Spring 2009

Spring 2009 WMA Annual Meeting and Brunch In this issue: WMA annual meeting & brunch 3rd Annual WOW conference announcement Profile: Sarah Finke- ITF Women’s Officer Book Review: Women of the Sea WMA upcoming events - - The annual WMA meeting and brunch was held November 23, 2008 in Seattle. We had a good turnout, and a lovely time was had by all. There was a lively discussion about the direction WMA should take, and it was decided that we needed to become a little more organized and delegate some responsibilities. A vote was taken and officers were elected. They are: President- Anne Mosness (standing, far right) Vice President- Meg Jacobsen (seated, third from left) Secretary-Treasurer- Katie Haven (standing, far left) We are working on getting our by-laws and other paperwork in order to become a non-profit organization in the state of Washington. Stay tuned for updates! Plus book review and more! Page 2 of 8 Hosted by: Maine Maritime Academy In partnership with: U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration October 15-17, 2009 the Maritime Administration and Maine Maritime Academy will host the third annual Women on the Water Conference in Castine, ME. The Conference will bring together cadets from the Federal and State Merchant Marine Academies and Colleges with professional women who are leaders in different sectors of the maritime industry. The event will be an excellent opportunity for the cadets to learn about the exciting careers that are open to them directly from successful women as well as to hear about current issues affecting the maritime industry. This is also an excellent opportunity for the cadets and professional women alike to meet and network with others in the maritime industry. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the Women on the Water Conference, or if you have questions regarding the conference, please send an e-mail to womenonthewater@dot.gov. Visit the WOW website at www.marad.dot.gov/mariners_landing_page/women_on_the_water/WOW2009home.htm . The Agenda Please check back. Details on the conference including the Agenda will be posted here as soon as they are available. The agenda for the 2008 conference is on the WOW website. Who Should Attend Maritime Academy Cadets, Maritime Associations, Ship Operators, Ship Owners, Ship Managers, Seafarer & Trade Union Representatives, Maritime Lawyers, Maritime Academy Representatives and Maritime Industry Representatives. Registration Lot of life to live for tug called "Grandma" By Janet I. Tu Seattle Times staff reporter (Reprinted by information will be Times) Registration permission of the Seattleposted as soon as it is available. WMA Newsletter Page 3 of 8 LABOUR: Women At the Helm, Literally Miren Gutierrez* interviews SARAH FINKE, of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (reprinted with permission from IPS) ROME, Feb 13 (IPS) - Shipping used to be for men. Now women are starting to be seen commanding merchant vessels, oil tankers and cruisers, "manning" ships and operating liner engines. In an e-mail interview with IPS, Sarah Finke - the Women's Officer at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) - discusses some of the challenges faced by women on ships, and the role of unions in this tough sector. The ITF includes 654 unions representing about 4.5 million transport workers in 148 countries. IPS: The ITF says "millions of women work in the transport industry world-wide". How many of these are in the maritime sector? Sarah Finke: We estimate that there are around 23,000 women seafarers worldwide, representing a low 2 percent of the total workforce, and clustered disproportionately in the ferry and cruise sectors, and in service roles. The total number is slowly increasing, as is women’s representation in the ranks of ships’ officers and masters. But it is an unacceptably slow process, and one that trade unions have to lead and drag forward. IPS: Which countries ‘produce’ more women seafarers? SF: It largely shadows the situation for men, with the Philippines and Indonesia (the biggest seafaring nations in the world) ranking highest, but also with significant numbers of Eastern Europeans, which reflects that region's history of cruising and cruise fleets. IPS: In 2005, at a conference in Rio de Janeiro, a group of 40 female seafarers called for greater attention to job prospects for women and discrimination. "Sexual harassment is a reality for many women at sea," says a recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) report. Has anything changed? SF: It will take a new research project to establish an improvement on the ground, but there are hopeful signs. Positive measures on bullying and harassment have been introduced by European ship owners and by unions in the European Transport Workers' Federation, the ITF’s European arm. There has also been real campaigning by our affiliated unions for equality and against violence towards women. IPS: They also noted that "the flag of convenience system is a barrier to the promotion of gender equality, and that the effects of outsourcing to ever cheaper labour markets has made the situation worse." Why is this connected to equality? SF: Because terms and conditions may be inferior, denying job and promotion opportunities. They are governed by the legislation of the flag state, which may not give any rights at all. Family-friendly policies and measures covering pregnancy and maternity vary widely, along with the right to return to work after having a child. However, minimum rights