Leadership is weak. Our President only left the fleet for a leadership role “for the parking space and title,” as someone in our ranks famously piped long ago. He’ll come to the ships for a free lunch and drop off some calendars, but boy— ask hard hitting questions and watch him hit the road so fast his presence is in the form of a dust cloud.
As I’ve said before— I’ve done well here and continue to make things work, but I fear for the up and comers and what they’ll be facing in the years ahead. Our tale may just be almost the licensed officer’s version of the NMU (minus a merger.)
The main problem is the status of their pension. This is why I, as a sailing MEBA member, will never be for a merger.
Also the way they (MMP leadership) conducted themselves during the process of organizing the OSG mates. I mean, good for them undercutting our efforts to get them to choose MMP. But doing that burned any bridge/olive branch I will ever be willing to support giving them
Most of the rank and file members I’ve spoken to face palmed when they heard we even acquired those goddamn ships— let alone how it went down. Leadership had the boner for tankers that no one else did.
Gives the engineers an extra layer of protection from the captains and the company. These days there’s likely no one above the chief who thinks the engine room is anything but a pointless money pit, after all.
I don’t know where or what vessels you work on. There are many mariners on here. Some like me, work deep sea.
This isn’t what I’ve experienced either onboard or shoreside. With communications the way they are and the technology where anyone can get live updates where we are… the environmental and regulatory scrutiny of today’s industry. I have more comms with different departments in the office than I ever have. The master is fielding more questions and filing more reports that need my input as well. Where I am, if we talk, they listen. Engine is an expense. At times it can be very expensive, but no one thinks for a second that those vessels run without engine department.
We have a choice of who we work for and how we are treated. If you feel you are not valued, maybe look for other opportunities? The grass is not always greener but many times it can offer a change in scenery and a new perspective. Why would you stay in that environment. Just saying…
What I don’t get is why MEBA didn’t fight it? Wouldn’t they want those ships to come to them first? I know they have a pass through agreement with AMO but I figured members would rather have those in a MEBA contract and first dibs. I wonder what AMO promised MEBA?…
I think for CMs they will have to do away with the 120 days experience as APL 2M requirement. They might even have to be like some tanker companies and allow for a 1-3 week overlap for CMs so they can get schooled up. Otherwise I don’t see 20 ships being able to be crewed up.
A lot of the road blocks or “requirements” for jobs with MMP were created specifically by MMP NOT the companies. The reasons for these MMP created road blocks are several but some reasons include trying to prevent MEBA passthrough mates from getting jobs, loosening a company’s job control, and giving more power to A books versus other MMP members. For example, MMP created the Maersk company specific class that you can only take at MITAGs and you can only take if your a MMP member if you want to retain for permanent job for Maersk. However, MEBA and AMO have top to bottom Maersk vessels and no such class is required. Additionally with non MMP vessels companies have more influence in determining who they hire for permanent jobs.
The requirement for APL CMs with MMP states “ previously sailed with APL as a CM or 90 days on another MMP containership or 120 days sailing as 2nd mate” - makes me think it’s a union imposed requirement bc it specifically says “MMP containership”
MMP also requires a med pic for CM and 2M but no other company has that requirement but idk maybe it could be a company requirement or more likely trying to put up a road block by MMP
We were having problems providing MLL with qualified, competent Chief Mates. The extended 2M classes were designed to provide them with longer hitches to train and learn the Chief Mate’s duties and cargo software. Instead it became a honeycomb hideout for 2M’s enjoying the sweetest job in the merchant marine. MMP didn’t just pull the classes out of their ass and tell MLL this is what’s what— it was an agreement between the two as a means to provide something they weren’t getting from us before. There was a proposal to implement similar classes for other major carriers as well since dumping a fresh CM into the hot seat with no knowledge of the software they use aboard ship is wholly idiotic and sets most people up for failure or major headaches at the very least.
Problem is — there’s no requirement to actually shadow the chief mate or receive any kind of signoffs paving the way towards advancement. Chief Mate is the worst job on the ship and rather than deal with that everyone just parks on the 2M extended rotaries and puts their feet up.
I always wondered about that gig. I thought you’d be required to eventually relieve the mate of certain tasks during the voyage. Amazing the 2nd Mates are allowed to drift along like that.
Nah, you have a handful of career 2nd Mates who surf those rotary gigs every year or so. They know their jobs well and have been around a long time so the CM part is overlooked since the handful who used the extended rotaries as intended moved up or are in the process of doing so. When that clunky abomination EcoVoyage was still in use a 2M with sound knowledge of the program and its quirks was worth their weight in gold.