[QUOTE=Wrench;179017]I heard the same a few days ago. MSC was interviewing a lot of Licensed Engineers, quite a few from MEBA because they lost a lot of contracts recently.[/QUOTE]
That is kind of disturbing to hear. Who is MEBA losing contracts to? AMO cutting their throat, or the jobs going foreign?
please tell which contracts did MEBA lose?
[QUOTE=brjones;179061]please tell which contracts did MEBA lose?[/QUOTE]
Sorry, but I wasn’t told which contracts. MSC has a serious shortage of 1st Engineers and offering Retention Incentive/Hiring Bonus. Was told a lot of 2nd and 1st Engineers are being interviewed with most coming from MEBA because of the loses. Most MSC Engineers are MEBA so it makes sense.
Personally, MMP has been great to me. The key to starting out way back when was to never turn down a job. Be it relief work or a ship that the old time A card in the hall was calling a P.O.S. The other key is to go to the hall every day and stay for at least an hour past job call. Random fly out jobs come down the coast all the time. I never waited longer than three weeks, but back then we had more ships and I never turned down a payday. Regarding the original intent of this thread, things have gotten a lot tighter in the past few years, as they have in all sectors of the industry. I think if you are willing to put in the work, you can find a job and at the very least get some port relief work to tide you over. Just don’t camp out in LA or NY because that’s where the big money jobs call out of and your competition will be all high seniority members.
BTW, I’ve never had to “grease palms” in MMP either. There is literally no way it would help with the way our shipping rules are set up. I understand it works in other places though. Particularly on the unlicensed side of things.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;178971]I find it hard to believe that any union would fleece a potential member with an initiation fee like this. I mean especially when they know damn well jobs are tight at the moment. Why would an association representing the working man take money from his pocket knowing they have hardly any jobs to offer. I’m stunned… But not speechless ;)[/QUOTE]
Jaysus, you forgot the WINK WINK, NUDGE NUDGE part…you’re slippin, man…
[QUOTE=Wrench;179077]Sorry, but I wasn’t told which contracts. MSC has a serious shortage of 1st Engineers and offering Retention Incentive/Hiring Bonus. Was told a lot of 2nd and 1st Engineers are being interviewed with most coming from MEBA because of the loses. Most MSC Engineers are MEBA so it makes sense.[/QUOTE]
I’m a MEBA applicant and I haven’t heard but I’ll check into that. Looking to leave where I am, if only on leave of absence, to work elsewhere for a year or two. It’s not looking good is it?
[QUOTE=catherder;179125]It’s not looking good is it?[/QUOTE]
No, it’s absolutely horrible.
Is it true that there is a loophole in MMP where you can work inland and then transition to the offshore division keeping your status? Sounds like a great way to get around hanging around in the hall as an applicant but probably alienating yourself from everyone because they’ll think you’re a dick who didn’t earn the status. (So I heard).
[QUOTE=HuangDi;179140]…they’ll think you’re a dick who didn’t earn the status. (So I heard).[/QUOTE]
You answered your own question. Don’t be a dick. Same for moving up through MSC.
Interesting. I had heard about it a while back but I also heard that loophole was going to close. I have no intention of doing that, but if people have to put food on the table one way or another could you blame them? I am sure there are many varying views regarding this!
For the record, MEBA hasn’t lost any contracts since Liberty in 2011. Last I looked, there were a few jobs on the board. Also a few MEBA contracts are looking for 1st. They seem to be thin all around in all unions and companies
There is only one viewpoint from a MMP member and that is, working a loophole will not be welcomed among the offshore membership. Pay your dues, work your way up, be a “member” of the union. Strength only comes through solidarity. Just look at how the Australians are doing right now…
What about all the Keystone/ MEBA jobs on the SL-7 ships that Tote/AMO just took over with the latest Ready Reserve Fleet budget? Looking at the awarded contracts I’m not sure if the lost contracts equal the gained contracts for MEBA.
[QUOTE=GLMASailor;179152]What about all the Keystone/ MEBA jobs on the SL-7 ships that Tote/AMO just took over with the latest Ready Reserve Fleet budget? Looking at the awarded contracts I’m not sure if the lost contracts equal the gained contracts for MEBA.
http://www.marad.dot.gov/newsroom/news_release/2016/maritime-administration-awards-contracts-for-1-96-billion-to-crew-and-maintain-national-defense-reserve-fleet-vessels/[/QUOTE]
Reads better than it truly is. Jobs are great, for sure, but they are lower paying and have fewer crews while the ships are in port, bulk of the time. To say they have been activated hundreds of times sounds super too, but an activation for only a few days for weather or to run through some tests does not really get much water moving past the barnacles.
