Greetings All,
I just came off the Tan’erliq two days ago, having just finished my sea time for the PMI Workboat Mate program. If there had been a pay cut for the IBU folks I’m SURE that I would have heard about it - and I didn’t. I believe that their contract has at least one year, if not two, to go before it’s up for renegotiation. There have been “discussions” between the current management and rep’s from the MMP/IBu regarding changing the crewing rotation. This has NOT been popular with the folks on the boats because it would remove the current flexibility that they enjoy .
Turn over up there is high. Some of it is the fact that C. keeps hiring folks from warm climates for winter work - folks that grew up in flip/flips or slippa’s are going to like the weather up there - surprise! The Alyeska SERVS environment is more restictive than other C. divisions - going on deck means FULL PPE. So be it, but some people let that get them down. Personally, I had a good time with the crews and two Capt’s that I worked with, and enjoyed the folks at SERVS. That being said, it is boring waiting around for the next rush of tankers to come in…Providing limited travel re-imbursement and less than competitive wages isn’t helping there cause either.
Now I get to deal with PMI politics, license prep and the NMC wait…with any luck I’ll have my 1600T in hand by June!
Happy Holidays!
Dave
Dougpine, not doubting your info as I am sure you are more connected than I at Crowley, but I talked with them in mid to late 2007 and the IBU just negotiated and the SIU was getting ready to approve the new contract. Also, not all Licensed guys are MM&P the Engineers are IBU on the West Coast and SIU on the East Coast?
Yeah Cheng I was focusing on Crowley on the West Coast as BlueNose was talking about Prince William Sound. The engineers are IBU sail in an ulicensed capacity. Most of the Crowley engineers I know don’t have licenses but a few do. The IBU contract was new in '06. The SIU guys sail in the southeast and the GOM and I’m not familiar with how they’re doing but I don’t think anyone is cutting wages right now, anywhere. Could happen if shipping continues to slow, or the GOM does one of its famous nose-dives, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon, and especially at companies working under collective bargaining agreements.
I’m like 99% sure the Licensed Engineers (all ATB’s) are IBU.
Yeah, you’re right. I’m anchored up about .25 nm from one right now, shoulda thought of that. But I think they still sail in an unlicensed capacity on those ATBs 'cause I was just talking to an engineer who did 14 days on an ATB and got 4 hours of OT every day. Aren’t engineers subject to the 12 hour rule like deck guys? I don’t know much about the regs as they apply to the basement.
I gotta call BS, they lost all OT in Sept 07. If they are still getting OT I am going over there. Where are you at and what ATB is it? I got the Ocean Reliance Capt on speed dial. No hours of service for the ATB Engineers. They don’t even stand a watch underway.
If an engineer is licensed, and working in a licensed capacity, the 12-hour rule applies. Since uninspected towing vessels of <200GRT don’t require licensed engineers at this time I suspect that, as with the deckhands, the Coast Guard may well interpret the law as meaning that there is no legal limit on their work hours. It is also possible, although unlikely, that it might be interpreted as meaning that if the engineer is licensed then the 12-hour rule applies, regardless of whether the license was actually needed or not for that position. I’ll see what I can find out about this. All captains are responsible for their crew’s compliance with work-hour limits, regardless of what department they’re in, so it would be beneficial to have a definitive answer to this question.
I’m on the “Guard” up at Cherry Point. We’re anchored right next to the “Ocean Reliance” at BPCP-N. We put them on the dock last night. I think Jeff (from Texas?) is the captain on there right now. Could be a classic case of Chief Engineer bullshit, but that’s the story I got.
Captjack i agree. Even RFPNW and RFPEW are subject to 46CFR 15.710, but my point is the ATB Engineers are not standing a watch and are not covered.
Yeah, fricken Hemphill Texas… Good man there but, I think he is at the house. Hey if they’re getting the OT its a great thing but I don’t think so…
Captjack I stand corrected, they are under the 12 rule. doug the Reliance Engineer is working on his own but he does not get paid OT.
My post cut off for some reason, Cheng. What I had written was that it all depends on the Coast Guard’s interpretation of the law. If a licensed engineer is sailing on a vessel that doesn’t require one, like an uninspected towing vessel of <200 GRT, are they still protected by the work-hour rules that would cover thm on an inspected vessel? Does the protection follow the license or the position worked in or the type of vessel? It’s not clear in this case. There is no restriction on the work-hours of unlicensed seamen in the deck department of uninspected towing vessels. If, as a licensed captain, I were working in the capacity of deckhand would I no longer be subject to any restriction on work-hours?
Since every captain is responsible for ensuring that their crew is complying with the work-hour limits at all times, it would be good to have a definitive answer to this question.
I’ll work on it…
Okay, it appears that for licensed <strong>deck</strong> officers on uninspected towing vessels of <200 GRT the work-hour limits <strong>could</strong> be interpreted as being in effect at all times, no matter what position the individual is working in. Under <strong>Watches</strong>, 46 USC § 8104(h) reads as follows: On a vessel to which section 8904 of this title applies, an individual<strong> licensed to operate</strong> a towing vessel may not work for more than 12 hours in a consecutive 24-hour period except in an emergency. Note that it says “licensed to operate”, not “operating.” Taken at face value it would mean the protection follows the license, not the position. This is one of those technical questions that is tough to answer. A truly definitive answer would require knowledge of the original intent of the lawmakers that wrote the law.
Still checking on the engineers…
Well I know what the company would say, or the master of that uninspected towing vessel, if I was sailing AB while holding a license and refused to work OT based on that interpretation of the USC. 
I guess that it would depend on what your definition of OT is.
And I’m not saying that it would be a wise move, C_A, but that<strong> is</strong> what it says. The law can sometimes be used to bludgeon both ways, forestroke and backstroke.
captjacksparrow: Legislative intent has no effect on the law as written. If it did lawmakers could constantly change written law by just saying “well this is what our intent was when we wrote it”. Legislators write law and judges/lawyers interpret it.
Kinda like the way my ex-wife interpreted our marriage contract. “Well, I don’t feel married anymore!”