Hey so I’m a young guy with Able Seafarer Deck, VPDSD, currently active security clearance, advanced fire fighting, AB Unlimited etc. What I’m wondering about is experiences people have recently had with either SUP or SIU, I’d really love to go bluewater shipping and am trying to figure out my best route to do it. Also would like the opportunity to travel a bit while I’m young. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
SUP = union
SIU = shitty hiring agency pretending to be a union
Search this forum, plenty stuff there
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Snusmumriken is correct, but SIU has more jobs than SUP.
Which port are you in?
I’m in southern california
Do yourself a favor and don’t join SIU, unless you want to pay dues for precisely ZERO representation and jobs that pay $9 an hour for a watchstander. SIU bosses should be tarred and feathered but most members don’t give a shit, as they’re happy with a free bunk and a shitty meal.
Go SUP, no matter how hard it may be at first
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If you’re in So-Cal SUP would be a good bet
Thanks everybody, gonna head up to my nearest SUP hall in about a month and see how it goes
It’s amazing how many people bash the SIU on a regular basis because they’re ill-informed and ignorant. Are a lot of their jobs low paying? Yes, BUT, there are a lot of really good jobs that just need to be researched a little more. You can make a damn good living as an AB/Tanker-man in the SIU. You’ve got to put the effort in and really want it. Many of the AB/Tanker-man jobs are 6 figure jobs.
I know a couple people that came over to SIU from SUP due to lack of work but this was in a very limited sector of SUP and they were cooks. I’m sure SUP is damn good as well.
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And that’s working equal time, paid transportation and wage related pension.
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That’s right. Amongst other benefits.
Good luck trying to get on those ATBs.
I started out at SIU. Crossed over to SUP. It was hard and it was all worth it. SIU burned me, bad. Many different reasons. As I said. If you’re willing to shill out your sometimes slave-like hard earned cash for precisely NOTHING, go ahead. No seaman of any worth should ever work for 9 bucks an hour in the USA. The best contracts they have pay no more than 15 an hour for a watchstander. And don’t dare getting injured on duty. You’re on your own, buddy. And don’t dream of getting any more than 700 bucks a month for pension (after having sailed 40 years), just in case you plan on sailing unlicensed for a career. SIU is not a union. It’s an undemocratic hiring agency, a complete pimp game. You can consider it a means to an end, in case you happen to live with your mommy and daddy and don’t need to make money, just earn sea time. Get the fuck out of here with your brainwashed bullshit. Even if one was to plan on sailing ATBs, look elsewhere, like IBU. Literally everything sucks about SIU, except for the ease of getting sea time. You will get it, at the expense of your sanity, due to having to sail with the lowest of the society. At the very least, SUP has decent sailors. You’re gone for months on end. If you want to spend that time with crummy dickbags, go right ahead.
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Well, the first 15 years I sailed non union, companies in the oilfield came and went. The next 24 years I sailed as a crummy dickbag for 2 companies under Inland contract. We had top tier medical and 2 for 1 pension. I retired at 56 (like an idiot) instead of 55 with almost 50% of my base pay. I dropped down one tier on my medical when I retired at the cost of $100 a month. I’m 65 now and on Medicare. My insurance morphed into a supplemental which is better than most. Us crummy dickbags still manage to get by…
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Getting on those ATBs isn’t that hard. Some people just don’t want to put the extra work into it. Also, a piss poor attitude won’t get you anywhere, at least anytime soon.
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What is the best hall to pick up an ATB job? I used to see those A/B jobs on the ATB’s & it seems they were always “All Ports”. I was always told that you need your PIC to take one of those jobs. I’m taking my PIC in January & will be looking for work. I usually sailed out of Wilmington and then Fort Lauderdale but thinking of heading out to Oakland to try and get on a decent ship. I know the pay isn’t all that on some of the contracts but I’m chasing sea time & just want to get on a working ship that’s moving and keeping busy. The thought of sitting on the hook in Diego Garcia is absolutely nauseating to me. I thought about heading over to SUP but with no seniority I was told I’d be sitting for a long time so I’ll probably go back to SIU. I need about 2 hitches & I can make the jump to licensed- after school & testing.
Are you talking about the U.S. Shipping ones? Galveston, Corpus Christi, Freeport, and Brownsville??
I believe the US shipping jobs might come up in the hall( not sure which hall) but Crowley and OSG AB Tankerman jobs on ATBs don’t get posted in the halls. Everyone is hired directly by the company.
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Correct…OSG is still scrapping and laying off but things could swing upward as the first new barge has hit the water and a wave of retirements is suppose to happen soon. Crowley is a tough shell to crack but it can be done especially if you got experience.
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The US Shipping ones hit the board all the time and once you work for them they call you a lot for work. Lynette Pagan is the women’s name that dose crewing. You still have to go to the hall to throw in for the job but the competition is extremity minimal (not many deep sea guys have a PIC or even know what it is). It’s not a bad gig if you don’t mind the random schedule and the occasional run to Africa. Looks good on a resume at least…
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Thanks for the input, much appreciated. I’ll be heading to a hall after my class in January. I’ll still have to wait for the rating to hit my document but I need to get that party started!
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SIU provides all the unlicensed engineers on OSG tankers yeah? Do you have to go through the hall or is it direct hire by OSG?