Sailors Union of The Pacific

What Sailors Union of The Pacific does

The Sailors' Union of the Pacific (SUP) is a U.S. labor union incorporated as a nonprofit organization and headquartered at 450 Harrison Street in San Francisco, founded on March 6, 1885 on the Folsom Street Wharf by 300 sailors and in continuous operation for over 140 years. SUP represents unlicensed mariners — those working in the deck, engine, and steward's departments of U.S.-flag merchant ships and certain contracted vessels — and operates union-controlled hiring halls in San Francisco, Seattle, Wilmington (California), and Honolulu that dispatch members to contracted jobs by seniority, eliminating employer interference in job placement.

The union's core offerings comprise collective bargaining representation with major carriers (including American President Lines, Matson Navigation, Chevron Shipping, Foss Maritime, Patriot Contract Services, and the San Francisco Bar Pilots), member benefit administration through the SUP Welfare Plan (a Taft-Hartley labor-management trust offering health coverage, supplemental benefits, and an Employee Assistance Program), the SIU-PD defined-benefit pension plan plus a voluntary 401(k) and Money Purchase Pension Plan, the Andrew Furuseth School of Seamanship, and the West Coast Sailors monthly newspaper. Active subsidiaries such as the SUP Building Corporation and West Coast Sailors support real-estate and communications functions respectively.

SUP is financed almost exclusively by membership dues set at $150 per quarter (or $600 annually) via secret mail ballot referendum — most recently the 2007-2008 membership vote — with no supplemental assessments possible without a member vote. The union is an autonomous AFL-CIO affiliate of the Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA, which SUP helped found in 1938), a founding member of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department, and an active member of the Transportation Trades Department and state federations of labor in California, Washington, and Hawaii. Revenue, employee compensation, and constitutional amendments are governed democratically with officer elections on a three-year secret-ballot cycle; the most recent 2024-2025 election installed Matt Henning as President/Secretary-Treasurer and Sam Worth as Vice-President for the 2025-2028 term.

Name

Sailors Union of The Pacific

Legal name

Sailors' Union of the Pacific

Website

https://sailors.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sailors' Union of the Pacific (founded 1885, San Francisco) is an AFL-CIO autonomous maritime labor union representing unlicensed mariners in the deck, engine, and steward's departments of U.S.-flag merchant ships through collective bargaining agreements and union-controlled hiring halls on the West Coast, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Labor Union Services

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Labor (Dockworkers/Longshore) Staffing (BPACAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vessel Husbandry & Crew Services (Crew Change, Meet & Assist, Transport, Shore Passes) (TLAHAJAB), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB)

Keywords

• Maritime labor union
• Unlicensed mariners representation
• Hiring hall dispatch
• Collective bargaining agreements
• Merchant marine advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The SUP is financed almost exclusively by membership dues. Other sources of revenue are initiation fees, voluntary contributions to the Union's General Treasury and to the West Coast Sailors newspaper. The current dues are $150 per quarter or $600 per year. No assessments can be levied without a secret mail ballot vote of the membership.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sailors' Union of the Pacific is a labor union representing unlicensed mariners working in the deck, engine, and steward's departments on U.S.-flag merchant ships. It provides union-controlled hiring hall job dispatch, negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements with major shipping companies, runs the Andrew Furuseth School of Seamanship for marlinspike and endorsement training, and administers Taft-Hartley welfare, pension, 401(k), Money Purchase, and Employee Assistance Program benefits for members and their families.

Product overview

The Sailors' Union of the Pacific is a labor union, not a product company. Its core offerings consist of union membership services including hiring hall job placement for unlicensed mariners, Taft-Hartley benefit plans (Welfare Plan, SIU-PD Pension, 401(k), Money Purchase Pension), and the Andrew Furuseth School of Seamanship for training. The union publishes the West Coast Sailors newspaper and provides collective bargaining representation through agreements with major shipping companies. No technology product or SaaS platform is offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Union Membership and Hiring Hall Services Provides union membership to unlicensed sailors and operates hiring halls in San Francisco, Seattle, Wilmington, and Honolulu, dispatching members by seniority to contracted U.S.-flag merchant ships in the deck, engine, and steward's departments.
• SUP Welfare Plan Taft-Hartley Labor Management Trust providing health and welfare benefits, including medical coverage, supplemental benefit plans, and Employee Assistance Program services, to SUP members and their families.
• SIU-PD Pension Plan Defined benefit pension plan administered through the Seafarers' International Union of North America Pacific District, providing retirement income for eligible SUP members.
• Andrew Furuseth School of Seamanship Training facility located at SUP Headquarters in San Francisco providing marlinspike seamanship training and U.S. Coast Guard endorsement preparation courses in conjunction with Training Resources Limited, for current and prospective SUP members.
• Collective Bargaining Representation The SUP negotiates, ratifies, and administers multi-year collective bargaining agreements with major shipping companies including American President Lines, Matson Navigation, Chevron Shipping, Foss Maritime, San Francisco Bar Pilots, and Patriot Contract Services covering unlicensed deck, engine, and stewards departments.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Confidential counseling, financial help, online peer support groups, and 24-hour crisis help including suicide prevention, provided to SUP Welfare Plan participants and their families through Uprise Health.

Quantifiable outcome

• Collective bargaining agreements with major carriers including American President Lines, Matson Navigation, Chevron Shipping, and Foss Maritime
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, important, major and notable.

• Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SUP is an AFL-CIO autonomous affiliate of SIUNA, which was organized by the SUP in 1938. Autonomy is key to the affiliation - SUP membership makes all decisions regarding conduct of the organization including bargaining and contracts. Other autonomous affiliates include Marine Firemen's Union and SIU-Atlantic, Gulf and Inland Waters District.
• Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SUP is a founding member of the Maritime Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. MTD supports maritime workers across a broad range of issues and has strongly supported the Jones Act and other maritime legislation.
• Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD)importantStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SUP is a member of the 33 unions that make up TTD, which represents transportation workers' interests before Congress, the Executive Branch, and government agencies on issues including the Jones Act, Maritime Security Program, and cargo preference.
• State Federations of Labor (California, Washington, Hawaii)importantStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SUP is affiliated with State Federations of Labor in California, Washington State, and Hawaii, as well as AFL-CIO Labor Central Councils in many cities in those states, enabling participation in broader labor movement issues.
• American President Lines (APL)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement with American President Lines for unlicensed deck department. SUP reached historic 5-year deal in September with increases in base wages, overtime, vacation benefits, new overtime guarantees, improved internet, cost-of-living adjustment, and maintained benefits.
• Matson Navigation CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement with Matson Navigation Company for unlicensed deck department. 5-year ratified agreement includes wage increases, job security, pension improvements, new holiday, and restriction to ship settlement addressing pandemic hardships.
• Chevron Shipping CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement covering unlicensed deck, engine, and stewards departments. Jobs shipped off hiring hall under two categories: relief and steady employment.
• Foss Maritime CompanynotableChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement with Foss Maritime Company San Francisco Bay for unlicensed deck and engine departments.
• San Francisco Bar PilotsnotableChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement covering unlicensed and licensed deck departments, steward's department and dispatchers.
• Patriot Contract ServicesnotableChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollective bargaining agreement for unlicensed deck department.
• Uprise Health, Inc.importantImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNew vendor contracted by the Trustees of the SUP Welfare Plan to provide Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) services starting December 1, 2021. Provides confidential counseling, online peer support groups, 24-hour crisis help including suicide prevention, and health services.
• Joint Maritime Labor Coalition (MEBA, SUP, American Maritime Partnership, Offshore Marine Service Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of U.S. maritime labor organizations that have issued joint statements opposing Jones Act waivers, arguing they undermine American maritime workers, U.S. tax revenue, and national security while having negligible impact on gas prices.
• Offshore Maritime, LimitednotableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLicensed health provider that coordinated with Matson Navigation Co. to administer trial COVID-19 vaccination clinics at SUP halls in San Francisco and Wilmington.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA): National AFL-CIO union representing licensed marine engineers on U.S.-flag merchant ships. Directly comparable to SUP in that it negotiates CBAs with the same carriers (APL, Matson, etc.), co-advocates on Jones Act and MSP, and is a fellow member of the Joint Maritime Labor Coalition mentioned in SUP's data.
• American Maritime Officers (AMO): Represents licensed deck and engineering officers on U.S.-flag vessels. Comparable in bargaining counterparties, MSP participation, and Jones Act advocacy, and often co-signs joint maritime labor statements with SUP.
• International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P): AFL-CIO union for licensed deck officers on U.S.-flag merchant ships. Comparable in coverage of the same carrier base, same cabotage-law politics, and same MSP/MSP-flagged fleet - a direct counterpart in maritime labor bargaining.
• Marine Firemen's Union: Autonomous SIUNA affiliate (alongside SUP) representing unlicensed engine-room personnel (oilers, firemen, watertenders) on U.S.-flag ships. Near-twin operating model to SUP, sharing the SIUNA umbrella and frequently coordinating on the same CBAs and political campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Seafarers International Union of North America (SIUNA): AFL-CIO federation of maritime unions; SUP is an autonomous affiliate of SIUNA (organized by SUP in 1938). Operates as a broader umbrella over SUP, Marine Firemen's Union, and SIU-Atlantic/Gulf/Inland Waters, sharing structure and political coordination.
• AFL-CIO: National labor federation to which SUP (via SIUNA) is affiliated. Sets broader labor policy, mobilizes political action on shared priorities, and provides institutional backing that compounds SUP's standalone influence.

Regional players

• International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU): West Coast port and longshore workers union. Comparable in that it is a major West Coast maritime labor organization with overlapping political interests (Jones Act, port policy) and a parallel hiring-hall/registration system, but represents a different maritime segment (shore-side longshoremen vs. shipboard unlicensed mariners).

Others

• Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO (MTD): AFL-CIO trade department of which SUP is a founding member. Coordinates joint political action across maritime unions on Jones Act, MSP, and cargo preference - effectively SUP's lobbying coalition for the regulatory moat that protects its members' jobs.
• Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD): Coalition of 33 transportation unions (SUP is a member). Provides broader transportation-sector political coordination on legislation affecting Jones Act, MSP, and maritime security, extending SUP's lobbying reach beyond pure maritime.
• American Maritime Partnership (AMP): U.S. maritime industry coalition (labor + companies) of which SUP is a member. Co-advocates for Jones Act and U.S.-flag shipping, representing the supply-side counterpart to SUP's labor voice in the same regulatory battles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sailors-union-of-the-pacific

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sailors Union of The Pacific