When you are in MSC, say as an AB, and you do not get relief and have to stay on-ship for another 2 months, are you paid extra for that time? I think for, say, SIU, you are given a day rate, over time rate, etc, and if you’re on a ship longer than expected, you are still paid those amounts.
But I thought MSC was salaried, sort of (I think still with overtime?), and was wondering how no relief for months works salary-wise.
Or is lack of relief more of a hit to vacation time, or something like that?
Thanks!
Details here:
Overdue Relief
If you are not able to be relieved as scheduled, you may be entitled to an Overdue Relief Award. The Overdue Relief Award is payable at the rate of $25.00 per day (for days 1-45). It accrues beginning when you arrive at first port after overdue date (the date you requested to be relieved), and it ends when you have been relieved and you depart the ship. The rate increases to $50.00 per day for day 46 and thereafter.**
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Thanks for that web page, down the rabbit hole I go 
So normal pay + may get an extra $25/day? Yikes.
$25-$50 a day. No wonder MCS does Not care about getting people reliefs. Where is the feckless Union?
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That is what I hear everywhere, that some jobs/ratings have such a difficult time getting reliefs on time. $25-50 extra a day to someone who’s been away from family, friends, life events… not a big thing to make them want to come back to the ship once they are off it.
Since MSC are federal employees, I assume (that word, I know) they have the really nice federal retirement packages? I have not heard great things about SIUs pension, but loudest voices are typically the bitter folk while the content people probably do not talk much.
Some people like to stretch their hitches for as long as they can for personal reasons.
As Fed employee you entitled for the pension at the age of 62 providing you have at least 5 years of working for the Fed. The amount depends on your salary and years working. Also you can participate in TSP which is smart thing to do since Fed matches up to 6% of your contribution. The other cool perk, if you stayed on their health plan for 5 years you can keep it for the rest of your life providing you continue to pay for it. It’s a good supplement for the Medicare when you get old.
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So 2 different retirement vehicles, that is really great!
The healthcare perk is HUGE.
With MSC, you have to put up with more deadwood than the free market can tolerate but if stability and perks are what you are looking for, you can’t beat Uncle Sam as an employer. If you’re smarter than the average bear, you can expect to be promoted. The new change from 4/1 to 4/2 is a step forward.
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Let’s be realistic. They expect people to do an entire career spending twice as much time on a ship as they do off? (and twice as much time aboard is for the lucky ones)
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The sorry organization gives you $25/day as an overdue award with a smugness like they are doing you a favor. Is the extra $50/day is going to make up for any lost post assignment plans like graduations, anniversaries and trips to Disneyland? Yeah, right. A lot of PO’ed spouses. A reward for staying past your relief date? Calling it a reward is insulting and condecending. Not only are you screwed with a paltry $25 but it is taxed so you maybe net $18-$19. You get shafted 3 times simultaneously. So much for MSC touting themselves as the Employer of Choice.
Give me a break!
For all, ALL over due officers and crew it must be re-classified as a penelty against the Employer. Which should have been implemented from the beginning. Minimum it should be one day of of base pay tax free to include any overtime earned also tax free if you continue working past requested relief date.
What a concept!
Companies that do buisness with governments get fined each day past agreed completion date as negotiated in the contract. Their incetivized to finish
ahead of a completion date which comes with compensation. A CIVMAR gets nothing.
A 120 day vessel assignment is in itself a contract and should be honored instead of letting people die on the vine. The only ones who can initiate a positive change is those who crew the ships. Unfortunately that will not happen because IMHO MSC is becoming the Amazon of shipping with the high turnover I never saw before.
Just look at their website. They are accepting applications from entry rating to the 2nd highest positions in all departments. Has it stopped the hemorrhaging?
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Geez you guys complain about $25 and $50.
Go ask the SIU what they get if they get stuck onboard.
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Even $50/day for being overdue is not enough.
Just compensation should be paid. Because SIU doesn’t get anything does not make it right.
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I don’t know what they expect. I merely pointed out that 4/1 to 4/2 is an improvement.Too late to be of any benefit to me but it’s a step in the right direction to recruit mariners.
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Concur 4/2 is a step in the right direction. Does that include an increase in shore leave or to get two months off you are forced into leave without pay?But I think the whole crewing concept at msc is past the tipping point. Even if they mirrored commercial crewing practices it would not do any good to aliviate overdue mariners. There are several other variables that prevent a smooth ratcheting of signing on and off.
A good friend of mine is now a retired Marine C/Electrician after 37 years in the union. Even when covid was at its worse he had no trouble getting a job, getting relieved on time and staying off as long as his vacation account was fat. And no Gangway Up bovine backwash he had to contend with.
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Some of that turnover is due to hiring the wrong people. I’ve seen the bottom of the barrel and lower in the last year or so. Work ethic is at an all time low and I believe it’s a generational issue. “The times they are a changin” someone once said. This adds to a lot of problems for management. The lower caliber of even the officers has reared its ugly head and the inability to get rid of them without extensive documentation only leads to more admin work in an already short staffed environment.
I will say that MSC is trying, most likely out of necessity due to the inability to adequately crew the vessels. It’s a roller coaster of ups and downs but again, on the upward trajectory at the present. People that complain about need to do nothing more then move along if they don’t like it, vote with your feet. It’s a very job and can be very rewarding if you have inkling about serving your country but don’t want to experience the military in full force by way of enlisting.
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If you are used to Navy rotations with a typical sea tour of 3-5 years, MSC is not so bad. I didn’t even get that in the Navy so I was already seriously institutionalized. Working on unprogramming myself now!
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Aren’t sea tours followed by shore/staff tours?
When will MSC direct hire captains/chiefs?
Just wait till the next shooting war breaks out that requires a lot of unreps in hostile waters and watch how fast “the rats leave the sinking ship” the first time a MSC boat takes a hit.
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The rats will go unfit when they know they are headed for the shooting zone.
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