I didn’t “think” anything but YIPPEE! I GOT A RAISE! but the exodus slowed dramatically. I have no idea nor control over what happens next but if a person held unlimited Master but were paid as a junior mate that person would be tempted to search a better position elsewhere. It’s nothing new or unusual. When I got Master 1600 I was no longer happy to work at AB pay.
Any new raises out there? Come on let’s hear it!!!
Rumor mill is Chouest just jumped the pay up
big time
$1000 for masters and chiefs
$950 for reliefs
$850 for mates and asst. Engineers.
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I’d assume that’s for chief mates and 1st assistants…would be curious on what the junior mates/assistant engineers are getting.
I also heard they have a travel allowance again as well too.
Seniority pay is also back
That’s back up to 2016 pay levels?
I heard a rumor that Chouest has boats off charter for lack of crew.
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Every company for the last 2 years has had that problem.
Obviously, they have been too slow to offer high enough pay
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They need to tell Dr Duet to stop turning away perfectly good mariners.
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That especially. Chouest is screwing itself with those notorious physicals, or at least the reputation they got from doing them.
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Don’t know if the same doctor is doing the physicals but back when that was going on I always thought the strict physical was designed to hold down the group insurance premium.
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The stories were that they were self-insured.
What’s a crewboat or mini OSV (No DP, < 100 GT) captain making out there now?
Mid 300s-low 400s a day.
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Many companies are “self insured” but administered by a company such as Blue Cross.The company pays the money to the administrator to pay claims The employer is responsible for paying the claims but the administrator authorizes payment. With some contracts there is a “stop loss” where after a certain point the administrator, like Blue Cross, has to pay. The premiums for the employer are higher in such plans. I would hazard a guess that 90% of non union US mariners are under a plan which would be considered employer self insured. Strict physicals are an attempt to hold down future claims and reduce employer costs which increases profit which is why they are in business. Companies in some other countries don’t have to worry about that cost as medical care is included in the tax the mariner and employer pays. They sometimes can afford to underbid a US company while paying competitive wages to those paid in the USA.
Thanks. Kinda low. Good for a new kid building experience I guess.
One of the nice things about work for the decent mom and pop companies, is no physical, or just the standard USCG physical.
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I worked for Chouest back in the mid 1990s. I was hired as an AB on the Carolyn Chouest. As part of the process I had a physical with a PA, and a lower back X-ray. Apparently they were worried about being sued for lower back injuries.
They didn’t have anyone “read” the x-tay. They just put it in your folder, so they could produce it during discovery if you claimed you were hurt.
Yeah they are on top of back problems. I wrote down I had strained a back muscle 10 years prior and had to see a doctor (I was back on the boat 3 days later) next thing I know I’m having to go to Houma and have a x-ray and exam done on my own dime.
I should have just laughed and gone back to NOLA and the airport instead but $500/day at the time was a big incentive.