Hi, I am planning on joining MEBA after years in the oil field.
Can anyone help me with what type of ships / contracts go to which local hall first before (if unfilled) going nationally to all the open job boards?
I dont know what to expect if I go to Seattle, LA, New York, ect.
Generally, jobs are called at the nearest local hall where the ship is or expected to be. If a ship arrives in Seattle and the billet is expected to be filled there, that is where it will be called. If it is not filled after a certain amount of time it goes to all ports.
Just out of curiosity, What lead you to choose MEBA over AMO? I mean if you live near a Hall, I get it. But it’s a lot of going to the hall for job calls waiting for a ship or billet to get called.
Perhaps you could compare the benefits between MEBA and AMO, other than not needing to sit in a hall with AMO. A side by side comparison would be valuable to those thinking about sailing union.
A bullet point by bullet point? No. That’s for you to decide.
I know I live in Northern Maine. I’m 6 hrs from the closest hall. (Portland which is new- I’m told, Used to be 8 hrs in South Boston) And when i worked though MEBA it was defined contact on TAGS with Horizon Lines. Required to Go to the hall to clear, and then at the end to file for vacation. That was 15 years ago.
With AMO i can look at the board online, Call dispatch, ask for a copy of the MOU. Claim a job. Do all the work from my kitchen table. Paying dues, claiming vacation all done online. If I want to go to any training classes. Ft Lauderdale airport is 5 min from the School in Dania beach, The Headquarters is across Rt 1 from the School each month Union Meetings are held there. I believe there are more jobs with AMO vs MEBA. The pay is comparable. The Heath, retirement and benefits are comparable. Dues are less. I don’t know what else to tell you. Unless you were a cadet on a Matson, APL or OSG. Which are the big MEBA companies. There’s some other small sector jobs with GOV on Patriot. But It’s really up to you, and what you want to do.
I would encourage all potential union mariners to compare the history of the pension plan of the union they are considering. The pension is a major part of the compensation package and the management of the pension depends on union leadership. Some are better than others. The history of all the unions pensions are easily obtained on the internet. Look before you leap.
AMO daily wages are almost always 30% lower than MEBA. The benefits package is usually around 50% lower and AMO no longer has a pension.
OSG is one of our worst paying contracts but would be top tier in AMO.
I went the easy way first with AMO but MEBA is better in every way. It sucks to wait in the hall but I’ve been very lucky (4 days in 4 years total).
If we all went to the hall every company would have to pay MEBA wages. (Not enough ships to undercut each other!) The companies only benefit when it’s AMO vs MEBA
My advice, go to the union hall closest to you take whatever job you get (our lowest paying jobs are higher than AMO usually).
FYI:Summer and Winter are the best time to be in the hall starting out.
Interesting take, You know what. He should go and do MEBA.
I will say your thoughts on “almost always” and “Usually” are incorrect.
in 31 years I’ve sailed. With 333, AMO, MEBA, R&B Falcon, Pride, ENSCO, Shore side with Rowan, and Shell Exploration Production Company.
Worked with Horizon Lines, and Patriot while with MEBA. With AMO I’ve sailed with Hvide, Seabluk, Fairwater, Crowley, PGM, and ARC.
In that time I’ve seen what money every facet pays, and what pain each brings with it.
Are you a permanent? Are you sailing the board?
Are you Group 1, 2, or 3?
Lets not forget How much are your dues? How close do you live to a Hall?
They still taking 1% of your Vacation for Medical?
No I agree, he should go MEBA. Try it out. See how it works. AMO will still be around if he decides to flip.
Afterall, AMO and MEBA are getting along better than ever over the last 30 years. Signing the passthrough made moving between easier.
AMO pays the most in monthly dues (based on license). MEBA $150 per quarter
Yes a 6% cut is made from vacation (I account for this in my calculations)
I am a contract nerd and I will stand by my statements. I know for a fact Maersk MEBA pays $200-$300 more a day for each position (after vacation cut) than Maersk AMO.
Penalty time for dirty work, OT in a US port, penalty for duty. Heck, OT in general isn’t offered in AMO for the most part (stipend I know, but some times a job takes longer than 12hrs, piston pulls, liners the occasional SW pipe busts)
I’ve only sailed 5 years so far haha. So you have all the experience on me but this is my opinion and I stand by it.
I’m sailing as a relief 1AE currently (CE and 1AEs are mostly direct hired) I sailed with AMO-Crowley, Tote ; SIU-Crowley (ATBs fantastic job but the pay/pension isn’t there); MEBA-APL,Pasha, OSG, Matson, ACME and ACS
I am happy to see AMO and MEBA working together but every time a job comes in the wages are very low. For instance a 1st at Fairwater makes around $890-$950 a day. A first with OSG makes $1150-$1180 a day (after vacation removal 
) not to mention APL,Matson,Hapag Lloyd 1sts are at $1500+/day
But from what I heard wages are going up so that’s good for AMO. Now’s the time to get the pension back for those guys too.
Then he should certainly go get some of the big money, it’s what pulled many of us to the oilfield in the first place. Best Tanker Contract AMO/Fairwater has puts CE at $300K, 1st at $250K, 2nd $175k, 3rd $150K, (2026 figures) We’re dayworkers, w/rotating duty. 0600 -1800. We’re renegotiating TSP shortly and I don’t think we’ll get to that plateau, But pretty sure we’ll do ok- even if several of the companies were seeking a 5/1/1 after 2 rounds. OSG is part of that and the pay as per MARAD is same across the board. You are right, we don’t get OT, Dirty work, ect. Its salary. no less than 60 no more than 75 ( of course overseas that has some variance due to ports) I’m on a TSP my relief and I do 75’s and i just did 83 due to port call line up. I don’t believe we’ll see the Pension back. Sadly- although i’m got money in it from the late 90s. Curious which financial entity manages your retirement? Pension ect? If the Ships Act ever gets passed i think there’s a better possibility of Tax free for mariners engaged in international trade. I think you missed CGA/CGM I understand MEBA and AMO are splitting those after the Title 20 challenge by MMP. Looking ahead the biggest challenge is manpower. Getting US Officers (all officers) on US Flag ships. Getting more mariners looking 10 years down the road. And it’s not just officers, harder and harder to get unlicensed.
Good point, Yes the new fairwater contract for the 3 ohio class ships that are on the west coast is pretty good for chief and 1AE 21% raises. OSG will hopefully get to that same mark with negotiations this year but the 2nd an 3rd already exceed those rates.
Hopefully the TSP Fleet can match because when all rates go up we all benefit.
CMA/CGM was the biggest disappointment in my mind. The proposed AMO contract was very low but now they’re on MEBA wages since MMP did the right thing and attacked the company. Splitting the engine room between MEBA/AMO ended up being a good deal for AMO. The ship is on MEBA APL wages which are top notch.
I hope we get the tax exemptions! US merchant fleet expansion would be great but you hit the nail on the head with the unlicensed, especially good unlicensed..
Happy 4th!
Just remember AMO breaks strikes and aligns with corporate which has hurt our industry wages over the years. So not saying dont sail with them, but they have set our industry back with lowering wages. The complete opposite of what a union is supposed to do.
While AMO today operates as a standard, respected maritime union, its foundational roots (via the BME in 1951) are definitively tied to a strategy of crossing MEBA picket lines and supplying replacement crews to corporate employers during a major strike.
