Thanks to everyone for the input, very helpful info.
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And some entertainment, too.
A little more input, most boats, at least the company I work for have a gym, workout room or whatever you want to call it, I use the treadmill a lot, same level as the ECR so I can hear alarms,
Considering the “shitty orange operation” isn’t the only company in the GOM doing 28-14, I don’t think it’s because they want slaves. Personally, while I’m young, I’d like to stack a little bit of money while the industry is good.
If no one wanted to work 28-14, then they wouldn’t have that as an option.
Most American jobs are 5/2, but some are 6/1.
28/14 is not a bad schedule, if you live close by. If you spend a day or two of travel each way, then it’s not so good.
28/14 isn’t so bad. I’d rather have 28/28 or 14/14 or something like that. Day work on boats kind of sucked when it turned out I was working 6on/1off when it was busy. As an office worker these days I’m kind of partial to 4on/3off, but hopefully I can get it to 3on/4off soon.
60/60 is my favorite schedule.
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I’m working with 3 young guys who would work 10 months a year if they could. They’re getting 8+ months now & complain if the schedule predicts them coming up shorter than 8 months a year. But 2 of them graduated a few years ago, all 3 still use their parents at permanent base & travel/couch surf when they are off. Before I settled down with a live-in girlfriend who became my wife I only worked 2 for 1. I would’ve probably partied myself to death if I didn’t. I ONLY work 1 for 1 (or less) now but don’t knock the youger guys who want to build a nest egg & focus on their careers. The older guys who work 28/14 are usually bad money managers, have bad home lives or both.
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Thought I’d ask this here instead of creating a new thread. Saw a thread about this from back in 2020, but it didn’t have any replies.
I keep getting calls from Prime Ocean asking about temporary work for rigs and drillships that could “turn into a permanent job”. When I prod them for more information regarding benefits such as 401k, medical, etc. they seem perplexed like they’ve never received these types of questions before…My subsequent research shows that they are simply a crewing agency matching mariners to jobs. Anyone ever landed a job through them? Was it kind of like grabbing a job from the union hall where they set you up with paperwork and then you get a call from the company itself that is hiring you? When I tell them to email me more about the potential positions they never wind up sending me anything.
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I personally have only ever worked equal time and wouldn’t really want to work 2/1. I have, however, volunteered to fill in here and there on my vacation or stay over a few days/weeks to make an extra buck. I also choose to supplement my income with some non-maritime work at home.
However, to say that 2/1 is “because the company wants slaves” and because they “want to keep people down” is, I think, an overstatement. As another poster pointed out, if people didn’t want that, they wouldn’t offer it. I know plenty of people who routinely want to work more. It’s not like they’re not paying you. Some people want that extra money that that extra work offers. Seems especially true for some of the Hondurans and Filipinos I’ve sailed with.
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Very true. I have had to break the news to a few Filipinos that they HAVE to go home. The culture is make as much as you can while you can and save like crazy because you never know what will happen tomorrow.
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And just think, if you were a female with a legitimate complaint you could start a blog or website and prove how they discriminated against you and treated you unfairly. But we can only wish…
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Everyone knows by now you and your first love Chouest have parted ways. Take your qualifications and move on to another job if you are truly qualified. Quit wasting your time whining. Go prove yourself to be worthy of holding all the qualifications you claim. Until then you are another failure blaming others because you got raw deal one time and do not have the intestinal fortitude to get over it and move on.
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Man, I’ve been disenfranchised with previous employers’ work-life balance…particularly the US Navy
The thing I chose to do was move on once my time came up and gain the qualifications to work where I thought my work-life balance would improve. You gain the experience, you made a few bucks, and now is a great time to move on and try something new. Lots of outfits hiring right now…deep sea, inland, union, non-union, you name it. Many of which offer equal time, or–in the case of shipping out of the hall–employment when you feel like going to the hall.
“In particularly” the US Navy. Had my fair share of complaints about other civilian employers. My point is that you have to pull yourself by your bootstraps and quit complaining. Don’t like where you’re at? Move on with life. Great time to be in the job market.
Note to self. When you are in a hole, stop digging!!
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Going to the union hall for work in the GOM??
Worked at ECO 17 years and it’s been 11 years since I left the company. I enjoyed every bad and good day. But, when I decided to leave, that was the end of it. Of course, I have lifelong friends, but for all intents and purposes, better opportunities don’t work unless you match it with with the will to change and challenge yourself. It really isn’t a gCaptain bitch exercise like I managed to find myself wasting time reading. Its pretty simple actually, just find what you want and try to do it well. There are shoreside opportunities in the marine sector that pay as much and more than working rotational. You just need experience, a good attitude, and taking risk on yourself. Or, continue to work rotational….plus and minuses on both sides of that equation. The worse thing you can do it dwell and bitch about an experience. At the end of the day, nobody really fucking cares but you.
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Most of the time, I worked 1 for 1 and DID party my ass off. . . even moved to Fort Lauderdale. . . but it didn’t kill me. . . .
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I worked 2/1 until I was in my early 40’s and didn’t want to anymore. It afforded me enormous purchase power, a home and lifestyle I am proud of, and the ability to build a portfolio for my retirement and my wife’s security, allowing for both present and prospects of future fulfillment, and fun, too.
I believe anyone who does that hears the same boring litany. ‘Uhhhhhh…your personal life/marriage/ financial acumen/virility (insert speaker’s projected insecurity here) must be (insert asinine negative value judgement here)."
Yeah, nah, why did I work 2/1? Because none of your f*ckin’ business, that’s why.
That’s the correct answer. I’m sorry for the lady who is spamposting her trauma and building on it with constant toxicity here, but blaming employers for setting a schedule is denying agency to each of us as individuals. We decide where and when and with whom we apply for a job.
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