in equality and pregnancy are included in ITF approved agreements, which we seek to put in place on FOC (flag of convenience) vessels in order to ensure basic protections for those working on them. IPS: Could you give an example of the sort of obstacles women encounter? SF: Two examples with names omitted for obvious reasons: A woman cook on an FOC ship was told verbally by the master that it was time for her holidays and she could sign off the ship for six weeks. She had no written contract. Another colleague secretly told her the managing agent had stated that it was not company policy to employ women on board. The ITF intervened on her behalf and got her reinstated in her job. Sarah Finke Credit: ITF Page 4 of 8 WMA Newsletter A stewardess on another FOC cruise ship, who was four months pregnant, was signed off. She was happy about this but unhappy that the company did not want to pay her repatriation expenses. The ITF got the company to pay. IPS: According to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the estimated number of women at sea in the world remains low, but seafarers’ unions’ female membership is higher in comparison, at around 6 percent... SF: Probably because there are specific issues regarding woman and work - for example sexual harassment, inequality and maternity right - which unions can help with. The figures also reflect a high number of women in the cruise and ferry sector in Northern Europe, where union membership is traditionally higher than in many other areas. For example around 30 percent of the seafaring membership of the Seko Swedish general workers' union (the Swedish Union for Service and Communications Employees) are women: 2,754 out of 7,367. IPS: According to female seafarers, unions need to give women more voice. What presence do they have at the ITF? SF: The ITF Executive Board has 40 members, of who seven are women. A 30-strong women’s committee advises the Board and provides elected regional and sectional representatives who feed in to all the ITF’s work. An example would be Jaqueline Smith, president of the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union. Nine out of the ITF’s 130 inspectors - who undertake some of the ITF’s most dangerous and difficult work - are women. IPS: Seafaring is a dangerous profession: accidents happen, ships are hijacked ... Do these incidents pose special problems for women? SF: We're not aware of many women having been among the pirated vessels, except, possibly on the Faina (hijacked in Gulf of Aden by Somali pirates last year with 20 Ukrainian, Latvian and Russian sailors on board). There were no reports of special problems. Going back beyond the current wave of attacks, there was the case of Deborah Harrison, a British Numast (the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers, now Nautilus), who was used as a human shield by hijackers in Brazil (in 1998), and was shot and seriously wounded as a result. *Miren Gutierrez is IPS Editor in Chief Go to http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45764 to view this article on the IPS website. First Female Captain Extends a Hand to Lucky Mass. Maritime Academy Cadet Captain Deborah Dempsey is one of the most accomplished women in the marine industry and the first female(ever)to be licensed as and serve as the Master of an internationally traveling cargo ship. She invited 3 lucky MMA cadets to shadow her as she piloted one of the most dangerous river entrances in the world... and one of them went! Currently employed as a Columbia River Bar Pilot, "Capt. Deb", invited the cadets to follow along as she navigated the mouth of the Columbia River, bordering Oregon and Washington state. 1/C Kirstin Capaccioli, President, Class of 2009, took her up on it. "There was no way I was passing up that opportunity. I will NEVER forget being winched down along with Captain Dempsey, from her helicopter to the deck of a Japanese car carrier. To say women on these ships are a rarity is an understatement. That didn't seem to faze Captain Deb as she touched down and, as its designated "pilot", took immediate control of the huge ship! The woman personified self confidence and skill." Kirstin and Captain Deb appear to be cut from the same cloth. 1/C Capaccioli was "driving a boat" before she could walk and by age eighteen, into Navy Seal training on high speed vessels and cigarette style boats. She dreams of one day working on high tonnage ships, sailing as master and eventually earning her pilotage. In the meantime, she is a Hingham Harbormaster and works at a local marina. It doesn't look like anyone will keep this young woman off the water or from giving Captain Deb a run for her money when it comes to setting maritime records! WMA Newsletter Page 5 of 8 Book Review by Katie Haven Women of the Sea By John and Patience Wubben Published 2008 by John & Patsy Wubben This book is obviously put together by two people who love their subject. They have created a fine collection of stories of women from the Pacific Northwest whose work connects them to the maritime world. Their subjects span a wide range in terms of ages, time periods, professions and experience. In this book you will meet Captains, engineers, pilots, radio operators, Coast Guard officers, women who fish and work in canneries, activists, and artists. John & Patience interviewed each woman, and they tell her story in text and photographs. The reader learns a little bit about the day to day details of the jobs these women perform, but we also get to hear how each woman feels about