While the healthy raises we’ve gotten over the last two years are nice. That just scratched the surface on making up for the underpaid decades we suffered through.
Inflation, real actual inflation (heating oil at $6 a gallon, $60,000 pickup trucks, and $8 for a 2”x4”, $60 for a 10’ length if 4” PVC pipe, and variable interest loan rates more than doubling) has much more than eaten the raises we have received.
Tug and barge companies are busy with massive government infrastructure spending and private projects.
It’s time for an other round of very healthy raises.
$1000 a day for a tug Captain needs to become the new average benchmark. Good Engineers and Mates should $800+.