Does anyone know how minimum wage laws will start affecting mariners? I know a few cities are starting to pass laws and its just a matter of time before the feds make the wage $15/hr across the board, so what will that mean for us? Will the entry-level folks get a hell of a bump up?
I currently work on a boat running out of Seattle and eke out just a bit more than the $15 per hour, but the deckhands working under me do not. If they were suddenly (or gradually) raised up to the new minimum and paid that for their 12-hour day, they would find themselves making almost as much senior officers aboard the ship. I hope it means we’ll all get a little boost!
Not sure about other states, but I think the minimum wage law will effect mariners in California.
The reason being, a ‘day rate’ does not exist here. I won’t mention specific companies, but I’ve seen a few here over the years get sued, and the general outcome was the same except for a few mild variations.
If you are on a liveaboard vessel, you are considered ‘captured.’ Because of this, you are compensated for a 16 hr period even though you may only be standing a twelve hour watch. If you don’t get an undisturbed eight consecutive hours of rest, you then get paid around the clock.
To make things even more convoluted, in a seven day period, your pay increases on the sixth and seven day due to overtime. Add all seven days to get an average of your 'day rate.'
Because of a system like this, a mariner who is say making around 300 a day is only getting around 12 bucks an hour. The low hourly rate happens because on a normal day there is usually eight hours of straight time, four of time and a half, and four of double time.
SO yes, I think it very well will raise wages in California. If minimum wage is 15 bucks an hour, and that’s what an ab is making, officers will have to be getting a bit more.
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[QUOTE=Fraqrat;165376]Holy shit where do senior officers make $15ish an hour???[/QUOTE]
Never know if its a scenario like above it could come out to a decent dayrate…
[QUOTE=Ctony;165378]Not sure about other states, but I think the minimum wage law will effect mariners in California.
The reason being, a ‘day rate’ does not exist here. I won’t mention specific companies, but I’ve seen a few here over the years get sued, and the general outcome was the same except for a few mild variations.
If you are on a liveaboard vessel, you are considered ‘captured.’ Because of this, you are compensated for a 16 hr period even though you may only be standing a twelve hour watch. If you don’t get an undisturbed eight consecutive hours of rest, you then get paid around the clock.
To make things even more convoluted, in a seven day period, your pay increases on the sixth and seven day due to overtime. Add all seven days to get an average of your 'day rate.'
Because of a system like this, a mariner who is say making around 300 a day is only getting around 12 bucks an hour. The low hourly rate happens because on a normal day there is usually eight hours of straight time, four of time and a half, and four of double time.
SO yes, I think it very well will raise wages in California. If minimum wage is 15 bucks an hour, and that’s what an ab is making, officers will have to be getting a bit more.
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Never know if its a scenario like above it could come out to a decent dayrate…[/QUOTE]
State and city minimum wage laws do not apply to Jones Act Mariners. They are prempted by federal law.
And for that matter, Jones Act Mariners are exempted from the federal minimum wage.