The AMO Executive Board has agreed to reopen AMO headquarters in Dania Beach and the AMO office in Toledo on June 8, but the membership meeting scheduled that day at headquarters has been canceled in further response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AMO office in Washington, D.C. will remain closed until the city and its immediate suburbs open safely. The Washington area as of this date remains susceptible to greater coronavirus contagion.

Cancellation of the June 8 membership meeting reflects the intent to minimize the risk of coronavirus contagion among AMO members traveling to, participating in and returning to their homes or to their vessels after the meeting.

Another factor driving the cancellation of the June 8 meeting was an official Broward County health emergency restriction barring gatherings of 10 or more people in one place or in one setting. This restriction remains in place as of the date of this notice.

Official reports prepared for presentation to AMO members on June 8 will be posted to the secure members-only page on the AMO website at www.amo-union.org, and meeting agenda material related to internal charges brought against six AMO Executive Board members under Article XIII and Article XXIII of the AMO Constitution will be distributed via email to all deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters AMO members in advance of June 8.

AMO headquarters and the AMO office in Toledo will reopen officially on June 8 with precautionary healthcare protocols in place, and with employees rotating between work on site and from home.

AMO officials assigned to headquarters in Dania Beach will be in their offices full-time June 8 and available by phone and by email, and travel by AMO officials and by AMO representatives boarding deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters vessels will be limited, at least initially.

The health and safety of all AMO members coast-to-coast and worldwide and of their families remains our highest priority. Our response measures make absolute sense under current conditions and persistent uncertainty surrounding this unprecedented crisis. We on the AMO Executive Board, AMO representatives and AMO support staff appreciate the patience and understanding of the seagoing men and women we are privileged to represent.

Thank you for listening.

Paul Doell
May 28, 2020