Thanks everyone for this thread. My eyes have been opened. I am
actually online now completing HOS applicant for the MSC gig: I am
more interested in the offshore trade but beggars can’t be choosers.
Already paid the price of being a stand up man at the SUP.
Good luck, the MSC side is always on lock down. That’s a job that only opens up if someone quits or dies, and then there’s always people to fill that spot from within the company. I know there’s job postings, but with the number of boats working vs the number stacked, I doubt they’re hurting for people. If a boat comes off charter, it’s stacked with in a week and the crews are sent home. That’s how they figure they can save cash. Stack and stash!
Thanks for that info. I did not have the required security clearance. They waived
that requirement when I shipped to Diego Garcia. Since then I have wanted to become
a sailor/wiper on the Gulf of Mexico. I need to check if that Fletcher School in
Houma is Coast Guard approved for BST. I want to come down and make friends and enjoy
the scenery (yes I enjoy the tropic green and thunderstorms of Louisiana) and tire of
the false airs of some of the private maritime schools in San Diego; people worry too
much about money down there or the appearance of it). Maybe that was unfair to say but
I want to be around people who just like working and smelling the wonderful sea air.
[QUOTE=CaliforniaOso;185190] I need to check if that Fletcher School in
Houma is Coast Guard approved for BST. [/QUOTE]
Here are three Louisiana community colleges with USCG approved classes for your perusal. Nice to have options to find the classes that will fit in with your particular schedule:
L E Fletcher: http://www.fletcher.edu/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=336
Young Memorial, Morgan City: http://coastguardtraining.com/marinecourses.htm
Delgado, NE New Orleans: http://www.dcc.edu/academics/workforce/maritime-fire/default.aspx
I took classes at Falck inHouma, did T-HUET there,
I will consider it a 'rite of passage" to wear a fire suit
in the August heat of Louisiana. Did it in Diego Garcia but it
was nice and breezy out in the middle of the lagoon. Now got to
figure out the best long term stay motels in the area. I see
there is a Days Inn in Houma.
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;185189]I know there’s job postings, but with the number of boats working vs the number stacked, I doubt they’re hurting for people. If a boat comes off charter, it’s stacked with in a week and the crews are sent home. That’s how they figure they can save cash. Stack and stash![/QUOTE]
You might be surprised. The way HOS has been choosing, informing, and treating those who are sent home/demoted/moved has been the shittiest treatment of employees that I have seen by far in my years of shipping out. Many of those sent home on the “on call list” have refused to come back when called because of the treatment, and many of those who still working are at the point of saying the hell with it and leaving if any thing else comes down the pipe.
So let me step into it. It appears that some employers do not want to pay
unemployment and defame sailors with bogus claims of violating company policy.
Is it routine for the Louisiana sailor to file for unemployment when the employer
does not call after 30 days or more? Thx in advance for bringing me up to speed.
[QUOTE=Phloyd04;185249]You might be surprised. The way HOS has been choosing, informing, and treating those who are sent home/demoted/moved has been the shittiest treatment of employees that I have seen by far in my years of shipping out. Many of those sent home on the “on call list” have refused to come back when called because of the treatment, and many of those who still working are at the point of saying the hell with it and leaving if any thing else comes down the pipe.[/QUOTE]
Don’t you know they’re doing you a favor by keeping you around, if only part time, at the Company of Choice! If you don’t like it, there’s the door! (Oh yea, there’s not another company hiring anywhere in the world so eat this sh*t sandwich and shut up!)
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;185280]Don’t you know they’re doing you a favor by keeping you around, if only part time, at the Company of Choice! If you don’t like it, there’s the door! (Oh yea, there’s not another company hiring anywhere in the world so eat this sh*t sandwich and shut up!)[/QUOTE]
The company of choice knows there is a limitless pool of shit sandwich eaters, they could care less. Take a big pay cut, go draw welfare and get food stamps if you’re too lazy or have too much pride to eat that shit sandwich, you can live great on welfare and food stamps from what they say on the news !
