You can think of GOGO MSC as owning and managing the ships just like the Navy owns and manages their ships (not exactly, but for all intents and purposes). They are owned by the US Government. MSC operates, procures, mans, handles shipyard, technical, repairs, replacement. MSC has its own Engineering group (N7). The ships have MSC Port Engineers and MSC handles shipyard contracting for upgrades, repairs, drydocking. MSC handles all crewing, HR, benefits, travel, etc. They are not at all just like a manning company. Just a very poorly and overly bureaucratically run company.
Regarding the problem with the pool, I did see they are doing a pilot program for a “virtual pool” for those who don’t live near Norfolk or San Diego. Didn’t see any details other than they started the pilot for just Commo’s, Suppo’s, and one other non-mate/engineer group. Could definitely be an improvement if they go for it. Baby steps I guess.
It seems like a fairly high percentage of the new hire Wipers, OSs, and SUs would be considered by most industries/businesses to be “unemployable”. WaWa or Walgreens would have fired them after a few days I bet. Show up late your first couple of days wearing your pajamas to work…do most companies put up with that? MSC pays the recruiting company MediaCross many millions of dollars to find and hire new CIVMARS. There has got to be some better candidates out there.
At any given time, the ranks of the unemployed have a fair percentage of undesirable workers: poor work ethic, poor social skills, criminality, etc.
The higher the unemployment rate, the larger the proportion of good workers. But when the national unemployment rate drops down below about 4.3% the number of undesirable prospective employees becomes a large fraction of the unemployed. The employer therefore has an increasing chance of hiring someone they would never think of hiring in normal times.
The employer’s main weapon to attract the few good workers remaining is increased pay. But all the other employers have the same weapon. The result of spiraling wages is inflation, which negates any real increase
Unemployment today has not been so low since 1969. It is no coincidence that 1969 also saw a sharp rise in inflation, and that 1970 saw a record rise. There were other reasons for the inflation, but spiraling wage increases was a big cause. Too many jobs chasing too few bodies.
The article does state that the pattern has recently reversed in the US, but the broad theme that wage growth is not solely (or even largely) responsible for inflation is worth a further look.
Speaking for myself and the majority of friends and family I’ve discussed it with: we have not seen any wage growth in the last year at least. Ymmv.
It was in the high 680s about 5 months ago… car broke down, and I had to replace the engine and transmission… took out some loans to do it… I’m sitting at a 615 last I checked… I had a clearance before… and for the most part, I pay my bills on time…
MSC is hiring everyone and anyone right now. No one cares about the credit score. Even if they did it will be many many months before they get around to doing the security clearance paperwork. Come on and join us, you’ll love it here.
I see MSC hasn’t changed. When I was second mate on Navasota, one of the ABs on my watch was a convicted felon who, when asked by the office why he lied on his application, replied that if he hadn’t lied they wouldn’t have hired him. I used to enjoy his tales of life in the “joint” over beers at the club.
Govt handouts during the so called pandemic didn’t help any. People were making good money for staying home. They got used to it so why work when you can get paid for doing nothing.
DYN was a crewing agency for MSRC and, I believe others.
I worked for DYN for 6 years after retiring from MSC. The pay was mediocre and you had to be on call 24/7 and be on board within 2 hours in the event of a call back. Carried a pager everywhere I went. Worked all positions from deck hand to master, depending what they needed.
When I was 2nd Mate, I had an AB on my watch who was a convicted felon and had spent time in prison. He lied on his application and they hired him. When they found out. They called him into the office and asked him why he lied. His reply was “If I didn’t lie, you wouldn’t have hired me” . On his way to watch one evening he fell and broke his hip. I don’t know what became of him after that but knowing MSC, they probably gave him a medical retirement…