[QUOTE=Ecowhore;165515]I will admit it will never happen, and maybe my post wasn’t as eloquent as could have been stated but being a deckhand whose wages have been cut more than 50% from what they were last year, I believe I know exactly of which I speak.
when the shoe is on the other foot then we will see what is comical.[/QUOTE]
I hate to say this but when wages return people will flock back to ECO and all will be forgotten for the time. The truth of the matter is this, most OSV’s are lucky if they are at a break even point at this time in the market. The majority are losing money everyday that the vessel is sitting at the dock or even on a job. The operators have to decide how long they want to lose money or can they even afford to do so.
The sad reality is that there are companies that made huge profits over the last few years and can afford to lose money but are choosing not to do so. They are willing to cut like everyone else is as their employee base has little choice. As soon as rates pickup they will go back to work and pretend nothing ever happened. This is the vicious cycle in the OSV market, the quicker you can come to terms with it then you can do something about it. That may mean leaving your employer, switching industries, organize a union, etc… I have worked for companies that cut pay as much as they could because they were following suit with other operators. But the owners lifestyles change very little, we all have to change ours at their expense.
[QUOTE=Saltine;165524]I hate to say this but when wages return people will flock back to ECO and all will be forgotten for the time. The truth of the matter is this, most OSV’s are lucky if they are at a break even point at this time in the market. The majority are losing money everyday that the vessel is sitting at the dock or even on a job. The operators have to decide how long they want to lose money or can they even afford to do so.
The sad reality is that there are companies that made huge profits over the last few years and can afford to lose money but are choosing not to do so. They are willing to cut like everyone else is as their employee base has little choice. As soon as rates pickup they will go back to work and pretend nothing ever happened. This is the vicious cycle in the OSV market, the quicker you can come to terms with it then you can do something about it. That may mean leaving your employer, switching industries, organize a union, etc… I have worked for companies that cut pay as much as they could because they were following suit with other operators. But the owners lifestyles change very little, we all have to change ours at their expense.
Keep educating yourself and those around you.[/QUOTE]
If companies want to increase share in a boom they have to the take risk of downturn when they build or purchase boats. However they can raise wages to 150% of nominal or whatever to crew them up. Once they have new market share they can drop wages to 100% of nominal. If there is a down turn they can drop wages to 50% (for example) of nominal to pay for the equipment keeping profits steady.
In effect companies are shifting the risks of the ups and downs from the company to the mariner.
Well, I worked for Chouest for a little while, and that was to long. I have also worked on ships and sailed overseas, most at Chouset never had. I worked as a QMED Oiler an Fireman for about 4 1/2 years. I did this for a change, and took a cut in pay. I am a Journeyman Railroad Machinist.
I worked for the Railroad Industry most of my life as a Union Machinist (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers). I was a Shop Stewart and Safety Office for the Local. Now I work as a Service Engineer or what most call a Tech Rep for EMD (Electro-Motive Diesel)
At Chouest the QMED’s didn’t do any real maintenance but contractors came on board to repair engines and other machinery. We painted and cleaned a lot, this made they job very boring and something anyone could do.
I hated everyday I was on board a Chouest ship or boat!!!
At Chouest I would listen to AB’s that had a 1600 Ton calling each other Master or 2nd capt 3rd Capt and laugh. No one worked together and most were lazy.
It was the most racist place I have every worked. The men had no say, and most thought they didn’t need a UNION…
When hired, Chouest had an illegal class about “why unions are bad”, and I could say most of the so call “Chouest Family” believed this and also believed Chouest care about them. I wonder what they think now.
They also would tell me Chouest paid their men less because they didn’t have layoffs. LOL