Exactly…
Plenty of out of work people too would jump on $ 200 a day also, unfortunately…and I assume somebody did jump on it because the ad wasn’t up very long…
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I know they jumped on it because in one of the other TAL threads the guy says they got new oilers onboard.
Ship still at anchor. TAL finally filed for permit to proceed to shipyard in Ensenada, Mexico to clear outstanding deficiencies. Crew still has not been paid. Ship almost ran out of diesel today, company failed to send fuel barge until last minute. Barge showed up with just enough diesel left on board to run the generators for a few more hours. Crew quits left and right, new crewmembers show up unannounced, completely uninformed of the situation. Water taxi service is owed over 50 thousand dollars, and is only doing up front cash trips, and emergency trips. Ships agent is no longer doing business with the company, so crew members leaving and coming are getting themselves to and from the airport. TAL upper management is showing their true colors with total and complete neglect/ disregard of the crew’s health and safety.
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Have you contacted MEBA’s lawyers yet?
I’m curious what outstanding deficiencies there are.
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Wage lawsuit has been filed through MEBA, as of early July. Those involved were told 20 to 30 days for lawsuit to go through. MEBA is not doing a good job of keeping those involved updated.
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TAL has been paying welders up front to do repairs on board over the past week or two to clear deficiencies but can’t pay their own crewmembers. Crew on board are absolutely livid. Welders were made aware of the situation and refused to do work without payment up front (very smart), and the company gave in. Not sure where this money is coming from. This must be against the law somehow?
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Any info on how to get involved in the lawsuit being brought against them?
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According to Marine traffic, the other TAL ship, GEYSIR , is alongside the dock in Jacksonville. Have those guys been paid? If not,have they called MEBA and the USCG, Florida Dept.of Labor, etc. etc. for help? If the unpaid crew and MEBA points out some deficiencies, the USCG should be able to find enough reasons to detain the GEYSIR until the crew is paid.
I’m glad to see that MEBA is acting like a real labor union, providing lawyers, and representing their unpaid members/pledges on the TRANSATLANTIC. I hope they are helping the rest of the crew too.
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Where did you see that MEBA was providing legal assistance for Officers on the Transatlantic?
I missed that.
Thanks.
Right on this thread. Capt. Phoenix said so. You can PM him for the lawyers contact info.
Thanks.
I’ll do that.
Read up a few posts:
What does for the lawsuit “to go through” mean? Litigation takes years, and a defendant has 21 days after service just to answer the complaint.
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Yes. I was amused by the “20 to 30 days for the lawsuit to go through” comment.
All I could imagine was that it was going to take 20 to 30 days for the MEBA to come up with the bond money.
Lawyers who do this type of work can normally file a verified complaint and obtain the arrest of the ship overnight. The issue most likely to slow down the arrest is getting MEBA to post the bond required by the US Marshal.
It’s a very small ship in a very large large port. There must be plenty of willing substitute custodians anxious for the job of taking custody of the ship and husbanding it, and an affordable underutilized dock somewhere up river in Wilmington to keep it.
How much are the typical arrest bonds these days?
I have no idea what the going rate for bonds and substitute custodians are, I haven’t done that in 20 years. In my experience the seized vessel was actively working and productive, so the ownwer appeared immediately with a bond to get the vessel released and back to work.
These issues aside, it’s still possible to name the owner/operator as co-defendants and not serve the vessel immediately, but maintain the possibility that it could happen. But if the vessel has little value and no work, that’s probably an empty threat. But none of that explains the 20 to 30 days. Even if the vessel was arrested and no one answered for it, it’s still going to take months at the least to get any funds. And if other lien holders come forward, and there are certainly to be some, litigation is still needed.
Couldn’t agree more
Although the ship is US flag and the USA is not signatory to the MLC 2006 convention, the ship trades to countries that are signatory to MLC 2006 convention. The class society has probably issued Statement of Voluntary Compliance to MLC 2006. It would be required by those port states.
Maybe crew could confirm that and request class to revoke the SOVC?
DNV was requiring them to be compliant but they changed class societies last December and I’m not sure even what organization they are using now.