“Assessing the Shortage of United States Mariners and Recruitment and Retention in the United States Coast Guard”

We submit this statement on behalf of the American Maritime Officers, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, Marine Firemen’s Union, Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Seafarers International Union, Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, and Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO in conjunction with the Subcommittee’s hearing on “Assessing the Shortage of United States Mariners.” We ask that our statement be included in the hearing record.    Together, our maritime labor unions represent the vast majority of United States Coast Guard (USCG) licensed and unlicensed American maritime personnel who work aboard commercial vessels of all types and who are among the most highly trained and qualified mariners in the worldwide maritime industry. Our unions and the licensed and unlicensed American merchant mariners we represent have never turned away from the challenges that must be faced to preserve the democratic way of life at home and overseas. As they did at the founding of our nation, during World War II and in every conflict before and since, the men and women of the United States-flag merchant marine stand ready to sail into harm’s way whenever and wherever needed by our country to enhance America’s military and economic interests and to support and supply our armed forces deployed overseas. READ MORE (PDF)