I’m seeking information about Unions for 1600gt near-coastal Mate… I’ve got my TOAR as well…
Im hoping to find a Union along the lines of the old day union halls, where you don’t necessarily work a normal on-off scheudal, but one where you sign on for a month or three and then get off the vessel until you stop by the union hall again and the cards play in your favor.
Do they have unions like these for folks like me?
If you know of one, what is its “culture” like? How do they operate? Do you like it? Benefits/ Cons?
There are several tug companies, that are represented by various unions. Crowley is one, there are several on the east coast, and N.Y. harbor. Most of the time on a tug even though you are represented by a union you are still some what working for one particular tug company. The situation you describe sounds more like the old SIU hall days where sea farers show up at the hall with there respecetd book and wait for a job to come open. The bulk of those positions I will say is for unlimited tonnage guys. I am not sure how much work you will get only being a 1600 ton N/C mate. The SIU still has union halls at some major sea ports, and they have a web site as well, you can look at. However I think the days of sitting around a union hall are growing more extinct every year.
MMP and AWO are also unions representing deck officer’s, but once again I think these are more geared toward unlimited guys.
Nope. As soon as you mention you only want to work for a hitch or so they will just go to the next guy.
The type of shipping you are talking about is just about extinct for lower license guys. If you want to ship deep sea, either as deck or officer you most likely become a permanent employee after two or three hitches. So once you say ‘Im only here for a little while’ they wont call you again.
The Union is now a hiring hall for quasi permanent jobs.
I don;t think the unions are for lower level licenses. There is the SIU and the SUP for unlicensed.
For what you sound like you want to do, you will have to talk to the crewing agencies. There are a couple, like C-Mar and Oceanwide (maybe more) that do the right thing and don;t charge you anything. You call them up, get them all your paperwork, then they send you to get drug test and physical. After you pass all that, they will call you when they have a job that fits you. Either you take it or you dont. They each have contracts with certain boat companies.
There are also other crewing agencies like Northstar, Kelly Sweenys, etc that you can work with. They all work the same way. Some of them will charge you 14 days of your pay for finding you a job- this is supposed to be for a PERMANENT job. So, best for you to work out a deal with them before signing anything if you’re not looking for a permanent position. I know John Davis at Northstar will work with you.
Good luck
[QUOTE=JP;77112]I don;t think the unions are for lower level licenses.
Good luck[/QUOTE]
Not true. Two companies come to mind immediately SIU top to bottom. Crowley and Penn. and OSG has AMO. They both use the Hall to find qualified help. But, often as not there is no one registered with a TOAR (and demonstrated competence) so the companies go outside the hall to hire.
Note the reference to TOAR and competence. Just one doesn’t mean the other.
[QUOTE=seadog6608;77319]What about Local 333 in NY?[/QUOTE]
There was a link to a huge discussion about that in one of the McAllister bashing threads a while back. I read through some of it, I don’t think the ole 333 is doing to good now days.
[QUOTE=Hobb C. Peatfingers;76726]I’m seeking information about Unions for 1600gt near-coastal Mate… I’ve got my TOAR as well…
Im hoping to find a Union along the lines of the old day union halls, where you don’t necessarily work a normal on-off scheudal, but one where you sign on for a month or three and then get off the vessel until you stop by the union hall again and the cards play in your favor.
Do they have unions like these for folks like me?
If you know of one, what is its “culture” like? How do they operate? Do you like it? Benefits/ Cons?
Thank you![/QUOTE]
IBU and MMP have a lot of seasonal work in the PNW. If you check with the SIU, all tugs come under Inland division. That includes seagoing tugs and ATBs. Most are permanent jobs. In the 24 years I sailed with SIU, I’d only seen a handfull of tempory reliefs out of the hall.