Posted:
January 8, 2014
By Tom Bethel
National President
Each year, I am joined by AMO National Vice President for Government Relations Mike Murphy and AMO Plans Executive Director Steve Nickerson in conducting a series of face-to-face meetings with members of American Maritime Officers working on the East, West and Gulf Coasts - onboard ships for the most part, and when possible, during officers' conferences attended by large numbers of AMO members working for certain companies.
The practice of "bringing meetings to the membership" is established policy under my administration, and we have tried different approaches over the past several years with the goal of meeting directly with as many people as possible in the most practical and convenient manner for the AMO membership.
While refining our approach to bringing meetings to the membership, we have also expanded the practice by adding direct teleconferencing between AMO Headquarters and locations such as Diego Garcia, allowing AMO members on station abroad to participate in informative meetings, have concerns addressed and questions answered.
The intent of this policy remains providing AMO members who are not able to attend regular membership meetings at headquarters with access to complete briefings on all significant developments in our union and with the AMO Plans.
The meetings comprise just one facet of my administration's commitment to transparency and open communication - hallmarks that help ensure AMO's continued advancement and success as the nation's largest union of merchant marine officers and the only union of its kind positioned for sustainable growth.
In keeping with this commitment, AMO members are routinely invited and always welcome to attend, observe and participate in the meetings of the AMO National Executive Board, as well as the meetings of the joint union-employer trustees. While the AMO National Constitution has long provided for this opportunity, my administration was the first to put it into practice, and we continue to actively encourage the participation of the AMO membership.
This encouragement extends to an open invitation for all AMO members in the area and with an interest to visit the AMO office in Washington, D.C., to meet with our legislative staff and to experience first-hand the work our union does on Capitol Hill. One fact of life in our industry is that seagoing jobs under the U.S.-flag in all deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters trades are entirely dependent upon U.S. law and federal policy, and the importance of political action cannot be overstated.
However, another fact of life in our industry is that seagoing work may not often or easily accommodate in-person participation.
To foster direct dialogue on a schedule that works for each AMO member, all AMO officials maintain an open access policy, as well as an open door at the office. My cell phone number and e-mail address, as well as the mobile numbers and e-mail addresses of other AMO officials and staff, are always available in the online directory on the AMO website, and are published monthly in the AMO newspaper.
As a result, we are able to provide AMO members with candid answers to specific questions about specific circumstances, and to ensure accurate information and support are supplied to address legitimate concerns, either directly or through follow-up with union departments or the AMO Plans. While these conversations do not always result in agreement on both ends of the line, AMO members can count on a complete and honest response in every case.
In addition to one-on-one contact, we maintain convenient online access for AMO members to important updates regarding our union, benefit bulletins from the AMO Plans and reports on any developments with the potential to impact the seagoing careers of the AMO membership. The AMO website and AMO Currents website are regularly updated with new information, which is distributed directly to AMO-contracted vessels and any AMO member or applicant who would like to receive it at a personal e-mail address.
In the interest of transparency, my administration instituted the practice of posting the LM-2 financial disclosure report our union files each year with the Department of Labor on the AMO website in a area established exclusively for AMO members and applicants. Along with the LM-2, we post our union's audited financial statements as a supplement to the federal disclosure report because they are more straightforward and provide a means for the membership to compare the union's income and expenditures from year to year.
Additionally, AMO members have online access to the minutes of the regular membership meetings held at headquarters each month, as well as other documents and reports of importance or particular interest. The availability of this information augments the online job board maintained for AMO members and applicants on the AMO Dispatching website.
Transparency and open communication remain crucial to ensuring all AMO members have access to the facts needed to understand the complex issues confronting the U.S. merchant marine and our membership in particular, and to make informed decisions about individual careers and the future of our union as a whole.
The AMO membership is the best in the business, consistently demonstrating a level of skill and professionalism unrivaled in our industry. It is incumbent upon all AMO officials to supply a level of service that is equally exceptional.
In this era of rapid technological advancement, there is always room for further improvement, and enhancement of services remains a work in progress. As is the stake of our union, our work at AMO is progressing, and as always, we will keep you posted along the way. Please feel free to give me a call on my cell phone with comments or questions at (202) 251-0349.
