Seamen's Act

Seamen's Act
Senator La Follette (center), with maritime labor leader Andrew Furuseth (left) and muckraker Lincoln Steffens, circa 1915.

The Seamen's Act, formally known as Act to Promote the Welfare of American Seamen in the Merchant Marine of the United States (Act of March 4, 1915, ch. 153, 38 Stat. 1164) was designed to improve the safety and security of United States seamen.

"The 1915 statute ... has been described as the Magna Carta of sailors' rights."[1]

Contents

Origins of the act

The Act was sponsored in the United States Senate by Robert Marion La Follette.[2] The International Seamen's Union (ISU) had significant influence on the drafting of the Bill, with the President of the Union, Andrew Furuseth, cited as being behind the intent and content of the bill. Secretary of Labor William B. Wilson supported its passage.

The Act was designed to promote the living and working conditions of seamen serving in the United States Merchant Marine. It applied to vessels in excess of 100 gross tons, excluding river craft.

Provisions of the act

The Act included provisions, inter alia, to:

  • abolish imprisonment for desertion
  • reduce penalties for disobedience
  • regulate the working hours of seamen both at sea and in port
  • establish a minimum quality for rations supplied to seamen
  • regulate the payment of wages to seamen
  • set safety requirements, including the provision of lifeboats
  • require a minimum percentage of the seamen aboard a vessel to be qualified able seamen
  • require at least 75% of the seamen aboard a vessel to understand the language spoken by the officers

Trade unions like the ISU provided much of the impetus for the bill, further promoted by the increasing international tensions in the years preceding World War I. The bill was first proposed in 1913, but became law after the beginning of hostilities in Europe, though before the United States joined the conflict. The sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 raised the issue of safety at sea as a political issue as well.

Later legislation

The Act did little to help seamen who were injured in the course of their duties, and the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, was passed in an attempt to address such incidents.

Notes

  1. ^ Marquis, Greg (2007). "Brutality on Trial (review)". Law and Politics Book Review. http://www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/lpbr/subpages/reviews/gibson0107.htm. Retrieved Mar. 25, 2010. 
  2. ^ Eastlands Memorial Society

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Merchant Seamen's Act — A federal statute which provides that any seaman who has signed an agreement and is discharged before commencement of the voyage or before one month s wages are earned, without fault on his part and without his consent, is entitled to receive… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Seamen's Hospital Society — Coordinates: 51°28′54″N 0°0′31″W / 51.48167°N 0.00861°W / 51.48167; 0.00861 The Seamen s Hospital Societ …   Wikipedia

  • seamen — Sailors; mariners; persons whose business is navigating ships, or who are connected with the ship as such and in some capacity assist in its conduct, maintenance or service. Commonly exclusive of the officers of a ship. The Lillian, D.C.Me., 16 F …   Black's law dictionary

  • International Seamen's Union — Infobox Union name= ISU country= United States affiliation= American Federation of Labor members= 115,000 (1919) full name= International Seamen s Union native name= founded= 1892 current= head= dissolved date=August 1937 dissolved state=Merged… …   Wikipedia

  • Dingley Act (shipping) — This article is about a merchant marine law. For a tariff law, see Dingley Act. The act was introduced by Nelson Dingley, Jr. The Dingley Act of 1884 was a United States law introduced by U.S. Representative Nelson Dingley, Jr. of Maine dealing… …   Wikipedia

  • Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (P.L. 66 261) is a United States Federal statute that regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters and between U.S. ports. Section 27, better known as the Jones Act, deals with cabotage (i.e., coastal shipping) and… …   Wikipedia

  • Merchant Marine Act of 1928 — The Merchant Marine Act of 1928 is currently printed in the United States Code in Title 46A (Shipping Appendix) Chapter 24A.[1] (May 22, also called the “Jones White Act”) – sponsored by Sen. Wesley L. Jones (R) of Washington and Sen. Wallace H.… …   Wikipedia

  • Merchant Marine Act of 1936 — The Merchant Marine Act of 1936 is a United States federal law. Its purpose is to further the development and maintenance of an adequate and well balanced American merchant marine, to promote the commerce of the United States, to aid in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Maguire Act of 1895 — James G. Maguire The Maguire Act of 1895 (28 Stat. 667, enacted February 18, 1895) is a United States Federal statute that abolished the practice of imprisoning sailors who deserted from coastwise vessels. The act was sponsored by… …   Wikipedia

  • Death on the High Seas Act 1920 — Citations Codification Legislative history …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”