I am here once again to ask a few questions. Everyone has been so informative in the past that I thought I would post a few questions I couldn't find the Answer too.
First off, I am a prior navy submarine mechanic. The coast guard has approved me to sit for my 3 A/E Steam. I have completed a exam prep course (@Marinetime Professional training in Ft. Lauderdale… Although the school is expensive this class is definitely worth the money). Will finish my Last STCW class next week and then I test on the 27th for my 3 A/E unlimited STEAM license. Once I have my MMD I can take a 4 week course that will then allow me to add Motor to my license.
there are only two places that offer the motor endorsement school, MEBA and the AMO training centers. Plus I prefer a longer schedule (2 or 3 months on) with a bit of flexibility for my time off, So I believe signing with a union will be best for me. (although I really have no experience so i’m open to ideas).
So hear are my questions:
Which Union has the most work for steam ships? It may be a few months until I can get the motor school and money is beginning to run out. So sailing steam first could be a nice option.
I’m not sure if I’ll be a Merchant Mariner forever, especially with the same company for a pension. Therefor Meba has a 401k that is only employee contributions. Does anyone know the information about AMO’s 401k (employer matching, vesting requirements?)
How does “dispaching” get done at each union? My brother is with SIU and must be in a union hall to get a job. But I hear the AMO does stuff completely over the internet allowing you to stay home or on travel until you are needed… is this true? does Meba have the same?
Does anyone know of companies or other options that I can search for that will take me with Just a 3A/E Steam Licence?
Lastly, a dangerous question on this forum… Does one union offer a better quality of life over the other and why?.. Please be specific and without emotional union bashing… I understand MEBA has gone through some major restructuring recently and that the Leaders of AMO have some problems too… I’m more interested in the “on the deckplate” things that affect members.
Hello Matt,<O:p</O:p
I can only speak of the MEBA<O:p</O:p
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There are steam ships in the MEBA, The Box boats however mostly go to senior members due to the fact they pay very well and the old timers don’t like to fly out overseas. There are still some steamships that are on the Great Lakes that go to lower seniority members. And even still I am not sure how many but there are several Preposition ships, such are also MEBA crewed. I am not sure as of late who has been taking these jobs.<O:p</O:p
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There are several options for your 401K that you can contribute to. As the money purchase benefit, and I haven’t check yet but a ROTH IRA too but don’t quote me on that, this is in addition to you pension. As for the requirements for such I recommend you visit a hall or go to the MEBA website to get your answers.<O:p</O:p
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Shipping is done out of hiring Halls. There are basically three tiers of seniority Group 1, 2 and 3 when jobs are called The oldest group 1 card shipping card has first choice, then the next oldest etc. until the next group is called then again the oldest card has first choice. Seniority is gained primarily through days employed at sea. There are other ways though to amass group time via time at the school, night work, day work etc
Can’t help you there…
Ha well my answer is going to biased but I believe the hall system works, you see the ship coming in and you see the guy who gets the job. All of our contracts are on the wall open to the membership to see. You decide if you want the job or not when your card is called. The hall also has an added benefit of you meeting other members; you get to hear what’s going on with other companies, ships and operations of the union. Not all members are active but for the people that want to be, they have a place to input or make a difference. I will say the first couple of years in the union can be very tough work wise, but it does open up and you learn when it’s best to ship or where to ship. As you get more time in you can also get pickier with your work and target a certain contract or even ships. C/E and 1 A/E tend to be permt. Employees but jobs do go off the board every now and then for them as well. As for quality of life well, I’ll just say I am happy with where I am and if you want more details feel free to pm me.<O:p</O:p
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There are steam ships in the MEBA, The box boats however mostly go to senior members due to the fact they pay very well and the old timers don’t like to fly out overseas. There are still some steamships that are on the Great Lakes that go t lower seniority members. Even still though I am not sure how many there are prepsotion ships also crewed by the MEBA. I am not sure as of late who these jobs are going too.
There are several options for your 401K that you contribute to, as well as the moeny purchase benefit. I havn’t checked it out yet but I now a Roth option is there too, but don’t qiote me on that one I just got home and havn’t looked at the paperwork yet. This is in addiotion to your pension. As for requirments and such I recommend you visit a hall or go to the website to get and look at the plans section for answers.
Shipping is done out of hiring halls. There are basically three tiers of seniority Group 1, 2 and 3 when jobs are called the oldest group 1 shipping card has first choice, then the next oldest group 1 card, until tthe next group is called. then again the oldest card has first chocice. Seniority is gained primariy through days employed at sea. there are other ways to amass group time via time spent at the school, night work, day work etc…
Can’t help you there.
