Transatlantic lines (TAL) current situation

They would still need to contact the lawyers so I’m not sure what good that would do.

Seems to me that MEBA ought to show a little interest in the welfare of their boys, the boys on the other TAL ship too. That’s what unions are supposed to do. Why would MEBA expect you to do their job for them?

Its hard to believe that the boys didn’t call their union after not being paid for two months.

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The company fired and replaced all the senior officers after the vote happened and they aren’t technically union members yet that I’m aware of so I expect no one thought to contact MEBA.

Wow. MEBA is doing a hell of a job. The company fires all the guys that voted MEBA in and then did nothing about it? no

I suspect the half of TALs engineers are MEBA members working scab under the table while they age their shipping cards before going to sit in the union hall for a job off the board. They don’t call MEBA because they are hiding from MEBA.

I know for a fact that a number of the engineers that, at least used to, work there are doing exactly that.

The union filled a few unfair labor practice complaints on behalf of some people (the people that informed the union of what happened) but then it comes down to the NLRB doing an investigation and deciding there was something illegal. They are an “at will employment” company so it’s hard to prove intent.

I think you have an inflated idea of the power a union has. If they strike the owner can simply replace everyone, which is very easy when you only have 2 ships.

This kind of firing has to go through the NLRB, so no lawsuit.

It seems to me like they’re doing everything they can. It’s not their fault no one on board told them about the pay situation.

even if there is not a contract in place with MEBA to represent the officers, the union should certainly become involved in this by filing the paperwork and put up the required bond with the US Marshall to have the ship arrested for no other reason than to prevent the owner from getting away with what he obviously is doing. No better way to send the message that we are here and prepared to thwart you in this. However although I hold the MEBA in higher esteem than the AMO, I don’t hold them in infinite esteem. If there is not much in this for the MEBA, I can see them sitting on their hands. A bigger company and they’d be in the trenches with the mariners but two ships doesn’t make them say there is money we are losing here.

Again, MEBA didn’t appear to know about the situation. Let’s see what happens when/if the ship’s crew gets off their asses and calls the union’s lawyers.

Not likely. No one is actually a member yet, the senior officers that were fired were definitely never members. Plus, the answer would be “you’re welcome to go sit in the hall as an applicant.” (That’s my only complaint about the way the union is handling this.)

That would be nice.

In American society, we applaud and respect people and organizations with the principles and integrity to do the right thing when it is inconvenient, costly and painful to do the right thing

We don’t respect people or organizations that abandon their integrity, principles and obligation to do the right thing just to save a few short-term expenses. To the contrary, we scorn them.

MEBA’s fundamental principles, credibility, and integrity are on the line here. It will be interesting for American mariners to learn what MEBA really stands for?

This is what happens when you have several unions in a dying industry. They care more about undercutting the other unions and collecting the most dues! What a joke.

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So AMO take care of the bridge guys

No, MEBA.

well we know that TAL ain’t going bankrupt vis this bit of news

U.S.-flag lines get Transcom awards totaling $871 million

JULY 26, 2017 — U.S. Transportation Command has awarded eleven U.S.-flag shipping lines contract modifications worth a total of more than $871 million.

All the awards are option year contract modifications for international ocean and intermodal distribution services.

Work will be performed worldwide as specified on each individual order, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2018.

The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

The shipping lines and estimated amounts are:

American President Lines Ltd Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona $230,749,372

Maersk Line Ltd, Norfolk, Virginia $204,458,639

Matson Navigation Co. Inc., Oakland, California $85,515,856

Hapag-Lloyd USA LLC, Piscataway, New Jersey $82,626,528

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier LLC, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey $60,071,134

Farrell Lines Inc., Norfolk, Virginia $57,755,370

Liberty Global Logistics LLC, Lake Success, New York $50,062,446

TOTE Maritime Alaska Inc., Federal Way, Washington $27,313,474

Central Gulf Lines Inc., Mobile, Alabama $21,979,331

TransAtlantic Lines, Greenwich, Connecticut $18,480,592

TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico LLC, Jacksonville, Florida $18,079,097

Young Brothers Ltd, Honolulu, Hawaii $16,595,001

FUCK! I had hoped they were a dead company walking! $18.5M is $51,000 a day! FOR WHAT?

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It should be easy to make very good money with a small ship those sorts of contracts. You can buy a nice European built 5 year old ship for about $5 million. The hardest part of it would be learning how to bid these fat contracts.

These numbers are estimates and not committed dollars from the US Government. If TAL cannot get the vessel off the dock they cannot get a booking. It is extremely unlikely they will get anywhere close to $18mil even if these vessel’s were in perfect condition. I understand they were at $4mil in 2016 from Transcom.

The rumors the crew are not getting paid in addition to other allegations are all expensive to defend. Legal action is starting in several locations. Should be fun to watch.

SPENCE - At the bottom of the Atlantic
TRANSATLANTIC - in LA - Lost its cargo
GEYSIR - in JAX - Lost its cargo
Barge EXPRESS - ??

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They were advertising for qmeds not too long ago. $200 a day.
If you go by that as an inkling on what they pay all the other billets it makes me wonder why they can’t make payroll?

I can’t imagine how much of a scum bag the crew manager is to hire new people and send them to the ship when he knows no one’s being paid.

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