her work. We learn about some of the challenges they have faced and why they love their work. It is a very warm and engaging and visually beautiful book. For more information contact John or Patsy Wubben at jwubben@earthlink.net, or 503-3250658. WMA Member Diane Wilson wins writing fellowship We are pleased to hear that Diane has won a prestigious writing award: The Dobie Paisano Writing Fellowship. This award, sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin, is given to two writers each year who have a strong connection to Texas. Diane will get to spend 6 months at a beautiful 250-acre retreat near Austin where she will concentrate on writing her third book. This is welcome news, for as we all know, Diane has been working tirelessly to save her local bay from the devastating effects of pollution. She has made huge personal sacrifices (including spending time in jail) and has been busy with book tours and speaking engagements. We know that she will appreciate a few months of peace and quiet and time to concentrate and reflect. Congratulations Diane! (to read about Diane’s latest activity, you can read her blog entry at http://fastingforourfuture.blogspot.com) Page 6 of 8 WMA Newsletter Women’s Maritime Association Upcoming Events: September 16-18, 2009: WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association) Conference, London, England. WISTA’s 35th annual conference will be held in London at the IMO building- it is an excellent opportunity for meeting women in the maritime industry from all over the world. For more information go to www.wistaconference.org. October 2-4, 2009: First Annual Blue Festival. Seattle, WA Maritime Event Center, pier 66. This entertaining and educational BLUE FESTIVAL will focus on oceans that cover 70% of our planet, the value of free flowing rivers, the heritage and sustainability of small scale fisheries, healthy marine ecosystems and economies, and the people who depend upon them all. WMA would like to have a booth at this event- let us know if you can help out. Contact Anne Mosness at gowildcampaign@aol.com, or 360-224-4100. October 15-17, 2009: Third Annual Women on the Water (WOW) Conference. Castine, Maine. The Third Annual WOW conference will be held at Maine Maritime Academy. Go to www.marad.dot.gov/wow for details which will be posted as they become available. For more information, or to get on the WOW contact list, send an e-mail to womenonthewater@dot.gov. November 22, 2009: Annual WMA Meeting & Brunch. Seattle, WA We will be having our regular annual meeting on the Sunday after Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. The location has not been confirmed at this time, but will likely be the same as last year- Chinook’s at Fisherman’s Terminal. More information will be sent out this Fall. If you have an event you would like to announce, let us know and we will put it on our web site. Contact Katie at krhaven@seanet.com. WMA Newsletter Page 7 of 8 The Women’s Maritime Association is Association an informational seafaring Join the WMA - Women's Maritime WMA is based inand support network of from all women and men. Maritime Association Established in 1980, Seattle, with members Send to: Women's over the United743 States and several other countries. Our membership includes women who PMB work on ferries, tugs, fishing vessels, tankers, deep sea merchant ships, yachts and delivery vessels, as1916 Pikewomen who are seeking employment in the maritime and fishing well as Place #12 Seattle, WA 98101 industries, or who are students in maritime training programs. WMA dues are $35.00 annually. Please pay at the beginning of the year, or if joining later, prorate dues at $2.90 per month and add $35.00 for communication For Canadian and and men in maritime WMA’s purpose is addpromote the $4.00full year. among women other foreign memberships, please to an additional next annually for postage. pay in U.S. funds and industries. Our newsletter provides a forum for exchanging information on employment, health and safety, training, and the achievements of our members. As a network, WMA provides mentoring and leadership, historical references, humor and camaraderie. ____ Yes, I want to join WMA. Enclosed is __________. ____ I am renewing my membership. Enclosed is _________. Check out our MSN group for our own Job Board, General Message Board, Picture Album, Calendar out the following information being sure to indicate if you'd like to be listed in the next WMA Please fill and More! directory. The directory is sent only to individual members. NAME: ___________________________________________________________ ADDRESS:________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP:__________________________________________________ PHONE ____________________YEARS IN MARITIME INDUSTRY _______ EMAIL ADDRESS:_________________________________________________ EMPLOYER/SCHOOL:______________________________________________ JOB DESCRIPTION:________________________________________________ Would you like to be listed in the next directory? _________________ We want your photos! WMA is looking for photographs of women working on their vessels to use on the opening page of our web site: www.womensmaritimeassoc.com. Please e-mail any digital photographs to info@womensmaritimeassoc.com., or send snail mail to: WMA PMB 743 1916 Pike Place #12 Seattle, WA 98101 Page 8 of 8 WMA Newsletter Our Web site has a new look! Check it outwww.womensmaritimeassoc.com Return to: Women’s Maritime Association PMB 743 1916 Pike Place #12 Seattle, WA 98101