Transparency, open communication and the ongoing advancement of AMO
By Tom Bethel
National President
Each year, I am joined by AMO National Vice President for Government Relations Mike Murphy and AMO Plans Executive Director Steve Nickerson in conducting a series of face-to-face meetings with members of American Maritime Officers working on the East, West and Gulf Coasts - onboard ships for the most part, and when possible, during officers' conferences attended by large numbers of AMO members working for certain companies.
The practice of "bringing meetings to the membership" is established policy under my administration, and we have tried different approaches over the past several years with the goal of meeting directly with as many people as possible in the most practical and convenient manner for the AMO membership.
While refining our approach to bringing meetings to the membership, we have also expanded the practice by adding direct teleconferencing between AMO Headquarters and locations such as Diego Garcia, allowing AMO members on station abroad to participate in informative meetings, have concerns addressed and questions answered.
The intent of this policy remains providing AMO members who are not able to attend regular membership meetings at headquarters with access to complete briefings on all significant developments in our union and with the AMO Plans.
The meetings comprise just one facet of my administration's commitment to transparency and open communication - hallmarks that help ensure AMO's continued advancement and success as the nation's largest union of merchant marine officers and the only union of its kind positioned for sustainable growth.
In keeping with this commitment, AMO members are routinely invited and always welcome to attend, observe and participate in the meetings of the AMO National Executive Board, as well as the meetings of the joint union-employer trustees. While the AMO National Constitution has long provided for this opportunity, my administration was the first to put it into practice, and we continue to actively encourage the participation of the AMO membership.
This encouragement extends to an open invitation for all AMO members in the area and with an interest to visit the AMO office in Washington, D.C., to meet with our legislative staff and to experience first-hand the work our union does on Capitol Hill. One fact of life in our industry is that seagoing jobs under the U.S.-flag in all deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters trades are entirely dependent upon U.S. law and federal policy, and the importance of political action cannot be overstated.
However, another fact of life in our industry is that seagoing work may not often or easily accommodate in-person participation.
To foster direct dialogue on a schedule that works for each AMO member, all AMO officials maintain an open access policy, as well as an open door at the office. My cell phone number and e-mail address, as well as the mobile numbers and e-mail addresses of other AMO officials and staff, are always available in the online directory on the AMO website, and are published monthly in the AMO newspaper.
As a result, we are able to provide AMO members with candid answers to specific questions about specific circumstances, and to ensure accurate information and support are supplied to address legitimate concerns, either directly or through follow-up with union departments or the AMO Plans. While these conversations do not always result in agreement on both ends of the line, AMO members can count on a complete and honest response in every case.
In addition to one-on-one contact, we maintain convenient online access for AMO members to important updates regarding our union, benefit bulletins from the AMO Plans and reports on any developments with the potential to impact the seagoing careers of the AMO membership. The AMO website and AMO Currents website are regularly updated with new information, which is distributed directly to AMO-contracted vessels and any AMO member or applicant who would like to receive it at a personal e-mail address.
In the interest of transparency, my administration instituted the practice of posting the LM-2 financial disclosure report our union files each year with the Department of Labor on the AMO website in a area established exclusively for AMO members and applicants. Along with the LM-2, we post our union's audited financial statements as a supplement to the federal disclosure report because they are more straightforward and provide a means for the membership to compare the union's income and expenditures from year to year.
Additionally, AMO members have online access to the minutes of the regular membership meetings held at headquarters each month, as well as other documents and reports of importance or particular interest. The availability of this information augments the online job board maintained for AMO members and applicants on the AMO Dispatching website.
Transparency and open communication remain crucial to ensuring all AMO members have access to the facts needed to understand the complex issues confronting the U.S. merchant marine and our membership in particular, and to make informed decisions about individual careers and the future of our union as a whole.
The AMO membership is the best in the business, consistently demonstrating a level of skill and professionalism unrivaled in our industry. It is incumbent upon all AMO officials to supply a level of service that is equally exceptional.
In this era of rapid technological advancement, there is always room for further improvement, and enhancement of services remains a work in progress. As is the stake of our union, our work at AMO is progressing, and as always, we will keep you posted along the way. Please feel free to give me a call on my cell phone with comments or questions at (202) 251-0349.