Ha well my answer is going to biased but I believe the hall sysem works, you see the ship coming in and you see the guy who gets the job. All of our contracts are on the wall open to all the membership to read. You decide if you want the job or not when your card is called. The hall also has an added benefit of meeting other members. You get to hear what is going on with other companies, ships and the operation of the union. Not all members are active but for the people that want to be, they have a place for thier voice to be heard and make a contribution. Staying at home is nice at times but I feel the interaction makes us stronger collectively. (sp) I will admit the first couple of years can be very tough for work, but it opens up as you get your time in, and you learn when it is a good time to ship or even where to ship. As you get more time in you can also get pickier with your work and targt certain contracts or even ships. The Chief and First billets normally are permenent jobs but you do see some come up on the board every now and then. As for the quality of life well, I’ll just say I am very happy where I am. If you want more details feel free to pm me.
It’s worth another call to NMC to see if you qualify for a motor license as well. The argument being that your emergency diesel can be used for propulsion. I actually just asked for both motor and steam when I applied so I either snuck by or they used the above justification. As for your actual question, AMO might be able to get you on a steam ship faster but I’m not sure when they’ll want the initiation paid. Also try MM&P. They had the contract with AHL(4 steam tankers) but I don’t know if those ships are still running in bankruptcy.
What kind of “mechanic” were you on the sub? Even though a modern steam plant is highly automated, they don’t run themselves without a considerable degree of operator oversight and input. If I went from a nuke boat to an oil fired steamship where I may or may not have the benefits of a very skilled QMED as a watch partner, I would be very very nervous about being able to keep the lights on.
Quite frankly, I don’t understand how the CG can issue a 3rd steam to someone who has not had cadet time in the engine room of a conventional steamboat or worked unlicensed on one. When you start losing fires or vacuum, or the DC heater goes sideways is no time to try and remember what makes that sort of thing happen. Salt up the plant once and it might be the last time for that company.
If taking that dispatch doesn’t make you nervous, as Chief or 1st on your first boat it scares the hell out of me. See if you can sail unlicensed for a few trips so that you at least see the machinery and learn the vocabulary.
Which Union has the most work for steam ships? Not going to lie, AMO will have more ships
Therefor Meba has a 401k that is only employee contributions. Does anyone know the information about AMO’s 401k (employer matching, vesting requirements?) All I know is MEBA still has a pension. You can contribute to a 401k and there is the MEBA fully funded pension that you would be vested in after 5 pension years.
How does “dispaching” get done at each union? My brother is with SIU and must be in a union hall to get a job. But I hear the AMO does stuff completely over the internet allowing you to stay home or on travel until you are needed… is this true? does Meba have the same? MEBA you have to go to a hall, but at least you will know who got the job, and that they had all the paperwork in order. You will also know where you stand in the pecking order. I personally felt more comfortable going to the hall when I shipped out
Does anyone know of companies or other options that I can search for that will take me with Just a 3A/E Steam Licence? Bottom line. Get your Motor upgrade. You are very limited with just a steam license. MEBA has the higher paying Matson and Horizon boats, but those are on their way out at some point. They also usually go go the member with the higher card
Lastly, a dangerous question on this forum… Does one union offer a better quality of life over the other and why?.. Please be specific and without emotional union bashing… I understand MEBA has gone through some major restructuring recently and that the Leaders of AMO have some problems too… I’m more interested in the “on the deckplate” things that affect members. That is left up to each his own. I am happy I am in the MEBA, but have not sailed in AMO and can not speak for them
Thanks again for all your help.
-Matt[/QUOTE]
Hope some of this will help good luck and get your motor license
@Nighthawk, Thanks for the Info. I hear lots of good things about MEBA. I gave them a courtesy call Friday and the hall manager in Tampa wants to see me when I get paperwork together.
@exsubguy… I actually mentioned I knew some people that were approved for motor. I talked to the senior evaluator there who mentioned that he knows what has been done in the past, but that our diesel doesn’t fit the requirements and they are under pressure to “crack down” on the whole process (from who he did not say)… Non the less, I tried and only need a one month class to add motor. Not too bad
@Steamer… Ya, Your not helping my confidence at all… But I couldn’t agree with you more! I don’t know how the coast guard approves this stuff but I’ll take what they give me for my MMD. Once i have some credentials then i’ll have to work closely with an employer to get some experience. I Like the idea of sailing in a unlicensed position first. A nuke reactor with saturated steam is a ton diffrent then a Superheated boiler… I’ve never seen one, only in books… and right now they intimidate the shit out of me…
@greenhorn - Thanks for your advice. The MEBA guys I talk to all seem to have good things to say and are very helpfull. Hopefully we can sail together sometime.