There’s your choices, take a shitty job, eat a shit sandwich or welfare. USA ! USA ! USA !
So HOS is the company of choice? That is good to know if I am
reading this right. Ignorant me. I thought maybe ECO was because
many people told me they have lots of training and a company hotel.
I welcome any more information. Thanks
[QUOTE=CaliforniaOso;185300]So HOS is the company of choice? That is good to know if I am
reading this right. Ignorant me. [/QUOTE]
“Company of Choice” is HOS’s lame slogan to try to make them seem that they are better than the other OMSA mafia members.
Captain help me again. OMSA? thx
Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA)
Company hotel? Ohhhhhhh you mean the MRSA Inn… aka “housing.” Yeah, it’s there but most people crash at the crew change lounge rather than sleep there if they can avoid it.
I know about the fine lady’s bed and breakfast on the bayou and intend
to stay there sometime. Providing she is full/booked up, could someone
provide me some suggestions on comfort and value when attending training
and or knocking on doors in the general area of Houma? I was thinking
of something like motel 6, days inn, one of the budget brands. I will
blunder down there anyways but any suggestions would be appreciated.
I stayed at the Days Inn in Houma when I went to Falck Safety Training, the hotel was only a few blocks away, 5 minute drive, it was $58 a day. Right if off Grand Caillou. Lot of restaurants and Walmart is a block away
[QUOTE=CaliforniaOso;185300]So HOS is the company of choice? That is good to know if I am
reading this right. Ignorant me. I thought maybe ECO was because
many people told me they have lots of training and a company hotel.
I welcome any more information. Thanks[/QUOTE]
There is no company of choice. With this downturn, they all have shown their true colors. The first cost cutting move was cutting salaries, laying off people, furloughs, and cutting benefits. Anybody that takes a job with an OSV company, I would recommend using them for everything they offer (schools, and license upgrades) and be prepared for when they hit another downturn and drop you.
[QUOTE=ForkandBlade;185372]There is no company of choice. With this downturn, they all have shown their true colors. The first cost cutting move was cutting salaries, laying off people, furloughs, and cutting benefits. Anybody that takes a job with an OSV company, I would recommend using them for everything they offer (schools, and license upgrades) and be prepared for when they hit another downturn and drop you.[/QUOTE]
It is sad that it takes an economic downturn to make working folks aware that they are just a commodity for the shipping and offshore oil industry, especially in the USA where workers have NO rights and no safety net such as exists in most first world countries. They don’t call the hiring guys “human resource” for nothing, they used to call them the “personnel department” but then realized we are not people we are just a resource like fuel, oil, food etc. I remember those that bled orange and swore by the great Chouest right up until Chouest decided they weren’t going to match the employees 401k for the PREVIOUS year. Employees had no recourse naturally. US law does not allow recourse for things like this. Not that Chouest is any worse than any of the deep sea or drilling companies all of whom will promise you anything when they need you and then dispose of you with no severance, pension or even a thank you when things go south. At the end of the day if we’re non-union we are all just whores that sell ourselves to whoever will pay us and we should realize we owe NO loyalty to any company beyond a days work for a days pay. If you are union you got to watch that pension like a hawk or they’ll screw you but at least there are some laws you can fall back on. Should you get your pension, most do, you’ll look back on your career fondly for the most part. Back when I was working full time I preferred to think of myself more as a high priced escort 
My services are still available and I get jobs now and again. I smile, charm them, do my high class escort act of providing excellent service and then fuck 'em out of every penny I can because I know they’ll forget me as soon as I walk down the gangway or some cheap hooker comes along.
[QUOTE=CaliforniaOso;185300]So HOS is the company of choice? That is good to know if I am
reading this right. Ignorant me. I thought maybe ECO was because
many people told me they have lots of training and a company hotel.
I welcome any more information. Thanks[/QUOTE]
ECO will still around when HOS is dead and gone.