M.E.B.A. puts your security first

We understand the importance of the decision you are all considering - choosing which Union will best serve you as your representative. We urge you to consider it in these simple terms – who do you want in your corner when it’ s time for a fight?

Many of the fights M.E.B.A. and the other Unions face involve industry-wide issues that affect all of you. The question you must ask yourself is - which Union is better equipped to handle these issues and never back down from a fight. W e believe, without a doubt, the answer is the M.E.B.A.

Many of you have stated that you realize the benefit of having a combined bargaining unit with your fellow engineers, but have asked about real-time examples of how the M.E.B.A. would represent your needs best.

A good example involves the increasing tensions in the Middle East and the significant dangers our mariners face entering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Some companies claimed that dangers of marine transit in the war zone did not arise until as late as December 22nd - ignoring the ongoing missile attacks on commercial vessels passing through the area much earlier than this. Their rationale for discounting the danger , “The terrorists said they aren’t aiming at US vessels.”

We believed that these companies were more concerned about added costs to their bottom line than they were about your security . The cost to go around the Cape of Good Hope is in the millions, but the ‘risk pay’ offered for running the gauntlet in the thousands didn’t seem fair to us just to get the consumer their furniture two weeks sooner . In response, the M.E.B.A. attempted to get the Maritime Unions on a united front with acceptable war risk and vessel attack pay - understanding that this was the type of fight where we were stronger together than divided.

Unfortunately, for reasons only known to them, other Unions did not stay in this fight until the end – settling for no retroactivity when the terrorists were only ‘aiming’ at certain vessels transiting the waters, and perhaps most egregious of all, agreeing that vessel attack pay is only due if the ship sustains damage, with nothing owed if the missiles miss by a foot. M.E.B.A. certainly considers that a vessel attack and unacceptable risk.This left M.E.B.A. to fight alone.

M.E.B.A. refused to waiver on our commitment to the members and ensured that they would be compensated for the increased risk of going through hostile waters.

The agreement we fought for included retroactive payments back to November 19th – a more accurate date marking when the indiscriminate attacks began, and much broader vessel attack language to capture any incident a rational person would consider an attack.

This example is only the latest in a long line of instances where the M.E.B.A. has refused to back down from a righteous fight with companies, and has taken firm positions that others would not or could not.

The same situation played out with the COVID vaccine, wherein the other Maritime Unions quickly agreed to mandate vaccines while M.E.B.A. insisted and achieved fair compensation for mariners being required to take the new vaccines. We encourage you all to ask others in the industry about these and other issues - real life examples of M.E.B.A. representing and protecting members. You can rest assured M.E.B.A. will ALWAYS fight for its members until a fair deal is reached.

Our actions and contracts speak forthemselves, and we look forward to fighting for you.Remember this: In a cage match, the M.E.B.A. will never tap out.

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