional mariner voted for Sen. McCain in 2008, you were committing economic suicide.

There have been both Dem and Repub supporters of the USMM and the Jones Act, Mr. Mc Cain has had an obsession with killing off our industry and along with it, US shipyards. And of course all of our years of hard-work, education, experience, and our very livelihoods would go down the drain as well.

Let’s educate people: family, friends, co-workers. Write to elected reps. Write to newspapers and send in letters to the editor. Use social media such as Facebook and Twitter. VOTE!

We need to put aside petty differences and unite as one body, one group, one voice as US mariners, no matter if we are deep-sea, offshore, inland, Great Lakes etc…

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[QUOTE=SaltySailor;46890]We need to put aside petty differences and unite as one body, one group, one voice as US mariners, no matter if we are deep-sea, offshore, inland, Great Lakes etc…[/QUOTE]

S/S…man, how I hear you brother! If you have read my previous posts on this very subject you will know that I have been a strong proponent of a comprehensive American professional mariners association to represent all licensed and unlicensed US citizen seafarers in Washington. What is needed is enough fellow mariners to pay an annual membership to the association for it to have any traction at all but that is where the whole idea falls apart…paying money for something that is not tangible in the hope that future benefits would come of the investment. Yup…a crap shoot based on faith that just maybe something good would come of those funds spent. Who here would invest $50 or $100 a year? I am afraid not many and that is why the status quo is perpetuated as our captor rapes us again and again.

5000 mariners each investing $50 a year makes for a $250k annual budget. Slim pickings to work with but enough for one person to set up shop near Washington and at least become a presence in the face of our oh so highly esteemed political leaders. If it was a 501C3 non for profit, the membership would even be deductible! Anybody here with me? Anyone?

Lastly, as far as all the other associations and unions are concerned, they are only looking out for their own interests which far too often aren’t even in the best interests of their very members! Yeah, Gremelsbacker…I’m talking to YOU!

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I’m with you I have been out of work for the past three months and if it wasn’t for me saving money I would be in a very bad position. I love when people tell me I’m not looking hard enough and that if I wanted to work I could. That’s just not the case I started my job hunt looking for a mates position as I have a third mates with a dp unlimited license but I don’t have my oceans as I just made the move from 1600 ton mate to 3rd mate and didnt have the time or money for the oceans endorsement. So I’m trying to find a job as a a/b unlimited and I just can’t seem to find anything I have five years working in alaska on ocean going tugs and ten years on osv’s and research vessels with all my experience and my accomplishments I would think I could qualify for something more than cleaning tanks in the shipyard for 10.00 an hour ( minimum wage in my state is 9.45 an hr and I gotta work but off for 65 cents more an hour when foreigners are working and taking American jobs what happend to the jones act why are we allowing our government to do this to us? I’m not trying to cry on anybody’s shoulder or get any sympathy but if we let John McCain get away with his plan to keep the cost of shipping down so are American farmers can compete on the global market we are all going to be sitting in soup lines talking about the good ol days. Ask me if I care ask me if I think we would have unions do more than bankrupt companies and line there pockets with kick back money we all need to stand together and fight for are jobs and are future jobs the maritime industry is all we have left in this country I don’t think we should give away what’s ours like we let corporate America fleece this country

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Mr. Brixxx

You’re story is sadly not an uncommon one these days and I am sorry that you are not able to get out from where you are stuck. Such is the result of our most tender and caring Federal Government for its own citizens…lousy emeff’ers! Anyway, if you’ll check your private massages you’ll find one from me with some ideas to help.

Thanks for your solidarity.

your brother mariner
c.c

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C. Captain,
I would be happy to contribute $50-$100 per year if it would help. I already support the NMA (former GCMA) and the WMA (womens maritime association). I do agree we need someone out there looking out for our interests as mariners and not thier own as our “representatives”.

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From reading this thread it seems Steamer has it right. Port engineers and so forth are going to be issued TWIC cards so then can access the vessels they are responsible for. As far as I can see this is a non-issue.

That aside, anyone who believes that unions are opponents of labor and Fox New, CNN and the Tea Party are allies has a far different view of the political landscape then I do.

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[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;46934]Port engineers and so forth[/QUOTE]

There aren’t 4000-6000 foreign port engineers or yacht crew working in the US. I do suspect that there are 1000+ foreign seamen working in the Gulf of Mexico however. Besides why aren’t those “port engineers and so forth” not filled by Americans? How many American port engineers or marine superintendents working in Great Britain or Germany? Pretty hard to find American’s working in the Miami headquarters for Carnival or Royal Caribbean though, but lots of Italians and Greeks.

Regardless of who these 4000-6000 foreigners are and what jobs they do, it is the [U][I]tone[/I][/U] of the press release which is where the government shows it hand…foreign labor needed to “[I][U]help grow the American economy[/U][/I]” while we have still close to 10% unemployment coming on to 3 years now! I am sorry but this is blatant disregard for US citizens. Shameless!

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[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;46934]That aside, anyone who believes that unions are opponents of labor and Fox New, CNN and the Tea Party are allies has a far different view of the political landscape then I do.[/QUOTE]

Right on!

I have NEVER understood how workers in America could even manage to vote Repub. It’s the same as shooting yourself in the foot.

Labor unions are FAR better than ANY corporation and I would rather pay union DUES than work as an “at-will” employee of some company.

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I wouldn’t presume to tell anyone how to vote, there are plenty of issues out there besides foreign vessels working in the Gulf. But with regards to that issue do a google search with the terms “fox news and Jones act”, You will lean that labor unions have so much political power in the GoM that they are able to block foreign vessels at the cost of great environmental damage from the spill. If that’'s true this TWIC thing is a non-issue as the powerful maritime unions will be able to crush it before it gains traction. If it is not true and you’re waiting for Fox News to come to your aid it might be a long wait.

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[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;46940]You will lean that labor unions have so much political power in the GoM[/QUOTE]

In the name of God man…tell me one place where the maritime unions have any power in the Gulf of Mexico?!? Not one drilling or offshore vessel company has a contract with any officers or seamans union, neither does a single oil major or independent. The shipyards in Lousiana that build offshore vessels and platforms are also all non union shops. Avondale Shipyard (which is a union yard) is closing its doors.

Also, if as you say, the maritime unions have so much power to make the government change course, how is it that the deepsea maritime industry continually and steadily gone down in size each year for at least the last 30 years? The maritime unions are in no way capable to “crush” anything!

Not one statement you have made makes any sense whatsoever, but that is typical of anyone who is “informed” on today’s issues by Fox News!

Now, good day to you sir!