I am a cadet at Great Lakes Maritime Academy and am trying to get a feel for what I want to do after I graduate as well as the industry. What are the pros and cons of a Union? Which is best? Is a private company better? Thank you
Use the search function. You will find about half a dozen threads all giving the “pro’s & con’s” of unions and private companies.
As for your question about “what you want to do”! Well you will have to figure that out yourself! Whether it be in the lakes, blue water, rivers or the gulf. Only you can make that decision!
Remember in class when the instructor would say “there is no such thing as a dumb question”? It’s not true, they were just saying that to encourage class participation. There is such a thing as a dumb question and you’ve asked one.
If you can find two jobs, one union and one non-union that are otherwise equally attractive then it would be a legit question, in which case as was said in post #2 there are numerous threads here to read.
I like the union hall because you get the job first and then do the paperwork. After getting off the ship I collect unemployment and there is no need to look for work as being at the hall satisfies the job search requirement. Why not go ahead and try the licensed unions. What do you got to lose? I think you will be impressed with the pay and benefits. The only dumb questions here are mine. Good luck on your promising future.
Has anybody ever been in multiple unions at the same time? If so did you get kicked out and fired from you current company? Any info
[QUOTE=WickedWench;190919]Has anybody ever been in multiple unions at the same time? If so did you get kicked out and fired from you current company? Any info[/QUOTE]
I’ve been in four maritime unions over the years I don’t recall exactly but there was some overlap. I just stopped paying dues after I got a job eleswhere
I not aware of any prohibition against belong to more than one union and I’ve never heard of anyone getting fired or kicked out of the union for violating the shipping rules.
I have heard of people shipping out with another union while on vacation, in which case I believe you would loose your shipping card and have to get a new one, perhaps some other penalties but I’m not sure. Maybe someone else has better details.
Not much would be heard anyway as members breaking the shipping rules are going to be tight-lipped about it in most cases.
[QUOTE=Friendlee;190879]I am a cadet at Great Lakes Maritime Academy and am trying to get a feel for what I want to do after I graduate as well as the industry. What are the pros and cons of a Union? Which is best? Is a private company better? Thank you[/QUOTE]
First question is what sector, deep-sea, the Lakes? In general I’d say if the sector you are interested in has decent union representation then that’s the way to go if you are in it for the long term.
Happens all the time in Los Angeles. MMP and MEBA take jobs from unlicensed unions. Don’t know what the deal is but it is not hidden. SIU members try to get jobs in other better unions but thankfully current port agents shut it down with phone call. Having suffered much for being loyal to union rules I don’t begrudge those who try. I don’t but it seems I am held to a higher standard being born in the US.
There’s no such thing as a stupid question, but it seems there’s tons of inquisitive idiots.
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