[QUOTE=DamnYankee;179150]There is only one viewpoint from a MMP member and that is, working a loophole will not be welcomed among the offshore membership. Pay your dues, work your way up, be a “member” of the union. Strength only comes through solidarity. Just look at how the Australians are doing right now…[/QUOTE]
In the late 70’s and through the 80’s we had lots and lots of MMP members working on tugs and in the oil parch while they aged their cards before going to camp out in the union hall. That stopped in the 90’s. I have not seen any lately myself, but I hear that they are back.
It was not too long ago that a forum member here was bragging about having a MMP A Book, while he was working non Union in the oil patch.
When shipping is good, the MMP guys are good Union men. When shipping is slow, they are looking to take MMP Inland jobs away from MMP Inland members, or to take non Union jobs.
While I have had some MEBA members on tugs, and I even know a couple of MEBA engineers that are also non-Union tug captains, I have not seem a lot of MEBA guys on tugs.
The AMO guys are usually hungry and I have seen some on tugs, but not anywhere near as many as the MMP guys.
Union guys are just like the rest of us, they do whatever they have to in order to work. They could care less about being good Union boys.
I’ve personally never had to work outside the union but understand what you’re saying about other people doing so. I don’t think its outside the realm of possibility that there are some of us that can still have a sentiment of solidarity and zeal for a strong union. It’s the only way it can survive. That being said, the officers unions at times feel more like crewing services than unions. Overall it’s worked for me and I’ve made a career working with some pretty good people because of it.
There’s plenty of people who have to work non union jobs to put food on the table. Jobs are less and less but the union reps keeps promising rainbows and unicorn shits so the dues keep flowing in and they have a check. Then they find out you’re working outside the union (even though all their jobs are filled) they want to keel hull you. There’s no such thing as a strong union. If AMO goes away then that could happen. The maritime unions are the only unions I’ve heard of that cuts each other’s throats and drive wages into the ground.
I guess if you have an upper level license your chances of sailing go up since upgrades seem hard to come by. But the CM and Master spots are permanent so maybe that idea isn’t all that good.
Sailing up is always possible but you have to stay put and make a home with one company, which most MMP and MEBA members aren’t willing to do. You also have to scout the company you’d like to climb the ladder with. The average age of the currently sailing Master’s or Chief’s should be a good indicator of what your chances are for moving up. What I’ve always liked about this industry is if you show up and do your job the best you can, you can get promoted on your merit and reputation, not on who you know. I’m not saying non union is different in this regard and fully understand the need to provide for ones family.
[QUOTE=DamnYankee;179089]Personally, MMP has been great to me. The key to starting out way back when was to never turn down a job. Be it relief work or a ship that the old time A card in the hall was calling a P.O.S. The other key is to go to the hall every day and stay for at least an hour past job call. Random fly out jobs come down the coast all the time. I never waited longer than three weeks, but back then we had more ships and I never turned down a payday. Regarding the original intent of this thread, things have gotten a lot tighter in the past few years, as they have in all sectors of the industry. I think if you are willing to put in the work, you can find a job and at the very least get some port relief work to tide you over. Just don’t camp out in LA or NY because that’s where the big money jobs call out of and your competition will be all high seniority members.
BTW, I’ve never had to “grease palms” in MMP either. [B]There is literally no way it would help with the way our shipping rules are set up[/B]. I understand it works in other places though. Particularly on the unlicensed side of things.[/QUOTE]
Then you clearly have not met the dispatcher extraordinaire “Jay” in NY.
[QUOTE=Johnny Canal;179203]Then you clearly have not met the dispatcher extraordinaire “Jay” in NY.[/QUOTE]
I’m going to call bullshit on you on this one. I never once saw any shenanigans in the hall no matter which dispatcher was on rotation. I would get there well before job call and turn off the lights as an applicant and when I finally started getting better jobs, there was no change. A donation to the Political Action Fund? Sure, but you get asked that one at HQ as well.
[QUOTE=HuangDi;178981]Also spoke to a recent CMA grad, and have a friend who spoke to someone else as well. One waited in the Oakland/SF hall for about 5 months before getting a job (not sure if it was a relief job or not). The other apparently shipped out for a 120 day job out of Seattle. Spoke to an MMP rep the other day who said they might be securing some tanker jobs. Anyone heard about this?
Edit: also remembered I spoke to another applicant/recent grad who had some luck out of the NY/NJ hall.[/QUOTE]MMP did get another tanker. She was recently flagged in 50,000 DWT SNC Goodwill. has the government contract for transport of oil to/from Japan, Korea, Diego Garcia and Guam. Chesapeake Crewing is the name of the company. As far as I can figure they are a division of Trinity Shipholding.
And yeah, it’s tough for applicants. Especially 3/M applicants. That said the 2/M on my ship is an applicant.
MMP will take 10% of the initiation fee up front and let you pay in 10% increments until it’s paid. Bear in mind though, that you will always be an applicant until that is paid and a few other conditions met.