To all; sorry for the inadvertent post; must have pressed the wrong button, as I was not finished!
Anyway, I’ll be the first to admit I used to have a great deal of disdain for the TOTE sailors who enjoyed consistently higher wages scales than ‘mortal’ AMO brethren could expect. However, to say that the Alaska run is no more than a ferry run shows a great deal of disrespect for those who have had their BUTTS kicked on that run for years. No amount of higher wages could have convinced me to be on that run for more than a tour or two. Perhaps you are veteran of the North Atlantic runs on the CRAPPY contract car carriers, in which case you have my respect as well. Otherwise I question your motives, especially when you would go so far as to imply that we are better off with current leadership that has run our union right in to the ground, and laughed at us behind our backs.
I have no idea what “dirt” Jack said he would get on Bethel, but from my perspective I can easily see where, aside from Jack’s continued efforts, there would be NO transparency and we would have NO hope of taking back our union! At the same time, I admit that Jack may be the next Don Quixote - but at least he has the gohone’s to stand up and fight!
I know for a fact that one particular senior officer, after losing the chance at a buyout, was quoted in an email to Nickerson that as much as he wanted to reduce his sailing time each year, and the fact that without the buyout he was stuck working for another 10 years or so… yet he told Nickerson not to worry because as long as he has a good family, it does not matter to him the fact that he got SCREWED!!! With that kind of attitude by the membership, it is no wonder that so-called AMO leadership continues to wield the stick, simply because they know that deep down we are a bunch of sheep that they can continue to lead to slaughter without repercussions to themselves!
IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE - no matter WHO it is!